Drama: You Are All Surrounded (你们被包围了)
Melody


You Are First Surrounded was released in May 2014 and I wanted to kick myself for not watching it earlier. Bad villains, police procedural and a sweet romance... yes, these about sum up the drama and now that I'd finished watching I found myself having a hangover. 

Young Kim Ji-yong (starring Lee Seung-Gi) witnessed her mother being murdered at their own house when she attempted to testify as a witness to a crime. Although there wasn't any clue of the murderer, he did leave behind an important evidence - a unique designer necklace. Named as the Masan School Nurse Murder, this case was closed after there wasn't any lead following that incident. 

Eleven years have passed and Ji-yong  became a detective in Gangnam Police Station under the Violent Crimes Unit. To protect his identity, he has since changed his name to Eun Dae-Koo and is placed under the guardianship of the Police Chief after his mother passed. She raises him like her own son, although she is single. No one knew about their relationship. 

The team he is in consists of six staff. Four rookies, including himself, are placed under Seo Pan-Seok (starring Cha Seung-Won), the Team Leader of Team 3. Seo is a legend at the precinct as he is known for solving the toughest cases except the Masan case eleven years ago which still haunts him. 

These four rookies have no intention of becoming detectives in the first place, but of course Eun Dae-Koo's goal is to investigate the murder case of his mother. And his primary suspect is Chief Investigator Seo, ever since he'd heard his name being mentioned after the murderer took a call after finishing his "mission". 

What follows next is a series of investigations and some twisty turns but halfway through the drama, the mastermind is revealed and the staff of Team 3 has to gather evidence so that he could be put to justice. It is these scenes (gathering of evidences) that makes this drama entertaining; there are definitely some intense moments but there are also comedies as some of the characters could make you giggle. 

Aside from the characters and the sweet romance between Dae-Koo and fellow rookie, Soo-Sun (starring Go Ara), what I liked about this drama is the dreams of these four rookies never waver even though they are young and inexperienced. They show their team spirit despite of their differences, and they never back down even if their leads led them to a dead end. Cliché or not, I still enjoyed the drama and of course, there are some moments that moved me, too. I also liked it that Dae-Koo and Soo-Sun are schoolmates during their teenage years and they've liked each other then but they were too proud to admit it. Soo-Sun didn't know Dae-Koo is the "reincarnation" of Ji-yong initially until much later. 

You know what left me cold about this story? Not the runners who are paid to murder people but the extent of a person's doings just to be more powerful and wealthy at the expense of his loved ones. But of course this bad feeling is replaced by characters such as Team Leader Seo and Dae-Koo, not only of their righteousness but also they are good to look at, ha. 
(Soundtrack: What's Wrong With Me, featuring Dae-Koo and Soo-Sun)


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I Am China by Xiaolu Guo
Melody


ISBN-13: 9780099583738
Publisher: Vintage
Publication Date: 6 August 2015
Format: Paperback, 384 pgs
Source: Purchased 

This year has been a good reading year to me thus far. I'd read a few good thrillers that had me at the edge of my seat, and one or two romantic comedies which made me smile and experienced the joy of romancing through the characters. But a book that moved me tremendously? I Am China would be the book; and I've given it a 5-stars rating for the beautiful writing, the unforgettable story and the various emotions it evoked in me. 

There are two modes of expression that bring thirty-one year old Iona Kirkpatrick to life - one is the sexual act (no worries, this is just a brief mention and there isn't explicit description here) and another is through words. The former merely offers her an escape while the latter allows her to regain something in her life and enable her to connect. As a teenager, she felt herself longing for foreign languages. Words became her world and though she'd once thought that she'd be a writer one day, it is translating works that find her ultimately. 

One April day in 2013, she received an email from a publisher who wants her to translate some Chinese letters and diaries. The publisher used to publish eminent people's biographies but they are thinking biographies of marginal characters who've connections to something big might be more interesting, such as a pile of materials related to a famous Chinese punk musician, spanning twenty years ago and is believed in exiled in some Western countries due to a manifesto delivery in his last concert. 

The other materials are from his lover, Deng Mu, who studied in the same university back in the 1990s. She studied Western Literature while Jian studied Chinese History; both have dreams of the future although they share different opinions. Jian is a vigorous youth who's not afraid of showing his emotions through his songs. Mu, on the other hand, thinks there's not much they could do given their country's system of law and it'd land them to nothing but trouble anyway, although she does have that same fiery spirit in her. They often question things like freedom, arts and whether if the latter is necessarily linked to political since they are living in a country which values collectivism. As Jian had written: "art is the politics of perpetual revolution." 

As Iona read and translate the materials, she couldn't help but to be swept away by their love story, their pain and their dreams as well; and most of all their individual beliefs, their persistence and the struggles (physically and emotionally) they've gone through even though they are many miles apart. Readers would soon know about Jian's and Mu's fate as Iona unravels more through her translations, googling for more answers and even travelling to places in search of their trails. It is also at this moment she began to think of her own life; how trivial hers seems to be as compared to Jian's and Mu's. 

Through Jian's letters and diaries entries, readers also get a gist of his personal history and his views coming from a political family, and how much his family is driven by ideology and revolutionary sacrifices. His father's coldness has cut off every illusion he has in life except of his feelings towards Mu. 

"... My last words to you in this letter: whatever happens with your life and my life, I still have this love for you. So now I give it to you, wherever you are.   Your Jian" ~ Pg 271 

What makes I Am China such an engrossing read is aside from the writing style, Jian's and Mu's voices captured my attention because they transpire this strong individualism yet their love for each other goes beyond all things that separated them. I also liked how Jian's and Mu's stories somewhat juxtapose with Iona's, allowing her for some reflections and made her a different person towards the end. 

Beautifully rendered and filled with melancholy, I highly recommend this book if you enjoy reading Chinese history and culture. Even if you aren't into them, simply read it for the writing and the story (this book is longlisted for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction). As you can tell, I loved it so much that I'm going to check out the rest of Xiaolu Guo's releases. 

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The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood
Melody

ISBN-13: 9780385540353
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: 29 September 2015
Format: eBook, 320 pgs
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss



Margaret Atwood's latest novel, The Heart Goes Last, take us to a near future where jobs are scarce and social security becomes another threat. However, there's an answer to these problems and one could sign up to live in Consilience and has a new life and a job there. The only things to sacrifice is leaving the outside world (so-called the real unpleasant world) and giving up one's freedom every second month in Positron (a prison cell in Consilience but unlike other prisons, Positron generates optimism and creates fairness to the 'residents' living in Consilience so they will experience the good and the 'bad' and so all is equal and balanced.) The other condition is a married couple will be assigned to live in the same house together with another couple (called the 'Alternates') but they are forbidden to see and/or interact with each other since a couple will stay in Consilience and the other will stay in Positron for a month and vice versa. 

Our protagonists, Stan and Charmaine, think this offer is too good to be true. After all, they are jobless and they live in their car and who knows what happens if they continue to hide in their car and be sitting ducks for the robbers and rapists. So they signed up and hope for the best. In the beginning, they are happy but things get mundane and bored until one day Stan found a note in their house - a love message addressing to Max from Jasmine. This little note has made Stan's mind wander, and the more he wanted to know her in person. 

Charmaine, on the other hand, finds herself attracted to Max, one of their Alternates, when he returns to their house early one day and found Charmaine there. That chance encounter leads to an infidelity that would destroy their marriages, thus begins the main plot of revenge, manipulation and ultimately, a plan that surprises the readers as well. 

If you are a fan of Atwood's, you'd know that her stories are usually intricate and imaginative; and can be both scary and thought-provoking at times. Well, this story is no exceptional. This story made me think how true it is given today's  economy and how joblessness can lead to one's desperation and depression. What Consilience offers seems like a perfect plan but it isn't without loopholes. What's ugly about Consilience/Positron is not about their strict rules and regulations but a human's greed and desires which made them to overturn protocols. Then again, there's also humanity, the sense of responsibility and righteousness and most of all, the 'heart goes last' that says a lot about the sentimentality and values of one's love and emotions that allows hope and second chance. 

I was really intrigued by the first part of the story; the deeds Charmaine and Stan have done made one thinks of a fatal attraction movie. The second part seemed a bit bizarre to me, but it was also where the pace began to pick up its momentum and where all the actions are. Some of them seemed horrific, and some seemed... did I mention bizarre? Nevertheless, it was an absorbing read. After all, it's Margaret Atwood's. 
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Second Life by S. J. Watson
Melody


ISBN-13: 9780062432629
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: 9 June 2015
Format: Paperback, 416 pgs
Source: Purchased



I've been meaning to read S. J. Watson's Before I Go to Sleep after reading so many glowing reviews of it; and I need to check out the film adaptation too, as I've heard it was equally good. Nevertheless, my reading whim took me to his latest release, Second Life, and I thought it wouldn't matter as long as I'm reading a Watson book, right? 

Second Life tells a gripping story about a woman whose intention is to find the murderer who'd killed her younger sister but that path has led her to having another identity, lies and secrets. 

Julia thought her life is in control. She has a drinking problem but she'd gone for a program and hasn't been drinking for years. Her marriage with her surgeon husband, Hugh, is happy. Connor, her fourteen-year-old nephew, lives with them since he was a baby. His mother, Kate, being too young when she gave birth to him, didn't object when Julia decided to bring him up as her own. The relationship between Julia and Kate has became lukewarm after Julia has decided to move out to be on her own; she felt she needed to have her own life after taking care of young Kate since their mother's passing. Their father felt hopeless (clueless, too) with bringing up the two girls but Julia didn't really mind then. However, as adults their relationship became distance apart; and Julia dreads Kate might ask for Connor's return one day soon (although she'd adopted him and he called her "Mum"). 

While worrying over Connor, she's received news about Kate's death. Kate appeared to be drinking alone in a bar before someone attacked her in a dark alley. She was neither robbed nor raped, and this has puzzled Julia and the police. The latter couldn't find anything related to the attack, but Kate's friend (also flatmate) has later told Julia that Kate had went online looking for dates and sex. It was not something shocking, as she'd related to Julia later, considering they are single and they wanted some fun. 

Julia thinks otherwise, and to make things worse she's finally caved in to drinking, thinking a little wouldn't harm her. She also decides she'd look into Kate's death, starting by looking into her things and finding some clues from there. Julia's husband, Hugh, thinks Julia should move on, go seek for a counsellor and let the police handles the case. But Julia feels she should take matters in her own hands and her first attempt is to check out the dating sites Kate had logged on to and there, she befriended a charismatic young man called Lukas. She thinks Lukas may provide some answers to Kate's death, but little did she know that she's seeing more of Lukas and find herself entangled in an extramarital affair. But that is not all, Lukas seems to harbour a dark desire of owning Julia and Julia is no longer sure if Lukas is the man she called her lover. 

Second Life took me by surprise on many levels, which was a good thing. First of all, I thought this would be a thriller whereby Julia would find her ways in searching for her sister's murderer but it ended up otherwise. Secondly, Kate's murder (and murderer) wasn't what I'd expected to be, although I wished she'd not died that way. And aside from the suspense, the story also allows readers to reflect on some issues such as drugs and alcohol addiction, the inconspicuous of social media, family and infidelity. 

While the story isn't new, I found myself engrossed in it. I found the characterisations believable and some of the premise to be true, especially the part which mentioned that there are all kinds of people pretend to be someone they're not on the internet. Speaking of characterisation, Julia was someone whom I felt sorry with the moment I learnt about her past. She has lost her sister; her husband works too hard and neglect her feelings at times and Connor has his own world and life. She feels alone and I could see why she fell quickly and so deeply into another relationship, even if that man was ten years her junior. Then again, she also exasperated me with her occasional stupidity (or is it naivety?) and her self-absorbed mind many times that I wished she'd come to her senses soon, before all is too late. 

I liked Watson's writing style a lot and while the twisty ending felt a bit ambiguous to me, still I was captivated by his storytelling throughout my entire reading journey. Needless to say, Before I Go to Sleep would be onto my to-read list. 
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Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
Melody


ISBN-13: 9781509814800
Publisher: MacMillan
Publication Date: 16 July 2015
Format: Hardcover, 352 pgs
Source: Purchased



Is Ani FaNelli the luckiest girl alive? After all, she has a glamorous job, a designer wardrobe and most of all, a handsome and rich fiancé, Luke. Based on what she has, everyone would agree that she's definitely the luckiest girl alive. 

However, what she portrays is all lies and secrets. Her teenage years isn't something she'd like to brag or even talk about; she'd mixed with the wrong group of people, had given herself a bad reputation and now that past is going to catch up on her after she's agreed to do a documentary; a show that she'd tell her side of a chilling tragedy that took place when she was studying at the prestigious Bradley school. 

This story is told in Ani's perspective, switching between the past and the present. To be honest, I don't know what to describe my feelings towards Ani; she is not a likeable character right from the start. She is manipulative, vain and shallow. Her teenage years is no better as we often see her bitter and full of angst. One couldn't blame her considering she has both parents who don't understand her; and attending to a new school could be scary where you didn't know anyone and there are cliques everywhere. 

Not giving the plot away, I could only say I'd difficulty reading the first half of the book. Part of the reason is I couldn't connect to Ani, since she was such an unlikeable character. Plus, the pacing was somewhat slow and was spent describing how Ani had come about from her school days and her profession being a writer with The Women's Magazine to her relationship with her fiancé. I held onto the book waiting for the big moment to arrive and that happened after the second half of the book. 

I've to admit the ending did surprise me but not to the extent of shocking. There are talks that this book is compared to Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl but I couldn't see the similarity except that both protagonists are flawed and they are bitter with their lives. While I felt empathy towards Ani at some point of what she'd encountered, that didn't make me like her more. Overall it was a good read but it didn't 'wow' me as I'd hoped. That said, this book would make a great book club discussions for the (dark) issues and what happened to the characters here. 

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Suddenly One Summer by Julie James
Melody

ISBN-13: 9780425273760
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Publication Date: 2 June 2015
Format: Paperback, 304 pgs
Source: Purchased


I love a light, cozy romance once in a while and Julie James' latest release, Suddenly One Summer, comes into mind. I've always enjoyed reading her books; not only her heroes are sexy and her heroines are smart and witty, too. The dialogues between the characters made me giggle at times, and I know I could always rely on James' books for a perfect escape read. 

Suddenly One Summer is a story about two different people coming together and falling in love unexpectedly. Victoria Slade is a successful lawyer dealing in divorce cases; she also owns the firm and as much as she is single and attractive, she has seen enough unhappy marriages to not committing a relationship with its ultimate path to a marriage. On top of that, when she was ten her father left her and her mother for a younger woman and started a new life, leaving her mother into depression and almost died from sleeping pills overdose. That fear and the anxiety still linger in her mind all the way to her adult life, and that feeling has worsened after some burglars broke into her house one night, forcing her to move out from her home and look for another. 

Her new neighbour, Ford Dixon, who's also in his thirties and an investigative journalist, thinks Victoria is attractive but off-limits since a few occasions they've encountered have left a bad impression in each other's eyes. Nevertheless, that didn't stop Victoria from helping his sister, Nicole; after learning that she's a single mother with a four-month-old baby and is ditched by the man who'd got her pregnant in the first place. 

Despite Victoria's unwillingness to team up with Ford initially, she wants to help Nicole and she knew through her legal expertise, she will fight for Nicole's rights but before that, they need to find the man. On the other end, Ford knew there would be sparks flying, good or bad, but he is confident that they will nail down the guy very soon through his resources working with the Tribune. Plus, Victoria is great when it comes to roles playing during their 'missions'. 

Playing amateur sleuth with Ford isn't what Victoria has expected in the first place. She thinks clashes and snarky comments are unavoidable when Ford is concerned, but as the more they work together she noticed a softer, vulnerable  side of Ford which she finds irresistible and sexy. Likewise, Ford sees Victoria in a new light that under her confident, businesslike personality she is simply an ordinary woman who has her woes like any other women. Witnessing her panic attack on a subway has unleashed the protective streak in him and allows him to think again of their relationship, but Victoria is skeptical of relationships and marriages, considering the cases she's dealt with and seeing her own parents' marriage crumbles until it finally struck her how miserable and foolish she has been after turning Ford down for good. 

Although the premise isn't new, what I liked about this book (in fact all Julie James' books) is the heroine and the witty dialogues which have become her signature elements. I like reading stories about relationships which start from friends, and also relationships whereby both the hero and heroine dislike each other initially but how their feelings have changed as the time goes. These premises always interest me and I find Ms. James is good in writing them (though I've to admit it's always her writing style which have made me a fan of hers.) Highly recommended if you love a good contemporary romance with a combination of great dialogues and sizzlingly romance. 


Here's my thoughts on other Julie James' books:


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Disclaimer by Renée Knight
Melody


ISBN-13: 9780062362254
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: 19 May 2015
Format: Hardcover, 352 pgs
Source: Purchased

It first started with the book titled The Perfect Stranger. Catherine Ravenscroft doesn't remember buying that book or brought it back home, but there it is by her bedside, calling out to her to read it. Out of curiosity she flipped through the pages, and the more she read the more she is terrified of the story it turns out to be. You see, the story is about her and the secrets she has tried to hide twenty years ago. 

Stephen Brigstocke, the self-published author, who's out to get Catherine is sure he is doing the right thing by taunting her and humiliating her. He wants to see her world crumbles and suffer from it, after all what she did to his family is deemed unforgivable and had caused a death due to her involvement. 

Told in Stephen's first person and Catherine's third person, Disclaimer tells a taut, riveting story of how secrets and misconceptions will tear two families apart, and how far one would go under hatred and grieving circumstances. 

It was an emotional roller coaster ride reading this book; initially it'd made me feel unsettling, then that feeling quickly turned to contempt and ultimately shocked over the revealing truth towards the end. While the truth might be thrilling and satisfying for some, personally it left me cold because I was thinking of reasons why Catherine kept those secrets all along under that certain circumstances (I can't say what since that'd a huge spoiler.) It made me angry and felt I was being deceived by her. 

That said, it was also a thought-provoking read. I do sympathised with all the characters involved, and at times I felt sad for Stephen's wife, Nancy, because the tragedy of losing a family member has crippled her so much so that she embraced cancer like it'd saved her sanity. It was those scenes that was heartbreaking and had really struck me. I should have given this book 4½ stars but I settled for four due to my mixed feelings towards the conclusion. Still, it was a good psychological thriller and I'll be looking forward to Ms. Knight's future release. 

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Name of the Devil by Andrew Mayne
Melody








ISBN-13: 9780062348890
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: 7 July 2015
Format: Paperback, 432 pgs
Source: Publisher
Magician-turned-FBI-agent Jessica Blackwood returns in this sequel to Angel Killer; in which the last investigation case requires her intelligence and her expertise in the art of illusions, something which she'd done in the past and tried to bury after she'd left home to live on her own. Her father and grandfather had worked together in countless performances on stage, and Jessica was taught to perform little acts since she was a girl. However, one incident had nearly caused her death, and she'd tried to shun away from performing since then. Her relationship with her grandfather remains lukewarm, but she respect him and would still approach him for some magic advice, just like the case she's looking into in this installment. 

An explosion took away four lives in a church and a local sheriff is the suspect until he was found dead eventually. The FBI has gathered evidence that these people had known each other and that their death are connected to an event happened years ago. But what they aren't sure of is is the sheriff's erratic behaviour is psychological or pharmacological. Did someone lead him to doing something under a confused mind? 

As Jessica digs further, she realises there's something more than meets the eye and someone wants her dead, as well. With no evidence of her suspicion and no support from her superiors, Jessica knew she has to rely on her own to unravel all the truth and she is fortunate she has one or two reliable agents who trusted her and Damian Knight, an ex-boyfriend who seems to have many connections but whose real identity remains a mystery to many, including Jessica. 

From state cities to rural Tixato in Mexico, Jessica learnt that whoever is responsible for the church explosion is someone who has intelligence, resources and power to rid of any links pointing at him or her and the ultimate purpose of all is to seek revenge of what happened on one fateful night involving the sheriff and victims of the church explosion. 

If there's magic and mayhem in the first installment, Angel Killer, then there's actions and more actions in this sequel as there are implications ranging from diabolical forces to drug cartels to the Vatican that have our determined heroine running around. While I found the actions entertaining, what I also enjoyed reading about this book is Jessica's relationship with her grandfather as I felt it is more in depth here. Raised from a family of illusionists, Jessica is fully aware of the danger they are always in and perhaps because of this mindset, she isn't afraid of taking chances and relying on her instincts. I also liked reading about the complicated relationship she'd had with Damian. I still wasn't sure about him, but after saving Jessica for countless times (despite his obsessive attention on her) I think he wouldn't be that bad of a character, right? 

Reading this book has also set me thinking that some things may not always seem what we think them to be. Right and wrong, good and bad... there's always a fine line between them and sometimes it's hard to judge them, viewing from different perspectives. While Name of the Devil is a sequel, it could be read as a standalone but I'd recommend reading it in order for the characters development. 
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The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon
Melody

ISBN-13: 9780385538510
Publisher: Doubleday
Publication Date: 4 August 2015
Format: eBook, 336 pgs
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

I'd read Jennifer McMahon's Promise Not to Tell and enjoyed it; so much so that I quickly devoured her latest release, The Night Sister, despite that I have yet to read her other older releases. I know I will get to them at some point, but for this moment I wanted to read Ms. McMahon's latest and be swept away by her fantastic storytelling. After all, who wouldn't be intrigued by an atmospheric setting of a run-down old motel and a suspenseful tale about sisters and secrets? 

Set in London, Vermont, with the time period alternates between the 1950s and 2013, it is a tale about three girls who'd stumbled upon a past that would ruin their friendship forever. 

Amy, Piper and Piper's kid sister, Margot, would never forget the day they found a suitcase containing some old clothings and a picture of Amy's mother, Rose and her elder sister, Sylvie Slater, when they were children. Amy's memories of her mother are vague, since her childhood was mostly spent with her grandmother, Charlotte. She also understood from her grandmother that Aunt Sylvie disappeared at the age of eighteen and her disappearance has deeply traumatized her mother, Rose. 

Now as adults, Piper and Margot tried to forget about their teenaged past since Amy has chosen to distance from them. But it seems the past has caught up on them once again when the news of Amy's death got to Piper and Margot and Piper. And what shocked them most is that it seemed Amy had killed her husband and son before shooting herself; her young daughter is the only survivor. What was the motive and why was there an old picture of Rose and Sylvie with two words "29 rooms" scribbled on it at the crime scene? 

As much as this is a story about Amy, Piper and Margot, at its core it's about the relationship between Sylvie and Rose, and the secrets they'd shared and hid from each other. Sylvie and and Rose are an interesting characters to read; Sylvie is the golden girl who has big dreams of becoming the next leading actress of Mr. Alfred Hitchcock's movies while Rose is the quiet girl who thinks she has no beauty and talents.  

As in Jennifer McMahon's style, there is a hint of the supernatural element alongside with the mystery, but this is quite different from her other books. The characterisations are interesting and the book was unputdownable. However, there is something which kept me from giving this book a 5-star ratings but I wouldn't say what it is since I don't want to spoil anything. That said, it didn't take away my joy of reading it. As I said, Ms. McMahon is a fantastic  storyteller; I was totally entranced by her storytelling and that's all I've got to say about this book. 
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A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Melody

ISBN-13: 9781408857861
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
Publication Date: 5 May 2015
Format: Paperback, 432 pgs
Source: Purchased

In Sarah J. Maas' latest fantasy trilogy, humans and faeries are enemies and they are bound by rules of The Treaty laid centuries ago. High Faes and faeries live in the lands of Prythian and their lands are separated by walls and borders from the mortal lands. There are legends and rumours surrounding the faeries, that they hate iron and that an ash arrow made out from ash wood would kill them, though no one really knows if that's fact or merely rumours until a nineteen-year-old girl named Feyre killed a wolf with her ash wood arrow during hunting. It turned out that the wolf is no ordinary wolf but a faery.

When the High Lord of Spring Court, Tamlin, knew Feyre has killed his friend, he sought her out and gave her an option to either be killed or live out the remainder of her days in Prythian. Feyre chose to cross the wall and spend her days in Prythian, knowing very well that her family needs her and she would find her way out of Prythian. But her hope of escaping is dashed when she finds herself falling for Tamlin; a High Lord whom she finds both threatening yet noble at the same time.

When the seven courts in Prythian are threatened by Amarantha, the powerful High Queen of Prythian, the other High Lords and faeries knew they have only one person to rely on to help regain their freedom in their immortal world - Feyre, a mortal girl who vows to save Tamlin from Amarantha's grasp out of love and loyalty and to save the human realm should Amarantha decides to exercise her power and authority on it as well (There is a history why she hates humans so much but I'm not going to dwell on that.)

Sarah J. Maas has done a wonderful job in the world building and creating a cast of equally wonderful, fascinating characters. The story has a few similarities with the popular classic fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" in terms of the three sisters and their father who'd lost their wealth (here is Feyre and her two elder sisters and Feyre is the only one who brings food to the family since her sisters acted like princesses and their father's leg is injured after being beaten off by his creditors due to an unfortunate failed business) and of course, Tamlin who shares a resemblance of the Beast (who is also cursed) but other than these, this fantasy stands out of its own with its original plot and a remarkable setting of the immortal faeries world.

I found myself admiring and empathising Feyre at the same time reading this story. I liked her strength and her courage, and most of all her fierce devotion towards Tamlin when she is forced to take upon a few quests by Amarantha and from there we got to see her wit, her determination and her struggles as she is forced to make a decision in matters of life and death. I also found myself intrigued by supporting characters such as Lucien (Tamlin's court-trained emissary, a warrior in his own right) and Rhysand, a High Lord of the Night court who seemed charismatic and dangerous at the same time. He played an important role in Feyre's life in the immortal world and he is one character which had left me baffled due to his personality. Is he good or bad? He couldn't be good if he was feared by other faeries and killed orhers mercilessly but yet he couldn't be bad either if he'd saved Feyre's life more than once.

Although the book stated this is the first of a trilogy, the ending is surprisingly nicely wrapped up and even could read it as a standalone. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would definitely continue with this trilogy. And I hope to see more of Rhysand in the sequel (the book stated it'd be released in May 2016.) simply because he is such an intriguing character, aside from Tamlin and Lucien. 
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In Wilderness by Diane Thomas
Melody


ISBN-13: 9780804176958
Publisher: Random House LLC
Publication Date: 3 March 2015
Format: Hardcover, 320 pgs
Source: Purchased 

In Wilderness, in short, tells a story of the encounter between two lonely damaged people in the wilderness and how, despite their differences in everything, finds a strange connection in each other and begins an obsessive and a dangerous love affair. 

Set in the 1960s, the story opens with our female protagonist, Katherine Reid, leading a blissful life. She has a doting husband and they work together in an ad agency. Tim will be the main person to get projects and handle most things while Katherine will mainly focus her attention on the designing part. And the most glorious thing is, they are expecting a baby! 

But, that glorious moment is short-lived, as we can later tell from Katherine's depression as she'd lost her baby. Their blissful marriage collapsed and it is no later that Katherine learnt she's only got six months to live. She decided that fleeing from the city and her past would be a good way to spend her last remaining months; thus she answers to a property ad and soon finds herself in an isolated cabin on a mountaintop. 

Danny MacLean, our other protagonist, is a twenty-year-old Vietnam veteran who lives not far from Katherine's cabin. Haunted by war and his past, he becomes fixated on Katherine. What started out as an observation and curiosity soon leads to an obsession that gets more intensifying the deeper they go. 

I wished I could express my thoughts clearly and eloquently after closing this book but at this moment while typing this, my mind was a blank because I was still reminiscing over the author's beautiful writing and this haunting, unforgettable story of Katherine and Danny. I found their emotions so raw and pristine and one couldn't help but to... empathise with them? 

The author has wonderfully captured their voices and emotions into words that I felt they were not fictional characters but flesh and blood people like you and me. I didn't know what to describe of the feelings they'd for each other - are they two disturbed minds who were there at the right time or is there something more to it? And at times, I couldn't tell if what they felt or did was right or wrong, just that their worlds simply collided and exploded. Katherine's life is somewhat wasted by her sorrows and sickness, while Danny is haunted by the war; the death of his best friend and Army mate and then hearing that his high school sweetheart had gotten engaged. 

I think this is the kind of book which you either love it or hate it. Subjects aside, there is also not much dialogues given their (cat-and-mouse) situations; at least not in the first half of the book. On the contrary, the second half was full of mixed emotions and intensity, and yes there were actions too which made me feel like I was reading a thriller of some sort. The conclusion was a dynamic one; an ending which I'd suspected and expected. So was it a beautiful story? Yes and no. It was a very unusual love story, but then there is nothing beautiful and romantic about obsessive love, no matter how harmless it may seem to be. For this, I blamed it on Danny's PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), which according to the author's note, was unrecognised at that time. 

Finally, I shall leave you a few quotes which give you a gist of the author's writing: 

"None of us - not them, not she herself - is meant for solitude. We crave attachments. When we can't make them among live things we attach unnaturally to something else." ~ Pg 132 
"Desire can be a comfort to slide into, a warm bath that gently nudges you and rocks you. But when it quickens, it's a knife." ~ Pg 133 
"This time is different. As are the rest, each from the others. Different in the way all clouds are different. Or all people. Or all fingerprints. He knows that that's the way of it, no two will ever be the same." ~ Pg 186

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A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
Melody

ISBN-13: 9780062363237
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: 2 June 2015
Format: Paperback, 304 pgs
Source: Publisher


Do that title and cover image intrigue you? Well it definitely did to me. As you know, I love reading a good psychological suspense. Thrown in with a horror element and that's always a bonus to me; after all I don't watch too many horror flick so I can only indulge myself in books. Weird, I know. 

Anyway, A Head Full of Ghosts tell a story of the Barretts family and how their family is torn apart when their fourteen-year-old Marjorie begins to display signs of acute schizophrenia. From the start, readers have the unsettling feeling as the younger sister, Meredith (Merry), recalls her past living with her family fifteen years ago in an interview with a best-selling writer. 

Merry and Marjorie, despite their age difference of six years, are quite close and will share secrets with each other. Marjorie will always tell Merry made up stories and Merry love hearing them. However, when Marjorie's stories began to get weird and dark, Merry wonders if Marjorie is just trying to scare her or if that there is something sick and wrong with her. After all, there are times Marjorie plays (unexplainable and impossible) tricks and leaving weird notes to her. 

Seeking help from Father Wanderly seems like a solution to their dad, John Barrett, but their mother isn't convinced by everything and thinks that seeking medical assistance might be more favourable. Then, when a TV producer approaches them to have their story aired, they figured why not since the money would help the family, considering the messy state they are all in. 

While this may sound horrific to some, what makes this story stands out is not the bits of gore and horror but whether or not should we believe in Marjorie, since she'd told Merry that she'd push it along seeing how freaked out her parents are, seeing her state. Plus, she decides it helps the family, with the extra money coming from the TV show. 

The writing style and the characterisations are great; and Merry's account of what's happening in an interview to the author in between the real events allows a satisfying reading experience, allowing readers to question themselves if there's real evil at work or if Marjorie is the ultimate manipulator as they read along. This is more than a horror story in my opinion; this is a sad yet beautifully crafted story about a disturbed family and misconception and I closed the book with a heavy heart. 
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The Wrong Man by Kate White
Melody

ISBN-13: 9780062350657
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: 16 June 2015
Format: Paperback, 336 pgs
Source: Publisher

Kit Finn wants a little excitement in her life. Although being an interior decorator entitles her to meet all walks of life, she feels she needs to do something bold and adventurous to spark up her life, especially since she's broken off with her boyfriend and it's not like she's responsible for anyone. Thus, when she literally bumps into an attractive stranger at her hotel while having a vacation in the Florida Keys, she thinks he may be the man who would fit into her adventurous scheme, after all he told her he isn't interested in a committed relationship either. Despite anything, she gives him her name card. It seems natural and she didn't give much thought to it. 

Back in New York, Kit once again commits herself to her work until she receives a call from the man she met in the Florida Keys - Matt Healy. He said he's interested in meeting up again and suggested dinner at his apartment. Thinking there may be a development in their relationship, she said yes. However, the man who answers the door isn't the man she's going to meet although they share the same name. And this weird encounter is just the beginning of a chain of events which later result in the death of two persons surrounding her. Who is the mysterious man she met in the Keys? Why did he lead her to another Matt Healy and thereby expose his role as an identity thief? Kit is perplexed, but what most scares her is finding herself being stalked and then having her apartment being broken into and ransacked. 

As Kit tries to piece the puzzle together, she soon finds herself being caught in a treacherous plot and the only thing she could untangle herself from this complicated web is to find out the true identity of the man who has deceived her and all the truth behind his schemes. 

The Wrong Man is a page-turning psychological suspense filled with twists at every turn. Like Kit, I had no idea what was happening and the more I read, I somewhat got the gist of where this may go but it was the characters who have me pondering all the time. Of course the biggest question is who is the man who deceived Kit in the Keys and I felt that's the main drive of the story - finding out who he is and the purpose of his lies. And as much as I sympathised Kit's situation, there are times I wanted to yell at her for taking the other directions instead of running to the police and tell them the whole truth right from the beginning. But I suppose from another perspective that would portray her to be a strong heroine who wants to take matters in her own hands. I liked that in a heroine, although I have to admit there are times I was annoyed by her fickleness in the man she met in the Keys. But, this was just a minor peeve from me and I understand this was simply part of a ploy to the story. All in all, this was a good read and I look forward to this author's future releases. 

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June Musing and Half Year in Review
Melody
June. Can't believe half of the year is almost gone. It just seems like yesterday we celebrated the new year. So far, it's been a mixed year for me. There are good memories, but there are bad and unforgettable ones as well. As for the latter, I'm going to grit my teeth and tell myself to move on, despite it is so hard at times, but I'm glad I have a supportive/encouraging husband whom I can lean on any time.  

So, June also means school holidays over here in Singapore. Primary schools here have a month long holidays in June and December. I'm sure most working mothers are happy to take some days off in these two months to spend some time with their children, but for stay-at-home mothers (like myself) these months seem like any month to us (well, since we are with our children all the time.) And these two months are a headache to me as I rarely get any peace at home with my two girls around. Well, they aren't that terrible, in case you are wondering, but they can be so noisy at times and of course, there are always little petty squabbles around. A few stay-at-home mothers I knew share the same sentiments so I know I'm not the odd one who doesn't really embrace June and December, ha. 

That said, school holidays also mean trips for our family so on 2nd June we went to Hello Kitty Town located in Puteri Harbour, Malaysia. We bought a package with round-way coach transport with admission tickets so getting there was a breeze. The only down side was the rainy weather on our way back (fortunately it didn't spoil our fun.) Hello Kitty Town is a small indoor kind-of park so it didn't take us too long to complete the tour. 

It has seven fun stations with activities such as cookie decorating, badge making, photo taking with Hello Kitty and friends, solving a puzzle in a maze-like dimmed place in "Hello Kitty Black Wonder" where in the end each participant will get a certificate upon successful completion. It was loads of fun and I wish the place were bigger and that it's outdoor. However the fun didn't stop there, we are planning for another trip to somewhere else so we shall see. 
 
 


Well, June also means my reading progress will be slow but I will try to catch up on it whenever I can. Here's a list of what I'd read for the past five months:
My favourites thus far is those I highlighted in bold. Trust me, I'd a difficult time doing this though there aren't many titles but I know these are the titles I will list again without hesitation should anyone ask me about my favourite reads this year. What are yours? And what's your plan(s) in June? 
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