BOOK REVIEW: Woman's History of America (Christa Nonnemaker)

 

I wish my high school history books were this interesting and interactive. The stories are easy to read, with nice pictures/illustration and more interesting bits. They are clear, easy to digest, and informative. Difficult/unusual words/terms are highlighted, and readers can find the meaning when they flip the pages or scroll down the book. 

One of the keys to better learning back then, in my experience, especially for 'drier' subjects with a lot to memorize, was writing it down. It created another set of memories and helped me recall things when I needed them during tests, or helped anchor them in my mind to become fun at parties later. This book has a better approach, it organizes information into tables and diagrams, things I can easily picture being used as self-practice or homework or teamwork, together with critical thinking and essay parts to encourage students to be creative without being restrictive. It also helps to learn by allowing students to relate to the history. 

Overall, I think it's a useful book and more fun (in an educational way) at the same time. I'm not sure how relevant it is to the current international curriculum, because I certainly didn't need to learn this in my high school. I'd recommend this if the subject is indeed relevant for those who want to learn out of necessity or curiosity about Women's History of America.

5 of 5

The Sunrise Outing

 

Every morning, before the sun is even up, there is a group of elders in the water. Same spot, same time, same people with some additions and subtractions. The very first time I encountered them, I didn't see them. I heard them first.

It was one of our regular beaches, known for its beautiful sunrise and golden hour. I was walking with my dog, Locky, when I heard a song coming from the sea's direction. It was not bath day for Locky, so he was on the leash (otherwise he would play in the water). A wide stretch of sandy beach lay between the path we were walking on and the ocean.

I saw a few heads, some with half a torso, floating in the water (this sentence could be easily misunderstood). I needed to squint because the sun was glaring and I was staring in its direction. We walked nearer and parked our butts on the sand. We always took time to enjoy the sunrise, but this was not our usual spot.

The sound continued to echo; it was indeed a song, a live choir! It was sung by a group of older men, who were lounging around in the shallow water between small fishing boats (the water here is calm with barely any waves). Song after song, they sang their heart out.

That was more than a decade ago, and they are still doing that. Some of them use a walking stick; some have an inner tube around their waist to act as a float. There are around three to eight guys, sometimes more. Every morning at dawn, without fail, they would gather at the same spot, sing the same songs, and go about their days. I think it's a friendship forged over time, over the enjoyment of simple daily blessings, to catch the sunrise, to start the new day. Singing is very therapeutic, and what is better than having a killer view to back it up?

I think it's awesome, and I want to be chill like them when I grow up. Take time to enjoy simple things, and welcome the day with positive attitudes. I hope I'll keep seeing them.

As always, thank you for being here.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Captivating Flames of Madness (Jeff Parsons)

The feeling of reading a good book is hard to beat. I picked up this book without having high expectations, and I'm pleasantly surprised.

True to its title, The Captivating Flame of Madness is just that. It's a collection of short stories that are fast-paced, full of wonderfully crafted twists, well-written, with chilling plots.

Each story packs a strong idea, believable characters, and pulls readers into the madness as soon as the words start to flow. It doesn't drag. The stories are easy to read and follow, yet they are deep and carefully constructed.

The second story, The New Law, is one of the most intriguing dystopian short stories I've come across lately. It could easily be expanded into a book or novella. Although I could see the end coming, Control and Nothing Personal were entertaining and captivating throughout. There are many more other original stories that captivate me from start to end. How else can I walk between zombies? Face the bullies? The last story is chilling, although I have seen it done before in different permutations.

Highly recommended read.

5 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: Saint Joseph (J. Salvatore Domino)

I thought Saint Joseph was a biography for almost half a book. It feels like one: a slow-burn life story told from a first-person view, reminiscing about the character's journey from the beginning of his career and his personal life.

While some parts can feel slow and information-heavy, especially when there are many names and technicalities, I think the fact that the story reads like a biography is the strongest point that makes this book unique. It doesn't go over the top, and nothing is dramatized out of proportion, which makes everything feel realistic and believable, including the characters' flaws and conflicts.

It doesn't need cliché tropes, even though they exist in the book. A good chunk of the story feels a bit cheesy and repetitive, some investigations feel very coincidental and a bit hard to buy,  but it's also realistic in our messed-up world.

The ending sums up the overall story well.

4 out of 5 stars.

BOOK REVIEW: The Creature of Oakmont Way: A Short Halloween Tale (James W George)

 A short tale indeed, with a bonus of another short story.

The story is entertaining, although I would say I could see it coming, because it's been done many times. I enjoyed the descent into madness, but I wish there were more progression or aftermath conclusion. The first half is great, but the second half is a vertical escalation. It feels like there is a missing season, like when a popular TV character descends into a mad queen.

I feel the same for the bonus story. The bonus story reveals the setting, timing, the system, and the parties involved only near the end, which comes across as quite abrupt to me as a reader with no knowledge of them.

I understand it is always a challenge to wrap up a short story. I think both tales would have decent, good endings if the paths to get there were paved more gradually.

4 out of 5 stars

The Exploding Drumstick

 Sandy dog is happy dog!

One morning, I prepared breakfast for my dog, a boiled drumstick. It was almost ready, and I was on a schedule because I needed to go somewhere.

Suddenly, there was a POOF, and the drumstick launched itself at least one foot into the air before it stopped defying gravity, made a splotch, hit everything on the counter, and landed on the floor, along with a mini fountain. What should be a straightforward routine turned into an annoying mess and created multiple chores along the way. I needed to do special washing instead of just wiping because it was a drumstick! It had some oil and some blood!

It was a body part of a dead chicken. Trust me, I checked. Apparently, the jumping could be caused by muscle contraction upon heating or tendon pulling. It was not a common occurrence, but I was ‘lucky’ to encounter it twice. So, this unexpected extra work got the well-deserved cursing. It was mildly infuriating, because it took out a significant amount of unplanned time.

Just like what I did these past few days. I haven’t sent out a newsletter in a while, because I was migrating. The email marketing provider had been cutting the free subscriber capacity because ‘it wants to make their website better by prioritizing AI function.’ I don’t understand why every company thinks it’s a good idea to push AI. They want to keep up, I get it, but I’m sick of them. I don’t want it I don’t need it grmblll @*#^&

Anyway, the website has gone through two cuts, and now the capacity is only 25% of what it had promised when I signed up. The verdict is: upgrade and pay, or I can’t use it for sending newsletters, which is the only thing I need it for.

Nothing is free; what do I expect? I get that. I do have to pay for author platform and domain. Those are the costs that I can’t recover yet, and I’m not sure when I’ll be able to. So, unfortunately, I really can’t afford to upgrade. Fortunately, there are many other free email marketing providers for starters. Their business idea is to allow users to grow before we pay a premium. The company I used offered a decent number. Initially, now it forces me to cull my subscribers (which I already did), pay, or move.

So, after some research, I found a new one that provides 10x the initial number, which means 40x more than my existing unfaithful provider, which is awesome! (Hopefully there is no catch) However, I need to relearn everything, reset everything, and unfortunately, moving a CSV file can only be done through the paid tier.

Unless… I do it manually. Moving my subscribers one by one, and that was what I did for a few days. It was like cleaning an exploding drumstick all over again.

If this newsletter reaches you well, it means I’m happy, and I have successfully moved my provider. By the time I write this, I still have tons of things to do. It’s taking much longer than expected. You might see slightly different formatting, but hopefully, this one is not going to betray me.

Thank you for sticking with me. Have a wonderful day and please take care!

BOOKS!

It's tough being a writer, but the little guy in my head won't shut up. I can't beat Amazon algorithm, and I am not a social butterfly. Writing is personal, private, and intimate. But it scares me that I have to be out there to get my work out if I want to continue doing this. I want to. Your support helps. You can get my books through Amazon and KU. But if that's not a preferable option, feel free to ask me for a copy in exchange for your honest review or download my free books. All are appreciated.

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BOOK REVIEW: Seven Serpent Assembled (Seth Hobbs)

 

Seven Serpents Assembled is a dark fantasy that is hard to put down. It’s not my usual genre, but I have read a few excellent books in this genre, and it grows on me. 

At first, the readers follow six despicable characters who are serving their prison sentence but are still up to no good, led by a horrible man. They are set for a quest to find a stolen treasure until an unexpected turn separates them. The plot sounds ordinary, but everything else is not.

The story then switches to the target of the quest itself, and along the way, introduces more characters and side plots as their stories collide. 

While there are so many things and names to take in, the way everything comes together is entertaining, fast-paced, and the book is hard to put down. Most characters are horrible people, degenerate, some are the lowest scums in society, and the book is unapologetic about them. Some have the best character names, and although some don't last long, they are memorable, and each leaves a distinguishable mark in the book. I find myself remembering characters that haven't been mentioned in a while because they are distinctive, which says something about their quality. It also helps that the authors include reminders here and there about who they are.

The stories are rich and layered with some unexpected twists and turns. There are a lot of questionable mixtures I didn’t expect to find in one book, like magical entities and wars with cars and machine guns, not to mention a mummified antagonist with sunglasses and a sombrero. However, it works somehow! Not for the faint-hearted; you have been warned. However, if you are looking to enjoy a book with rich creativity, imagination, and originality, sit back and enjoy the tale.

5 of 5 stars

 

I Was the Chosen One!

 

It was year 1996/1997. There was a very reputable lecturer at my university, and he was known for not taking any shit or nonsense.

He was fair, very serious, and professional, which made him respectable in my eyes. It was difficult for lecturers not to be subjective, since we were in the design field. Since I wasn't a student who was good at schmoozing, I spent most of my time sitting at the back, hardly interacting, and was only seen when it was absolutely required to. I preferred this kind of 'blind' lecturer, who treated everyone equally and was immune to schmoozing attempts because he couldn't care less. He barely had any expressions. Everyone feared him.

In one of his subjects, he asked us to bring something to the class, one person, one object. The description is 'something ordinary in your house.' It could be anything.

The day came, and everyone had something. He then revealed the task and the subject 'Deconstruction.' Our task was to convert/restructure/dismantling the objects we brought and remake them into something else with a different shape and a different function.

The instruction was clear enough. Everyone started to get excited; some were hanging around him, asking more questions, seeking clarification, or perhaps making another attempt to get to know him better. After all, he was one of the most popular lecturers.

I just sat on my desk and stared at the thing I bought, jaw-dropping. The wheel in my brain was turning, but nothing came out. I looked at everyone and their ideas flying around. A classmate who brought a tote bag talked about converting it into a pillowcase. Another with a cardboard would turn it into bookends. Someone with half of a slipper could make it into a beer holder. One holding a soft toy was teary-eyed, but she wouldn't have any problem turning it into a table mat.

Not me. I stared at my object again and finally made a beeline for the lecturer's desk in front.

There were a few classmates up there who felt stuck with their objects as well, but his voice was loud and clear, "No one is allowed to change the object of your choice. You'll have to make it work."

Dang it. I stopped in my tracks and watched those who had asked for objects change walk back to their seats, their shoulders slumped. The lecturer was in the clear now; no one was too close, and it made him look scarier.

"But what am I supposed to do with this?" My voice wasn't loud, but he heard and turned to me. I lifted my hand and showed him what I brought.

What happened next was a historical event, I am not exaggerating and I am proud to say I was the only student who made him laugh that way. His roar echoed across the classroom, he threw his head back, and those deep, baritone HA HA HA HA in the main villain tone drew everyone's attention to us. I stood there, now facing my nightmare of being the center of focus, slightly offended yet amused at the same time, holding this.

Yes, I brought this.

How was I supposed to dismantle it and make it into something with a different shape and function in a few days?

My family had a lot of tools lying around in our house. Parents had a small hardware shop. I always had some fascination with this one and used to draw Smurfs carrying it around. This was a common household object for me. It was my favorite. How would I know we were supposed to destroy it?

Anyway, I am proud to say that I was also THE ONLY ONE who was granted the right to change my object. I was the chosen one!

What I want to say is thank you again for being here, as always, reading my ramblings. You are the chosen ones!

I'll take a break from sending newsletters while I look for a new mailer host. The current one has been cutting its capacity twice now, delivering only 1/4 of its promise by the time I joined, and I can't afford to upgrade to premium. Nothing will change on your side; just give me time to sort it out. Please take good care of yourself and your family. Always remember: you matter. I'll see you again soon.

I am still active, talking nonsense on X, hoping to market my books with my inadequate efforts. They are free with KU. Maybe you'll like them, especially the latest one, ATLAS, because it's as bizarre as my chosen object.

BOOK REVIEW: Rogue Sailors (Junaid Murtuza)

 

I have to admit I had some expectations when I chose this book. It seems intriguing, and I was not disappointed.

This book is gripping from start to end. I didn't know it was Book One, and I still didn't know until the last few pages of the book. There were some questions in my mind, especially regarding a character that only appears for a few short chapters. He seems important, but his story remains exclusive while other storylines have merged. Had I know about this being a first book, I would be more relaxed, since I had put a lot of trust in the author by that moment, after reading chapters and chapters of excellent writing.

Every story, every important character, and their intricate details are nicely done. The author is patient and is very good at making every scene come alive. The surroundings, the situation, the body language, the implications, and the subtlety are masterfully done. Nothing is wasted, and nothing is too much. Everything is necessary, and when the multiple storylines collide, I already have a very good understanding of each character. They are not only men in action, part of a mission, but they are well-built, well-understood.

The only clunkiness that sometimes takes me away from the reading experience is the formatting. I'm reading this on the Kindle app, but the formatting is a big mess most of the time. There are no paragraph breaks, and sometimes the speaker remains the same even though the punctuation indicates a separation. I'm not sure if this is technical errors or the original formatting. It makes it hard to distinguish who is talking.

Minor note: Some terms can be confusing for readers who don't know them, for example, CPF. Other, more general terms can be common knowledge, but this term is exclusive to Singapore. There are some nice touches of using Singlish. Kontrakan means a rented/rental property that can come in different forms: units in high-rise buildings or landed homes; it can be simple or luxurious, since kontrakan doesn't actually describe the condition, just the nature of a property being a rental. 'Rusun,' means stacked house, would be a more suitable term for the cluster described in the book (a very well-done description by the way), and 'kumuh' would be the adjective suitable for the condition.

Overall, this is a really awesome, very well-written book. I can visualize everything, every action, every feeling. The level of knowledge, research, and subtlety in every scene makes this a very satisfactory read. I'm very impressed with the quality, and I certainly recommend this book to readers who love good worldbuilding, characters, and action.

5 out of 5 stars

 

BOOK REVIEW: SCAMMED: The Inside Story of a Perfect Trap (Seraphine Martin)

SCAMMED: The Inside Story of a Perfect Trap tells the story of a scammer's victim. Personally, I had some experience with scammers because one of my parents was a victim. I also spent countless hours watching how they operate through scammer baiter channels.

While the story accurately portrays some of the methods they use, the story feels incomplete and repetitive. It's realistic, but feels more like an exposition narrative. Readers barely know the characters outside of one. The flow feels stiff, and their existence feels detached.

Scammers are everywhere, and they are the leeches to society, especially those preying on people's compassion and loneliness, targeting the elderly and people looking for human connections. This could make a compelling book that many people can relate to if it's a more complete tale. I assume this is close to non-fiction, and the resolution is not yet realized. It's understandable, but unfortunately, imho, it lacks the three-act structure to make it feel complete.

3 of 5 stars.

BOOK REVIEW: THE FIFTH SILENCE (SUEDE D. GOLDMANN)

The Fifth Silence is a whodunit that switches timelines as the protagonist investigates a mysterious death of a family member.

The book is slow at first, especially because there is a plethora of names to remember; this remains quite a struggle for me into the middle of the book, but it gets better. There are some details that feel quite jarring to me, for example, the stewardess offering breakfast just before the announcement of landing, the prosecutor (who seems like the investigator himself) communicates directly to the court audience, and the protagonist is able to see the reactions and expressions of people on the other end of the phone. Another detail I don’t disclose here is near the end, about a place, a clue, or a character that the protag decides not to investigate, which eventually becomes the key to the case. It would be fine if the plot doesn't try to convince me that she has tried to do everything, but ignores this particular one, despite how jarring it is, only to stumble on it again by accident.

The dialogues feel clunky at times, and there are scenes when I'm not sure who the character is talking to because the other have left/phone conversation is done.

Having said that, I enjoy the second half of the book and burn through it in a few hours. I like the creativity of the various storylines and characters. The time jump adds another layer to the mystery. This is a decent whodunit for the fans of the genre.

3.5 rounded up.

 

My MCs Refuse to Pose Shirtless

 

I’m a pain in the ass about spoilers; I consider almost everything a spoiler. A friend tells me they like a show: spoiler, because I know enough about the kind of things they like. Maybe they can’t stand a sad ending; maybe they root for a specific kind of contestant on a game show. Maybe they say something more obvious, like I hate this guy or when they don’t want to meet my eyes when I comment that I like a villain more than the protagonist.

However, I think I give them more credit than I should. The reality is, I’m friends with many spoiler monsters. They are worse than above. Some examples that I remember: one spoiled the ending of a popular book series a day after it was out by posting on Facebook, thankfully I had stopped reading it, one casually mentioned a winner of a reality show the first morning after it aired, and one told me which characters died from a movie I was considering to see. The good thing is, I don’t often watch and read the same thing with them, and if I do, I become very cautious that I threaten thunder and curses to their firstborn or lalalalala when they talk about a show I want to see.

Long story short, I always took extra steps to avoid spoilers, from avoiding friends and social media before I watch/read something to never reading a book review before reading the book (I also want to form my own unbiased opinion).

Unfortunately, that had changed.

I joined a few reading and review groups. I’m selective, but I’m open to all genres and pick those that sound intriguing, and that was how I accidentally read an AI book. There was no declaration or disclaimer, and even though Amazon asks authors to declare whether they are using AI, it doesn’t show any indication to readers. Platforms like Story Origin and others don’t have any way to identify AI books. I think they should, I think they frigging should.

Look, about the book, I refrained from accusing it of being AI-generated. It could be very poorly edited, but suspiciously, not in terms of grammar or typos, but the content itself. In my review, I pointed out and gave examples of things I found odd, including the quotes, paragraphs, and chapters they came from. I know there are many AI witch hunts, and many of them are inaccurate from what I've learned, so I’d rather let readers decide. This book has repeated chapters, repeated paragraphs, repeated scenes. There are repeating paragraphs in Chapter 23, then in Chapter 27, for example. Some similar paragraphs even appear in the same chapter. The book is about a magical journey, so there is a possibility the author would justify, and some readers would think that as part of the foggy journeys ‘That is why they feel repetitive and they are intended that way’ (well, to be honest, they have to be quite thick not to notice that). When I read other reviews after I finished the book, many pointed out the same things, so I wasn’t crazy.

Personally, it felt very—I don’t know how to put that—it was not angry, it was not rage, but maybe disgusted was the word. I’d put it above stepping on a chewed, extremely sticky, fleshy, bloody lizard courtesy of my cat a long, long time ago (twice). I don’t know why any readers would enjoy soulless AI books. Don’t settle for a few prompts; demand those books drenched by the authors’ sweat, tears, and blood, dammit!

So now, before deciding on a book, I skim the reviews, risking spoilers, and, to be honest, it has saved me a few times from other AI books. (For me to avoid one, I’d look for multiple inputs from reliable reviewers and exercise my own judgement from other things. I’m sorry (not) to say I do avoid all books with AI covers.

Anyway, this long rambling is a disclaimer. For each newsletter, I try to find a swap or participate in a group promotion, hoping to get some exposure or a sale (spoiler: it hardly works, unfortunately). Still, at least I try to do something because I’m really bad at marketing myself. I will try to pick books that I think are interesting, books you might like. I assume you guys are here because you don’t expect me to show you books where the main characters have lost their shirts, because, trust me, there are tons of them; it’s hard to find others. However, I honestly don’t know how to really spot AI books the sure way. Some covers look suspicious, but that might be the most I could do. It’s sad that we have to live in this world now. If you are like me and appreciate human efforts, it feels like we are losing our grip.

Another disclaimer: all my books and their covers are made by me. I have a background in graphic design, but I’m not sure how to make a cover more marketable since my MCs refuse to pose shirtless. They are the products of sleepless nights, hunched back, messy overload brain, and panda eyes. Sometimes I drooled on my laptop or cut my finger while opening a midnight snack, so you can be certain all of them were made with blood, sweat, drool, and tears. Well, I barely cry, but I mentally do that when I look at how hard it is to market them.

I went through my phone (which is full to the brim with dog pictures) to dig out some progress photos of Felt Locky to make my point that I prefer human-made art, if you can call Locky Felt art. I admit I didn’t make this as art, but it’s my way to hold on to everything about him while I can. I use his fur (he needs to be trimmed every two weeks, and he sheds a lot). There are not many progress pictures in between because I didn’t have confidence at all about how it would turn out (I mean, look at the lizard structure!). I also stopped a few months in between.

Thank you for sticking with me for the long rambling. Please know that you matter, and I really appreciate your presence here.

Book news: ATLAS is coming out on 15 June 2026. Maybe it’s your cup of tea. What is it about? Well, it’s weird. I’m very thankful for my beta readers to help make it better.

ATLAS

This is a parallel post from my main newsletter, there are free book downloads there and by signing up.

My Sunshine, My Gollum Story, and My New Book

 

Locky just celebrated his eleventh birthday ten days ago (23 May 2026). On the left is his first picture on the first day he arrived at my house (5 September 2015). He is my sunshine, my best friend, my best therapist, and my everything. Someday, he will break my heart, and it will be irreparable, but for now, let me give him the best life.

I don’t see my neighbor often. I keep everything to myself and just crawl out once in a while to get my deliveries, hissing, “My preciousss.” 

I live in a quiet cluster that consists of ten houses: five on the right, five on the left. The walls are touching, and we all share one small dead-end alley as access connecting us to the neighborhood road. Only three houses were occupied when I moved in, and the other two inhabitants were people like me, who were very reserved. We enjoyed the quietness and solitude. 

Eventually, people started to move in. It’s still considered a peaceful place compared to others, although it can be noisy when there is construction and rowdy kids. I was invited to some housewarmings (I think they felt that they had to, it's a polite and friendly culture here). Nothing here is small-scaled because any event almost always involves the whole family. It was not something I could survive, so I purposely stayed out until the day was over, but I did give them cards and housewarming gifts. 

Eventually, despite all my efforts, they become familiar with my Gollum face because I still need to go around and sweep the leaves in front of my fence. Thankfully, they are quite alright and kind from the way they treat the strays around (I judge people based on that). I can see that they try to respect my privacy and understand that my hideous grin is the best I can do. 

However, I get to chat more often with this woman next door. She is kind and always helps to sweep the ground outside my fence without me asking. She is also someone I ask or someone who would tell me if I haven’t seen a regular stray for a while. So, we do engage in small talk now and then. By this time, I had stayed here for around a decade. 

One day, without being prompted, she declared, “You should look for a spouse.” Spouse. Not a relationship, not a companion, not a date. Spouse. She bypassed everything and said that with all seriousness, adding that she could introduce me to someone. We were just saying hi and exchanging remarks about the falling leaves, and I had moved inside, almost reaching my front door. 

After I picked up my jaw, I told her I have been happily married for over two decades. I guess she mistook my spouse for a family member who visited now and then, and she never questioned my absence once in a while. 

She apologized and thankfully didn’t say anything more besides initial surprise. I guess she can live in peace now that I’m not a solitary cave Gollum. 

In my experience, most people don't take it kindly when they learn about long-distance relationships. They would become judgmental and offer unsolicited advice that is obviously close-minded, centered around ‘it won’t work.’ I have met many people who have the same long-distance relationship, and they received the same judgment. It's weird that people feel they need to inject themselves, and to my amazement, these people are usually not close friends or close relatives who wonder why I avoid them when every time they see me, they want to know my groin activity and possibly goblins that might come out from that. To her credit, my neighbor doesn't do that. That was an isolated incident, and now we are back to small talks about plants and stray dogs, which I appreciate.

I also have great news to share about my upcoming book, Atlas. This is the weirdest one I have so far. It's lighter (but it still has dark scenes and mature themes), and it's in a different style than my other books. I had some reservations at first, but I have gotten great feedback so far. Maybe it's your cup of tea.

I always consult my mom every time I set up my publishing dates. She has this knack of finding good dates, according to her belief. However, because of time zone differences, Amazon always screwed them up (I swear I stayed up until our date aligned, but it was still wrong). So, I'm setting up my pre-order date, it's a foolproof way to get the right one.

ATLAS is out on 15 June 2026

ATLAS PRE-ORDER

Thank you so much for being here. Your support means the world to me.

Anyway, other books!

There are many books here. Every image and link lead to a collection of books. I hope you find something you like.

BOOK REVIEW: BURNOUT (Tanner Petterson)

Burnout is a terrifying book about the journey of a character who doesn’t seem to have a break in battling with hardship, rejection, addiction, and depression. It’s way too real. Sometimes it’s easy to judge others for their life choices, but most of the time it’s not that simple to put ourselves in their shoes.

The reading is not always smooth; it’s not easy to like the characters at first or to understand their directions. The book can be clunky here and there with some missing details and stiff dialogues, however, it’s a powerful emotional journey that feels raw and real. What might make some readers stumble in the beginning might be an intentional and subtle projection of the character, who is hardly a reliable narrator in every way. It’s sad and depressing, especially because it’s a very real problem that can happen to anyone we know.

This is a debut novel, and I hope the author writes more, because this is a powerful, emotional book that draws me in as a reader. It doesn’t necessarily ‘follow’ the pattern of others in a similar genre, and I think the author delivers the message the book tries to convey.

4.5 rounded up to 5

BOOK REVIEW: THE CURE: TERMINAL TEAM SIX (Diego Orsini)

 

The Cure Terminal Team Six is the third book of a trilogy. Tbh, I didn’t know this until near the end. However, it can be read as a standalone. The story works, although there are things that seem to be missing along the way, like the relationship of the team member and the history of Terminal Team Six; they don’t really affect the overall plot. It would be great if there were a brief history of them in the beginning of the book, beyond the characters and their abilities. 

To me, the faith part feels very preachy, and it dominates the book, especially because Collier is the main character who gets the most screen time. It has the right to be, though, especially for those who believe in it, faith is stated as the power in the blurb, and Collier is called The Preacher. 

Maybe it’s because The Cure is the third book, I don’t really root for the main characters because they feel detached to me. I know they’ll be fine, and it takes out a lot of stake and anticipation. My favorite character, Anatoly, only appears much later in the book, and he comes and goes, leaving a more memorable existence than them. 

This book is well-written, and it takes a daring approach to include the real historical event and mix it with fiction, religion, and superheroes, a combination that I never expected to find.

4 out of 5 stars

 

PEN PALS

 

I spent my childhood in a small town. There were no libraries, only comic book rentals that appeared here and there in the front yard of residential houses. Well, there were basically a few make-shift shelves, with very limited-edition comics (as in, there was only one per title), some series were missing, and the conditions were mostly poor. However, visiting one was a highlight of my day. My brothers and I painstakingly saved our pitiful lunch money so that we had something to read.

We also spent a good chunk of our childhood without TV. I’m not that ancient, I’m a ‘young’ Gen-Xer. I’m not fifty yet. However, we were behind in terms of technology and facilities. On top of staying in a laidback town, we were not well-to-do. Our education and knowledge were limited to what we learned at school and our own practical exploration. If you are around my age or older, we know that childhood experiences are precious. It’s a miracle that my siblings and I didn’t break any bones or get kidnapped.

Anyway, another miracle: I had a pen pal. An international pen pal from Austria, a country that I didn’t even know existed back then. If I remember correctly, it was the effort of my language teacher who encouraged us to write a letter. I believe they were some exchange or something. There was no target, no one to address to yet, just a gesture, some kind of friendship invitation. I don’t think my teacher even believed in it. You see, my dad used to work in the jungle (literally), and whenever we sent him letters, it would reach him 6 months later. Kids grew up fast like puppies; 6 months was a very significant delay for sharing stories but letters were the best we could do when he was away. My dad had a very unique workplace, but that is the story for another day.

So, besides the friendship exchange program being unlikely, the long delay in letters, we were also horrible at English. We only had very basic lessons, we had never used it, and it had only been around for a few years since it became a subject. Imagine my surprise when I got a reply. I can still picture everything in my head. It was a two-page letter filled to the brims with neat handwriting on beautiful papers. Attached was a photo of a beautiful girl wearing a lacey dress. She told stories about her and her place far, far away that felt further than the moon because I could see the moon! She chose to reply to my letter! I was delighted. We wrote back maybe two or three times before I moved to a different school. Since the school was handling logistics, I couldn’t continue doing so. I didn’t even know where the post office was, and it served only domestic purposes.

I still think about the pen pal, and I still kept her letters and pictures until they were lost when we moved to another state, together with all my childhood pictures. Yep, I don’t have any childhood pictures with me. They were not digitalized yet. We asked an uncle to keep it for us, but I don’t think he cared, and they were gone.

Anyway, I remember all the blabbering above because most times, I still feel grateful that just by pressing some buttons, you at the other end of the world can read my gibberish. I can ask someone about their dogs or cats and get a reply straightaway on Twitter. I can see the lives and journeys of others and chat with everyone around the globe with no delay. It still amazes me. It’s like having many pen pals!

While I love the more personal touch of the old days, and I’m still reluctant to be reachable 24/7, I can’t imagine doing this without everyone who has supported me so far. Things like sharing and communicating with me about writing, helping me with feedback on my books, and just by being here, enduring my ramblings. Thank you. You matter to me.

As I had mentioned before, I’m doing this writing thing alone. I have mental support from my loved ones, but they are not readers, and they are not involved in the process. So, you are all I have, and I’m glad that this one doesn’t need 6 months to reach you.

Have a great day!

 

BOOK REVIEW: The Alien Contract (David Kilpatrick)

 

The Alien Contract is a book that can be finished in one sitting. I read it for over a week because real life was in the way, but it was easy to pick it up and get into it again. 

The story follows the protagonist, Gary aka The Man, as the PoV switches back and forth between him and the detectives interviewing him. I like this because readers can see Gary’s viewpoint and nod along ‘this is what I would do’ ‘this is insane’ ‘oh duck!’ and when it switches to the detectives, their thoughts also represent what most readers would have in their mind ‘this guy is batshit crazy,’ while pulling a chair and grabbing a popcorn because the stories are high level nut case but entertaining at the same time.

Along the way, there are many things that seem unbelievable, especially the way the detectives deal with The Man after he had done a crazy hit on an unkillable cartel member. Gary seems like an unreliable narrator as his stories get weirder, and they go around like a green man on a Roomba. 

Alien invasion plot has been done many times before, together with the mysteriousness, cow subplot, and rear-end explorer. Each time, there is a sense of familiarity, and each time, I feel like I know where it is going. Sometimes it’s hard to escape a certain formula, just like my attempt to read a classic romance book, the feeling of reading the same story over and over again can be overwhelming. 

Not with Alien Contract. 

Yes, it has everything the usual alien story would have, but it’s packed in such a unique and fun way, and the ending is both satisfactory and ties up the loose ends or whatever questions and doubts I had while reading. 

It doesn’t take itself too seriously, in line with the style of Man In Black. It doesn’t try to be subtle. Here is the green guy with all the classic alien look and gotcha, built-in fleshy uniform! I almost spit my tea (it sounds way less cool than spitting my coffee, but that is my life now), reading how Gary deals with them, most times with no questions asked. Poor carrot nose.

Besides all the light-hearted shenanigans (my light-hearted shenanigans might be different than yours), I think the main idea of the book is intriguing, especially because it alters Gary’s way of thinking from someone who is very stoic. Put himself in someone’s shoes, literally and figuratively. 

The timeline is not linear, but it flows smoothly, and there is no point at which I was confused in the book. 

This book is fun, entertaining, fast-paced, and as sharp as extraterrestrial titty twister.

5 of out 5 stars

 

BOOK REVIEW: The White Room (Christopher Cooke)

 

 

The White Room is a long tale about a relationship gone wrong, and everyone and everything that comes with that.

IMO, this book feels longer than it should because the flows aren't compacted. For example, the dragon kid is totally unnecessary and does nothing to advance the story or help familiarize readers with the important characters. Then there are times when I think it’s very clear the story is leading somewhere, yet it takes forever to get there. One of the most jarring ones is Christian’s revelation to Francis. The other one is the courtroom scene that takes away too much of the flow. Some repetitive reminders also put little faith in readers’ attention to detail. We are reminded of the hair and picture of the chain every time. I don’t blame this, because some readers are indeed very inattentive. Besides that, it feels very directed. I can’t help but feel that readers are sometimes steered in a certain direction.

It’s obvious that The Raven is created to be an omnipotent villain. A genius, menacing, hidden under the shadow, and untouchable. Unfortunately, he does little to convince me of all those. He doesn’t really make smart decisions. This probably bothers me more than it should. Characters that are described as meticulous (it appears many times) aren’t doing that. Being an old-timer, these are the things he does: he burns the victim’s car; his idea of making a vehicle disappear is an effective method to draw attention instead. He deletes local records, just around the suspicious time, he takes a trophy, and he buries ALL his victims in one place. Another character, who is an expert in ‘retrieving’ things, takes the only thing. No staged robbery, no diversion. It becomes quite a suspension of disbelief when supposedly expert characters are not as skilled as they are portrayed, yet readers are supposed to buy it.

The contradiction and incompact storytelling are the reasons why I don’t rate this book higher. They affect me throughout the reading, but it’s a matter of personal preference. The story is creative, and there are many things to unpack from start to end. The technical appendix is a great addition and shows the effort the author had put into the main device of the story. The glimpse into the Raven’s past is a great shoo-in to what I assumed is a planned sequel with the same character. The book also leaves no end unturned; there are backstories for most of the characters, and each is crafted well.

 The story has great potential, and I can see it becoming powerful if it flows better.

3 out of 5 stars