I love beautiful, and interesting, cover art so every Wednesday I post my 'Cover Attraction' for the week along with a synopsis of the book. Everyone is welcome to stop by and, if they'd like, post a link to their favorite weekly book cover.

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Every time I look at this cover, I always have this urge to turn the book the other way around. Do you feel the same way? Or is it just me?

The Opposite House by Helen Oyeyemi
ISBN-13: 9781400078769
Publisher: Random House Inc
Published: June 2008

Synopsis (From B&N):

Lyrical and intensely moving, The Opposite House explores the thin wall between myth and reality through the alternating tales of two young women.

Growing up in London, Maja, a singer, always struggled to negotiate her Afro-Cuban background with her physical home. Yemaya is a Santeria emissary who lives in a mysterious somewherehouse with two doors: one opening to London, the other to Lagos. She is troubled by the ease with which her fellow emissaries have disguised themselves behind the personas of saints and by her inability to recognize them. Interweaving these two tales. Helen Oyeyemi, acclaimed author of The Icarus Girl, spins a dazzling tale about faith, identity, and self-discovery.

First of all, I want to thank Joanna again for sending American Born Chinese to me. I have been coveting this graphic novel for a while after reading so many glowing reviews on the blogosphere and after reading it for myself, I can now understand why this book deserves a shout out.

The first tale is about a Monkey King (also known as Sun Wukong in the original, classical Chinese novel, Journey to the West, but please do not confuse that with this graphic novel) who vows to be recognized as a deity after his embarrassment from admitting to the Heavenly Dinner Party because he is a monkey and does not wear shoes. He begins to master the various arts of kung-fu and in no time, he is all set to prove to the other deities that he could share the same ranks as them. Alas, he is being tested after his encounter with Tze-Yo-Tzuh, his creator, and the latter buries him in a mountain of rubbles for five hundred years.

The second tale is about an American Chinese boy named Jin Wang, whose purpose is to fit in after his family moved to a new neighbourhood. He met a fellow student, Wei Chen, who came from Taiwan and they became good friends after their exchange over a Transformers toy. Jin Wang also begins to fall in love with an American girl, Amelia but he is intimidated and feels he is not good enough for her and it does not help much when another classmate feels it is best of him to leave her alone.

Finally, the last tale is about the relationship between an American boy, Danny, and his Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee. You may wonder at this point why they are related in the first place, and that I would have to leave it to you to find out yourself because it is part of a plot setup and it involves major spoilers.

What I loved most about American Born Chinese is aside from the colourful illustrations and the great characterization, these three little (interlinked) stories convey the same message about finding one's identity and to love and to accept who you are. I think the good part of these stories is they are told in a light, humourous way without losing the topic. There are indications of racial stereotypes of the Chinese people but I think in a way it helps to create awareness of racism/stereotypes no matter what races we are. I absolutely loved the twist ending and thought how brilliant that is. I would recommend this to anyone who love a good story (and a good laugh).

Other reviews:
An Adventure in Reading
Bermudaonion's Weblog
Book Addiction
Book Nut
Books of Mee
Epiphany
Everyday Reads
Frenetic Reader
nothing of importance
Regular Rumminations
Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-a-holic
Stuff as Dreams are Made On
The Hidden Side of a Leaf
The Written World
The Book Zombie
Things Mean A Lot
Tripping Towards Lucidity
Worducopia
(Let me know if I missed yours.)

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

Alex's gaze settled on her. "The bodies, these bones - they're just evidence. To think of them as people is not productive."

(Pg 86, Dying Scream by Mary Burton)

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page.

I received the following books last week:

1) When It Happens by Susane Colasanti (via BookMooch)

2) Random by Craig Robertson (review copy)

What books came into your house last week?

I want to thank Stacy of Stacy's Books for passing on the Humane Award to me. Here's what it says:

I want to pass on this award to the following friends who never fail to visit and comment on my blog, but most of all I want to thank them for their friendship and their never-ending support:

~ Stacy of Stacy's Books (back to you, my friend!)
~ Julia of Julia's Books Corner
~ Alice of Hello, My Name Is Alice
~ Naida of The Bookworm
~ Sandy of You've Gotta Read This
~ Wendy of Musings of a Bookish Kitty
~ Ana of Things Mean A Lot
~ Iliana of Bookgirl's Nightstand
~ Dar of Peeking Between the Pages
~ Ceri of Not in the Pink

I should tell my tale, not aloud, by the fireside, not as a diversion for idle listeners - it was too solemn, and too real, for that. But I should set it down on paper, with every care in in every detail. I would write my own ghost story. Then perhaps I should finally be free of it for whatever life remained for me to enjoy. (Pg 22)

Other reviews:
A Life in Books
A Striped Armchair
Books I Done Read
Savidge Reads
So Many Books
(I am sure there are a lot others. Do let me know if I missed yours.)

I love beautiful, and interesting, cover art so every Wednesday I post my 'Cover Attraction' for the week along with a synopsis of the book. Everyone is welcome to stop by and, if they'd like, post a link to their favorite weekly book cover.

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The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale
ISBN-13: 9780670021062
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: January 2010

Synopsis (From B&N):

Reminiscent of Year of Wonders, a captivating debut novel of fireworks, fortune, and a young woman's redemption

It is 1752 and seventeen-year-old Agnes Trussel arrives in London pregnant with an unwanted child. Lost and frightened, she finds herself at the home of Mr. J. Blacklock, a brooding fireworks maker who hires Agnes as an apprentice. As she learns to make rockets, portfires, and fiery rain, she slowly gains his trust and joins his quest to make the most spectacular fireworks the world has ever seen.

Jane Borodale offers a masterful portrayal of a relationship as mysterious and tempestuous as any the Brontës conceived. Her portrait of 1750s London is unforgettable, from the grimy streets to the inner workings of a household where little is as it seems. Through it all, the clock is ticking, for Agnes's secret will not stay secret forever.

Deeply atmospheric and intimately told from Agnes's perspective, The Book of Fires will appeal to readers of Geraldine Brooks, Sarah Waters, Sheri Holman, and Michel Faber.

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

I would write my own ghost story. Then perhaps I should finally be free of it for whatever life remained for me to enjoy.

(Pg 22, The Woman in Black by Susan Hill)

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about tidy reading around people.

When is it inappropriate to read in front of others? Is it ever appropriate?

I think half of my reading time are spent outdoors. That is because I read during the commute (it takes me about an hour to travel to work and vice versa), and also to pass the time I read while queueing or waiting. Seriously, I cannot imagine myself doing anything else but read during those moments.

I remember when I was younger, my mother used to tell us to have proper etiquette while having our meals at the dining table (and that includes no reading at the table). Overall, I think it all has to depend on situations. It is definitely inappropriate and rude to read while having conversations (which also refers to any other things that require your attention) with others. Another thing that I feel inappropriate and annoys me is when someone read their newspapers in a packed commute; besides the brushing of papers I also feel they are taking up the space which could allocate for more commuters.

What about you?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page.

These are the books I received last week:

1) Midori by Moonlight by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga (bought from Amazon)

2) Burn by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy (review copy)

What books came into your house last week?

Suggested by Prairie Progressive:

Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?

Yes, I am a flapper. I am the kind of reader that read a book from cover to cover. It is even better if there is an introduction page and/or afterwords but I try to avoid reading the introduction page before reading the book because there was a time it spoiled the story for me.

I also love it when there are interviews of the authors at the end of the book. It is great to learn more about the authors and what they have done or feel when writing those stories.

What about you? Are you a flapper?

ISBN-13: 9781890862671
Publisher: Bancroft Press
Published: January 2010
161 pgs
Source: Bancroft Press




I have not read anything by Eileen Boggess, so when Bancroft Press offered me an opportunity to review this book, I said yes because the premise sounds like a fun read to me, and don't you think that cover is colourful and eye-catching?

Mia The Magnificent is actually the third instalment of Eileen Boggess' Mia Fullerton series. In this book, sixteen-year-old Mia has already battled over her shyness and acquired new confidence from the previous two instalments - Mia the Meek and Mia the Melodramatic but there are more adventures and new challenges awaiting her in this instalment and this time around, she has to prove to herself that she could be an independent girl regardless if it is a lead role she has to play in a school musical, learning to drive, dealing with an ex-boyfriend who seems to be giving her all the mixed signals, and not to mention her over-protective parents and a few issues that are tossed into her path.

Despite I have not read the first two instalments, I still enjoyed reading this book. Mia is a great character; she has a zest for life and I liked the way she always stay true to herself despite the peer pressures she has to face at times.

Another thing I liked about this book is the witty dialogues. There isn't a dull moment as Mia and her friends kept me entertained throughout the story. Eileen Boggess managed to capture the emotions of the characters (and the scenarios) well which I am sure most tweens would be able to relate to.

All in all, I had a great reading experience and it makes me wonder what would be in store for Mia in the next instalment.

I love beautiful, and interesting, cover art so every Wednesday I post my 'Cover Attraction' for the week along with a synopsis of the book. Everyone is welcome to stop by and, if they'd like, post a link to their favorite weekly book cover.

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The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
ISBN-13: 9780553807219
Publisher: Random House Publishing
Published: March 2010

Synopsis (From B&N):

In her latest enchanting novel, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen invites you to a quirky little Southern town with more magic than a full Carolina moon. Here two very different women discover how to find their place in the world—no matter how out of place they feel.

Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. Such as, why did Dulcie Shelby leave her hometown so suddenly? And why did she vow never to return? But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew—a reclusive, real-life gentle giant—she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life: Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor bakes hope in the form of cakes.

Everyone in Mullaby adores Julia Winterson’s cakes—which is a good thing, because Julia can’t seem to stop baking them. She offers them to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth but also in the hope of rekindling the love she fears might be lost forever. Flour, eggs, milk, and sugar . . . Baking is the only language the proud but vulnerable Julia has to communicate what is truly in her heart. But is it enough to call back to her those she’s hurt in the past?

Can a hummingbird cake really bring back a lost love? Is there really a ghost dancing in Emily’s backyard? The answers are never what you expect. But in this town of lovable misfits, the unexpected fits right in.

I just could not get enough of Banana Yoshimoto's books. I think it all started after I read Kitchen, which is the first book I read by this author and I fell in love with her lyrical prose. Following Kitchen, I read Goodbye Tsugumi, which is another great read but not as good as Kitchen in my humble opinion. Of course I wouldn't stop reading there, thus Asleep comes in and once again, I was swept away by her enchanting storytelling and her beautiful, poetic writing style.

Asleep contains three stories of young women who are somehow bewitched into a spiritual sleep. Night and Night's Travelers is the first story where it features the connection between Shibami (the narrator) and her cousin Mari after the death of Shibami's brother, Yoshihiro. Mari has developed feelings for Yoshihiro before and ever since his death, she goes into a withdrawal stage where she sleepwalk. It is also at this time that Shibami began to discover a secret of Yoshihiro's previous relationship with an American girl.

The second story, Love Songs, is about a young woman named Fumi who often hears a soothing voice singing every time before she goes to sleep. Initially she dismiss it as the result of a broken heart and drinking, but yet again the more she thinks of it the more she thinks of Haru, a dead woman who also had a relationship with her ex-lover at the same time when she was with him. Haru and Fumi were never in good terms with each other; it is natural since they were both having a relationship with the same man but Fumi later find peace and friendship with Haru after a consultation with a midget psychic.

Asleep, which share the same title as the book is the last story where another young woman, Terako who is sleeping her days away after the death of her best friend, Shiori. She felt a deep sense of loss and not even her boyfriend, Mr. Iwanaga could release that pent-up tension in her. Mr. Iwanaga has a wife and Terako only knew about her coma later, as he is reluctant to mention anything about his wife. Terako then slowly began to find her new self only after she see through Shiori's life and a dreamlike encounter with Mr. Iwanaga's wife.

This book has similiar elements in each story, such as connection, friendship, love and death which associated with sleep (as indicated by the book title) and a sense of loneliness. Once again, Banana Yoshimoto has delivered another spellbinding stories, this time around with a mystical touch. She has captured each character's emotions so well that you would be able to feel for them. Another thing I love about Banana Yoshimoto's stories are they are told from a refreshing point of view even if they often revolve around the simple things in our life. Most of the times, I felt myself get carried away with her books because they are simply alluring, and not to mention thought-provoking at times.

Have you read any books by Banana Yoshimoto? Which one is your favourite?

Other reviews:
The Written World
The Zen Leaf
Things Mean A Lot
(Let me know if I missed yours.)

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

The following Monday morning, as Lisa wheeled me down the St. Hilary's hallway, I felt like the princess in some sort of warped homecoming parade. Everyone stopped and stared at my still-swollen face and bandaged body, and I didn't know if I should wave, say hi, or throw candy at them.

(Pg 108, Mia the Magnificent by Eileen Boggess)

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about tidy bookshelves.

Are your bookshelves strictly books only? Or have knick-knacks invaded? Do your shelves also shelve DVDs? Photos? Why not snap a photo – I’m sure we all like to spy on other’s shelves!

Most of my bookshelves are strictly limited to books only, however there is one bookshelf which I share with my husband and besides my books that occupies a shelf, the rest are filled with miscellaneous stuff like files, three Barbie dolls (two of them belong to my eldest daughter, and I bought one of Barbie being the Santa's assistant). Other stuff also include a few photo albums, dictionaries etc, and the bottom drawer of the shelf is where we keep all our stationery. Unfortunately, I am not able to provide a photo as I am currently in the office but I could share with you two of the older pictures which I had posted on my blog some time ago.

This is the shelf where I mentioned about my books and other misc. stuff.

This is the other bookshelf where I keep some of my TBR pile with more photo albums (the drawers on the right).

Today, most of my TBR pile are stored in our storeroom because they are just too many! What about you? Do you keep other things besides books in your bookshelves?