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

 

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?