My Book Reviews

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So yes. I finished it in one sitting.

As if you needed a reminder as to why JK Rowling is THE QUEEN. Honestly.

This book dragged me on an emotional roller coaster, and I mean that in the highest praise possible. It's hard to review this without spoilers, but I'll try.

There were so many moments were I gasped in shock, and felt my skin prickle because I knew from the get-go who was not to be trusted. And I was right.

Many readers said they got emotional within a few chapters in, but I didn't; although the pain described in the book was more than relatable. The part that really got me, however, was the last bit. Harry watching as it all happened. I can only imagine how it must feel like, and couldn't help but cry.
Another scene was in the hospital, the conversation Harry had with the other person. Broke my heart. =(
Almost every single revelation in the book was a shocker. You think you know what it's about, and then *BAM* surpriiiiseeee.
I can't imagine what watching it on stage must feel like, because then everything intensifies and feels more real.

But all in all, if I could give this 10 stars, I would.

Bow down to the Queen that is Rowling, because she's done it again.

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The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

HOLY SHIT.

When I got this book I knew that it was supposedly good, but it was far from what I was expecting. The Girl with All the Gifts was fresh and original, and though the main essence is similar to what we've read/seen many times already, Carey puts a fresh spin to it.
More times than I can count, the revelations in the book made me gasp, curse, and literally break out in cold sweat from feeling my heart hammering in my ribcage at the finale. I actually let out a huff of breath when I was done with the book; it felt like I had actually seen it all played out in the pages.

I've read a fair share of zombie novels, and you can almost spot the similarities in them. But this... it fucked with my brain. In a good way, of course.

When I read the title, I wondered what the possible 'gift' could be. And then when I read it, I wondered how what Melanie had could possibly be considered a 'gift'. But you'll get the explanations in due time as the story progresses.
What is amazing about this book is not the average thrill that comes with regular zombie novels. Just when you thought you had something figured out, something else happens to change the course completely. It's like the M. Night Shyamalan of books. My heart is still thumping as I'm writing this now.

It's fascinating to watch (read?) how Melanie slowly learns about what she is, why she's different, and chooses to use it to help. Another thing I was amazed about Melanie was how smart she and all the other kids at the base was. That not only did they have the 'gift' and are able to control it, but that they could actually be taught. And in Melanie's case, her ability to feel such affection (or rather, love,) towards Miss Justineau.

This is definitely one book that I will treasure for a long, long time.

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Summer Nights at the Moonlight Hotel by Jane Costello
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yes, this is another book in which I stayed up late to finish.
Because I LOVED it.

Truth be told, the thing that initially drew me to it was that it involved dance being part of it. (That, and it was on sale at the book store.) When I opened the wrapping up, I was hesitant for a while that I may not like the story after all. I couldn't be more pleased to be proved wrong.
I first fell in love with the protagonist because she was so darn clumsy..- like me. I could relate to Lauren's mishaps, and she did things that I would've done too. Halfway through the book, I couldn't help noticing though that the storyline bore somewhat of a resemblance to a bit of what I went through myself. Bits and pieces here and there seemed so uncannily familiar, it felt a bit creepy.
Also, without giving out too much, let's just say Cate's dilemma is the reason why I've never, and never would do what she did; not even in a spur-of-the-moment thing. I'm only too aware of the possible consequences to even dare to attempt such a thing. (That, and I've never thought of myself as attractive enough to even think of doing it).
The little surprise reveal from Emily also had me gasping, because never in a million years would I predict that outcome.
Honestly, it's a hilarious read, and after reading, it's hard not to feel curious about taking some salsa classes. That's all the 'spoiler' I'm going to give. ;)

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The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Like all his other books, I love this one. And yes, I am aware that I got into this one rather late, considering this was one of his earlier books. Mitch has the ability to, I feel, make the reader feel contented and assured by the end of his books. Whether you laughed or cried, at the end of everything, you will feel like you're not alone, and that better days are up ahead.
In this, Eddie, who feels like his life was worthless and boring, dies and goes to heaven. But before he steps foot in actual heaven, he meets 5 people that will teach him something about life.
The message I like most in this story is that although you may feel that your life is worthless, you have had in fact affected someone's lives along the way; even if you never knew it. Good or bad regardless, your actions will unconsciously affect someone in their life. It makes you look back at your life and how you're going about at it, which is another trait of Mitch's books.
You may not relate specifically to the story, but the lessons are general. Everyone can relate to them.
The only thing that I felt didn't really leave an impression was the reason given for the estranged relationship between Eddie and his father. I felt that if you've been bitter about your dad for so many years, an event or two won't change that judgement. Well, at least in my opinion.


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Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

... Soooo I think it's safe to say that this has been the longest it ever took me to read a book; no less a book of this size!
My reason for doing so is (unfortunately) simple: it was boring.
Just a few notches shy of me actually giving up on finishing it (I came close to it), actually; which is sad because it's a Jane Austen novel!!
As a fan of classical novels, I find that this was rather disappointing. The title of the book is, I find, also rather misleading. The reader would suppose that the main plot of the story would revolve around Northanger Abbey (or at least be a huge part of the story), as the title suggests. However, mentions of the Abbey only came up more than halfway through the book. Compared to the first half of the book (which consisted mostly of Catherine & James Morland and John & Isabella Thorpe's antics in Bath), I'd say that Northanger was only part of the story.
Also, I felt that they left some strings untied; namely what happened to James and Isabella, and what about those contradicting letters that they sent to Catherine?? It may be just me, but I felt like there was no conclusion to it. Who was telling the truth, and why did the other lie?
If anyone has answers, feel free to let me know.

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Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What I loved most about this book is how 'bite-sized' the story is. It constantly goes forth between third-person perspectives of Eleanor & Park, so it makes this book a very easy read. Unlike some books in which third-person perspectives seem all over the place and a bit confusing to get your head around on who's talking, Rowell does an amazing job.
She describes the young love of Eleanor and Park with great accuracy; yet at the same time making Eleanor wise beyond her years due to her experiences. And then there's Park, who's well off enough to warrant the attention of popular kids, yet doesn't exactly fit into that clique.
You can't help but feel emotionally attached to the book; even if the main storyline is no different from your average teenage love story. I actually found myself yearning to get back from work as early as I could just so I could read it.
Without giving too much away, this story also teaches you to be thankful for what you have. At least I think so.
Did I love this book? Yes. I was told that fans of this book were split into 2: Pro Eleanor & not, and though I do admit that she can be the tiniest bit annoying sometimes, you can't help but give her the benefit of the doubt, given her situation.
I normally sort of plan out which book I'd like to read next as I'm getting towards the end of a book, but this one came on impulse because a good friend of mine insisted that I read this book; then proceeded to buy and send it to me.
No regrets though. Thanks Satthiya! ;)

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The Drowning Pool by Syd Moore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Don't get me wrong by my rating: I merely rated it so because I kinda had a hard time reading it. Not in a bad way either; just that the way Moore punctuated her sentence had me re-reading a sentence sometimes several times just to get what she meant.
I thought the story overall was really nice with the last chapter really keeping you on the edge of your seat. I couldn't help but ask myself, as I normally do when I read certain books, a WWYD scene. What if I suddenly, out of the blue one day, saw visions/entities like Sarah did? I knew I would piss my pants. Maybe shit in it a little too, friendly ghost or not. (I admit I'm a huge chicken. Cluck cluck)
I also found that when I read this book, I could not go past about 3 chapters at most without drooping in sleepiness. Then again, it just might be me exhausted from the day. In this story, I find that for similar reasons to After You's Ambulance Sam (by Jojo Moyes), I found that I just couldn't completely trust McBastard. For some reason, throughout the book, I had expected him to turn around and turn on Sarah at the climax. He just seems too emotional for someone who had been so assertive in the beginning. It was a drastic difference that I had a bit of trouble connecting with.
Since the drama started, there had been but 2 characters I had been suspicious of: McBastard (yes I still call him that) and Dr Cook. For some reason, they rubbed me off the wrong way (without giving spoilers). From the descriptions of their characters to how it fitted with the story, my mind couldn't help but lean on those two in suspicion. What I had caught on was the look Dr Cook would get whenever Sarah mentioned anything about the past. And then how McBastard almost, in a turn of events, went from being a literal bastard to this emotional confidante who was so enthusiastic on helping Sarah. I dunno, it just made me suspicious.
When I had originally picked up the book and read the synopsis, I expected to be taken into a ride of sorts as I read. And I definitely had. Parts in the story where the apparitions appeared had my hair standing on end, and regretting that I had been reading in my room alone at night. But those are the kind of thrills that make the reading experience even better.
The closure of it all was also a pretty emotional one. Not as in the sob-fest kind, but it really left an impression on me. I was happy that everything was over, yet the sorrows still lingered and I feel for it. The story ended brilliantly, but I felt that I had somehow got a bit emotionally attached to it too.

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After You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where to begin? To be honest I didn't know what to expect with the sequel to Me Before You, but I don't think it was this.
First of all, for most of the book, I couldn't stand Lily. I felt that she was rude and obnoxious, and felt no shame. She had no respect for Lou or anyone older than her; and, with me growing up with my mom constantly impressing on us kids the importance of manners and respect, Lily went right up my nerves.
Then there was Mr Traynor and Della, whom I felt I couldn't really stand either. I sort of understood why they treated Lily the way they did initially, yet I felt a bit annoyed at Della. I understood Lily's reaction, but at the same time it irked me how she was always 'woe-is-me'.
In all honesty, plot-wise, it didn't really attract me much. However, I have to put it to Moyes' writing that kept me hooked. I wasn't particularly interested in the story, but the way she had told the story made me read way more chapters than I had planned for the day. (I have this thing where I make it a point to read at least one chapter every day, no matter how busy I am; and I do follow through, unless I'm away for the night or something.)
Truth be told, I never really warmed up much to Sam in the beginning either, I dunno why. He gave off that vibe where I didn't know if he thought seriously of Lou. It wasn't until he made that revelation about his relationship with Jack that I began to feel better about him.
What really got me though, was the closure chapters (the last two chapters). Without giving too much away, the letting go part had me in tears. And then the last chapter, something happened in which I'm only too familiar with, and I completely understand Lou and how she felt. That kinda broke my heart as well. I find that Moyes' books does that to you eh?

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh my god. UGH. This book. asalkaskfhajhfasf.
I was expecting there to be a lot of drama throughout the book and a lot of sad weepy moments in between. But NOOOOOOO. It just came in a huge dollop like *FWOMP* towards the end. I don't think I'll be able to see the movie in the cinemas. I'll probably get it for personal viewing alone or something.

There is nothing like good sarcastic statements even better when someone else understands that and throws it back at you. The story was all rather light and fine throughout, but things got really emotionally heavy in the last 2 chapters or so.

I understand Will's predicament, yet I'm incredulous at his decision. I understand Camilla's dilemma, yet I still can't bring myself to quite forgive her for agreeing. I understand Treena's need for the bigger room, but I couldn't stand how she seemed to get her way all the time. And I can't stand Patrick. This story has got my feelings all in a jumbled mess. I felt like screaming at Will myself. I felt like just taking Moyes by the shoulders and just going "WHYYYYYYYYYY??". I feel so frustrated.

But it's such a good book. It really makes you think and wonder, and gives you insight on the different characters and their choices; and their reasons for making them. The reader gets a glimpse of each character's perspective, that I feel that it makes the experience and journey more personal. At the end of it all, it feels as if you knew the characters personally.

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The Charm Bracelet by Melissa Hill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review will consist of a bit of a back story, so forgive me for ranting a bit.
As I got to know the characters in the book, I could already figure out the basic ending, and I was right. But there was something so addictive about Hill's writing that made it almost impossible to put the book down.
For some reason, I knew that for the Chinese New Year holidays, I had wanted to read this particular book. Weeks before I went on holiday, somehow, I had this book planned in my head already. For some reason, I had wanted this particular book. I went through the other books I had, but in the end decided on the original book that I had in mind. (It was a conflict between a Nicholas Sparks' piece and The Charm Bracelet.) If I had wanted to, I could've finished in a week, but when I was on holiday, I dragged a bit because I didn't want to finish the book so quickly and not have anything else to read after.
Anyway, though a slightly, typically cliche plot, I must admit the ending surprised me a bit and left me a bit confused about Cristina (without giving too much away). When Karen made such a big deal (for all the wrong reasons too, in my opinion) when Greg quit his job, I didn't really like her starting then.
The moment the ball dropped about who the lost bracelet belongs to, I could pretty much affirm how the story would obviously end, and I was right.
However, Hill's writing style kept me engrossed in every page. I managed to finish the book in a little over 2 weeks, which is good considering the usual time constraints in the remaining of my days after work.

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The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

FINALLY I've finished this book! It's the longest I've EVER taken in my life to finish a 180-page book. And truth be told, after finishing it, I still think the price of it (RM42) is a bit too much. That's saying something, as I managed to find a website selling it at the lowest; other sites were selling it at about RM80 for paperback.
It feels like a great weight off my shoulder, finishing this book. It has been dragging on because most times I never felt pulled enough to pick it up and finish it; yet I wanted to get it over and done with as soon as I could, so I would be able to finally pick up another book. (I have this thing where I have to finish a book I started before going on to the next one)
I first got to know about this book through an Oprah video where she interviewed the author. Back then, the topic they were discussing intrigued me, and I read an excerpt of it on the Oprah Book Club website, and it sounded interesting too.
I admit I was disappointed though. Don't get me wrong, there were some good bits here and there that I've taken to practicing, but what I found especially annoying was Singer's tendency at starting sentences with "If you were wise, you would...", "People who are wise would/would not do so-and-so" and "It's really that simple". I dunno about other readers, but those words made me feel like I was stupid. After all, he mentioned that 'if we were wise' we would do it. And we as readers obviously haven't, because well, we bought his book to learn how, didn't we? And when he mentioned that it was 'really that simple', it somehow felt like a bit of a mockery to me.
See, Singer's methods require constant repetition of practice. It requires concentration and dedication to follow through it at all times. Sure, when you've become used to it, it feels routine, but TO LEARN TO PRACTICE IT takes time. So when I read lines like that, it makes me feel as if I'm dumb for not finding it as 'easy' as he claims it to be.
Singer also, I noticed, had the tendency to repeat his points. He would repeat a point several times over, just changing the sentence structures (active-passive, passive-active etc). While repetation is good in some ways to get it in your head, it gets frustrating when you have to read the same points 2-3 times over.
While I admit that certain of Singer's good points were, well, good, I wouldn't have paid that much for the book. Initially I hadn't minded as much because I thought it would be a very good book, seeing as it was so expensive everywhere else.
But eh.. I guess I don't regret the knowledge I got from this book (knowledge is never bad, no?) . Just.. not much my cup of tea.

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