Review: Farthest North: Vol I by Fridtjof Nansen

4 stars for Farthest North: Vol I by Fridtjof Nansen.

This book is Volume I of the record of a voyage of exploration of the ship FRAM 1893-96 and the fifteen months of sleigh expedition by Dr Nansen and Lieut. Johansen with an appendix by Otto Sverdrup, Captain of the FRAM.

Nansen noticed that wreckage from a sunken ship off Siberia had drifted all the way across the Arctic Ocean to Greenland. This proved his theory that a natural transpolar ocean current existed. His plan was simple - build a ship, intentionally freeze it into the Arctic ice pack, and let the moving ice carry the ship directly over the North Pole.

Most experts thought this was a suicide mission, believing the ice would crush any ship to splinters. However, Nansen commissioned a special vessel named the Fram ("Forward"), designed with a highly rounded hull. Instead of being crushed, the ice would squeeze the ship upward, safely cradling it on top of the frozen pack.

In 1893, with the objective to investigate the great unknown region that surrounds the North Pole, Nansen and his crew of twelve set off in this small but strongly built ship that was stocked up with supplies of coal and provisions to last them for as many as five years.

Volume I is Nansen's first person account of how they designed the Fram to survive the ice pressure and details of their equipment instruments for taking observations - scientific, meteorological, astronomical, magnetic, hydrographic.

His notes from day to day gives readers a good idea of their lives on the Fram, in all its monotony. They may not be great events recorded but in their very bareness, they present a down-to-earth picture. There were well recorded encounters with reindeers, polar foxes, polar bears, seals and walruses. There were detailed notes on the endless ice that stretched on every side into the silent night, the severe pressure of the packing ice that thundered and rumbled and roared with a ferocity, the crashing and breaking of big ice floes against each other and how they were flung and pressed up into high walls, the cracking and shifting of the ice hammock that led to violent heaving and trembling of the ship. Amongst it all, Nansen shared how the aurora borealis burns in wonderful colours and bands of light over the entire sky and how the stars sparkle in the blue firmament among the northern lights.

True to its built, the FRAM is a safe harbour for Nansen and his crew in the frozen wilderness of the Arctic ocean. There was good shelther, good ventilation, warm clothing, great food, and great comfort in passing time on reading, writing, smoking, cards, chess, music and story-telling. Regardless of the comfort and safety, Nansen's first person account wavered between eager energy, idle longing, self-doubt, brooding and despondency, shifting with the winds as the ship FRAM drifted forwards to their goal or backwards from it.

Indeed, Fridtjof Nansen’s 1893 Fram Expedition is one of the most brilliant and daring adventures in polar history. The expedition paved the way for mankind by revolutionizing polar exploration, launching the modern science of oceanography, and modelling a philosophy of preparation that transformed how humans interact with Earth's extreme environments. Rather than viewing the Northern Arctic as a lethal adversary to be beaten through brute force, Nansen was the first to work with the forces of nature, a paradigm shift that echoes through science and exploration today.

Having read two books consecutively on the Arctic North, I have enough of the frozen wilderness of the Arctic Ocean, endless Polar nights and the wonders of the Aurora Borealis to last me for quite some time. I am going to take a break for now - not sure how long it will be though - before I return to continue with reading Farthest North: Vol II.

Review: A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter

5 stars for A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter.

My interest in the Northern Arctic and Polar Night is highly piqued after re-reading Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. The author shared titles of books she referred to in writing Dark Matter; this was how I am introduced to "A Woman in the Polar Night". Keen to find out more, I bought the book. I am a sucker for books mentioned in the books I read. In fact, I am keen to get hold of some other books quoted until I realise that it is next to impossible. Not for lack of trying, some of these book are simply not available for sale. I shall touch more on these later on under (*).

I am surprised that A Woman in the Polar Night is the only book ever written by Christiane Ritter, an Austrian, the first European woman (from central Europe) to spend winter so far north. What is even more surprisingly is that she was born in 1897 and died in 2000 at the of 103. Our lifetimes actually overlapped! This book was a bestseller throughout Europe and has never been out of print in its original language, German.

In her book, the author shares why she joins her husband for a year on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen, and how acutely aware she is of the perils of living in a tiny ramshackle hut on the shores of a lonely fjord, two hundred and fifty miles away from the nearest human settlement (their nearest neighbour being sixty miles away in another hut). Initially horrified of the freezing cold and bleak landscape filled with nothing but stones and rocks and ghastly anxious about the lack of vitamins (which in all likelihood will lead to scurvy and death), she eventually settles into the rhythm of life and begins to cherish the beauty and simplicity of the far north.

In the memoir, the Austrian Ritter talks about her encounters with seals, polar foxes and polar bears among others such as the eider ducks, gulls and other wildlife. She shares the indescribable enchantment of the Arctic night and the bewildering magic light of the Aurora. She recounts her experience with pack ice, iceberg and ice floes and why the need to gather everything such as driftwood, planks, raw rubber, and even clothes washed up by storms on the foreshore - everything is valuable and might be useful.

This classic memoir tells of the author's emotional transformation and inspiring journey to freedom, happiness and fulfilment in the adventure of a lifetime.

P/S:
While a bear post was often mentioned in author Michelle Paver's Dark Matter, it is only from reading this memoir that I truly grasp the purpose of the bear post - a tall wooden post bleached snow- white - that was set about two yards from their Grey Hook hut's window.

A "bear post" in the historical and literary context of Spitsbergen (Svalbard) is a wooden post or stake traditionally set up outside remote trapper cabins to lure, position, or spot polar bears so they could be shot for food, skin, or self-defense.

A quick search in Google confirms the historical Use of Trapper Bear Posts as follows:

(1) Luring Predators: Early Arctic trappers and hunters used these bleached driftwood or timber posts to hang bait or blubber, enticing curious or hungry polar bears close enough to the cabin to be targeted by firearms.

(2) Gunsight Alignment: The post acted as a fixed reference point or killing marker in the snow, making it easier to aim accurately during the blinding whiteouts or pitch-black months of the polar night.

(3) Literary Symbolism: In Arctic fiction and memoirs—such as Michelle Paver's ghost story Dark Matter (set in Spitsbergen) or Christiane Ritter’s A Woman in the Polar Night—the weathered bear post also serves as a haunting, atmospheric relic of human survival and the grim predator-prey dynamic on the ice.

(*)
Under the Pole Star is a 1937 book detailing the Oxford University Arctic Expedition, 1935-6, written by expedition leader A.R. Glen and assisted by N.A.C. Croft. Sadly, this book is an out-of-print, antiquarian title from 1937. Copies are exclusively available through specialized rare book dealers and collectible marketplaces only.

The Diaries of Thorleif Bjertnes is a historical non-fiction record documenting the brutal realities of an overwintering trapping expedition in the high Arctic. His diaries were preserved in the archives of the Svalbard Museum. In Year 2000, his daughter compiled and published them under the title The Diaries of Thorleif Bjertnes: Nordaustlandet 1933-1934. Unlike romanticized versions of Arctic exploration Bjertnes' journals provide a raw look at the intense psychological and environmental strains of polar survival. The diaries explicitly describe the harsh trapping life, interpersonal hostility, and the "Arctic Dread". Sadly, finding a commercial copy of this physical book is incredibly difficult as it was never mass-produced for the public.

I found out that the material colloquially referred to by author Michelle Paver and historians as "The Diaries of Thorleif Bjertnes: Nordaustlandet 1933-1934" is actually an archival record rather than a widely distributed retail book. The original handwritten journals, logs and photos belong to the family estate and are officially held in the physial vaults of the Svalbard Museum Archive (Catalog Reference: A-1005 - Thorleif Bjertnes) in Longyearbyen, Norway. While a limited, privately bound translation/transcript was compiled by his daughter, Lee Carmody, to donate alongside the museum's permanent collection, it did not receive a standard ISBN print run for commercial online storefronts like Amazon or AbeBooks.

Review: Before I Knew I Loved You (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #6) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

5 stars for Before I Knew I Loved You (Before the Coffee Gets Cold book 6) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi.

Times flies. Before I knew it, book 6 of Before the Coffee Gets Cold series is out. Other than Kate Daniels series, this is the only other series I follow closely enough to have an entire set that grace my bookshelf. I remember after reading book 5 Before We Forget Kindness, I wasn't sure if I will still continue with this series. In the end, when I saw the book newly available for sale in Tsutaya Bookstore, I cannot help myself but add it to my purchase cart.

Once again, the author presents readers with four stories in his book - four heartwarming miracles that occurred in the mysterious cafe where a person can sit on a particular chair and time travel to the past or future of their choosing.

Even though I am all too familiar with cafe Funiculi Funicula and its strange rules for time-travelling, there is still much pleasure to be had from reading the comings and goings that surround this mysterious Tokyo cafe that nestles in the basement alleyway in Jimbocho. Reading this novel makes me feel as if I am revisiting a dear old friend in an endearing cafe that both of us know so very well. It certainly is comforting and nostalgic at the same time.

Among all six books to date, this is the only one that makes me cry in almost all four stories. It is no wonder the book is titled as such and so aptly chosen.

If you could return to the past, who would you want to meet?

Review: Dark Matter by Michelle Paver |《Reread》

5 stars for Dark Matter by Michelle Paver |《Reread》.

The best moment to be in, is in-between books. Because the possibilities are endless. In truth, Dark Matter is not my choice read initially. Having read I'm Not Lazy, I'm on Energy Saving Mode by Dancing Snail, I was thinking of reading another non-fiction; yet while I was reading it, I kept thinking that perhaps I should be reading a horror instead, and my mind kept bringing me back to Michael Paver's Dark Matter. In the end, I decided to go with my heart instead. So, Dark Matter it is.

This is a story about a group of young gentlemen planning to overwinter in the wilderness, to study the High Arctic biology, geology and ice dynamics over the year. It is about the Arctic, the Midnight Sun, the Polar Night, the polar bears, seals and icebergs. But not quite.. it is also about fear; fear of the unknown, fear of what we cannot see or detect and the disquiet. The feeling of desolation, squalor and the group slowly fracturing under pressure is what makes it stay with you. It is not just horror. It is loneliness weaponized. Desperation. Oppression. You name it, we have it, in this book.

I always lament that once a book is read, we can never unread the book. Surprisingly, with Dark Matter, it feels different. Even though I remember this novel and its story developments, I am still able to enjoy the story on my second read. I think bulk of the reason is that during my first read, I am so anxious to find out what is going to happen next that I tend to read fast and overlook details. First read = sprinting through the fear - "What's in the hut? What's that sound? Is Jack going to be ok?!" With this second read, since I already know what is going to happen next, I can take my time to read and absorb all the finer details of the story. Second read = I already know the dread is coming, so I can actually sit in it. It certainly makes a big difference to the reading process and happiness quotient.

This is a book that gives so much more when read a second time. The Arctic descriptions, the silence, the way author Michelle Paver builds that slow creep of isolation and "something is wrong but I can't see it" - it all lands differently when I'm not racing to the next page. Since this is a reread for me, the details that hit me differently this time are the quiet moments, the journal entries and the feeling that the cold is getting into the words themselves.

I can still enjoy the story even knowing what happens. That’s the mark of a book with real atmosphere and detail, not just jump scares. I catch the foreshadowing, the little details in Jack’s narration, and the way the weather mirrors the mood.

All in all, a great story to be read and enjoyed again and again.

Review: I'm Not Lazy, I'm on Energy Saving Mode by Dancing Snail

4 stars for I'm Not Lazy, I'm on Energy Saving Mode by Dancing Snail.

This is not your usual wordy narrative kind of non fiction but it is not exactly a picture book either. This book is more like a picture diary where the author adds a few lines here and there as captions to her illustrations.

A practical book that expresses deep thoughts and feelings which we usually keep to our own selves for fear of being judged by others.

Easy to read and to relate to.

P/S: This is a late post. I finished reading this book way before I went for my surgery on 11 Sep 2026. There's just too many things to settle and too many things on my mind, so I did not post this until now. One thing for sure, I'm still battling with pain and a monster named Tired.

Review: Strange Buildings (Strange #3) by Uketsu

5 stars for Strange Buildings (Strange book 3) by Uketsu.

This book reads like an extension of book 2 Strange Houses. There are eleven short stories on strange buildings. At first glance, the stories seems totally unrelated, but on careful reading, they begin to intertwine, telling one incredible tale.

This is basically one big story which the author ingeniously breaks up into eleven individual files or cases, to give the impression that they are not related. And then one by one as if solving a big jigsaw puzzle, these fragmented pieces are placed in their rightful position to form a big picture in the grand scheme of things.

I enjoy reading this third book in the Strange series as much as the first two. Because each story is short, it is easy to read and pause for a break before I continue with the next one. I have some fun trying to spot the connections as I read along. Well, I would say it is not easy!

Uketsu is a writer of great originality. I am impressed by the refreshing storyline and the writing style, especially how the author wraps up the story and ties up loose ends. The last chapter is akin to watching a movie that is left with less than ten minutes or so run time. You thought the perpetrator is finally apprehended. And then five minutes before the credits start rolling, the last piece of puzzle reveals its hiding place. And finally, the jigsaw is whole.

Review: Strange Houses (Strange #2) by Uketsu

4 stars for Strange Houses (Strange book 2) by Uketsu.

Strange Houses is a creepy puzzle-box of a book. Each chapter starts with an unusual, to the point of being freaky, house floor plan, then peels back the “normal” layout to reveal disturbing secrets hidden in the walls.

The story is not so much a horror, but leans more towards unsettling mystery. The reader in me feels like an architect-turned-detective as I manoeuvre these "haunted" house blueprints with "oh no" moments such as when a hallway makes no sense.

This book is perfect for you if you like weird-vibe stories that make you side-eye every corner of your own home.

Have you read it yet, or thinking of picking it up?

Review: Strange Pictures (Strange #1) by Uketsu

5 stars for Strange Pictures (Strange book 1) by Uketsu.

It has been a long while since I last read a mystery novel that I'd forgotten the thrill and fun of immersing myself in solving one.

This is the first time I am reading a book filled with so many pictures — or illustrations. I do wonder if these pictures are drawn by the author himself. If yes, that means the author is not just brilliant with weaving stories but gifted at drawing as well.

Each chapter starts with a “normal” picture, then author Uketsu zooms in on one tiny detail that turns everything sinister. It is a good thing that I bought the dead tree version of a book because I find myself constantly flipping back and forth to look at those pictures again and again.

Strange Pictures is a creepy, fast-paced book, and the reveals hit like a jump scare. You will never look at family photos or convenience store pictures the same way again.

Review: Magic Triumphs (Kate Daniels #10) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Triumphs (Kate Daniels book 10) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

My memory fails me, for real this time. I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad. The fact is, this book reads absolutely new to me. I remember reading it in that same year it was first published but the thing is, I simply cannot recall anything at all, not even a vague impression. No inkling. Nothing. Zilch. The flip side is, reading this book as a first feels really wonderful.

Kate Daniels' world is never short of action and surprises. In this last instalment of the series, she is tasked to solve the mystery of two hundred missing people. In the midst of Kate's investigations, ancient creatures start popping out of her aunt Erra's nightmares and attack them. And as if these aren't trouble enough, Kate finds out that her father is secretly mobilising his army. To make matters worse, there is a Fae assassin running around in Atlanta city hoping to kill Kate, Curran and their son Conlan.

Magic Triumphs is as good a title as its delivery of the closing arc of a grand finale. There are troops, mages, witches, the Pack, the Undead, the military, the Druids, the Order, the pagans, the Red Guard and even the Iron Dogs. Yes, all the different factions in Atlanta make their appearance and contribute in their own way to a colourful firework that signals a closure to Kate Daniels.

Review: Iron and Magic (Kate Daniels #9.5) by Ilona Andrews

Did Not Finish Iron and Magic (Kate Daniels book 9.5) by Ilona Andrews.

Iron and Magic slots right between Magic Binds and Magic Triumphs timeline-wise. It’s short but gives readers that breather with Kate and Curran before the final book throws everything at them.

When I started out on this book, I thought the story would make for a nice palate cleanser before the finale wrecks the reader in me emotionally. My tall paperback of a Magic Triumph - recently purchased via Amazon and received in good order - can wait its turn on the shelf. But in the end, my calculation misfires as I am unable to complete this novel. I struggle to make myself read at least until I reach the halfway mark. It is difficult to enjoy the story because it portrays Huge in a different light from what I perceived and wanted him to be.

Iron and Magic era Hugh is... something else. He’s one of those characters you either love to hate or hate to love. No in-between. What I like about Hugh so much is a mixed bag really. His chaos energy. His loyalty. The way he talks to Curran. The way he is attracted to Kate. Most of all, how he is turned on by Kate in their no-style fighting style. The Hugh in this book is post Roland. He is still powerful in his own way, but very much different from the earlier books. And I didn't exactly like it. But well, at least I make it a point to stop my reading at halfway mark, so if I ever want to continue with this book in future, I know where I left off.

Review: Magic Binds (Kate Daniels #9) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Binds (Kate Daniels book 9) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Author Ilona Andrews did it again. This book 9 is not just a story with a straightforward, straight-out plot, but one with branches that reach out far and wide to form even more branches - subplots that run alongside the main plot, adding depth, character development and thematic richness to the story. To be able to do this, the authors have to know their magic inside out to be able enchant the branches to inter-relate. And that is an impressive feat. For the reader, it is a much simpler job. I just have to keep reading to piece everything together into a grand picture.

Magic Binds can be summarized simply into two words. "Power corrupts". Because of this, I feel that the book title is aptly chosen. It is also revealed in this book that Kate is well versed in the language of power. These are words spoken and shown in italics. This thing about the language of power.. I list it here in my review post more for my own reference, in case I decide to read this series again in the future.

Finishing Magic Binds means I have just survived the wedding + Roland mess + the whole "Atlanta will burn" prophecy. My heart needs a minute, no scratch that, a break, before Magic Triumphs drops the final boss.

Next up, book 9.5 Iron and Magic.

Review: Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels #8) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels book 8) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Okay.. I have a confession to make. I do not remember this story.. much.

Yes, I read this book before, in the exact same year it was published and made available. And yes, I do have an impression, vague as it is, that Magic Shifts was about a missing Shapeshifter and there was a family dinner of sorts with R. But other than that, zilch. Zero. Nothing.

No, I do not recall the creatures, the fighting, the reanimative metamorphosis, MR for short, the Arabian mythology, the giant incident near the Casino that was in effect an incident with a giant in it, and definitely not the big crisis that Kate undergone. I doubt I even dropped tears when I read about this critical turning point then, but I did this time. It is heart-rending what with Kate's emotionally charged insistence to go home. I cried.

Memories aside, after the large-scope story in book 7 Magic Breaks, I am glad for the change to focus on a small scale story in this book. Here, readers finally get to see Curran with Kate more often. After going through so much together, Kate and Curran deserve to have more screen time side by side. I cannot be more happy that there is finally no deliberate plot to lure the ex Beast Lord away from action for the better part of the story.

In Magic Shifts, Curran is mostly at Kate's side. Where Kate goes, Curran follows. How nice! But the cherry on the sundae is not just the two of them appearing shoulder to shoulder, it is their quick-wit banter and the sharp edge of humor that flutters my heart so.

Next up book nine Magic Binds.

Review: Magic Breaks (Kate Daniels #7) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Breaks (Kate Daniels book 7) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Among all the Kate Daniels books to date, this book 7 is second to book 4 Magic Bleeds in terms of thickness. And it is second to Magic Strikes in terms of my preference where book cover is concerned. The models on both covers do great justice to portray Kate. But if I really have to choose one, I'll go for the cover in Strikes because that one came first. And first impression makes the deepest lasting imprint.

This book 7 is basically a story that bangs on a race against time. The person who imposes this timeframe is none other than Roland's Warlord, Huge d'Ambray, the preceptor of the Order of the Iron Dogs. Since book 6 Magic Rises, I actually quite like d'Ambray even though he is one of the so-called bad guys.

Hugh + Kate banter is elite chaos energy. When they actually get to go toe-toe, it’s chef’s kiss. Magic Breaks gives us glimpses but not the full showdown we want. Autho Ilona Andrews knows exactly how to tease us with them though. The tension between those two is unreal even when they’re not fighting.

The way I see it, there is much potential to be had with this character. His medmage capabilities is astounding and he is relentless in his pursuit of Kate. He could have been a major challenge to the Beast Lord where matters of the heart involving Kate is concerned. There could have been more scenes for adrenaline heart-stopping moments where Huge and Kate face off, especially just the two of them alone, but no - and sadly no - the authors obviously have other plans for Huge. Towards the end of the book, I kind of feel sorry for d'Ambray because I just have the feeling that he will no longer be a major presence in the subsequent instalments. And I like him so.

As with the earlier books, there is much plotting, fighting and bloodshed in this book; the chief difference in Magic Breaks is that all these here culminates in a big showdown. It is impressive how the authors have everything in control. Well played indeed!

I think I may have mentioned this previously but I want to say it again. Everything makes so much sense now what with the back-to-back reading. I did not realise how big a difference each gap year makes until now. Reading the books in succession makes for a smooth glide from scene to scene and book to book, and gives so much more clarity, depth and insight to the entire Kate Daniels series.

Next up book eight Magic Shifts.

Review: Magic Rises (Kate Daniels #6) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Rises (Kate Daniels book 6) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Magic Rises is another of my favorites. It rank right up there after book 3 Magic Strikes.

This book small on the outside but big on the inside, is a book worth all my time to read and reread. This novel certainly packs a lot of punch. The key word here is panacea. I would say, this book gives a good, well-deserved break to all the rest of happenings in Atlanta. It is a refreshing and welcoming change from the usual. In fact, this book is so well crafted that the story can be read as a standalone. But of couse, I will still recommend starting the series from book 1.

There are so many things to like in this book, the good and even the bad - the doubts that slowly surface and rear its ugly head, and the anger that gradually simmer before boiling over - are all part and parcel of the grand scheme of things. I will say, even the badass Hugh d’Ambray comes across as a highly attractive bloke.

Hugh + Kate banter is elite chaos energy. When they actually get to go toe-toe, it’s chef’s kiss. Author Ilona Andrews knows exactly how to tease us readers with them. The tension between Hugh and Kate is unreal even when they are not fighting. Their back-and-forth is just perfect - the timing, the insults, the barely-contained murder vibes... they are delicious.

My favorite moment in this book is the "Uncle" scene. That “Uncle” moment is EXACTLY chef’s kiss. The way Kate pushes him to it, the way Hugh hates every second of saying it, and the reader in me can feel Curran grinning in the background even though he is not there. Pure perfection. That’s peak Hugh + Kate energy right there. Him being forced to submit, her enjoying it way too much. Authors Ilona Andrews certainly know what they are doing.

For an Urban Fantasy novel, Magic Rises sure checked all the right boxes and then some.

Action checked.
Magic checked.
Horror checked.
Mystery checked.
Suspense checked.
Paranormal checked.
Fantasy checked.
Humour checked.
Desire checked.
Romance checked.
Revelation checked.

Next up book seven Magic Rises.

Review: Magic Slays (Kate Daniels #5) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Slays (Kate Daniels book 5) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

It has been a long time; I need to get this off my mind. Of all the book covers since the series started, this one portrays Kate in the most unflattering, undignified manner. I always wonder why this picture was chosen to grace the book cover of Magic Slays. Perhaps this is the best among the rest, but even so, I feel that Kate deserves something better. The title is sleek and well chosen yet the cover is anything but. The good thing is, other than this minor slip-up of the outside, the inside is all well and good.

Once again, the authors deliver an amazing story. I thought the last book 4 was spectacular, yet the authors manage to outdo themselves again. In this book, the magic elite of Atlanta put aside old rivalries to form a common alliance. Mages, witches, druids, volhvs, shamans, the People, the Pack, and the mercenary Guild, all come together to fight a cause worthy of fighting.

As usual, when it comes to Kate and the beast lord, there are always those bear-your-heart-out scenes that makes me so emotional that tears roll down my cheeks as I read. And mind you, those are not fanciful conversations, just simple, practical, heart-to-heart talking, yet they make the world go round in Kate's world.

Next up book six Magic Rises. Another of my favourites.

Review: Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels #4) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels book 4) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Reading book 4 Magic Bleeds again feels like revisiting a dear old friend. I say it again. This series just keeps getting better with each new book. In this new instalment, shapeshifters who never fall sick (due to the Lyc-V virus) caught deadly plagues, the People (the Masters of the Dead who navigate the vampires) unexpectedly asked the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid for assistance, and undead creatures make an appearance and used elemental magic.

It feels great to be reading a completed series. No waiting. No longing. No hangover. Having to wait like one year for the next book to be written and published is such a killjoy. I remember vividly as if it was yesterday when I specially patronized a certain library branch to borrow the first two books because they were available only in that particular library. I was lucky then that I didn't have to wait long for book 3 Magic Strikes to be out. And then, the pain came. It came right after I finished reading book 3, and it repeated itself every year after. Those were terrible times.

Also, it feels wonderful to be holding and reading Kate Daniels in the dead tree version. I bought the books some years ago and I specially went for the original covers it came in (first edition covers which I read in previously). So, even though I am rereading the series now, the books I hold in my hands are proudly mine and in mint condition. So happy!

While book 3 Magic Strikes, my all-time favourite, is a book that reaffirms that this series is worth all my time reading and following, book 4 Magic Bleeds is a book that cumulates all that have been said and done in the previous three books and then... reveals and reduces it to three mere words "all or nothing".

If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, this is s series not to be missed.

Next up book five Magic Slays.

Review: Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels #3) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels book 3) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Magic Strikes. My all-time favourite. It feels so good to re-live this story again. Not only that, everything becomes so much clearer. Names and characters that I have glazed over the first time round get my full attention now.

Most books take one year to be written, edited and published. The same goes books in a series. In this sense, the authors did a great job to provide an excellent summary of Kate's world within the first couple of pages in Chapter one. Memory refresh is important because most readers would have lost touch during the year and need some prompting to be reminded of the base story again.

The husband and wife tag-team authors did it really well. They reminded readers about technology and magic, how they typically switch at least once every couple of days, usually more often than that. And then, about the three enforcement agencies that regulated life - the Military Supernatural Defense Unit (MSDU), the Paranormal Activity Division (PAD) and the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid (Kate's illustrious employer). This is followed by the power brokers of Atlanta - the People (the Masters of the Dead who navigate the vampires) and the Pack (the Shapeshifters). Finally, a reminder about the various characters the series cannot do without - Jim, Kate's partner from her days when she worked for the Mercenary Guild, who is also alpha of the cat clan and the Pack's chief of security; Saiman, a shapeshifter of sorts who has an encyclopedic knowledge of magic, a magic expert in short; and Derek, Kate's one-time teenage werewolf sidekick.

It is very easy to like Kate. She is a great kick-ass heroine. She packs a mean punch, fights well and is powerful in her own ways. She is a tough girl with a heart. The heart part did it for me. The author shows readers that no matter how tough Kate is or aspires to be, deep down, she is just a girl, a human girl who is not without fear, just that she masks them well.

By revealing Kate's inner conversations and thought processes, the authors bring Kate closer to readers and show us how she covers up her fears and weakneses through anger and blabbing. To quote "The man made an odd hooting sound that raised the tiny hairs on the back of my neck.." Another quote "This one was old. No sign of it ever walking upright remained. It waited on all fours, like a dog that has somehow sprouted humanoid limbs tipped with stiletto claws. The lasting lingering echoes of its humanity had faded long ago. It had become a thing, so revolting alien and frightening it sent shivers down my spine." As to Kate's witty blabbing to cover up her discomfort especially in the presense of the Beast Lord, it will not do to quote them here. Readers have to read them by themselves in the context of Kate Daniels vs Your Majesty, otherwise, I will be doing injustice to Kate.

This book revolves around Hindu mythology. I wonder if the authors are already well-versed in the different mythologies prior to writing Kate Daniels series. If not, I cannot imagine the amount of research they need to do to spin such a beautiful story.

Next up book four Magic Bleeds.

Review: Magic Burns (Kate Daniels #2) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

4 stars for Magic Burns (Kate Daniels book 2) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

I still remember vividly the first time I read Magic Burns. I did not like this book. I struggled with the story so much that I almost wanted to give up. It is hard to like this book. Serious. Looking back, I think it is a wonder that I persevere long enough to reach the end of the book and even more so, waited for book 3 to be published and kept a lookout for its availability. The rest as we know it, is history.

Reading Magic Burns a second time now, the feeling is different yet somewhat same. Different because I no longer find it so difficult to read. I actually enjoyed reading it. Same because I have finished reading the entire Kate Daniels series and I know that of all the books, this is still the one that I like the least; no change there, not now nor any time in the future.

This book involves coven and druids but it revolves mostly around Celtic mythology and its rituals. Reading it slowly helps in understanding. And where required, read the same sentence again and again.

Next up is book three Magic Strikes. My all-time favourite.

Review: Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Bites (Kate Daniels book 1) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Recently, I re-watched a Chinese drama series titled "Go Ahead" |《以家人之名》. It features three families with no blood ties but the children, two boys and one girl, grow up together under the care and guidance of two dads. Fast forward some years; the three children have grown up. One of the boys falls in love with the girl. The reason he gave for wanting to be with her and to form their own family unit subsequently, is that he is exhausted from the family dramatic happenings and has run out of capacity on wanting to know other girls. He is just happy to live with what he is familiar with and be with this girl whom he has been calling sister since young.

This drama series brought to mind, my own reading situation. I think I have run out of capacity, at least for now, on the desire to explore new books. Lately it is getting worse. It is taking me forever to finish reading a new book. But then... give me an Urban Fantasy series that I have read before and loved, specifcially the Kate Daniels series, I will find every chance I have to read the book.

This also brought to my mind "The Price Is Right", a long-running American television show game where contestants guess the prices of products to win cash and prizes, currently hosted by Drew Carey. For me, it is the equivalent of "The Book is Right". Yes, having the right book makes such a big difference in whipping up my reading appetitie.

It is a mysterious thing that perhaps only avid readers can understand and relate. Revisiting an old series does not bore me, no matter how many times I have read it already. This is probably my third or fourth time reading Magic Bites. Yet, it still blows me away. I find it deeply enjoyable as I refresh my memory to live through the story once more through Kate's eyes. It is also a great pleasure to (re)discover the finer details which I may have overlooked in my earlier readings.

As a debut novel, this book is extraordinarily well written. The fact that I have already completed the entire series astounds me even more on the brillancy of the author in building Kate's world and crafting the story for book one.

Authors who differentiate themselves from the mediocre ones are those who plan way ahead and have an ace up their sleeves. In author Ilona Andrews' case, it is definitely many more aces. To date, I have yet to find another author who can match author Ilona in weaving an equally spectacular Urban Fantasy series. Indeed, Kate Daniels is one of a kind.

Next up is book two Magic Burns.

Review: King Solomon's Mines (Allan Quatermain #1) by H. Rider Haggard

4 stars for King Solomon's Mines (Allan Quatermain book 1) by H. Rider Haggard.

I own a copy of this book by chance. Some years back, the owner decided to donate this book and placed it on the free-for-all bookshelf placed outside the library which I always frequent then. Though used, the book looks good as new. One look and I decided to be the new owner and brought it home.

Since then, I have always wanted to read this book, but somehow, did not manage to. Beginning of this year, I tell myself I really need to get down to reading this book so that I can let go of it and re-circulate. I am glad this is finally done - the reading I mean.

If not for the free copy, I would never have seek out this book. It really is not my usual choice of read. The copy I have is the 1994 reissued edition. This book was first published in 1885. Perhaps because it was written so long ago, the way of writing and presentation is rather different from that in books these days. Nevertheless, the story flows well and the landscape was beautifully captured in the author's lyrical writings.

Now that I have finished reading this book, I plan to bring it along with me in my next trip to the library. I hope whoever owns it next will not only enjoy the story as much as I did but also takes great care of the book.