2010 in Review and WELCOME 2011!!

It's been a while since I last blogged and kept up with the blogosphere, especially the bookish related. I've had an extremely busy second half of 2010, mostly related to my job and 2011 promises to be no less busy…sigh…

Despite spending my weekdays (and sometimes weekends) slogging over work, going through a change of jobs and slaving through banking exams, I’ve managed to somehow achieve the following in 2010:

• Read 19 books
• Finished 1 out of 5 reading challenges joined
• Did 4 very exciting outdoor/travelling trips. Managed to write a review on 2 of them.
• Found 30 new inspiring blogs to follow
• Began my addiction to Twitter

As mentioned, 2011 promises to be another busy year for me. I still have one more major banking exam to complete. Nevertheless, I’m planning to read more books written by foreign authors, mainly Asian, as well as books that are not so popular, for example those that I’ve found in a quirky bookstore or in a garage sale but promise to be an interesting read. I’ve always enjoyed reading books recommended by fellow bloggers in the US and UK, especially YA and vampire stuff, so these will still be on my reading list for 2011. And to start off the year, I’ve already enrolled myself in yet another vampire reading challenge hosted by Book Chick City here.

To all blogger friends and non-blogger friends alike, here’s wishing you all a fabulous 2011 year ahead!

The Vampire Chronicles Reading Challenge 2011

I've always been an Anne Rice fan. My first ever paranormal book that I read was an Anne Rice; the ever so famous Interview with the Vampire. That was probably more than ten years ago. Subsequently, I got caught up in other genres and never really read the rest of the Vampire Chronicles, so I'm quite excited to be joining this challenge hosted by Book Chick City.

The books in the Vampire Chronicle series, in order are:

1. Interview with the Vampire
2. The Vampire Lestat
3. The Queen of the Damned
4. The Tale of the Body Thief
5. Memnoch the Devil
6. The Vampire Armand
7. Merrick
8. Blood and Gold
9. Blackwood Farm
10. Blood Canticle

You can find details of the challenge here. And if you're following this challenge like me, don't forget to share your experiences on Twitter too using #VampireChronicles2011.

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

Title: The Gargoyle

Author: Andrew Davidson

Genre: Romance, Mystery/Thriller

Published: 2008, 465 pages 

Challenge: Thriller & Suspense Challenge 2010


From the Cover

On a dark road in the middle of the night, a car plunges down into a ravine. The driver survives the crash, but suffers horrible burns over much of his body. As he recovers from hospital, planning his suicide, a strange woman appears at the foot of his bed, insisting she saved his life a century ago. Spanning medieval Germany, Japan, Iceland, and beyond, The Gargoyle is a mesmerising novel of death, history, obsession, and faith..

My Thoughts

Let me just begin with these four little words... I LOVED THIS BOOK. It's been awhile since I've read a novel that is filled with such raw passion and intriguing mystery, and this book definitely has both. Written in the first person, The Gargoyle centers on the narrator (nameless) and a woman called Marianne Engel. When the narrator finds himself scarred for life and hospitalised due to severe burns, a woman by the name of Marianne Engel mysteriously appears in his life. Marianne Engel is an exotic and beautiful woman who claims that she was born in Germany in the year 1300 and has known the narrator for hundreds of years. The narrator is an atheist and pessimist who thinks that his life is no longer worth living due to his grotesquely disformed figure, post car-crash. Whilst he thinks that Marianne is suffering from psychological issues, he can't help but become mesmerised by her countless stories of love, war, courage and history. As the narrator goes through the process of physical healing, Marianne closely becomes an ally in his process of emotional recovery as well.

What's most interesting about this book is that it is dark and twisted, yet invokes passion and beauty all at the same time. I guess this is mainly due to the two main characters above, where one has given up on life, whilst the other breathes life. There were two main things that kept me turning the pages furiously:

1) The constant flits between the past and the present. This is where the reader is taken from the hospital room to the pages of history, and where the mystery of how Marianne came to know the narrator is slowly unraveled.

2) The various stories of undying love and passion (as narrated by Marianne) orginating from Italy, London, Japan and Iceland. My favorite one (and I think this is true for many others who have read the book) would be the tale of the Japanese woman, Sei. 

An extremely commendable debut from Davidson, this is a highly recommended book that should not escape anyone's attention. On a final note, I found this cool book trailer from Doubleday with comments from Davidson himself. Enjoy the show!

The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie

Title: The Pale Horse

Author: Agatha Christie

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

First Published: 1961, 332 pages

Challenge: Thriller & Suspense Challenge 2010


From the Cover

When an elderly priest is murdered, the killer searches the victim so roughly that his already ragged cassock is torn in the process. What was the killer looking for? And what had a dying woman confided to the priest on the death bed only hours earlier?

Mark Easterbrook and his sidekick Ginger Corrigan are determined to find out. Maybe the three women who run The Pale Horse public house, and who are rumoured to practise the ‘Dark Arts’ can provide some answers?

My Thoughts

Mark Easterbrook is a writer who through the acquaintance of a doctor and a novelist finds himself embroiled in the mysterious murder of a Priest. Through some amateurish sleuthing and with the help of his new friend Ginger, he links several other murder cases to the Priest’s death and discovers convincing clues to suggest the killings took place via witchcraft – the perfect crime where there is no murder weapon, and where the killer cannot be linked to the crime scene.

I quite enjoyed reading this book in Christie’s many collections of cozy mysteries. The way in which Christie linked magic to murder was pure genius, and it gave a completely different atmosphere to what you’d normally find in a mystery/crime novel. As usual, Christie’s books are full of red herrings and keeps you guessing ‘til the very end. Overall, an interesting yet light an easy read that is perfect for a lazy weekend.

I'm Back and with an Award!

Wow, it’s been more than 2 months since my last post and for that folks, I truly apologise. Life’s gone a little haywire recently, since my addiction to football (thanks to World Cup 2010) and also a major shift in my career. Anyway, I’m back now and I really do hope to catch up with the book blogging community, as well as squeeze in some time to kick-start my reading & reviews once again. I’ve also just changed my blog design, which took several pain-staking hours to complete by the way – hope you like it ;)

During this short hiatus, I received the Versatile Blogger Award, courtesy of Ms Ulat Buku. Thanks Ms UB, it really means a lot to me. In keeping up with the tradition of this award, here are 5 little things about me:

1) I love the smell, feel and taste of coffee. I really wouldn’t know what I’d do without it.

2) The one thing I cannot leave home without is my book and my Blackberry…both of which help keep my sanity when facing the ugly morning traffic.

3) If I was a contestant on Survivor and there was only one makeup item I’d be allowed to bring, it would have to be my Benefit Bad Lash Mascara. It does wonders – trust me.

4) I’m an obsessive baker and I make a mean cherry pie :)

5) I just finished watching The Killers and I can’t get over how hawt Ashton Kutcher was in the movie… I like very much..

And here's my top 5 picks of who I'd like to share this Award with:  

• Laura @ I'm Booking It
• Desert Rose @ Desert Rose Booklogue
• Sumthinblue @ Bookmarked!
• Alice @ Hello, My Name is Alice
• Rhiana @ Rhiana Reads

Dead and Gone

Title: Dead & Gone (Book #9)

Author: Charlaine Harris

Genre: Paranormal

First Published: 2009, 312 pages

Challenge: The Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge


From the Cover:

The vamps have been out for years, and now the weres and shifters have decided to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world. Sookie Stackhouse already knows about them, of course - her brother turns into a panther at the full moon, she's friend to the local were pack, and Sam her boss at Merlotte's bar, is a shapeshifter.

The great revelation goes well at first - then the horribly mutilated body of a were-panther is found in the parking lot of Merlotte's, and Sookie agrees to use her telepathic talent to track down the murderer. But there is a far greater danger than the killer threatening Bon Temps: a race of unhuman beings, older, more powerful and far more secretive than the vampires or the werewolves is preparing for war. And Sookie is an all-too human pawn in their ages-old battle...

My Thoughts:

Of all the books in the series, this has to be the most chair-gripping one todate. As usual, Harris throws in a few plots all at once; there's one on the mysterious were-panther murderer, one on the power struggle between the two fairy clans and last but definitely not least, an insight into the complex love life of Ms Sookie Stackhouse.

I have to say that Harris just topped herself this time with the chilling account on the fairy war. Harris managed to dispel the idea that fairies were all pretty and glowing inside. Who would've thought fairies could be so sinister and scary?! I loved it. It was completely intense; thrilling to the very last drop and quite emotional. What was a little disappointing though (just a teeny bit), was the unfinished business of Sookie's love life. Though it sounded like Eric might have been THE ONE, the sudden re-introduction of Bill Compton in a big way completely threw off that idea. So, who will be the lucky Vamp? Or will Sookie leave both of them in the dark and settle with someone more of her own kind? Questions I'm hoping will be answered real soon...guess we'll just have to wait and see then.  

This book completes my Sookie Stackhouse Challenge, hosted by Beth at Beth Fish Reads. First Challenge for the year over and done with. Hurray!

First Among Equals by Jeffrey Archer

Title: First Among Equals

Author: Jeffrey Archer

Genre: Fiction

First Published: 1984, 466 pages

Challenge: N/A

From the Cover

In the 1960s four ambitious new MPs take their seats at Westminster. Over three decades they share the turbulent passions of the race for power with their wives and families, men and women caught up in a dramatic game for the highest stakes of all. But only one man can gain the ultimate goal - the office of Prime Minister...

My Thoughts
I’m not a big fan of politics and neither am I a big fan of Archer's, so this choice didn't exactly get my mood pumping with anticipation. I attempted to read it anyway and as soon as I was half-way through, news struck that UK had just faced it's first hung Parliament since 1974. I was ecstatic. Here I was reading a book that's far more suited for the political junkie, and lo and behold, fiction becomes reality. Suddenly I was the guru of UK politics to friends who didn't have a clue....sweet.

The book focuses on 4 main characters and the progression of their political career; Charles Seymour, the aristocrat  who naturally was a Tory; Raymond Gould, the intellect who spurred the Labour Party but has one too many skeletons in the closet; Simon Kerslake, the humble, hard-working Tory with financial issues; and Andrew Kerr, the Scottish family man who astonished his Tory-supporting father by joining the Labour Party. Of all the 4 men, I found Andrew to be the most appealing character; he was witty, charming, described as being quite handsome and his political journey touched a very raw spot in me.

Though the plot may be a little dry in parts, there is sufficient content for the reader to grasp the mechanism of the UK political scene, and enough twists & turns to keep one entertained. A recommended read if you enjoy heavy reading and would like to know more about UK politics.