Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino
Melody
ISBN-13: 9781408704196
Publisher: Little, Brown
Publication Date: February 2013
Format: Trade paperback, 384 pgs
Source: Personal Library
Translated by: Alexander O. Smith with Elye J. Alexander




After reading Keigo Higashino's phenomenon The Devotion of Suspect X last year, I was very impressed with the author's writing style and the complexity of the plot and of course, not to mention the introduction of his two main characters, Detective Kusanagi and the physics professor Manabu Yukawa ("Detective Galileo"), whom the latter plays an important role in solving the mysteries. 

In Salvation of a Saint, the author had took on a different approach and instead of a whodunit crime thriller, he had crafted a brilliant howdunit in which he challenged the detectives as well as his readers on how the crime was committed by the clever killer.   

Yoshitaka Mashiba is a CEO of an information technology company. Aside from knowing how to run a business, he also knows he wants a child. He had told himself that if his wife, Ayane, couldn't give him a child after a year of marriage, he would divorce her and move on to other women who could give him a child. Ayane knew about this 'agreement' but she didn't expect that her husband would fulfill this agreement one day. 

Hiromi Wakayama is Ayane's apprentice quilter and both of them teach tapestry classes conducted by Ayane. Ayane suspects her husband and Hiromi have an affair but she chose to remain silent. She told her husband she would go to Sapporo to visit her parents, and Yoshitaka didn't think much of her decision to visit, after all his mind is all on Hiromi and how they would spend the weekend together. However, their happiness is cut short when Hiromi discovered that Yoshitaka is dead in his house after he didn't turn up on a date as arranged. Ayane had given Hiromi the house key and that is how Hiromi could get into their house; that is how she trusts Hiromi but does she? 

After inspection, the Tokyo police determined that Yoshitaka is poisoned by arsenic-laced coffee. Ayane immediately becomes their prime suspect, but how could she when she is hundred of miles away in Sapporo during Yoshitaka's death? Would it be Hiromi then? After all, she seems to be the last person to be with Yoshitaka but how could it be when she is in love with Yoshitaka, and to top if off she is pregnant with his child.

Detective Kusanagi tries very hard to solve the puzzling pieces, but he also finds himself being smitten by Ayane and he refuses to think that Ayane is connected with the crime. With his superior's judgement slightly clouded, Kaoru Utsumi, the junior detective is convinced that Ayane is the murderer and she will try every means to unravel this mystery, including calling upon Professor Manabu Yukawa, the brilliant physicist who would analyst every point and angle through his scientific mind. But Professor Yukawa is stumped with this case too, and he vows to unravel this mystery no matter how absurd or impossible the deed of the murder deems to be.  

Once again, I found myself sucked into Keigo Higashino's novel and I have to say Salvation of a Saint is one stunning and a brilliant crime thriller. During my reading journey, I not only got intrigued by the case but I questioned myself too on the crime and how it happened. In the story, the author has somewhat made his readers believe that Ayane is the suspect, but how to solve this mystery when she is absent during the crime and that she has an alibi to boot? Salvation of a Saint is more of a howdunit than a whodunit thriller, and I am glad to say Keigo Higashino has once again impressed me with this compelling and not to mention a beautifully plotted crime story. Professor Yukawa in this story said that the murderer has committed a perfect crime, this I agree with him; and I have to add in that this is a perfect read for fans of crime fiction, especially for those who like reading procedurals along the story.  
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Korean Drama: I Miss You (aka Missing You)
Melody
Starring: Park Yoo Chun, Yoon Eun Hye, Yoo Seung Ho, Jang Mi In Nae, Yeo Jin Goo, Kim So Hyun
Language: Korean (with Chinese subtitles)

First of all, I'd like to apologise to all my readers and friends for not posting a book review lately. As you can tell, I've been watching too many Korean dramas and though I still read, my progress is slow. I'm currently reading Keigo Higashino's Salvation of a Saint; he is the author of the phenomenon The Devotion of Suspect X and I really enjoyed that book. I can't wait to find out what is in store for Salvation of a Saint.

Anyways, back to this Korean drama I Miss You. This is a highly emotional drama about the love and life journey between a couple, Soo Yeon and Jung Woo. 15-year-old Soo Yeon often gets bullied in school because everyone thinks her father was a murderer. Everyone has been avoiding her like a plague, except Jung Woo who thinks she is special after she has shared her umbrella with him on a rainy day. 


Jung Woo comes from a wealthy family and he doesn't really get along well with his father. All his father thinks about is money and how to make more of them; and he has committed a few bad deeds that made him an enemy to a few people. Jung Woo became the target and is kidnapped one day, Soo Yeon saw what happened and wanted to help him, but ended up being a victim herself. Eventually, Jung Woo managed to escape but not Soo Yeon. This tragic incident has forced them apart and fourteen years passed then. 

Jung Woo is now a homicide detective and that kidnapping incident which happened so many years ago still remains in his mind but what most matters is, he is still in love with Soo Yeon and he is hoping to find her one day. Soo Yeon, on the other end, is a fashion designer and she has found her new love with a charismatic fund manager, Hyung Joon. Although Soo Yeon appears to be happy with her life, but deep in her heart she is bleeding in pain for the suffering she had endured and Jung Woo's betrayal for leaving her. Alas, fate decreed that they would meet again and this time around, Jung Woo vows to protect Soo Yeon no matter the circumstances after knowing that Hyung Joon would take revenge due to his past relationship with his family. 


Well the plot may sound old and cliché to some, but what I liked about this drama is the characterisations and the intense feeling of love between Jung Woo and Soo Yeon, no matter if they are teenagers or adults. I have to say the two actors and two actresses in portraying the teen-aged and adult Jung Woo and Soo Yeon had all done a great job, because they made me believe that their love is inseparable and oh so moving. The dialogues, and the little movements they shared especially just captured that precious feeling and you couldn't help but to be entranced by their emotions too. These days it is hard to find such love like Jung Woo and Soo Yeon and that is why I find this drama especially romantic. I have to confess I like Park Yoo Chun (the adult Jung Woo) after watching a few other dramas like Rooftop Prince, Sungkyunkwan Scandal (his debut) and Miss Ripley, which I reviewed on 5th February. He simply has the charisma no matter if he is a lovestruck hotelier in Miss Ripley, the shy and quiet student in Sungkyunkwan Scandal or the devoted and determined detective in his latest I Miss You. I really look forward to his upcoming dramas, and I hope the wait won't be too long.     

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Korean Drama: Miss Ripley
Melody
Starring: Lee Da Hae, Park Yoo Chun of JYJ, Kim Seung Woo and Kang Hye Jung
Language: Korean (with Chinese, English subtitles)

I have been watching a few Korean drama series lately; and I have to admit I am addicted to watching them. 

Miss Ripley (미스 리플리), the latest drama I watched, is a story of a young woman, Jang Mi Ri, who lies to get her way and how her greedy ambition has lead to the downfall of two men who has fallen in love with her. 

Mi Ri was abandoned by her mother when she was nine. Her mother had chosen to leave the family and to marry a rich man. After the death of her father, Mi Ri was sent to an orphanage where she befriended Moon Hee Joo. 

One day a Japanese family wanted to adopt Hee Joo, but Hee Joo had a stomach ache and the orphanage decided to send Mi Ri in her place instead. Mi Ri was then sent to Japan and she had a miserable childhood living with her adopted parents. They treated her badly and worst of all, the father had a huge gambling debts to pay and Mi Ri was forced to work in a bar when she was nineteen. She worked there for a few years under a man who called himself Hirayama. Hirayama had made her as one of the top bar girls but Mi Ri had been plotting ways to leave him once she has gotten back her passport and the contract she had with him. After much efforts, she managed to leave him and returned to South Korea. 

Staying in a run down residential motel, she encountered a young man Song Yoo Hyun. Yoo Hyun also arrived from Japan recently and though he came from an affluent family, he always believed that one has to be independent and learn/earn things on his own. Yoo Hyun liked Mi Ri but the latter wasn't interested. She has bigger dreams to follow and most importantly, she needed to find a permanent job before she is deported to Japan. Unfortunately, finding a permanent job was a challenge due to Mi Ri's educational background as she only had a high school degree. 

Meanwhile, Jang Myung Hoon, a hotelier needed someone who was able to speak the Japanese Hataka dialect to serve an important customer at the hotel. There was no one to fill up the position as the spoken dialect was extremely rare in South Korea. It was during a chance encounter with Mi Ri that Myung Hoon decided that she was the best person to fill that position. He offered Mi Ri the job on a temporarily basis but time was running out for her. Mi Ri had to decline the offer and muttered that even if she was graduated from Tokyo University, it would't change much of a thing for her. Myung Hoon misunderstood her remark and then told her that there was no reason for them not to hire her based on her qualification and that was where all her lies began. 

In a nutshell, Miss Ripley is a romance story with a hint of crime. The characterisations and the plot development are great and there are several intense moments that made me watch with both anxiety and anticipation. Lee Da Hae, the actress who played Mi Ri, is magnificent for her acting skills in portraying the greedy young woman and you couldn't imagine how many times I cursed while watching her meddling between Myung Hoon and Yoo Hyun. As you can tell, Mi Ri isn't a likeable character but from another perspective, I couldn't help but to pity her too. From her point, I began to understand why she lied although what she did is absolutely wrong. 

Myung Hoon and Yoo Hyun are two men whom I feel many women will fall in love with as they are both kind-hearted people and are so selfless, despite the prestigious positions they held. 

I wouldn't say I liked the ending, though there is a twinge of bittersweet to it.  In my opinion, bittersweet can be beautiful because one can always hope; and because it is not perfect, this what makes the memories more cherishable and unforgettable. 
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The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon
Melody

























ISBN-13: 9780062122551
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: January 2013
Format: Trade paperback, 422 pgs
Source: Publisher


I have seen a few books by Jennifer McMahon but just never got around to reading them, thus when HarperCollins gave me the opportunity to review her latest book, The One I Left Behind, I know I wouldn't want to miss it. 

Architect Reggie Dufrane may be successful in her works but truth be told, her childhood wasn't at all bed of roses. Raised by her Aunt Lorraine, Reggie's mother isn't always around when she needs her and the worst of all is, she doesn't even know who her father is and Reggie's mother seems content enough to have her life be revolved around with men and drinks. 

In 1985, back in Reggie's hometown in Brighton Falls, there was a notorious serial killer known as 'Neptune' and his killing technique is to cut off the female victims' right hand (severed neatly at the wrist) and kept them alive for four days before strangling them, leaving their bodies displayed in public places. There wasn't any clues leading to Neptune and unfortunately, Reggie's mother appeared to be his last victim as there wasn't any similar cases all these twenty five years. Reggie's mother's body was never found and Reggie and her two friends, Tara and Charlie, had went to seedy bars and motels hoping to find her. The three of them are an odd trio back then - Reggie being the quiet girl, Tara has a dark gothic streak in her while Charlie is the shy son of a local detective. As the years flown by and just as the community and the police force think they would never unravel this mystery, Reggie is shocked to learn that her mother has turned up alive in a homeless shelter. 

However, Reggie's mother isn't in a position to tell Reggie what had happened as her mind is in a confused state and her days are numbered due to cancer. Reggie fears for her mother's safety and when the horrible truth strike that Neptune has found a new victim, Reggie has to confront the ghosts of her past and unravel her mother's riddles before all is too late. 

Gripping and intensely plotted, The One I Left Behind is a great suspense thriller in terms of both characterisation as well as the story development. Through alternating chapters between the Year 1985 and 2010, author Jennifer McMahon tells a frightening tale of a killer's motive and his reason for killing those women he chosen. The story revolves a lot on Reggie's family and Reggie's relationship between Tara and Charlie especially during their teen-aged years so you can say this is very much of a story about friends and family aside from the suspense. 

Speaking of suspense, it is so well crafted that I often find myself racing together with Reggie as we tried to unveil the identity of Neptune and to decipher his purpose of killings. And the more I read about Reggie, the more I liked her for her fierce determination and the way she is able to see things and objects beyond when architecture is concerned (you see, I have great respect and admiration for architects since young; and that feelings still persist till present). I couldn't tell you how much I enjoyed reading this book and you can be sure that I would be reading more of Jennifer McMahon's releases. 
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(Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Legoland, Malaysia #3
Melody
Related Posts: 
Legoland, Malaysia #1 
Legoland, Malaysia #2





Interior in one of the eateries




So that is all for the Legoland Malaysia series. There are a few more attractions there but due to the crowd we didn't get to experience all the rides, which was a pity. Here's the link of Legoland should you want to know more. 
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(Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Legoland, Malaysia #2
Melody
Related Post:

1) Land of Adventure - Dino Island (A 'boat ride' to the peak and prepare to get wet down the slide).

2) Alas, due to some technical problems it broke down when it was my turn to ride! (My husband, my eldest daughter as well as my younger sister-in-law and her husband were fortunate as they rode before me. I didn't join them in the first place as my youngest daughter didn't meet the height limit.) As a compensation, the staff gave us an express ticket so we were allowed to take other rides without queueing! Yeah!  

3) & 4) Imagine how many Lego bricks are used to build these!

5) Lego Kingdoms - Entrance to The Dragon ride.

6) Next to The Dragon ride is an eating place called "Knight's Feast" where they serve food such as burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, waffles, etc. 

7) Whoosh! The Dragon ride. It was great fun, but I find the overall ride was too short (perhaps the speed made it appeared short? And, the queue was super long but I was glad I got the express ticket). 









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The Goddess Chronicle by Natsuo Kirino
Melody
ISBN-13: 978-1847673015
Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd 
Publication Date: January 2013
Format: Trade paperback, 320 pgs
Source: Personal Library
Translated by: Rebecca Copeland


I first came across Natsuo Kirino's novel when I read her most famous crime fiction, Out. It was a very intense read and I was not surprised at all that it received the Grand Prix for Crime Fiction, Japan's top mystery award and was a finalist (in translation) for the 2004 Edgar Award. Her other novels, Grotesque and Real World were published subsequently and they received good reviews too, though Out is still considered her best work due to the thrilling and disturbing plot. It is no doubt a masterpiece in many readers' opinions. 

The Goddess Chronicle, her latest release, however is unlike her previous works. Based on the Japanese myth of Izanami and Izanagi, this tale is about the relations between gods and men, men and women, yin and yang as well as life and death. It is a story between two sisters who live on a small, remote island called Umihebi - the island of sea snakes as the seas surrounding the island were abundant with them. On their island, It is believed that they still ruled by the ancient gods and there are traditions and the people have to adhere to the strict customs which has passed on to them from generations to generations.The women would collect sea snakes, tend the mountain goats, collect shellfish or seaweed from the shores,but the most important task they do is to pray. They pray for the safe return of their men fishing on the high seas and most importantly, they pray for the prosperity of the island. There would be a great miko, the high priestess known as the Oracle, is responsible for all the prayer rites. 

Two sisters, Kamikuu and Namima, were born from a prestigious family where their grandmother, Mikura-sama is the Oracle. The younger sister, Namima is very close with her sister although they are so different in their looks and personality. Kamikuu is the sturdy girl and the cleverest child on the island and she is a beauty too, while Namima is happy enough to live in her sister's shadow. However, on Kamikuu's sixth birthday, she is sent to train with their grandmother to become the next Oracle and this forces them apart. Namima is also requested not to see Kamikuu as she is proclaimed as the impure one. It is a tradition that there is always a yin and yang in the family so if the elder sister is yin, then the other will be yang. Yin represents light and yang is the darkness so it is no wonder that Namima would receive different treatment from the islanders. Not only that, she is also to serve the goddess of darkness. 

Shocked by this discovery and the traditions that had laid so long ago, Namima decides to change her destiny and there begins her adventure in The Goddess Chronicle. Her journey is a rough one, but it allows her to experience the real meaning of love and kinship, as well as the dark side of bitterness and revenge. And most importantly, the difference between gods and men and how it is like to be a human being. Part fictional and part mythology, The Goddess Chronicle explores the humanity and the emotions of all beings.

I have to say I had a wonderful experience reading this novel because not only Natsuo Kirino has once again captured my attention through her great writing skill and her most unforgettable plot, but what most made this book such a satisfying read is the thought-provoking message behind the story. I couldn't put my feelings into words; this is one novel that you need to read it to experience it. 
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2013 Reading Challenges Which I'm Participating
Melody
Another new year has arrived and that means participating in new reading challenges. Like last year, I'm going to commit myself to three reading challenges; and the genres I chose will remain the same (Romance, Young Adult and Mystery/Crime) since I tend to read them the most.

January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013
Romance Reading Challenge is hosted by Naida of the Bookworm (click here for more details). Participants are requested to read at least five novels and since I have no idea what books to read for the upcoming months I will keep the list open. 
January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013

Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge is hosted by Amy of The Crafty Book Nerd (click here for more details). 

January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013

The Young Adult Reading Challenge is hosted by Amy of The Overstuffed Bookshelf (click here for more details).

 I'll be participating in the Mini YA Reading Challenge, which is to read 12 Young Adult novels. 
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(Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Legoland, Malaysia #1
Melody
It has been a long while since I have done a 'Wordless Wednesday' post here. During the last weekend in December, we went to Legoland in Malaysia. The location was not far away from Singapore checkpoint and the overall journey only takes about an hour to reach (if there is no jam at the checkpoint, that is). Anyway, here are some pictures we took. As for the weather, it was fine during the day but it got rainy towards the evening. 

1) Entrance to Legoland
2) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (There is an attraction called 'Miniland' where they used Lego bricks to build the capitals/states of some countries.) 
3) Singapore Flyer and the cityscapes 
4) Taj Mahal, India
5) Beijing's Forbidden City, China

There are also a few more that features most Asian countries which I did not post here but I have to say they are equally amazing.  







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Books Read in 2013
Melody
Here is a list of books I read in 2013. They are sorted in alphabetical order by the authors' last name.

A
Cold Light by Jenn Ashworth

H
Poppet by Mo Hayder
Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes
Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino

K
The Goddess Chronicle by Natsuo Kirino

M
The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon

N
The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura
The Bat by Jo Nesbo

S
那年夏天，19岁的肖像 - 岛田庄司 (That Summer, the Nineteen-year-old Portrait by Shimada Soji)
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Z
The Never List by Koethi Zan
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Cold Light by Jenn Ashworth
Melody
ISBN-13: 9780062076038
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: October 2012
Format: Trade paperback, 343 pgs
Source: Publisher


Twenty-something Laura has lived with a secret for the past ten years. This secret has been living in her memory and it strikes her the most when the council decided to build a summerhouse in memorial of Chloe's death but most of all, a monument to a young love gone wrong and a publicity for the City's urban renewal programme after all these years; after they have found a body and Laura knew who that person was. 

The story then proceeds to unfold the mystery as Laura narrates her life and her friendship with Emma and Chloe when they were fourteen year old. Laura, at that age, was a self-conscious girl and she didn't have many friends either. It was Chloe who became friends with her when she was transferred from another school. Laura wasn't sure if the other friends were scared or intimidated by Chloe, but either way Laura was glad to have found a friend in her. Chloe, unlike Laura, was bold and sassy. She knew what she wants and she knew ways of getting them. Emma, on the other hand, was a little like Laura but she knew the right things to say or do under circumstances. Laura was more like a goody-goody among the three. 

Their friendship took on a turn after Chloe knew an older man and began spending more time with him. Emma and Laura knew it is illegal if Carl would do anything to Chloe, but despite of this none of them ever mentioned the relationship between Chloe and Carl to anyone. It was at that time that Chloe chose to be closer with Emma; sharing things from accessories to secrets and Laura couldn't help but feeling jealous of Emma. She was a bit angry with Chloe too, but she wouldn't want to admit it, thinking that Chloe would come out of it in no time and they would be good friends again. 

However, things got worse after a chance meeting with a Down's Syndrome man called Wilson. It appeared that he had gone missing and Chloe, Carl and Laura were the last person to see him before his disappearance. Laura insisted that they should report it to the police, but Chloe and Carl rebuked that they didn't make Wilson wander into the woods so they should stay out of it. As Laura wondered about Wilson, the media connected Wilson's disappearance as the answer to the identity of a sex offender as it appeared that there was no repeating crimes after his disappearance. 

Filled with teen-aged angst and intensity, Cold Light is a book that makes you think of how one's secret could ruin a person's reputation or even, his or her live. As much as I think the story is interesting, I have to admit that the plot tends to drag as I felt three-quarter of the book was focused on the angst and jealousy of the three girls. In addition, Chloe isn't a likeable character and I didn't know what to feel towards Laura. There are times I felt like shaking her up and ask her to move on, even if it is your good friend who doesn't want to be friends with you anymore. But of course, sometimes things are beyond our control and often, we want to remind ourselves to be optimistic, no matter how bad the circumstances can be. So what's my verdict after reading Cold Light? I just felt hollow. Period. 
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A Glance of the Reading Challenges I Participated in 2012
Melody
So I have been slacking in my reading in 2012, and needless to say the number of books I read for a few reading challenges is deemed to be pathetic. However, that does not mean I will give up on reading challenges for I think they are great fun and they allow me to discover more books and fellow new bookbloggers as well. 

Here are just a few reading challenges I participated and books read for each challenge:

 Merely Mystery Reading Challenge






Romance Reading Challenge












As for which reading challenges I am going to participate this year, I have yet to go through the list but I will keep it to a minimal. 

What about you? Which reading challenges are you participating this year? 
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Books Read in 2012
Melody
Here is a list of books I read in 2012. They are sorted in alphabetical order by the authors' last name.

B
Archon: The Books of Raziel by Sabrina Benulis

C
Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

F
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Broken Harbour by Tana French
The White Pearl by Kate Furnivall

G
With My Body by Nikki Gemmell

H

M
A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean
Asylum by Patrick McGrath

O
Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

P
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

R
The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman
Sleepwalker by Karen Robards

W
Overseas by Beatriz Williams
The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele

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Best Reads of 2012
Melody
Happy New Year! So it is the beginning of a new year and I hope everyone had a wonderful holidays! 

Last year was considerably a good year for me but not so good in the reading department. Looking at my list I only read nineteen books last year. That's a great difference as compared to my reading habits as in the past few years, in which I read about two books in a week. Nevertheless, my habit of listing down my top reads for the year never change and here it is:

 Best Crime Fiction:

 Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Broken Harbour by Tana French









Best Literature: 

 Asylum by Patrick McGrath











Best YA:

 Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins










Best Romance:

 A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean













As of this year, I hope I will be able to read more books and that my favourite authors would release their new titles more quickly (e.g. Mo Hayder, Tana French, Anne Stuart... just to name a few) and last but not least, to discover more wonderful books and new authors as well. 

So, what are your top reads for last year? 
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Judging a Book by Its Lover: A Field Guide to the Hearts and Minds of Readers Everywhere by Lauren Leto
Melody
ISBN-13: 9780062070142
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: October 2012
Format: Paperback, 288 pgs
Source: Publisher


Calling out all book lovers (occasional readers and non-readers apply as well)! Have you ever came across a literary guide which not only offer you some insight of the wonder and beauty of reading but also an account of the peculiar world of book culture and how we speak condescendingly about the most revered authors and their literary works even if we haven't read them! 

Author Lauren Leto started off this guide on her introduction to books when she was a child and how she was initially overwhelmed by the words and sentences in books to becoming a well-read reader as she is today. In this guide, she shares with us her opinions and observations of the book culture and some of the titles she read in both snarky and sometimes condescending voice. Either way, she has got me hooked to this guide as she covered some topics such as:

1) The Bookshelf of the Vanities
2) That Certain Bookstore Smell (From Self: Oh yes!)
3) Ten Rules for Bookstore Hookups 
4) Rules for Public Reading and Rules of Book Club
5) Petition to Change the Term from "Bookworm" to "Bookcat" (I like this one!)
6) Fan Letters (Don't we all have the desire to write to our favourite authors at some stage?)
7) How to Write Like Any Author (Names like Stieg Larsson, Malcolm Gladwell, Henry Miller,  Cormac McCarthy... just to name a few)
8) What Your Child Will Grow Up to Be if You Read Them... (like The Giving Tree, Green Eggs and Ham, The Velveteen Rabbit, Harold and the Purple Crayon, The Wind in the Willows, etc)
9) Stereotyping People by Favourite Author
10) Strategies to Avoid Discussing the Major Plot Points of Any Novel
11) A Gift Guide by a Bad Gift-Giver
12) How to Succeed in Classifying Fiction Without Really Trying

Though written in a fun and humorous way, Lauren Leto has a deep admiration for every one of the authors whose work she discussed in this guide and she stated that "there is nothing more beautiful than a well-written book, and there is nothing more admirable than the attempt to create something beautiful", which I agree.  

Here are some of my favourite quotes in this guide (pg 267 - 9) which I think will strike a chord for bibliophiles and the like: 

- Reading is a solitary activity. You can be surrounded by a thousand people, but processing the written words in your brain is something only you are going through. ... A good novel presents you with an engaging world that is a reality only for you. 

- A story is unbiased with respect to the reader. It presupposes nothing about the audience. Books don't require that you read them in a certain place, at a certain time, or with certain equipment. Just eyes. Literature connects by transporting people to the same consciousness; a stranger who's read the same book you've read, whose eyes passed over the same words, may be a part of a completely different environment, and even time, but for a while, at least, they shared a world with you. A community is built out of that isolated experience; an author has the power to build worlds and to populate them not only with characters but also with their readers. 

- Good books command study, presenting you with the puzzle of how and why their plot is laid the way it is  laid - without examination the meaning is lost.

- The greatest argument for the oneness of humanity is the recognition that we are all emotional beings, subject to the fantasies of a story. We talk about this event we went through alone because it connects us together. You're nevermore human than when you realize a sentence has the power to push and pull the emotions of millions. 

To end it all, I enjoyed reading Judging a Book by Its Lover as it has inspired me to read some of the titles which I wanted to read but haven't (e.g. Crime and Punishment, The Catcher in the Rye, etc) but most of all, this guide made me smile as I agree with some of the stuff Lauren Leto mentioned and not to mention it also made me laugh over some of her remarks. Humour, anecdotal, reference... this guide has it all and I think this book would make a great gift to anyone who enjoys reading. 
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Movie: High Tension
Melody
Let me start off by saying that I have simply no idea what this film is all about. All I see is a tough looking, alpha female holding a barbwire stick and looking mean enough to hack anyone who's crossed her path. I watched this film through an app on my iPhone and the blurb simply stated that this is a French film about two young women whose intention is to visit a countryside for vacation but an unexpected visitor has ruined their wonderful vacation. Sounds thrilling to me, I had initially thought, but once I was into the film there was no turning back for me, no matter how horrific and/or bloody it seems. 

The film begins with a scene of a woman in a hospital gown; her back is filled with stitches and she is whispering to herself. She has vague memories of a woman running from something (or someone) in a forest and her stomach is wounded. 

Back to a new scene, we see two happy young women in a car heading to somewhere else. Their names are Marie and Alex, and their destination is to Alex's parents' house at a countryside. They have decided to stay there for their college break and a quiet countryside sounds appealing; plus it is Alex's family. 

That night, before Marie settles into bed, she thought she hears something in the house. The film moves on to show Alex's father answering to a doorbell and someone bulky wearing a cap slashed at his face. Filled with blood and in pain, Alex's father crawls back into the house but is stopped by the killer when he presses Alex's father's head between two rails of the staircase and then shoves the bookcase towards him. Needless to say, Alex's father is gone with his head decapitated. At this point, I knew where this film is going and that it would be filled with more gore and violence but yet I couldn't stop myself from watching it. I wanted to find out what happened to the family and whether or not if Marie and/or Alex would be hurt or worse, killed by this sadistic killer. 

True enough, there was more gore and violence as Alex's mother is the next victim as her throat was brutally slashed. Seeing both Alex's parents dead, Marie goes off to find Alex but she is too late - for Alex is chained  in her bedroom but she promises her that she would call for help. Unfortunately, the line was cut and Alex's younger brother is the next to go, as the killer shot him after he realized he has gone into the cornfield. 

Feeling satisfied that he didn't find anyone except Alex in the house, the killer proceeds to haul her into his old van and make his escape but Marie manages to creep into the van before he drove off. They travelled down a deserted road and just when Marie thought they would be dead, the killer stops at a gas station and Marie decides that this would be the best time to call for help and stop the killer, but she is dead wrong. 

Filled with intensity as the title of this film suggest, this story is about a sadistic psychopath who would not stop at anything just to get his 'prize'. Aside from the gore and violence (be warned - there are lots of them), I felt that this is a classic slasher movie and that it has delved into the character as well as the complexities of the killer. Sometimes, what you see is not what you expect and High Tension had stumped me in many ways, not only the gore, violence, the ending but also the psychology as well. Though this is an old film (released in 2003, AKA Switchblade Romance), this is one of those films that would stay in your mind for a long while; which I find is a good thing to me for I don't have the intention to watch it, again. It was too horrific to me.
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