2017 Year in Review and 2018 New Year's Resolution

Another year has come and gone.

At the last count, I have reviewed a total of 52 books for the year to date. This works out to be an average of 4 books per month; 1 book per week.

Year 2017 @ 52 (■ YOY)
Year 2016 @ 52 (-22 YOY)
Year 2015 @ 74 (-23 YOY)
Year 2014 @ 97

Review: The Last Piece of My Heart by Paige Toon

4 stars for The Last Piece of My Heart by Paige Toon.

I am on cloud nine once I turn the page and see that it is the epilogue. I know without a doubt that this book will surely be conquered in 2017 and added to my list of books read. And the best part? There is still time enough for me to write my review and have it posted before the year runs out.

The Last Piece of My Heart is about a travel writer who is hired to continue the work of a bestselling author who unexpectedly leaves behind an unfinished sequel.

Set mainly in Cornwall, United Kingdom and to a small extent, Thailand, the story explores relationships - complicated relationships that involve complicated persons - and making serious life decisions.

There are a few things I like about this story.

The first is the parallels between the characters which lend an intriguing air to the overall plot.

The second is the simple yet breathtakingly heartwarming descriptions of the many places in which the story is set in. There is Cornwall, Lansallos beach, Lost Gardens of Heligan, Tintagel, Bodmin, Padstow, and the Camel trail to name a few. The one I like most of all is the narratives on caravan camping in the Padstow area which provides for watching sunset on a small hill, looking up into the sky on a clear night and watching the beautiful display of stars.

The third and most important of all, is the pace of the story. Though seemingly slow moving at times, the pace makes for a credible tale of love lost and found. It is certainly not a story where the characters jump each other within twenty-four hours of meeting but one where it grows on you over time.

By all means, The Last Piece of My Heart is my last entry for the year 2017. Nevertheless, it is not an end to my reading and review writing quest but the end of a beginning.

Review: A Winter Dream by Richard Paul Evans

4.5 stars for A Winter Dream by Richard Paul Evans.

A Winter Dream is a dramatic yet heartwarming story about dreams and dreams come true.

Throughout history, dreams have been a source of wonder to humanity. While some believe that dreams are the very secret to understanding life, others believe that life itself is a dream.

Do we dream our dreams and have them too? Dreams.. there are those that come to us in our sleep when our mental gates are unlocked and unguarded and there are those that we create with our hearts. A Winter Dream has got both kinds, thus gifting the story a surreal mix of fact and fantasy and making it an enjoyable tale of wonders.

It is a fact of life that we may be cuising through life on a set course, then, in just one day, everything as we know it changes. Ultimately, this story is about learning to accept changes, daring to dream and making it come true by finding the courage, heart and discipline; a theme that can not be more apt to be read at Christmastime.

Review: Lost December by Richard Paul Evans

5 stars for Lost December by Richard Paul Evans.

This is a holiday version of the riches-to-rags story of the prodigal son, an emotionally charged tale of redemption, of hope and of second chance.

Lost December's underlying message is certainly not lost on me. It is a good reminder for us not to take things for granted and to learn to count our blessings. Reading this story makes me feel truly blessed to have a roof overhead, food to eat, clean water to drink, a decent job and a heartwarming family to go back to at the end of the day.

It is so true; in life, we all take different paths, some more difficult than others, but in the end, all that matters is whether or not they lead us home.

It is also very real; we all have our regrets, only more or less. Sometimes the greatest hope in our lives is just a second chance to do what we should have done right in the first place.

With hope, second chance and gratitude, we can find our way home. Home is where the heart is.

Review: The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans

3.5 stars for The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans.

The Christmas List is a Christmas story of true redemption, of death, rebirth and second chance.

What can possibly happen if people read their obituary before they die and have first-hand experience of what the world really think of them?

Yes, we all get lost sometimes. And when we find ourselves with the truth, knowing fully the pain and hurt caused to others and knowing there is no way to make it better, that realization can be devastating. The trick is to believe that we are worth finding and have the strength of will to make amends.

Having read this book, the author has fulfilled what he set out to accomplish. He has written and shared a holiday story that not only warms the festive season but my heart as well.

Review: The Color of a Christmas Miracle (The Color of Heaven #12 ) by Julianne MacLean

4 stars for The Color of a Christmas Miracle (The Color of Heaven book 12 ) by Julianne MacLean.

It has been three years and then some since I read book 1 of The Color of Heaven series. Having loved that story much, I decide to fast forward and read book 12 The Color of a Christmas Miracle this time. After all, what better way is there to get deep into the festive mood than be surrounded by Christmas-themed stories and Christmas miracles?

Heartwarming and inspiring, this is the story of a woman's journey to find happiness.

Much as the story is filled with frustration, anguish, pain, loneliness and heartbreak, it touches my heart in some way for the tale is equally packed full of hope, joy, faith, love and certainly, of Christmas miracles.

Well.. I will say that the ending is easily predictable with no surprises there, but still, I love the message that the story delivers across - love is not a race. Whatever's meant to be, will be.

Review: Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans

5 stars for Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans.

December is often a good month to read festive novels to get in the Christmas mood. This year, I decide to kickstart the holiday spirit with a book by one of my favourite authors.

Frankly speaking, I did not like this story at first but if history teaches us anything, it is that anything is possible and the unlikely is likely. And that is exactly what happens for all of a sudden, I find myself liking the story more and more and even loving the absurd idea of it all.

With the exception to the broken promise that makes me detest this story initially, there are just so many things to adore on reading author Evans' books.

The most significant of all is that it improves my knowledge and widens my perspective. The last was about Tics (Tourette's syndrome) when I read The Gift and this time, it is about Celiac Sprue, also known as Celiac disease, and people who suffer from this hard to disgnose disease are actually allergic to gluten.

Taken verbatim from the book,

“When someone with celiac eats something containing gluten, the gluten causes a reaction that damages the intestine and makes the body unable to absorb nutrients, which, of course, can lead to a whole host of nasty problems—weight loss, anemia, malnutrition, seizures, even cancer.”

Symptoms of celiac sprue include gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating. Other related symptoms include irritability, anemia, upset stomach, joint pain, skin rash, etc. Celiac can cause malabsorption, with such symptoms as weight loss, stunted growth, cramps, fatigue, and weakness.”

There are moments of our lives that come and go and barely leave an imprint, but, for me, reading Promise Me isn't one of them. This is definitely not your run-of-the-mill Christmas story. It is a beautiful life-changing story of loss, of trust, of hope, of love, and of Christmas miracles.

Review: The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

5 stars for The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon.

This is a story about..

.. the gifts of sight, of magic, of walking between the worlds, of supernatural and conspiracy theories;

.. a place called the Devil's Hand, or rather, different versions of it but with one common trait - it is an evil place and bad luck follows people who go there;

.. Sara Harrison Shea who is famous for how she died and her secret journals titled Visitors from the Other Side that her niece publishes which read like real-life murder mystery

Beneath it all, it is a story that asks this very question: if you have lost someone you love, will you not give almost anything to have the chance to see them and have them back again?

All in all, The Winter People has all the makings of a blockbuster movie - suspense, mystery, thriller and horror. I am certainly creeped out by the developments of the story - the secrets, the choices, the past, the present and how everything is linked up - even as I feel the suffering and heartbreak for those close to the victims. I will definitely give the theatre a go if this book is ever made into a movie.