2021 Year in Review and 2022 New Year's Resolution

Another year has come and gone.

At the last count, I have reviewed a total of 45 books for the year to date. This works out to be an average of 3.75 books per month which further translates to 0.94 book per week.

Year 2021 @ 45 (-5 YOY)
Year 2020 @ 50 (+4 YOY)
Year 2019 @ 46 (-16 YOY)
Year 2018 @ 62 (+10 YOY)
Year 2017 @ 52 (■ YOY)
Year 2016 @ 52 (-22 YOY)
Year 2015 @ 74 (-23 YOY)
Year 2014 @ 97

Review: The Life We Bury (Max Rupert and Joe Talbert #1) by Allen Eskens

5 stars for The Life We Bury (Max Rupert and Joe Talbert book 1) by Allen Eskens.

I did not expect this book to make it to my list of 2021 books read when I first start out on the story. One, this is not a festive year end book. Two, this is a mystery novel. Three, all of the aforementioned. You get my drift.. Actually, I have no expectation at all when I decide to read this book. Perhaps because of that, everything in the story comes as a surprise and keeps me rooted. In the end, not only did I manage to finish reading the book, but also with two days spare to pen my thoughts.

The Life We Bury is a mystery story through and through. The writing is good and the story flows smoothly from scene to scene in first person narrative. It is filled with action, danger, and excitement with a good measure of twists and turns thrown in. There is this intriguing air of mystery that pulls me in right from the start as the lead character looks back to the past with a feeling of premonition.

The protagonist is a 20-year old student named Joe Talbert. His assignment for English class is the reason the story comes into being. Joe is to interview an old person and write a biography that tells about the struggles and forks in the road that make the person who he/she is.

What I like about the story is that there are three fronts to it: an old man who is left with less than 3 months' time to tell his story, the protagonist's own family story that revolves around a problematic mother and a autistic brother, and a girl called L. Nash who plays a big role in the protagonist's train of thought and actions. These three fronts by themselves make great standalone stories and when combined, it makes for an excellent mystery novel. Perhaps what I like most has nothing to do with the story but everything to do with reading. It helps that the book is organized into small manageable chapters making it easy for me to pick up where I leave off each time. And easy reading makes for a happy reader.

I believe there is this streak of righteousness in all of us. It is this that drives me to read on, to uncover the truth, to find out whether a man has been convicted of a crime he did not commit and pay for it thirty years with his freedom.

The Life We Bury is a book worth reading and a journey worth travelling. It is a book I highly recommend.

Review: Christmas Moon (Vampire for Hire #4.5) by J. R. Rain

4 stars for Christmas Moon (Vampire for Hire book 4.5) by J. R. Rain.

Call me superstitious or whatever, but I do not like to end the year with a book titled The Broken Road. It is a book that revolves around the theme of fate and second chance which is nothing wrong by itself, but the word "broken" just does not sit well with me. And that by itself is reason enough for me to keep searching for another book to wrap up the year with.

The Christmas Moon is a most unusual book for me. First, it is not my usual practice to start a new series by skipping the first four books. Second, it is not my usual practice to start a new series by reading any one of its short stories. Third, it is not my usual practice to read a paranormal story come year end, a story about a vampire mom, written, of all people, by a guy author with a beard. The thing is, I have trouble finding a Christmas theme story which I can sufficiently enjoy to continue with and also one which I am confident enough to finish reading by the end of December. I do not think I am in any way, a fussy reader, it is just that it is so difficult to find a good book that fit in well with the festive season. Already I have exhausted more than a few books on my reading list when I finally decide to try out this novella. The heck with book 4.5.

Amazingly, I am hooked onto the story by the end of chapter one. The story and plot have somewhat managed to captivate my attention and keep me going. I have everything I want in this book, a one-stop short story where there is mystery waiting to be solved during the Christmas season. There is also the added bonus of the story giving me a good laugh. The only downside to reading a book 4.5 is, well, the spoilers. I have yet to read book 1 to 4, but in reading this book, I have gained a good deal of information about what transpired in the earlier books through story flashback and gentle reminders of the past. Those are definitely something I do not want to know in advance.

All in all, Christmas Moon is a good short story; one that stretches from near Christmas time, to Christmas Eve, to Christmas Day. If I can disregard the spoilers mentioned earlier, this book is in fact a good start for me, to have a taste of the writing style and what Vampire for Hire series is all about. I have a feeling this post is only the beginning of more to come with this urban fantasy series.

Crochet: Amigurumi: Shy Christmas Gnome

Time to get creative. Who says a Christmas gnome must have red or grey hat? I may not have the dark red or light grey yarn to crochet the gnome's hat, but I think I did a good job using up whatever leftover yarn I have on hand.

What I like about this Shy Christmas Gnome free Hobbii pattern is that there is no need for eyes, simply because the gnome is a shy one. Don't you think the hat does a brilliant job?

Crochet: Amigurumi: Itty Bitty Baby

For the first time since I started crocheting, I bought a crochet pattern on this itty bitty baby. If you follow the instructions on the pattern strictly and correctly, you will have a mini doll at the end of it. I like cute little dolls. So I thought why not give it a try?

For a start, I try crocheting with bigger thread size and hook size. Hopefully, once I manage to get the hang of it, I can move on to a smaller thread size and hook size. I admire the creator/seller of this miniature doll pattern. It is amazing how she is able to crochet such itty bitty baby doll. By the time I am done with this project, my fingers hurt and I think my eyesight deteriorate much as well. The baby doll ends up not so small after all since I use 4-ply cotton thread and hook size 2.2 instead of the recommended cotton thread number 25 with hook size 1.0. Still, I am pleased with myself for completing the project.

Crochet: Amigurumi: Nativity Set

I have finally done it! One more item to strike off my bucket list.

Busy as I am of late, I manage to find the time, mostly during the weekends, to crochet this mini nativity set. The free patterns are from Whistle and Ivy. At the moment, I am happy to enough to just try my hands on the mini set which includes Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and the manger. The entire set includes 13 total figures, that is, on top of what I have listed earlier, 3 wisemen, 2 shepherds, a palm tree, a small laying sheep, an angel, and stars backdrop.

This little family set not only adds cheer to the Christmas spirit, it makes a perfect gift to oneself or family members and friends.

Review: The Broken Road (Broken Road #1) by Richard Paul Evans

4 stars for The Broken Road (Broken Road book 1) by Richard Paul Evans.

I'm not sure if this book count as a Christmas story. It certainly does not seem like one to me, but one thing I am sure of, is that, it is a story of redemption.

The Broken Road is a story within a story, narrated by an author to another author. The protagonist in the book, Charles James, is loosely based on the life of a real person. On the surface, this is a story about a man who walks away from a successful career and fortune. On a deeper level, it is about a man's search for redemption and second chance.

I learn quite a few things from this book. First is the infamous route 66; it runs through eight states - Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Second is the writing preference of the author himself which is that he prefers writing stories in first-person account. Last of all, I learn something interesting about the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. In fact, my interest is so piqued that I actually look up the story of Abraham Lincoln dreaming of his own death as written in the book. It turns out that President Lincoln really did predict his own death. It is a true story.

Finally, I want to say that for the first time ever, reading author Evans' book gives me goosebumps. I remember reading and reading and totally unprepared for what is about to happen. Then, I come to that part of the story and all of a sudden, I feel my hair standing on end.

Review: Noel Street (Noel Collection #3) by Richard Paul Evans

4 stars for Noel Street (Noel Collection book 3) by Richard Paul Evans.

I have been in a reading slump - a bad one - ever since I finish reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I have tried reading so many books, ten, fifteen or more, but each time, I end up shoving them aside. For the first time in forever, I have so many Did Not Finish books that I simply stop counting after a while. The worst is, some of these books are by authors who are on my favourite list, and I have actually taken a dislike to their books.

Over the 13th and 20th November weekend, I borrowed more books from the library. All of them look promising. There is mystery, fantasy, literary fiction and Christmas-themed books. But sad to say, by Monday night, more than half of them are down. The fantasy book is by an author who is really good at churning out fantasy novels. I have read two of her earlier books and like them much. So, I am really disappointed that I did not like her latest series.

Noel Street is my last resort. In truth, I did not want to start reading a Christmas-themed story in November yet. I am hoping to leave the book for December when the festive mood gets richer and deeper. But I know, being so knee-deep in my reading slump, I cannot afford to be choosy.

Noel Street. It feels surreal to be holding the book in my hands and looking at a cover which I have in all likelihood played a part in. Yes, I am one among many who have voted on this cover. You see, author Evans has this practice of asking readers to vote our favourite cover, and usually from among three or four others to select from. The book cover that graces Noel Street is exactly that which I have cast my vote on. It feels especially heartwarming to be reading a story with a cover that I have helped in choosing. I don't think I will ever get tired of looking at this lovely picture of a cover.

I think I have said this before, perhaps even more than once and that is, I have yet to come across another male author who can personify and pass off as a female protagonist as well as author Evans. If I do not know it already, I will have thought that this story's been written by a female author. That is how good author Evans is!

Noel Street is indeed made for the holiday season and wears it well. The story is about second chance, hope, forgiveness, courage and choice. It explores the deeper meaning of Christmas and what it truly means to love and forgive. As usual, there is fact mixed in with fiction in the book. Here, I learn about an interesting fact on a past USA President, President William Henry Harrison. He died just thirty-one days after his inauguration. His term in office was the shortest in U.S. history and the first to end in death.

I doubt I will ever get tired of author Evans' books. When I first bought two of his books, The Last Promise and The Carousel, many years ago, I will never have imagined myself to still be reading his books many years later. His stories are the same but not the same; always inspiring and heartwarming, but still as refreshing and different every single time.