
The Lost Symbol
THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown was a joint-reading with my friend Hanson Tan. We went on an exciting and thrilling journey of codes, secrets, and unseen truths—all set within the hidden chambers, tunnels and temples of Washington, D.C.
THE LOST SYMBOL, which is the third book in the Robert Langdon series, is a follow-up to THE DA VINCI CODE and it was indeed my plan to read the latter first. However, I reckoned there is nothing wrong with […]
I Don't Know You But Let Me Save You
I met Hoong Ling from conferences we were both invited to speak as guest speakers. We quickly became friends. She’s down-to-earth, funny, and engaging. One can easily sense her sincerity in the cause she believes in and that is organ donation.
When she published her book, I DON’T KNOW YOU BUT LET ME SAVE YOU, I got myself a copy to support her cause. On January 14, 2009, Hoong Ling parted with sixty percent of her liver to save a child's life.
Jasmyn
JASMYN has been in my personal library for close to two years when I finally picked it off the shelf about a week ago and started reading. I wish I had done it earlier. Author Alex Bell did a good job at characterizing Jasmyn. She is a freak—to most of the people, anyway, because of her albinism—but to her husband Liam, she is a snow princess. It is most unfortunate that he has to die at such a young age.
It is odd the husband she knew during their courtship becomes a different person when they wedded. Before, he is an animal lover, but after, […]
The Man You’ll Marry
Would you fancy having in possession a wedding dress—made many years ago—that bears the promise the first man you meet is the man you’ll marry?
THE MAN YOU’LL MARRY by Debbie Macomber is the latest installment of the Blossom Street series. It tells the two stories of two women who receive the supernatural wedding dress under very special circumstances.
Ink Flamingos: A Tattoo Shop Mystery
INK FLAMINGOS by Karen E. Olson is the fourth and last book in the A Tattoo Shop Mystery series. The novel has all the elements I loved: tattoos, a strong and spunky female character, blogging, and a hint of romance between the tattooists in the midst of sleuthing. Brett Kavanaugh—a tattoo artist and owner of The Painted Lady—is that strong and spunky female character.
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
I have thoroughly enjoyed THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN by Mitch Albom. It is a special book.
Today is a beautiful Sunday and I did what I had to do—cleaned the apartment, did laundry, and so on—and for the rest of the evening I sat down to finish the book.
It had me crying when I reached the third and fourth lessons. I was eager for the [...]
Dangerous Games
Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh is my first BDSM (Bondage-Domination-Submission-Masochism) novel; hence, my first Dom/Sub exposure and I didn’t know that until I'd read a chapter or two. Interesting setting in underground clubs and most of the exciting stuff happens at Diva's. And yes, this is a sizzling story involving a super hot Navy SEAL […]
Norwegian Wood
Chapter 1, Page 1: Once the plane was on the ground, soft music began to flow from the ceiling speakers: a sweet orchestral cover version of the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood". The melody never failed to send a shudder through me, but this time it hit me harder than ever.
Frankly, I do not know how to write the review of this book. I loved it very much. It is a straight, simple story, yet its simplicity is beautiful and moving. I did not expect myself to shed tears but cry I did. This is the story of Toru Watanabe set in his student days in Tokyo in the late 1960s.
Norwegian Wood: Naoko’s Thoughts
This happens to me quite a lot: “I can never say what I want to say,” continued Naoko. “It’s been like this for a while now. I try to say something, but all I get are the wrong words—the wrong words or the exact opposite words from what I mean. I try to correct myself, and that only makes it worse. I lose track of what I was trying to say to begin with. It’s like I’m split in two and playing tag with myself. One half is chasing the other half around this big, fat post. The other me has the right words, but this me can't catch her.”
Happy Ever After (Book Four in the Bride Quartet)
HAPPY EVER AFTER by Nora Roberts is the fourth book in the Bride Quartet. Once again, we meet with childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac, but this time it’s a wrap! Here’s a quick recap: […] In Book 4, we get a taste of Parker Brown (Del’s sister and the brains behind Vows) and Malcolm “Mal” Kavanaugh (the gorgeous Harley bike hunk of a mechanic).
The Moneyless Man
Inspiring. Intriguing. Eye-opening. Thought-provoking. Entertaining. The Moneyless Man is an interesting book by Mark Boyle. It’s a book detailing his yearlong social experiment of living without money. It will also wake us up from our consumerist culture and obsession with money.
Boyle, an Irish and a former businessman, sold his possession and embarked on this mind-boggling journey. How would one live without money? What does he eat? […]
The Elephant in the Room
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM by Ed Baker is a financial fable. This is a highly readable book on the secrets for pursuing real financial success, told in the form of a story. Baker uses a character named Michael Davidson to bring this message across. If you are expecting technical reading on investing in bonds, shares, or other forms of financial matters, this book is not it. In this story, having a big income and successful career could still mean that one is living from paycheck to paycheck, and not accumulating any savings—as in the case with Michael. The book gradually builds the case for financial freedom […]
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
This is a business book—yes—but if you are a lover of fiction, you would probably also enjoy this 229-page hardcover book. THE FIVE DYSFUNCTIONS OF A TEAM is a highly readable leadership fable. The book has two sections: The Fable and The Model. A large part of this review talks about the former. In section The Model, it provides more information about the model to help readers understand and overcome the five dysfunctions.