A fantasy written by Lene Kaaberbøl. In my view, this book definitely is very catching from the beginning and right towards the climax, however, I felt that the ending is somewhat ... abrupt. Nonetheless, Lene definitely have an interesting mind for sure. The land, the city, the hellhorses were described in such ways that, occasionally I caught myself thinking "I would like to see them", and realized that it's just a fantasy. Yes, she makes you think that such fantasy exist, and perhaps hidden from our eyes. Or maybe it is just me.

One thing about the story is that it is written in such way, that it only covers a year or two, or even three years (at most). Somehow you will get that tingling little feeling, why can't it move faster? Despite all that, every details and little events make you curious on what is going on.

Regardless, this prove to be an exciting read.

Synopsis:

At that moment the horse turned its head and looked at her. Horse? No horse had such eyes ... golden, with black slits for pupils. The eyes of a predator that hunts at night.
*
Kat shuddered, despite herself. Old tales of ghosts and magic stirred inside her, and she felt herself drown helplessly deeper and deeper into that fierce golden gaze.
*
From the moment Kat first encounters a silver hellhorse in the rainswept yard of Crowfoot Inn, it is her burning ambition to become a bredanari - a keeper of the peace and rider of these magnificent creatures. But Kat's terrible temper, a dangerous secret and a shadowy outlaw all threaten her dream.

Lene Kaaberbøl

A story with five books by Rick Riordan. And this being the first, well, it's not too bad. Actually, it's pretty funny. For teens, it will be quite good. A rather impressive imagination. A creative blend between the Greek myth with the modern world. It's definitely a good read for teenagers, especially for most would be able to, relate. And perhaps, even wished and hope that, they too, are the Half-Bloods.

This book has since been made into a major film. Of course, there are numerous differences between the movie and the book itself. The book, it make sense of the story. The movie, of course, it is more dramatic with several different pieces pieced together. It's actually, quite different.

Synopsis:

Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. I never asked to be the son of a Greek God.

I was just a normal kid, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. That's when things really started going wrong. Now I spend my time fighting with swords, battling monsters with my friends and generally trying to stay alive. This is the one where Zeus, God of the Sky, thinks that I've stolen his lightening bolt - and making Zeus angry is a very bad idea.

Can Percy find the lightening bolt before a fully fledged War of the Gods erupts?

Rick Riordan

Critics' Review:

'Sure to become a classic' - Sunday Express 'Funny, clever and exciting' - The Times

'Unputdownable' - Irish Times

'It's Buffy meets Artemis Fowl. Thumbs up' - Sunday Times

'Cool, mad and very funny!' - Flipside

Written by Peter V. Brett. The way Arlen's life is structured from the beginning, is just touching. And the way it goes, it shows how much it shaped his character from then on.

A brilliant idea with a great story-telling. I can't wait to get the following book.

Synopsis:

Sometimes, there is a very good reason to be afraid of the dark... Arlen lives with his parents on their small farmstead, half a day's ride from the isolated hamlet of Tibbet's Brook. As dusk falls each evening, a mist rises from the ground promising death to any foolish enough to brave the coming darkness. For hungry demons materialize from the vapours to feed, and as the shadows lengthen, humanity is forced to take shelter behind magical wards and pray that their protection holds until the dawn. But when Arlen's world is shattered by the demon plague, he realizes that it is fear, rather than the monsters, which truly cripples humanity. Only by conquering their own terror can they ever hope to defeat the demons. Now Arlen must risk leaving the safety of his wards to discover a different path, and offer humanity a last, fleeting chance of survival.

Peter V. Brett

Nope, it's not a novel. This is a manga. A good one. Of course, initially I wasn't attracted due to the drawing, which I find focusing on the girl's boobs too much. Haha!

But the story-line is good. And as it progress, the martial arts description and also the character developments interest me greatly.

Worth a shot.

And oh, the chapters has reached 381, and it's still on-going. Just so you know.

Summary:

Shirahama Kenichi is a book lover who has just entered high school, but he is often bullied by others. One day, he became good friends with the new transfer student, Fuurinji Miu, who was also looking for a friend. Kenichi was shocked at how powerful she is at first, but he is still somehow attracted to her...

The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner proves to be rather, exciting. Despite its plain cover, or its simple introduction, I got hooked almost immediately onto the book with its fantasy, terror, war, love and everything else.

The character that interest me most are Yann, the gypsy boy and Kalliovski, the devil. The mind-games and the magic around, are just... I do not know best to describe it, other that it is just magnificent. War-like Paris is described vividly, and my imagination gets the better of me at times.

This book will not disappoint.


Synopsis:

While the aristocracy dine, dance, gossip and gamble their way to disaster, the poor and starving dream of revolution. Enter the boy Yann Margoza, destined to be a hero; Tetu the dwarf, his friend and mentor; Sido, unloved daughter of the foolish Marquis de Villeduval; and the sinister Count Kalliovski, who holds half the aristocracy in thrall to him. The drama moves from Paris to London and back, as the Revolution gathers momentum, and the hope of liberty and the dream of equality are crushed beneath the wheel of terror.

Sally Gardner

Critics' Reviews:

'A story that has everything - murder, mystery, passion and even magic'
The Times

'Brilliantly rich and complex'
Independent on Sunday
'Hers is truly original voice ... The Red Necklace is a thrilling read'
Spectator
'So beautiful, so elegantly printed and tastefully done ... An exciting and magical story ... Gardner writes with much brio and zing .. a rattling good story'
Adele Geras, Guardian

When I grab this book, the only thing on my mind is "I want to buy 3 books today". Random as it is, I decided to grab this book because among all the books on shelves that day, it cost me RM35 and that means I spent close to RM100 for 3 books, and also, because the synopsis looked interesting together with the cover. I was curious.

Reading the book shows that I made the right choice. Drawn into this world where I usually watched on drama series on TV, it plays vivid images on my mind as I continuous to read, trying to understand the characters.

One thing I love about this book is, other than the author's creative story-telling, I too learn a chunk here and there about China's last Empress.

Synopsis:

To rescue her family from poverty and avoid marrying her slope-shouldered cousin, seventeen-year-old Orchid competes to be one of the Emperor's wives. When she is chosen as a lower-ranking concubine she enters the erotically charged and ritualized Forbidden City. But beneath its immaculate facade lies whispers of murders and ghosts, and the thousands of concubines will stoop to any lengths to bear the Emperor's son. Orchid trains herself in the art of pleasuring a man, bribes her way into the royal bed, and seduces the monarch, drawing the attention of dangerous foes. Little does she know that China will collapse around her, and that she will be its last Empress.

Anchee Min

Critics' Reviews:

'I loved Empress Orchid... a riveting read'
Judy Finnegan

'Empress Orchid delivers a fictional peek into the intrigues of the Forbidden City ... strong on both sexual chicanery and violent conspiracy ... a fascinating account'
Guardian
'Based on the true story of China's last Empress, a charismatic woman from an impoverished aristocratic family, who comes to life in this fascinating novel'
Image

'An engrossing story ... it is enhanced by Min's imaginative power and her skill in enlivening chunks of history with deft strokes of her brush'
Glasgow Herald
'Anchee Min is an expert when it comes to describing the machinations of power'
Observer

A interesting read by Eugenia Kim. I usually picks book of easy read, normally with some romantic flicks and dramas in between. Despite being out of my usual league, this book is quite excellent. On wars, and the people who fought for the country's independence, as well as the rocky journey for the country-men, together with culture and traditions - it all just lump into a roller-coaster storyline, and at some point makes me gasps, realizing how near the truth it is (especially the traditions where women who spoke little and graceful, were known as the best wife and such... really unacceptable to a feminist like me).

A good read.

Some reviews:

'Eugenia Kim's sensitive first novel recounts a poignant family history, much of it based on her own mother's life ... The narrative is keenly and often lyrically observed'
Washington Post

'The Calligrapher's Daughter fascinated me, as much for its characters as for its engrossing story of Korea under the Japanese occupation'
Alice Mattison, author of The Book Borrower

Synopsis:

Najin Han, the privileged daughter of a calligrapher, longs to choose her own destiny. When her traditional father seeks to marry her into an aristocratic family, her mother defies generations of obedient wives and instead sends Najin to serve in the King's court as a companion to a young princess. But the King is soon assassinated, and the centuries-old dynastic culture comes to its end. Spanning thirty years, The Calligrapher's Daughter is an exquisite novel about a country torn between ancient customs and modern possibilities, a family ultimately united by love, and a woman who never gives up her search for freedom.

Eugenia Kim