Review: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

4 stars for Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones.

Howl’s Moving Castle is a heart-warming story about love, courage, magic, and self-discovery. The is a story that caters to all age groups.

I want to stress that though I give the novel a 4-star rating, the Japanese animation movie created by Studio Ghibli (co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki) warrants a 5 stars rating. The animated movie is rich and strange, and the animation is beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful.

Of all the Japanese "animated movies" I have watched over the years, Howl's Moving Castle has always been my favourite and still is. I cannot remember how many times I have watched it, I only know that each time I watch Howl's Moving Castle again, it always comes across as amazing and captivates me as if I am watching it for the first time. I remember first watching Howl's Moving Castle in 2006, around August to October time, and I was greatly charmed by wizard Howl. There are two scenes that I adore much in the anime. One is where Howl made his first appearance to protect Sophie and together they walked in the air before safely reaching the bakery. The other one is where Howl made his second appearance; he returns to his castle and he took over from Sophie to cook a breakfast of bacon and eggs.

All those years, I have always assumed that this animation movie was the result of some Japanese standalone manga or series. I have no idea that the anime originates from a novel, that is, until I saw the story book available for sale in a big bookstore during my trip to Tokyo last November.

It has been many years since I watched the movie, and Howl charms me still when I read the book where it all originates from. The novel is written with a dazzling plot and the spectacular team involving Howl, Sophie and Calcifer is brought to life through the unlimited imagination of author Diana. All three characters have magic - strong magic, one of a kind magic - which they use in very different ways, and that makes the reader in me adore them so.

What I like most in this fantasy novel is that, Howl as the hero, is not what we expect to see in most conventional novels - Howl is a flawed hero. Due to his flaws, Howl turns out to be even more of a compelling hero character. Because no one is perfect, not even heroes. Flawed Howl is made interesting because we never know what he is going to do next. I think it will be interesting and exciting to live under the same roof with a wizard of his calibre. 

For my own reference sake, I will provide a brief summary of the characters and a few items of importance.

Howell Jenkins mainly known as Howl
Sophie Hatter, the heroine in the story
Calcifer, the fire demon
Michael Fisher, wizard Howl's apprentice

The characters live in an enchanted castle with four doors - each opens on a different dimension.
There is a square wooden knob above the moving castle door, set into the lintel, with a dab of paint on each of its four sides.

The green blob goes onto the wide, moving moorland and the hills.
The blue blob goes to Porthaven entrance - the inside of it is really just Howl’s old house in Porthaven, which is the only real part.
The red blob leads to Kingsbury entrance, where the King lives.
The black blob leads to Howl's private bolt hole.

Later on, the doors are changed as follows:

The yellow blob leads to the street in Market Chipping.
The orange blob leads to an empty mansion at the end of the valley.
The purple blob leads to the edge of the Waste.
The black blob remains unchanged.

Review: A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson

Did Not Finish A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson.

I did not expect this, but the fact is, at 40%, this book has joined my limited repertoire of Did Not Finish. Still, I will like to say something, hence posting this short review.

This Young Adult fantasy novel is remarkable in its originality. I am lulled into reading the book on the promise that it involves art-based magic, romance, and murder.

True to its word, there is the combination of all three in the aforementioned, and then some. The protagonist, 18-year-old Myra Whitlock, possesses the unique ability to alter reality with her painting. She does portrait painting with a wondrous touch of magic healing. Because of this rare ability, she is offered a highly challenging job, one of its kind. To accomplish what she is tasked to do, Myra needs to unravel a mystery. And in seeking the truth, romance happens in its most unexpected form.

In truth, I have nothing against this book, the characters and the story. I know for sure, if I am to read this book at a different stage in life, I will have latched on to the story and not let go. It is a beautiful enchanting story where there is a hero and there is a heroine.

I like to think it is a matter of time and space that I am unable to finish reading the book. Still, this is a good story and one that I will recommend to read.

Review: Freaks: Alive, on the Inside! by Annette Curtis-Klause

2 stars for Freaks: Alive, on the Inside! by Annette Curtis-Klause.

This review is overdue. I should have posted it two weeks ago, but I didn't look forward to writing it, so I keep procrastinating until I am almost done with my current book and can wait no longer.

Not only does it seem to take forever for me to sit down and write this review, I feel like it is also taking me forever to read the book. Truth is, I did not like the story much.

This book is about a group of performers who use their unusual physical difference to trade for a means of livelihood. It is also a story of these human oddities trying to find their self-esteem and worth in the midst of their search for identity and a sense of belonging.

While I have all the respect for unusual people who against the odds, fight and create lives for themselves, make the best of what they can to earn a living, have family and children, sorry to say, I find it difficult to like this fantasy of a story weaved with these people as a focal point.

Review: The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis-Klause

4 stars for The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis-Klause.

This is a story about family, friendship and dealing with life-changing events. The main characters are Zoe, a 17-year-old girl whose mother is stricken with cancer, and Simon, a 300-year-old vampire who, turned at the age of nineteen, still looks like a young adult.

The first half of the story is slow moving, uneventful and overly filled with repetitive thoughts of loneliness and how Zoe feels about her family and facing off death that I almost wanted to stop reading for good. I am glad that I did not give up as the second half of the story is where the plot thickens and there is even an unexpected twist.

To put it simply, Silver Kiss is a story about the dying, the undead and the living. I was all ready to give it a 3-star rating until the plot twist and ending change my mind. The bittersweet end to the story is just so right.

Review: Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis-Klause

5 stars for Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis-Klause.

I have finally read this Young Adult Fantasy novel - Blood and Chocolate. Some of you may find the title kind of weird, but not for me, simply because the book has been on my reading list for more than fifteen years. I never get down to reading it for the reason that the hard copy cannot be found in the library in those early pre-ebook days. I can still feel the frustration I felt then when I could see that the book was showing as available in the library system, yet it was nowhere on the shelf where it was supposed to be. In the blink of an eye, years passed, but the book has never been forgotten.

Blood and Chocolate is a story about identity, family ties and friendship. Though written in third person point of view, the story focuses mainly on 16-year-old Vivian Gandillon who feels torn between two worlds - the wolf part and the human part of her. The sweet courtship between Vivian, the werewolf girl and Aiden, the human boy, reminds me of how it feels to be young all over again.

This standalone novel with supernatural elements and forebiddden romance is a highly addictive story. The world building is fantastic and the story well paced. Not only that, the author uses imagery to create lyrical emotions such that the pain of hiding one's true identity from a different world is as heart wrenching as is revealing it. Then there is the suspicion, mistrust and discord in the pack that keeps me on the toes. There are also more than a few heart stopping moments which I do not foresee coming from a book written in the 90s.

A human boy and a werewolf girl. Homo Sapiens against Homo Lupus. To the werewolves, the human is considered an incomplete creature who has only one form, yet the shifters have to learn to live with them - to quote "Homo Sapiens is everywhere, they outnumber us, and Homo Lupus must live beside them. As much as we might crave to, we cannot kill them." - and at the same time, fear for their lives. To quote "Homo Sapiens can be very attractive. The need to dominate is bred into us, and they are easy to dominate. It’s seductive, this power over them. And they’re so fragile, there are those you almost want to protect. But they’re dangerous. They’re desperately afraid of things they can’t understand, and there’s more of them than us. They can’t fight us fairly so they gang up on us with fire and blades, or betray us from the shadows with silver bullets."

Can there be good ending between a werewolf and a human? Is it possible? Read the book and find out for yourself.

Just so you know, this wolf-kind of story is my cup of tea.

Review: Stardust by Neil Gaiman

4 stars for Stardust by Neil Gaiman.

We all need a bit of fantasy every now and then in our lives. This book fits the bill in more ways than one. It is an enchanting story about the village of Wall, a Wall that separates the village and its people from Faerie and magic, and the curious thing that occurs there every nine years.

The story may seem fragmented initially, but at the end of the day, when all pieces of the story come together, it is simply a love story. A love story that is as endearing as it is heartwarming, a story about a boy with an unconventioal heritage, how he goes about attaining his Heart's Desire and how he becomes a man. I love the way the story unfolds with unexpected aspects of magical properties. I particularly like this one. To quote "I gain my freedom on the day the moon loses her daughter, if that occurs in a week when two Mondays come together. I await with patience."

While reading, I am pleasantly surprised to find out that Stardust was made into a movie in 2007. What happened was limbus grass. I was checking out this grass name mentioned in the book when I came across a snippet of the movie. After that, I get really excited that I keep telling myself that I must watch the movie after I am done reading.

Another interesting thing to know is that Stardust is actually written as the sequel to a novel - Wall - which the author has not yet written, and which the author himself is not even sure if he will ever write it one day. The author did include an early Wall story calling it "Wall: A Prologue" at the end of Stardust where he says that if ever the day comes when he writes Wall, this same prologue where the story began years ago, may highly likely be used.

Finally, I will have liked to recommend Stardust to everyone. Sadly, I cannot say this book is suitable for people of all ages. I will have liked to, very much indeed, but unfortunately one particular scene - depending on how you interpret the necessity of it in the story - renders the entire book not appropriate to young children.

Review: A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire #5) by George R. R. Martin

4 stars for A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire book 5) by George R. R. Martin.

It's been more than a month. And I am finally writing again. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I realise I did not miss the writing as much as I should have. In fact, it feels kind of strange; sitting at my desk, booting up my laptop, and trying to put my thoughts into words once again. Deep down, I know I am no stranger to such a setting as I have been writing book reviews since the year 2014, so perhaps, this reveals something about what I really want. I hope I have not simply grown too lazy to write, but it sure feels good to have more time to pursue my other hobbies. That said, I will keep this one short and sweet.

The events in this book 5 run parallel to that of book 4 A Feast for Crows. It is very thoughtful of the author to prepare the reader right from the start by pointing out the aforementioned. Yet knowing this in advance does little to help me as it feels weird reading on regressed happenings. I think I feel this way is because it is not the same across; some characters such as Tyrion has moved forward yet Samwell Tarly and Gilly the wildling have gone back in time. I will have preferred that book 4 tells half the story for all the characters than telling all the story for half the characters, and suffer through the regression in book 5. Be that as it may. It is what it is. The consolation is, each chapter in this book is mostly half that of Feast, making it a breeze if I need to pause for a breather. In Feast, a chapter is usually more than sixty pages.

This book is very much similar to the earlier books in that there is doubt, division and mistrust in the story and characters are killed off when you least expect it. A boy king sits the Iron Throne. The north is in chaos, the riverlands a devastation, and a rebel holds Storm’s End and Dragonstone. Battles and lands and castles won a moment ago can just as easily be lost to another in a matter of tide turn. When winter comes, the realm will starve. And who remains to deal with all of this, who rules the little king who rules the Seven Kingdoms? For me, I am mostly glad to see that Bran, Jon and Tyrion are back to tell their stories once again.

Having read this series one after another in continuous succession (sadly with a mini break between book 3 and 4 due to a book club read), I can no longer discern which are the events that have taken place specifically in each book. It is all a mishmash of happenings, of fighting, of battles, of scheming, of survival and more.

Finally, I like to think that I have graduated. That is, having read all the existing and available instalments in the series, I am now ready to go onto the drama version. For years, I have been holding off on watching the drama series for fear that watching the act out will impede on my reading and the internal drama in my mind's eye. It has been a long wait to graduation but one that is worth all my reading attention. I'm not sure when the next book will be made available but I'm sure the drama series will keep me well occupied till then.

Review: A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire #4) by George R. R. Martin

4 stars for A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire book 4) by George R. R. Martin.

It has been a long time coming since I get to enjoy a good fantasy series. This fourth book of A Song of Ice and Fire series, otherwise better known as The Game of Thrones series, is a good story even though it is my least favourite book to date.

I am rather surprised that the book takes a different turn from the telling. It is no longer coming only from a single appointed character, but rather, the author chooses to include the perspective of one from a given title or position. We have the Prophet, the Captain of Guards, the Kraken's daughter, the soiled knight, the Iron Captain, the Drowned Man, the Queenmaker, the Reaver, the Cat of the Canals, and the Princess in the Tower. We certainly have to guess who is telling the story though it is easy enough to confirm after a few pages. So, on top of these and those same pairs of eyes that tell the story previously, two new voices - Cersei, the twin sister of Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth - are thrown in for good measure. I am not sure if it is a good or bad thing to have more viewpoints in this instalment. But I know for sure, I do not understand the reason and significance for some of them as they seems more of a filler to me than one of necessity.

In this book, nothing is what we do not know, yet everything is new. There is the rivermen and seamen, smiths and singers, priests and septons, spells and prayers, kings and princes, novices and acolytes of the Citadel, and the forging of chain by maesters. It is very much a story on King's Landing, Highgarden, The Arbor, Oldtown, the riverlands, the Reach, the kingswood, the rainwood, Dorne and the marches, the Mountains of the Moon and the Vale of Arryn, Tarth and the Stepstones.

Old powers waken and shadows stir. The story is still very much about the wonders and terrors upon Westeros and their gods and heroes. There is the old gods of the North, the godswood with a weirwood at its heart. And there is the new gods of the Seven as well as the Lord of Light, R'hllor, to save the people from the darkness. Signs, portents, visions continue to play a major role in the telling of the story.

At first, I thought the crows in the book title are referring to those who have taken the black on the Walls (figuratively speaking), but as I read on, I start to think that the feasts are referring to the dead bodies that the crows (literally speaking) feasted on. I'm not sure what the author has in mind when he writes this story but I sure hope it is not my latter guess.

As the author points out at the end of the book, this 4th instalment tells all the story for half the characters. Even as I am writing this review, I have already moved on to the next book, A Dance with Dragons, to unravel the story for the other half of the characters. Yea.

Review: A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire #3) by George R. R. Martin

5 stars for A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire book 3) by George R. R. Martin.

The first thing I look at in this book are the maps and then the appendix (at the back of the book). I am glad to see that the author has finally provided a map of The Free Cities beyond The Narrow Sea. There is also a bonus map of whatever lies beyond the Wall in the North. It is a bonus to me because I am not expecting it. At all. As usual, due to the extremely small print of my leather-cloth-bound edition, I need the aid of a magnifying glass to read the maps properly. But that does not stop me from consulting the maps as and when needed. Instead, I am oft seen carrying the hand lens around when I read.

Two new voices are added in this instalment. The first is someone totally unexpected. And that is Jaime Lannister, the kingslayer. The second is Samwell Tarly of the Night's Watch. I am pleasantly surprised and very happy to be seeing the world through Jaime's eyes. He is, after all, a Lannister and known to be a formidable character - albeit from afar - since book 1. As for Samwell, I didn't have much expectation of this character, but since his voice is added, I am sure the author has great things in store for him.

As with any good book, each time I open the page to where I leave off, I want to do nothing else but curl up on my couch and devote my entire being to the world of the Song of Ice and Fire. Yes, a great story will do that to you. I yearn to continue the search for the three-eyed crow, to learn more about the first men in the Neck also known as the Crannogmen or mudmen or frogeaters, to discover the secrets of the children of the forest, and to find out more about the greenseers and wargs. The wargs especially; it is said that the greatest of them can wear the skins of any beast that flies or swims or crawls and can look through the eyes of the weirwoods and see the truth that lies beneath the world.

There are fights and battles to win before the kingdom is secure. This book is very much a story on the King of the Trident, the northmen and the rivermen as much as it is about the knights and squires and men-at-arms, lords and commoners, all bound together only by their one purpose. There is also the mystical Others which I am still very much curious about their origins. Another is the mysterious make of weapons and the purpose for their presence - Valyrian steel, dragonglass daggers, dragonglass arrowheads and dragonglass spearhead.

As with the earlier books, there are so many exciting opposites here. There is day and there is night. There is dark and there is light. There is black and there is white. There is ice and there is fire. Bitter and sweet. Pain and pleasure. Winter and summer. Evil and good. Death and life.

Reading this book, this series, is like taking an exhilarating walk in the mountains. Only it is even better. Everything is so welcoming and refreshing. I can never know what is going to happen next. There are not just ups and downs but plots and developments that take me aback totally. The characters are seldom who they appear to be. The author does an impressive job giving life to his characters. They leap out of the pages with a mixture of good and bad traits depending on the perspective of the characters.

Thus far, I like almost all the characters, major or minor, in the book, with the exception of two who constantly get on my nerves. I get really annoyed over this one character who keeps repeating the phrase "You know nothing". Every time I see this phrase, I want to roll my eyes even though knowing my doing so will not stop it from appearing again. The other character which I dislike to the core is one who has a black heart through and through. There is not a shred of goodness in that person. None whatsoever. At the end of the day, what I want to say is, the author does a fantastic job crafting all his characters, no matter the numbers. There is quantity for sure, but there is quality as well, which is what makes all the details so amazing.

This book 3 is the thickest among the five in the series. Perhaps because of that, even as I reach the end of the story, I still find it hard to believe that I have stormed through the entire book. As the saying goes "The problem with reading a good book is that you want to finish the book, but you don't want to finish the book." The consolation is, there are two more books to go before the series wrap up for good. I know I can still continue to live in the alternate world of Westeros for some time yet. I am so looking forward to the next book, to experience the cold that is approaching and the night that never ends. Winter is coming...

Review: A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) by George R. R. Martin

5 stars for A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire book 2) by George R. R. Martin.

This time round, I make no mistake of taking on another standalone or series after I am done reading A Game of Thrones. I move on to book 2 to continue my adventure of the Seven Kingdom of Westeros almost immediately, in fact, before I even sit down to write and post my review of A Game of Thrones.

A Clash of Kings is as good as A Game of Thrones if not better. Summer is gone and there are now four kings in the realm. Well, this makes good sense to understanding given the title. On top of the voices of old in Book 1, two new voices are added here (even as only one is being removed). First, we have a smuggler-turned knight, Ser Davos Seaworth or otherwise known as the Onion Knight. He plays the part of seeing to the happenings in Dragonstone and matters related to Lord Stannis. The other new voice is that of Theon Greyjoy, a ward in name to the Starks of Winterfell, but a hostage in truth. From his eyes, we are told that nothing has changed, yet everything has. I certainly do not envy this character. How much joy can there be with a family name such as Greyjoy?

Signs and dreams and omens continue to be a harbinger of later events. It is interesting to see how different characters interpret the signs according to their roles which in turn affect what they choose to believe in. The fine red tail of the comet visible in the sky throughout the realm is a very good example. To name a few, in Riverrun, it is said the red comet is a herald of a new age; a messenger from the gods. The Septon of Winterfell is of the view that it is the sword that slays the season with summer coming to an end while Old Nan who has lived longer than any in Winterfell insists it is the dragons.

To think that when I read book 1, I feel that the story is swamped with characters, but book 2 makes the numbers in book 1 pale in comparison. Here, more characters come on board but more also dropped dead. Some characters are easy to dislike and it makes no matter when they are killed off. But there are those I am very surprised and sad to see them go.

Then, there is the fantasy aspect in A Song of Ice and Fire series which excites and entices me to keep reading. There is the ancient wisdom and the magic of old. There is the secret speech of dragonkind. There is the good magic and there is the bad magic. There is the intriguing children of the forest. There are the green dreams and the wolf dreams. There are the shapechangers; beastlings. There are the dead men walking. And there are the trees with eyes grown. There are the wargs and giants and mammoths, all coming back alive.

For a story that comes with a devil of details, it seems that everything is happening at the same time. There is the King in the North. There is the King in the South. There is the King on the Iron Throne. There is the King in the Narrow Sea. And then, there is the Queen across the water. There are battles and there are wars. There are winners and there are losers. But no matter, sitting a throne is a thousand times harder than winning one. And so, I will continue on with book 3 A Storm of Swords to see how long the winner can sit on this throne.

Review: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) by George R. R. Martin |《Reread》

5 stars for A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire book 1) by George R. R. Martin |《Reread》.

I always relish in-between books; the infinite possibilities with all the wonders one may have at the fingertips. Well, that is until I settle down on the one book. But then, there is just so much to it. It gets on my nerve when one week or three pass and I have yet to find that one book. By then, the thoughts of reading A Song of Ice and Fire series are no longer fleeting but taking root. It is actually something I have been thinking of since last year. But to read the series, I will have to reread this long joyride of more than 800 pages of a book 1 A Game of Thrones since I have forgotten bulk of the story and badly in need of a refresher to the many characters. Perhaps that is what has been holding me back from reading this series. But no books fancy me at the moment, so I take it as a sign. A Game of Thrones, it shall be.

As I go on this perilous journey of revisiting the Iron Throne, the Seven Kingdoms, Dragonstone and King's Landing, I realize I have not totally forsaken the devils in the details. Ha. Hidden away in the dim recesses of my mind are bits and pieces of the story, the plot, the development and the characters. I feel as if I am visiting an old friend and the feeling's not only wonderful and welcoming but fill me with nostalgia. I certainly did not expect this but I actually enjoy this second visit more so than my first as I gain insight from the finer details best absorbed from a second reading.

Honor, glory, loyalty, faith, courage, truth and lies. All are seen and felt and told through the eyes of different characters, mostly the Starks of Winterfell. There is Eddard Stark (Ned), Lord of Winterfell and his wife Lady Catelyn and their children - Sansa, Arya, Bran and Jon. Interestingly, the author leaves out the Stark's first trueborn son Robb and instead assigns the same unfolding of events in third person perspective to two other characters. They are the dwarf from House Lannister, Tyrion, also called the Imp, and Daenerys, a thirteen-year-old girl descendant from the old dynasty House Targaryen.

For a story that rest heavily on signs and dreams and omens and godswood and prayers, this one has it all panned out and truly well. Indeed, the significance to each and every one of the signs is there if you know where to look.

For a book that has no lack of characters and yet more added with every few chapters or so, I am impressed with the details and efforts taken to name them aptly. Brilliant I will say. One can easily infer much from the name of a character or a House and their sigil and location in the Realm. To name but a few, House Lannister of Casterly Rock brings forth a House that is not only powerfully rock solid but comes across as sinister as well, and the commander of the City Watch, Janos Slynt, makes me think of a man who is nothing but sly from head to toes. And I will not want to get on the wrong side of a knight, one with a name such as Ser Alliser Thorne.

Signs and names aside, I will say I still dread coming to that part of the story which I remember as vividly as if I have read it yesterday instead of eight years ago. The shock of it reverberated through my entire being still. But there is also beauty in it for not many authors are willing to kill off their characters. Authors who dare to do away with characters, big or small, are oft not burdened by baggage and have the leeway to explore and move on to greater things.

A Game of Thrones. The start of an epic saga to which the player wins or dies; there is no middle ground. Read it yourself to find out who lives and who dies in this game of thrones.

Review: The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune

4 stars for The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune.

I tend to avoid books by authors who go by their initials. The anonymity put me off as I find it somewhat disconcerting reading a book without the author's full name on it. And yet, there are exceptions as you can tell from my List of Books that some do make it past my personal firewall. The House in the Cerulean Sea is one such. I have come across so many good words on this book that I decide to add it to my reading list, and not just that, move it up my reading list.

The story is about six magical children with the power to create mayhem and destroy the world, and two peculiar men - a Master who is determined to protect his wards at all costs and a caseworker sent to investigate them all. The caseworker is Linus Baker. The entire novel, in third person narrative, is told from the perspective of this 40-year old caseworker. His job is to visit the orphanage he is assigned to, talk to the master and children residing there, assess them and submit his report upon his return to the office. His work is important because his report will mostly decide the fate of the orphanage, whether it can remain open or if it needs to be shut down permanently.

Right from the beginning, this fantasy novel comes across as mysterious and strangely magical. It is well paced and well executed to keep me in suspense. Though it does get a bit slow along the way subsequently, the theme underlying the story keeps me moving and warms my heart. The message is plain - see people for who they are, not for what they are capable of, to stop and think before we let our emotions get the better of us, and to always make time for the things we like (if not, we may forget how to be happy).

And in this magical world with its magical beings, I come across one of the most profound beautiful passages I have ever read. I adore it so much that I go over that same passage countless times and I never get tired of it. I shall quote it in its entirety below. I hope it speaks to you the same way as it speaks to me.

I am but paper.
Brittle and thin.

I am held up to the sun,
and it shines right through me.

I get written on,
and I can never be used again.

These scratches are a history.
They’re a story.
They tell things for others to read,
but they only see the words,
and not what the words are written upon.

I am but paper,
and though there are many like me,
none are exactly the same.

I am parched parchment.
I have lines.
I have holes.

Get me wet, and I melt.
Light me on fire, and I burn.
Take me in hardened hands, and I crumple.
I tear.

I am but paper.
Brittle and thin.

Simple words strung into beautiful sentences. Besides being deeply moving on the inside, this book is also wondrous on the outside. It has one of the most beautiful covers I have ever come across in my reading. It is breathtaking. It is ART. It is not often we get to see a book cover that follows the descriptions in the book so exquisitely. In fact, it delivers more than what is depicted in the book, from the seemingly mundane account to a magical cover of wonders and possibilities.

To quote "It was set up a hill on a cliff overlooking the ocean. It looked as if it were at least a hundred years old. It was made of brick and had a large turret, of all things, set right in the middle of the roof. The side of the house facing Linus was covered in green ivy, growing around multiple white window frames. He thought he could see the outline of a gazebo set off next to the house and wondered if there was a garden..... The driveway widened near the top of the hill. There was another vehicle parked next to an empty fountain, overgrown by the same vines that latched on to the orphanage. It was a red van."

In the world of fantasy, The House in the Cerulean Sea is one of a kind. It is original. It is unusual. It may not sit well though with everyone as the story features LGBTQ+ characters. Some may even be put off and to that, I shall quote this from the book "We are who we are not because of our birthright, but because of what we choose to do in this life. It cannot be boiled down to black and white. Not when there is so much in between. You cannot say something is moral or immoral without understanding the nuances behind it."

A final note to this post.. something I simply have to get it checked, call it my quirk if you will. With a few taps on my keyboard and the help of Google, I manage to appease my curiosity. The author's full name is Travis John Klune aka TJ Klune.

Review: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

5 stars for Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik.

The book title reminds me time and again of the miller's daughter in Rumpelstiltskin. I may even agree that the very idea of Spinning Silver originates from this children's classic book, yet Spinning Silver is remarkable in its own right.

The story is about a girl, a moneylender from a small town, who can turn silver into gold; from a hundred pennies into a silver kopek, and from twenty silver kopeks into a golden zlotek.

The initial 10% or so of the novel is business as usual, nothing special about the moneymaking activities. In fact, the story is so slow moving and uneventful that I teeter on the edge of abandoning this book for another. It also does not help that the story is narrated by more than one person, making it all the more confusing to read and follow.

Needless to say, I am happy beyond words that I persist in my pursuit of spinning silver into gold for soon enough, I am transported deep into a magical realm, first of winter and snow, then, one of fire and flame. A monster of ice and a monster of fire. As is, there is more to this icy monster than meets the eye. One exists because of the other and for good reasons.

Indeed, Spinning Silver is an enthralling and spellbinding story that explores the dynamics of various relationships and what it means to be human against all odds. Though the many different first person perspectives is not of my preferred style, the author successfully captivates me with her writing and imagery that I willingly let myself be sucked into the magical adventures of Miryem, Wanda, Sergey, Stepon, Irina, Mirnatius and Magreta. On top of it all, I love the underlying message that the story presents: everything happens for a reason.

Well, I shall leave it at that for now and say no more, else you will lose half the fun of immersing yourself in this fantasy novel.

Review: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

5 stars for Uprooted by Naomi Novik.

This book must have been uprooted from Heaven's ground and magically planted to take roots on Earth. It is a beautiful story, charming and captivating in all its originality.

Do not judge this book based on the peculiarity of a title and overlook it for good. As the chinese idiom goes, the phrase 臥虎藏龍 (Wò hǔ cáng lóng) totally applies to the story here. Translated, it means 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon', in which the words 'Tiger' and 'Dragon' refer directly to people with special hidden talents.

In a sense, there is a tiger and a dragon in this book. Well, if a tiger of magic is considered as one, then there certainly is one such crouching in the female protagonist, Agnieszka, waiting to be discovered and unleashed. As for the dragon.. this Dragon does not eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside the valley. Though this dragon is not a real fire breathing one, it is close enough; a wizard and immortal whose name tasted of fire and wings, of curling smoke, of subtlety and strength, and the rasping whisper of scales.

Besides the two enthralling main characters, the marvellously melodic prose of love and war brings out a kind of beauty that goes beyond skin deep to touch my soul and flutter my heart. On the surface, this story may read like a first-rate fantasy built upon a world of mystery and enchantment, of fighting evil and corruption. But often enough, there is no clear-cut case of good versus evil for there is always a good reason behind everything. In the end, in the heart of it all, Uprooted is about learning to let go, to free oneself from obsessing thoughts and from unhappy feelings. And that basically is what makes this fantasy story epic.

Now that I have reached the end of a magical adventure with a deeply satisfying conclusion, I cannot help but yearn for more. Perhaps one day, the author may have a change of mind and turn this standalone novel into a series. Why not, right? A girl can always hope.

Review: The Master Magician (Paper Magician Trilogy #3) by Charlie N. Holmberg

5 stars for The Master Magician (Paper Magician Trilogy book 3) by Charlie N. Holmberg.

The Master Magician is a captivating follow-up to The Paper Magician and The Glass Magician.

I absolutely love the Paper Magician series, a series which will enchant readers of all ages, and am sad that this is the last book in the Trilogy,

Review: The Glass Magician (Paper Magician Trilogy #2) by Charlie N. Holmberg

5 stars for The Glass Magician (Paper Magician Trilogy book 2) by Charlie N. Holmberg.

The Glass Magician is an enchanting follow-up story to The Paper Magician. While this trilogy is not exactly a romance story, the feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love is brilliantly interwoven in the magical world of magicians that ultimately lead to heart-warming moments and heart-stopping action.

Thoroughly engaging and irresistible, I read the book in one dreamy sitting and am all smiles by the time I hit the sack in the wee hours.

Review: The Paper Magician (Paper Magician Trilogy #1) by Charlie N. Holmberg

4.5 stars for The Paper Magician (Paper Magician Trilogy book 1) by Charlie N. Holmberg.

The Paper Magician is a charming Young Adult Fantasy set in a world of magicians who animate man-made materials such as glass, metal, plastic, rubber and yes, paper. It is beautifully written to convey the message that life is worth living and there is hope - and love - yet to be.

I bought this book from Amazon Kindle First on 3 August 2014, yet for one reason or another, I did not read it until 5 days ago. Oh, how I love this story and chide myself for not reading it earlier. On the other hand, perhaps it is a blessing in disguise that I have procrastinated in reading this book which I thought is a standalone at the time of purchase, for three years later, the trilogy is completed and I can have the luxury to read them back-to-back.

Review: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan

4.5 stars for Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan.

This Greek mythology is certainly a welcome change from my last book. In fact, I feel so mentally exhausted after my last two trips to the Andes mountain and back that I am not sure if I can finish reading any book within the next thirty days. I do not know about you, but I do find reading non-fiction to be more intense and draining.

How to describe Percy Jackson's Greek Gods? One word. Uplifting. My mood literally soars as I smile and laugh my way through the short stories with each of the Greek Gods. Also, it helps that I have background knowledge of Greek myth in the first place which makes for an even better dry sense of humor.

Review: The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble

4 stars for The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble.

The Mermaid's sister is an enchanting story of the seashell and the stork. High up in the Llanfair Mountain, two 16-year old sisters live with their part-faerie Auntie Verity Amsell in a little cottage. The narrator, Clara is a girl brought to Auntie Verity's house by a stork in her infancy while her sister, Maren is delivered to the same doorstep in a conch when she is a baby.

Though not related by blood, the two sisters are very close; so when Clara's very dear sister, Maren starts growing scales, Clara is devastated. She soon comes to terms that it is pointlss to ignore the truth as it will not erase what is to come and will be, for Maren's sprouting of the sparkling iridescent scales is but the beginning of her transformation to who she truly is. And the truth is, Maren comes from the sea, and to the sea she must return one day.

There are feelings of sadness, jealousy, self-pity and regret as Clara embarks on her mission to save Maren. Despite her resolve to overcome the challenges and difficulties encountered along the way, Clara cannot help but question her place and worth in the world. Deep in the recesses of her mind, Clara believes she is a plain Jane who may or may not turn into a stork one day, and secretly envies Maren for her transformation into her true self, a mermaid.

Beautifully written, this standalone book revolves around the themes of love, acceptance and choices. It teaches us that what we choose to believe does not change what is true, and that life is about making choices and choosing them wisely. Feelings can originate from sadness but ultimately may lead to joy depending on our beliefs and choices made.

Indeed this Young Adult Fiction, winner of the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, is a splendid debut novel suitable for readers of all ages who love a good fantasy tale.

Publisher: Skyscape
Publication date: 1 Mar 2015

*** Favourite quote ***

Grief has its fingers about my throat and I can barely breathe.

~ The Mermaid’s Sister
Carrie Anne Noble

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There is no cure for being who you truly are...

In a cottage high atop Llanfair Mountain, sixteen-year-old Clara lives with her sister, Maren, and guardian Auntie. By day, they gather herbs for Auntie’s healing potions. By night, Auntie spins tales of faraway lands and wicked fairies. Clara’s favorite story tells of three orphan infants—Clara, who was brought to Auntie by a stork; Maren, who arrived in a seashell; and their best friend, O’Neill, who was found beneath an apple tree.

One day, Clara discovers shimmering scales just beneath her sister’s skin. She realizes that Maren is becoming a mermaid—and knows that no mermaid can survive on land. Desperate to save her, Clara and O’Neill place the mermaid-girl in their gypsy wagon and set out for the sea. But no road is straight, and the trio encounters trouble around every bend. Ensnared by an evil troupe of traveling performers, Clara and O’Neill must find a way to save themselves and the ever-weakening mermaid.

And always, in the back of her mind, Clara wonders, if my sister is a mermaid, then what am I?

*Blurb from author's website*

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Review: Forged by Fire (Dragon Temple Saga #3) by Janine Cross

4 stars for Forged by Fire (Dragon Temple Saga book 3) by Janine Cross.

Forged by Fire is a resolute finale to a dystopian fantasy trilogy that spans challenging themes of slavery, prostitution, oppression, venom addiction, graphic sexuality and bestiality.

This third and final instalment of the Dragon Template Saga series tells of how the poor and oppressed finally come together to plot against the rich and the aristocrats, how they fight to end the Emperor’s theocratic dictatorship of Malacar and their struggle to break out of the rigid confinement of the Temple’s patriarchal regimen. Most notably, the story centres on how our narrator, Zarg having suffered the horrors of Arena and survived, continues with her quest to end slavery, poverty and starvation in every Clutch, all across the land.

The author does a neat job wrapping up the trilogy by divulging the ancient dragon secret to breeding bull dragons in captivity, a much sought-after answer to a riddle by all power hungry men. And it is to Zarg to whom the mystery is unravelled after her participation in an unexpected ritual. With this revelation in hand, Zarg becomes the catalyst that unleashes the Great Uprising.

In summary, the Dragon Temple Saga is an impressive trilogy with great storyline. It may on certain level be disturbing to some due to the unusual themes involved. Nevertheless, I have enjoyed reading all three books in continuous succession.

Publisher: Roc, Reprint edition
Publication date: 5 Aug 2008

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In the explosive climax of the Dragon Temple saga, Zarq Darquel has secured a dragon estate for herself, in violation of every law which forbids women to own property. She had not seen herself as a revolutionary, but her enemies have given her no choice in her fight for freedom.

Abandoning the estate where she thought she would be safe, Zarq journeys deep into the jungle in search of an ancient dragon secret that would give her the power to overthrow both Kratt and the corrupt Dragon Temple. She has taken with her some of the female dragons from her own estate, and in the jungle she will once again risk the dragons' highly addictive, hallucinogenic venom-renewing a craving that is becoming an obsession.

*Blurb from FantasticFiction*

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