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

 

BOOK REVIEW: Grease Monkey (Evie Del Rey)

 

Grease Monkey is a love story novella. The main character, Itzel, is on the run, trying to escape her life. She has been tormented forever and is treated as a business trading object. However, her car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, where she meets Josh, who happens to have a workshop.

I can see this works for readers looking for a slow-burn romance. The build-up to the two characters getting to know each other is good. The story is well written and focuses heavily on how the characters feel. This is the strength of the story.

However, I have read this many times before. It feels cliché; everything is very predictable because it follows the recipe of a romance almost part-for-part. Nothing is suspenseful, and the plot doesn’t feel unique. The blurb also tells everything about the story, it’s a summary because everything is there instead of a tease.

Some things feel like merely plot devices. For example, as mentioned earlier, Itzel wants to run away, but she is fully aware that she is being tracked. She is also fully aware that she could endanger someone’s home. Julio, the villain, apparently builds an empire based on lies, but there are so many holes and weaknesses in the empire that it crumbles just because of someone he has been controlling his whole life. I would imagine he feeds the authorities and even has the power to extort them. For someone who has made a living by controlling others’ lives with extortion, blackmail, murder, and every other shady thing for decades and is so powerful, it’s hard to believe that he is so easily taken out.

The main problem that has been established since the beginning turns out to be nothing, easily settled in a few sentences, literally. The villain is just one-dimensional, the evil, bad man, while both main characters are idealistic.

The book works for those who are looking for a quick romance story. The characters have good chemistry, the novella is well-written, fast-paced, and has a feel-good, happy ending.

3 out of 5 stars

 

BOOK REVIEW: Black Hat Blues (Gene Kendall)

 

I think a Gen-Xer like me or beyond would appreciate the book more than the younger generation.

The book doesn’t start smoothly. It takes a while to understand the situation because it’s confusing in the beginning. When it becomes clearer, the story is much easier to follow. I have to admit I had a little trouble with the ending as well, especially a chapter that seems unnecessary, the #666. It would be great if this character were mentioned in a more memorable way previously, because it appears out of nowhere and puts a bit of a pause in what should be a decent ending. Maybe this is a setup for a possible sequel? Maybe this is an irresistible meta ending that always teases something more, which was quite common back then in older series, when after everything was said and done, the camera zoomed in to some unexpected (it became expected eventually) unfinished business?

Nevertheless, I think the story idea is interesting. It would be a nightmare for almost every author whose genre is not cozy, romantic, or other harmless adventure. Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Dystopian, and Post-Apocalyptic authors wouldn’t want their characters to show up at the door (cough).

I appreciate the humor. Sometimes they are very subtle, but those are the best kind. It also shades the current clown world: the protest, the debate, the way classic literature is sometimes perceived without regard to its original time. The weird world of the internet and society's fascination with popular culture are also shaded here. I appreciate the cleverness, and some parts are really funny.

I have to admit, I don’t get some of the references. Some are beyond my time, and I am also living under a rock. Sometimes it takes a while to get which character is talking, especially for the vague chapter in the end. If not for a few clunky chapters in the beginning and the end, this is a good read that can be consumed in one sitting. It is my favorite work of the author so far.

4 out of 5 stars

 

BOOK REVIEW: Who Am I (Jane C.R. Reid)

 

I finished Who Am I in one sitting on a Saturday morning. I haven’t done this for a while, thinking I would just take a brief read for one or two hours before my daily task, but what the heck, I kept turning the pages. 

The plot keeps me going as it flows. It’s an easy read with an entertaining plot as the readers follow the journey of a woman who has just lost her memories. Going back to a home she doesn’t remember, with a stranger as her husband, she also learns that she was not a pleasant person in her past. The circle she was in and belonged to was superficial, filled to the brim with shallow people who stroked each other's egos and over-the-top appearance. The main character, Freya, can’t even bring herself to restore her hairstyle. She recognizes nothing from her past, including herself. 

This book is entertaining. I imagine that while it would make an excellent soap opera or drama, and the plot is not unpredictable, it does a good job in portraying the horror of losing grip of reality. The realization that you don’t even like yourself would take a toll on anyone, and when trusting yourself becomes something that is questionable, too, it would be the horror beyond comprehension. The main character experiences that, plus the fact that no one else believes her. The emotional journey shows satisfying character growth.

 The supporting characters play big roles as well. There are satire and humor in how out of touch and artificial the ‘elites’ can be, and sadly, it’s very realistic, as we live in a clown world. Their actions are, unfortunately, believable, from the gossipy housewives to professionals whose service and silence can be bought. People who think money is the answer to everything, and sometimes it is indeed the motivation for many, whether they are being forced to comply or whether selling their souls is also an option.

4.5 rounded up to 5

 

 

BOOK REVIEW: Unnatural Selection: The Catastrophic Cost of Misusing AI (Pafel Dubois)

Unnatural Selection is the perfect title for this book, taking a jab at what we have known for a long time, proposed by Charles Darwin.

I am someone who is always cautious about privacy and AI. Unfortunately, I’ve been called paranoid way too many times by my own friends and family. Imho, I am not even at the paranoia border line. The things I do are basic, from covering my front cameras, clearing cache, only installing very necessary apps that don’t ask unrelated permissions, never signing up for lucky draws, and opting out of pesky unwanted services. I fact-check and question things I see or are sent to me, and that is apparently not fun. Just this morning, I had to opt out of another Gemini integration. This is not right; the option should be opt-in instead of opt-out, but the world is ridiculous right now.

This book educates the readers about this AI world, not in a preachy way, because it approaches everything logically, presenting facts and explaining what makes things happen. It gives real-life examples (and of course, I fact-checked some). I think it’s very well-written and inspiring. Everyone should read this, even the sceptics, and intellectually-challenged social media zombies who worship AI.

It feels optimistic. While I think the power of ordinary people is very limited, and without the power of the masses, there is nothing much one can do (because look at the political and social climates around the world right now, it’s very disheartening), optimism is still necessary. The challenge now is the education and awareness that can hopefully be improved by books like this.

I really recommend this book.

5 stars out of 5 

The Modern Day Problem

 

The other day, I had to travel to settle something. Everything should have been in order, but upon arrival, my data plan didn’t work.

This shouldn’t have been a problem in the past, but today, we rely too much on the phone. Sometimes it’s not because we want to, but because we have to, since the options are getting very limited. I couldn’t order public transport, and the only public transport I could flag down there was a taxi, which had become rarer than fat unicorns (rhinos).

There was no way to communicate with people to let them know I had arrived. Somehow, my balance (I was using prepaid) had mysteriously been sucked into oblivion, and it wasn’t enough to do anything. I couldn’t top it up to buy the internet because I didn’t have the internet to access the top-up function! It had become a modern-day problem that I needed to find a shop, and it had to be done manually because I couldn’t ask Google, because I didn’t have internet!

Thankfully, I finally found a small shop that refused to sell me anything unless I had the exact amount of change. Why? Beat me. I had to dig the bottom of my bag to find it, and I did. Fortunately, the problem ended there. It’s ridiculous, but that is the reality now.

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BOOK REVIEW: Malaria (Suede D Goldmann)

 

Malaria is a murder mystery that reads like a classic Agatha Christie novel. It’s a reunion and a celebration gone wrong.

Personally, there are many things to cherish in this book, as well as many that feel distracting to me.

There are many characters to learn. I give up memorizing when they are mentioned in the first page because it’s somehow easier to learn about them as the story unfolds, with their arrivals and interactions. This brings me to the point of too many clutters in the book: information and descriptions of things that are not important to the story or characters. They could be used as distractions, because that is one way to make the mystery richer, but imo they end up merely as clutter, since there are already enough things going on in the story.

Unfortunately, the one thing that needs more explanation, imo, that keeps me wondering from start to finish is the clarity of the Foreign Nomad Posse. They are supposed to be close (it barely feels so), but it takes them so long to get together after an incident, yet they meet for a reunion when a lot of dark things have happened among the members, and then they meet a year later, after more unfortunate events. There is barely any similarity in terms of members’ backgrounds and interests on top of it. Maybe it’s only me, but I waited for a subsequent murder because, unfortunately, most of the characters feel detached and not root-able. The kitten analogy feels very weird when professionals deal with a group of adults. How they treat witnesses and suspect are very questionable, besides other factors like the right to detain them and the short statute of limitations. Some of their interactions are clunky with unrealistic reactions. The group also feels very incestuous, and I barely keep track of who is humping whom.

I enjoyed the middle of the book the most. I like the time jumps. They are not difficult to follow with the time stamp, and it’s an interesting way to get the story going. The ending feels a bit disappointing because it feels unearned yet. We need many explanations to completely understand the story. However, I applaud the writer for the complexity of the case and the unpredictability.

3.5 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: Suicides Club (K.E.Adamus)

 

Suicide Club is a fun, fast-paced book that deals with a dark topic using dark humour. It’s unapologetic and daring, which makes it refreshing to read.

It’s a fast pace, moving from one scene to another, from one PoV to another. It is funny and entertaining, and I like that it’s not preachy, ridden with agenda, or full of too many predictable tropes. It’s presented in a different way that still touches on a disturbing reality.

The scene feels clunky at times, and I think the ending is quite rushed and stops abruptly. It doesn’t prolong the plot at the risk of it being predictable, however, I think it can be smoothed out to make it feel more conclusive.

The characters and their actions are sometimes over-the-top, because sometimes they depart from the people they used to be. However, I think it’s intended that way, and that makes the book fun to read.

4 out of 5 stars

 

The Chronicle of Gen-Zness

 

This is a short and sweet one.

There are many complaints out there about the younger generation’s work ethic, especially Gen Z. I had no idea about Gen Z’s age range, and when I googled it, the oldest Gen Z, as per the current year, is 29! Gasp! I thought they were babies, or at the very least, studying age? Not on the brink of their thirties! Geez, I feel ancient. No wonder it’s about their work ethic because some of them are in the workforce now, including one of my nephews. My other niece and nephew are in the university.

Anyway, I had been quite close to them, and to be honest, they are giving me hope. I’m not just an antique shaking my fist to the sky, but I have come to appreciate these two specimens. Yes, they do have their Gen-Zness, but it was minimal. I can actually talk with them in depth about many things, and I’m quite fascinated by the way they are thinking that can be wiser than many adults I know.

There is one thing that impresses me a lot: the lack of interest in social media and broadcasting themselves. My nephew even enjoys nature walks where he just appreciates the surroundings instead of taking selfies/pictures and posting them. They enjoy board games and nerdy games with me. I can’t say the same with their parents, ironically, as they behave more like the stereotypical Gen Z.

P.S. Opinion is live and can change anytime.

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Green-Eyed Goblin

 

It had been 28 years since I visited my hometown. So, I was very excited to finally have another chance in December 2025 during our annual family reunion/trip.

Unfortunately, I caught a stomach bug, and it ruined my first few days there in terms of culinary. I’m not someone who prioritizes food, I think eating can be a hassle, and I have never prioritized eating over everything else. However, I have missed my hometown’s food, and it is the best, according to many, including non-locals.

For the first two days, I could barely eat anything. It also reduced my enjoyment because of the pain, but I tried to make the best of it.

Maybe I haven’t been back for too long, maybe my expectation was too high, but I didn’t enjoy the trip the way I thought it would. Everything had changed, and not for the better. There were a few places that were stuck in time, but our house was gone. Flattened to the ground. We could only look at the ruins. My siblings’ last visit was a decade ago, and they still saw it, but not me.

We went there in the night, walking along the street that no longer felt familiar, and I made a turn into the alley where our house was. It was unplanned, because we wanted to come during day time, but I couldn’t stop myself. To my surprise, my two brothers went with me (the youngest one didn’t join this trip), while the rest went to another place along the street.

The three of us stood in front of the ruin, and carefully constructed where everything used to be. The green fence, the dining area, our room, the pipe where I used to climb to the second story (I never used stairs), and the beautiful bougainvillea tree that was growing alongside the back door. The place looked very small now that we had grown up, it used to feel like a castle to me.

I thought I would be sad, but I wasn’t. I had my fun there. We had so many fond memories and mishaps. My adventures with my three brothers were unmatched. All Gen X-ers, and we survived the way Gen X-ers did back then. We had several near deaths between us. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to call them that. Four of us had unknowingly lit a match in a small room under the stairs used for fuel storage. The whole area was filled with gallons of them, and the four of us sat in the middle of them, playing train, and lit up the match because it was dark. The wooden match (the traditional, short match) burned my hand before we managed to light the candle, and I dropped it. It landed on the floor and was extinguished right after. Fortunately, we decided it wasn’t that fun and went out to play something else. We had fallen from the stairs (plural), from the fence, almost drowned inside the water tank, and survived fire on the roof caused by stray fireworks. There used to be a big tree in an empty field in front of our house, and we loved to climb that as well, provoking the whole nest of fire ants and whatever bugs, and that was just Tuesday afternoon.

I remembered lounging inside a fruit basket (yes, it was a gigantic basket), rocking it back and forth while enjoying the night stars in the small terrace. Our second story was not inhabited, and we kids had always believed it was haunted. There were stray cats and other small animals sometimes. Once, my big brother and I heard cats’ sounds and found a batch of kittens inside the top of one of the columns (there was a wooden cladding with an opening). Being helpful kids, we thought the kittens were stuck, so we made those cowboys’ knots to the best of our knowledge (no Google!) and tried to get and rescue the kittens. Well, they didn’t need rescue, the kittens were not abandoned, and we didn’t know how to make a cowboy’s knot. I only remembered my brother’s word asking me to run because he saw a pair of green eyes coming. It was on top of the stairs, and I fell down, hitting every step from top to bottom. There was a scary pair green-eyed goblin coming for us, which was a proper escape plan because it got me to the bottom faster! It was the mother cat, and thankfully, she moved the kitten away because of two nosy kids. The fall? I was invincible back then, not even an ouch. So, the second story was another world altogether. We loved the TV series Fun House and tried to make one there (with barely anything, of course), it became more like a haunted parkour arena.

We shared stories, invented games, because we had nothing else but our creativity to amuse ourselves. One thing was for sure: we were never bored. We were poor, but my childhood was awesome.

So, I thought I would be sad, especially because it caught me off guard looking at the ruins, but I wasn’t. Everyone I love is still in my life, and they are my home wherever I am.

I feel sadder about the town's condition. Yes, there are some upgrades and improvements, but most of those came with hefty prices. The place has become commercialized. Most people left the town, seeking better education and jobs (just like us and our parents), and they are coming back regularly to pay their respects to deceased or left-behind relatives, becoming a gold mine for those who stay.

The humble food stalls I could normally find along the street have a different target now. The prices are jacked up, and the tastes are compromised. Many of them still offer authentic taste, but it’s no longer the same to me. We could casually stroll in everywhere and had the best food, and now, everything feels commercialized. We are guests in our own hometown. Visitors, foreigners who are visiting, and those who are charged premium prices for things we are familiar with. We used to know almost everyone along the street. Now, we didn’t even see the owner of the places. Most of them were run by staff who were not locals. Everything was only business, there were no longer simple home-cooked mom-and-pop stalls.

For me, it means something. I haven’t been able to identify myself with a location because I always look different somehow. It wasn’t a problem for me, until it was. A very significant incident that made me aware of how different I was. Even when I was in a place with people who looked like me, I didn’t speak the language well. I thought my hometown would feel more like home in terms of place familiarity, but it’s no longer the case.

So, I thought the magic was lost, until, fortunately, one day, when my younger brother and I had a chance to visit our old school again. We did in the first two days, but we didn’t go in, and we were in a big group there was not much chance to explore around.

This time, we had an unexpected luck that it was a holiday season, but the school was open for competitive sports that were usually conducted in between semesters. We were free to walk in, and had the time for ourselves to even visit the classrooms, because everyone was in the field and those in lower grades were at home. The classrooms stayed pretty much the same, from the chairs to the chalkboard and teacher’s desk, the window, and the staircase landing, when I spilled my whole bag because it was broken, where everything rolled down the steps. I remember the class where my classmate stuck his little finger into a metal chair, and the fire department was called because they needed to cut the chair. The little patch of green in front of it also remained the same, although it looked tiny now compared to the huge park back then (all about perspective and children's size).

So, although the trip was below expectation in terms of food and places, I was happy to get back to the school, recognize some landmarks here and there, and get to meet my family again.

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BOOKS

What would you do if an alliance of famous close-encounter extraterrestrials started tracking you down with bad intent? Hit man Gary knows what he would do:  

Dish out a lot of pain.

Small town secrets, savory takeout, and a killer on the loose.

A decrepit ship, a misfit crew, an impossible job, the perfect plan. What can go wrong?

BOOK REVIEW: Silent Battle (Olivia Paisley Troy)

 

Silent Battle is a powerful memoir. Written in first-person view, the readers are brought into terrifying stories that, unfortunately, happen everywhere in the world, even in modern times.

The book is hard to read. It makes me angry, not necessarily about how dismissive the mother was in a situation that was obviously not healthy to raise a child, but for the society that failed them, too. It’s probably harder to digest how helpless the situation was in the current world, because we are very connected now. Back then, we didn’t have mobile service, it was not easy to find a public phone, and domestic violence was sometimes brushed aside and considered an internal problem only.

I wish the year could be made aware earlier. It’d make the story more powerful if readers understood the setting from the beginning.

Fortunately, this is an uplifting tale. The main character prevailed; there was a strong support system before it was way too late, and awareness of the need to fight for survival. I admire anyone who can pull their life together after starting from such a difficult, disadvantaged, and horrifying situation. This is definitely an inspiring tale about resilience and survival.

 

 

BOOK REVIEW: To Say Goodbye Again (Jac Winters)

This is a very raw, yet subtle, heartfelt collection of poetry and stories. Every single piece was written with heart and soul, reflecting sadness, sorrow, and vulnerability that touch even the coldest heart.

The Big Ben broke me, and Princess made me silent for a long time.
It’s such a powerful gem.

BOOK REVIEW: Pareidolia (Damir Salkovic)

 

I have no idea what to think after reading this book. I’m not a fan of the horror genre, but I appreciate a good story.

This book pulls me in and throws me into a swirling madness as I follow the protagonist's story. There are times when I’m not sure what is real and what is not, whether he is an unreliable narrator, a drunk, or the most sane person in a room.

The plot is quite close to home, as I myself am a struggling writer, well, of course, I don’t have the previous glory, but it’s very interesting to see the madness unravelled behind a simple concept: a contract that comes at the right time.

This book is full of vivid imagery. I was wary as I read along, not knowing whether the ending would be satisfying. There were times when I felt helpless with a prolonged journey that felt a bit repetitive, but it didn’t last long.

I have read a few of Damir’s books, and I have to say I haven’t been disappointed. I have become a fan of his work, his style, and the richness of his storytelling. I know I wouldn’t be disappointed.

The book has everything horror fans need. In reality, with the mysteriousness around some films in real life, the most notable one being The Exorcist, this story feels too real. I’m glad I read this book mostly during day time.

5 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: The Coffin Maker (H.G.Ahedi)

The Coffin Maker is a mystery that follows the MC, Angelus, in an investigation of a mysterious murder he stumbles across accidentally. It intrigues his mind, and he is motivated to follow the case even without compensation, especially when he finds a string of similar murders over the years, all unsolved.

 

Although the plot continues to move, the pace feels slow, especially in the beginning and middle of the book. Imo, there are too many detail fillers that can be cut because they make the flow clunky, distracting, and have no impact on the overall plot. Below is one of the examples. The whole section that contains this paragraph can be compacted into a sentence or two.

 

Angelus left Stroudsburg just after dawn, steering east on I-80 as rain streaked the windshield in steady threads. He drove south of the New York line, winding through the back roads of northern New Jersey and across a sliver of eastern Pennsylvania, before merging north on I-87 through the Hudson Valley. The hills were draped in fog, and by the time he crossed into western Massachusetts, the road narrowed between dense stretches of pine. He stopped for coffee near Pittsfield and called Joe for an update on the current cases. Then he pressed on, turning east onto Route 7, and finally crossed into Vermont near Bennington.

 

There is also a feeling of detachment from the main character. Instead of getting into his head, it feels like he is just narrating the event.

 

Fortunately, the ending is decent, with good visuals and action, as the characters become more sympathetic and personable when the stakes are higher. To be honest, everyone around the MC is better than the MC, in terms of skills and their distinguishable traits. The mystery itself is interesting. The clues and developments throughout are well-woven, though the start is slower. It picks up from the middle of the book.

 

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

BOOK REVIEW: Sunset Garden (Peter J. McKenna)

Sunset Garden is a fun book that exceeds my expectations. I can tell that the author is having fun writing it. (And I cheat too, because I read his Afterword).

If you think that a retirement home is boring, this is not the case. Just ask the poor Ernest, who is thrown into an absurd situation straightaway by the mischievous Dorothy (I imagine Betty White as the character, and nothing can change my mind). Both of them turn into investigators to find out what is actually going on and get to experience the thrill, excitement, and danger.

If I have to nitpick, of course, there are some situations that are questionable, like the lack of other workers in such a big place, because someone like Dorothy would go to them in the first place. It’s also bizarre that, with a large area and plenty of green space, Alistair and Fester don’t do the much-needed gardening and instead choose the much more tedious and expensive method.

 

Putting that aside, I recommend this book. Besides the humor and lightheartedness, it touches on a delicate social situation that becomes more realistic as people age. Loneliness, manipulation, health problems, and life struggles. Not to mention the actual case of fraud and mistreatment at senior homes and childcares.

 

I like the characters, the flows, the pace, and bits of side stories that all end up relevant to the plot. The book is easy to read and entertaining.

5 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: Akula (Arnar Vik)

 

What a ride. A fast-paced, gripping espionage and political thriller that stands too close to reality.  The plot revolves around a power struggle to get hold of some evidence that could lead to international conflicts and wars.

 

There are so many details in the first part of the book, including some unfamiliar terms. It takes a while to learn their sides, roles, and parties involved, but once the story moves along, everything falls into its place. All the intertwining incidents from various POVs are the strongest factor in this book. New characters appear throughout the span of the story, but they fit well into their roles, and no one overstays their welcome.

 

Unfortunately, the book is not easy to read because of the lack of formatting. The jumble of words without paragraphs and chapter breaks makes it a strain in the eyes. Fortunately, the story is very engaging and well-written, with a lot of real-life information to learn from. The submarine and what happens inside it led me to have a new favorite villain.

 

The ending is realistic, and everyone with a good head on their shoulder would know that this kind of cover-up exists. While the fate of one main character is very questionable and feels like plot armor, it opens up to the possibility of a sequel.

4 submarines out of 5 search parties

The Freezer Cat

 

I knew I wouldn’t last long in that office a week after I joined. In half a year, I was out after clearing my probation. It was just my stubbornness to prove I was good enough for the company I didn’t like, but they were kind to me (except for one thieving mentor who stole my work and passed it off as his own). That was my shortest working period in a company. This was the year 2012.

 

As I tendered my resignation in November, I could only leave in December because of the one-month notice. Therefore, the time would fall around Christmas.

 

Besides the working style that was opposite to mine, which was one of the main reasons I quit, I also couldn’t stand the party culture there. They celebrated every birthday and event, which probably doesn’t sound like something terrible, but it was for me. They were distractions, and standing around awkwardly, clapping, and singing off tune were not my cup of tea. There were fewer than 20 people in the company, but I swear it happened at least twice a week. We had to fork out extra money every time for food I didn’t like, and for times I didn’t enjoy. I was so relieved to quit before my birthday month because it was something I dreaded. I’m not exaggerating, it actually gave me social anxiety, and I’d do ridiculous things to avoid it, including wasting my off day to escape my birthday in another office. Attention. Party. Celebration. It sounds ridiculous to be scared, but trust me, there are many like me.

 

Back to the story. Since it was December, of course, the problem was Christmas parties outside office hours. They had many planned along the way (yes, multiple Christmas/New Year celebrations), but there was a particular one that was purposely timed before my leaving date. While I had become an expert at avoiding this kind of social situation, this time I couldn’t escape because of that. It was some sort of dedication to me, well, except for another painful farewell in the office.

 

The barbecue party would be conducted in one of the project managers’ home, a female who stayed in an apartment unit with a small balcony for outdoor barbecue. There would be over ten people, so the place was quite cramped.

 

As usual, if I had to attend a barbecue in this kind of awkward ‘I don’t know or like you well enough’ office setting, I would volunteer and park my ass in front of the grill to make myself busy so that I didn’t need to socialize too much.

 

While it sounds like torture for me, I have a unique memory of this party. So, before the barbecue, we helped prep the food. Taking them out of the freezer, and categorizing them nicely for the flaming execution. There was a small kitchen for that, with a medium-sized fridge that held all the food. Everything went well. The food was okay, and the people were nice, giving me well-wishes. After the barbecue, we sat around chatting.

 

The host, let’s call her Anna (just in case she reads this one day, since the story is quite unique), told us she looked forward to her boyfriend's visit. Anna was in her thirties, so we are not talking about teenagers here. The conversation flew from there, and someone asked her about her cat. Apparently, this person was close enough to Anna that she knew about her cat.

“My cat just died.” That was Anna’s answer, and it happened a few days/a week before. Of course, we were shocked and offered our condolences. I understand the pain of losing a pet. Anna then explained that it was unfortunate that her boyfriend was away because she would like her boyfriend to see the cat one last time, since he also loved the pet a lot, therefore she had put the cat in the freezer.

 

At this moment, my eyes were bulging, but fortunately, I sat in the corner, obscured by a potted palm tree (nice spot). Unfortunately, I didn’t mishear it. Someone asked, “In the freezer in your kitchen?” and Anna confirmed it while continuing to share stories about how his boyfriend loved the cat without missing a beat. The story moved to their relationship, and Anna was a talker that nobody had the time to process the freezer cat information. I just noticed people who were still holding on to their plates had stopped chewing.

 

I have to give credit to my fellow co-workers here, they were nice and politically correct, but it also drove me nuts. No one commented anything, although I saw some weird expressions. Me? I always try to be invisible in this kind of social situation. The party went on.

 

To be honest, it weirded me out. Her fridge was a normal fridge with a common freezer that held the food we ate that night. I don’t know about the potential health risk, but the idea itself sounds nuts to me. So there was a dead cat next to our marinated chicken wings. I probably made an eye contact, and grateful I didn’t take the wrong thing out for barbecue. I also don’t think anyone would prefer to look at their frozen pet in their last moments, but I could be wrong. I have seen two delayed pet funerals (when the pets had to be kept in a freezer first), and in those cases, they looked okay, but they were handled by professionals and kept in freezers dedicated to that purpose. I deal with frozen food a lot, and they don’t look good after staying in a home fridge for a while. Tiny ice particles would cover the surface, along with many other undesirable details.

However, since I didn’t want to ask anyone there what they thought about it because I didn’t want to gossip or invite unwanted conversations, I spent my last few days in the office without pursuing my curiosity. Maybe it was a normal practice that I wasn’t aware of, so I brushed this aside in my memory.

 

Until one day, which was actually quite recent, just a few months ago, I found a similar story in Reddit. I can’t access Reddit where I am, but a YouTube video about it appeared in my algorithm. One of the stories was about a cat in the freezer. The story only involved family members, and it weirded them out. The comments agreed that it sounds nuts. So, after fourteen years, I get the confirmation that the freezer cat is not a normal thing to do! Not to mention the bigger scale of my story, when the food was served to multiple people who had no prior knowledge about it.

 

So, this is my freezer cat story. I’m not sure why I didn’t tell it to people around me back then (which I’ll do now). I guess the party itself was too overwhelming, and after that, I dealt with moving away for my new job. It was forgotten, and now I have been collecting inputs about the story. Do you think it’s normal/weird?

 

I’m sorry I haven’t been posting for a while. There were some personal matters and family reunions to attend. All good.

Wishing you a good one as well. With a blink of an eye, 2025 and the holiday season had come and gone. For me, as long as my loved ones are happy and healthy, I consider it a good year.

Just like Die Hard is a Christmas movie, Freezer Cat is my holiday tale.

 

I parallel post my newsletter here. In my main one you’ll get free short story or you can get them here The Freezer Cat.

Thank you for being here.