First of all, Happy New Year to you! 2022 has been an average year to me in all aspects; and all the more reading-wise since I'd barely hit the 50 mark in numbers. Nevertheless, reading and finding new-to-me authors are always a joy and as usual, I look forward to reading more books and sharing my thoughts of them with you in 2023. 

Since I hadn't been reading too many books in 2022, I thought I'd do something different this time around and instead of posting my Top 10 Reads, I'll list out the best of my best list and the ones which have left a deep impression on me (not in any order).

• Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara 

This book evoked so much emotions in me. Aside from the Indian setting, I've learned a lot about their living lifestyle (residents living in the slums) and the social status difference between the rich and the poor, and how this division will colour the lens of justice and other things as well. A sad but yet a thought-provoking read. 

• Counterfeit by Kristin Chen 

This was a fun read; all the more if you're a (luxurious) handbag lover. Aside from the dynamics between the two main characters, there's also a message behind this story involving counterfeit handbags and illegal labour. I loved the light and darkly comic prose though I wished the dialogues have quotation marks! 

• Bad Kids by Zijin Chen 

My best exploration of new-to-me author. I loved this book so much that I began my search of his other works (sadly, only found another titled The Untouched Crime since they're both translated works). At its core, this book highlights the human nature and how circumstances could force one to do something unthinkable. Recommended! 

• The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan 

A compelling read and the balance between the suspense and the characters developments are good. This was one great suspense thriller that you need to dive into it without reading too much information about it. 

• The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon 

Jennifer is a great author in all aspects. Love her atmospheric settings and all the more her cast of intriguing characters. Her stories always give an element of surprise, and this book was no exception. I was drawn into this book not only for the suspense but also the author's writing and how she executed it like a fine art.

Happy 2023! Happy reading! 

As I read many suspense thrillers than other genres, it isn't surprising to see that the titles of that genre take up most of the slots (perhaps I need to work on reading more of the other genres, too). Without further ado, here's my Top Ten Reads of 2021 (not in any order and the titles aren't necessarily published in 2021. They are linked to my reviews for easy reference). 

- The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Daré

- Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams 

- He Started It by Samantha Downing 

- Thief of Souls by Brian Klingborg

- A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight 

-  Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 

- Grave's End by William Shaw 

- The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood 

- The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor 

- Death in the Family by Tessa Wegert 

Honorable Mention: 

- The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

There you have it. What books are you looking forward to reading this year and do you have any new reading goals or resolutions? 

Hello my dear readers! To begin with, I'm so sorry that my posts have been sparse lately. This applies the same to my blog hopping and commenting and for these I want to say sorry, too. Life has been hectic and it seems like this has somewhat affected my reading momentum in some way. Of course, there're also some personal stuff that was taking away my attention and I just want to say, never underestimate the small mundane things that we're taking for granted. No, there's nothing wrong with my health although I'd be thankful if my usual old problems will just go away, ha. Now that I've got these off my plate, let me share with you what I've been reading lately.

I'd finished reading Ling Jing's (笭菁) first installment of her new series (林投劫) featuring a variety of supernatural characters. I loved her two urban legends series and although I was sad to see they'd come to an end, it was good to see Ling Jing has quickly started on a new series; this time around surrounding a family of supernatural characters (humans included) helping to solve some mysterious cases. Like the urban legends series, the author would base from the origins and have the story twisted accordingly to her imaginations. This first installment revolves around a woman who was murdered but was led to believe as a suicidal hanging case. The fiction then extend its plot by recreating her character as a ghost seeking for truth and revenge. And that's where the family will come in as they'll help to solve the case, but they'd not meddle with fate and any karmic forces which may link to the victim and the perpetrator. I like the idea of this new series and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more. 

I'm currently reading The Push by Ashley Audrain and it's an absorbing read about the exploration of motherhood. While there's psychological and family drama, I'd say this is more of a case of characters study as well as the values, expectations and challenges of women becoming mothers. I can't say more as I'm only into half of the book, but it's definitely a powerful and a thought-provoking book that fits for discussions. 

My library visits have become an irregular routine since the safety regulations often change as and when accordingly to current situation, thus I'm currently turning my attention more to my TBR pile and book acquisitions although I'll still borrow books whenever I can. Here are some of my recent book buys: Hostage by Clare Mackintosh, The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon, Beneath Devil's Bridge by Loreth Anne White and The Boys' Club by Erica Katz. 

Hope you've a great day and happy reading!