A Different Sky by Meira Chand

Fuih...finally finish reading this terrific book. Started reading this yesterday. Just can't stop.

Story about the life of 3 people in Singapore between 1927 to the year Singapore obtain its Independence.

Raj, Mei Lan and Howard met once in a trolley when they were young. They were trap in the the trolley because there was a riot. Each have different view about the riot.

Raj was a young Indian from India who came to Singapore to seek his fortune. He wants to work to become a successful businessman. He has a kind heart.

Mei Lan was born in a rich and famous Chinese family which have very constricting views about how females should conduct themselves. Mei Lan felt that she is suffocating from that. She have dreams and ambition. She works on that. From young she was taught that Singapore is just a place to stay while China is their home. Thus when Japanese launched war at China, her family worked to help China. But then Japanese came to Singapore also. Everyone suffered greatly


Howard was an Eurasian boy born here who unfortunately have darker skin than his fellow Europeans. During that time, it was frowns on if Europeans marries local woman. He was never really accepted by the locals and was look down on by the Europeans. He does not really agree with the Communist view but was forced to work with them for survival.

Somehow fate have brought Raj, Mei Lan and Howard together again and again in an unexpected ways throughout this book.

They had to go through World War II. Suffered before, during and after the Japanese Occupation. Each have their own story to tell and experience.

It is really amazing how Meira Chand spin the tales of these 3 people lives. They are bound together by fate and yet they are separate.

Meira managed to capture the view point of each characters aptly.Everything was so vividly described.

Another wonderful book bought from The Big Bad Wolf Sale. RM8. Jangan Jealous.

A Time To Embrace By Karen Kingsbury

Since getting an ARC of A Time To Dance from Booksneeze, I have wondered what would happen to John and Abby next.

I was lucky as a friend have to the sequel to this book.

Here, John and Abby have "mature". John were still the Coach. However, there was a smear campaign against him when he told a parent the truth about the son.This made John felt very down and have thought of resigning from coaching.

He loves his students very much but he can't help noticing that one of his student, Jake being lead astray. Jake started to bully Nathan whom he was a friend of.

Not only that, John's own son also seems to be going down the wrong road.

To top it off, John was involved in an accident which left him paralysed. His daughter Nicole gave birth to a baby but there is a problem with the baby.

It seems like one thing after another kept happening to John and his family. Would this cause a strain in his relationship with Abby? Would he be able to overcome their misfortune? Would he be able to forgive the one who caused the accident? But one thing for sure, this round he pray to God for guidance and blessing.

At certain part of this book, it seems to be rather "preachy" but one thing for sure this is an heart moving book.

I particularly love page 150, the part where an article describe John as more than a Coach. He cares more than football and is someone where the student can talk to. He was like a second dad to them.

How I wish there are more caring teachers like this in reality. Nowadays, teachers seems to care about if to get the student pass the examination and finish the syllabus in time. There are not much student teacher time where a teacher gets to relate more with students. Understand their individual needs and things like that. Can't really blame the teachers also as the education systems here is so examination orientated.

In my life, I am lucky to have two great teachers like John. The first one was Mr Yeoh Swee Aun. He pass away in 1990. The other is Mr Phua Seng Tiong. Both loves their students very much and cares a lot for them.

The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery

It was the early nineteen century. Aurelia was an orphan. She doesn't know who is her father. Her mother passed on while she and and her uncle were in a ship to Japan. Her uncle was a Missionary who was selected to go to Japan to spread the religion. Unfortunately he died in a fire the first day they arrived in Japan.

Alone with no place to stay, Aurelia hide in a Teahouse. She was adopted by the Teahouse family and was personal companion of the young Mistress of the house, Yukako.

Tea Ceremony was a big thing during that time. Only a Master can perform the Tea Ceremony.

The Shin family was once very rich and was looked up to by everyone. However, the family fell from grace due to the changes in the Imperial Japanese decree trying to abolish most of the ancient customs. No more Shogun. And Tea ceremony is looked on as ancient art. Out dated. No longer valued.

Nevertheless, Aurelia devoted herself to the Shin family despite the failing fortune. Mistress Yukako tried to help the family but was hinder by ancient practices.

Aurelia fell in love with the Tea Ceremony practise and also Mistress Yukako. She was there for Yukako through all the all the up and downs. Although Mistress Yukako treats her well, was just not meant to be. Aurelia will always be an outsider.

In the end, she went back to the land where she was born.


What I like about his book is that it's very rich with the ancient customs and each move are vividly portrayed.

The thing I don't like about this book is it is too long winded. Felt that it's dragging. Another negative point about this book is that the font is very tiny. Hard to read.

This would be a good book for those who loves to know more about ancient Japanese Tea Ceremony. I guess, this book is just not for me.

The House Of Djinn by Suzanne Fisher Staples

This book is the sequel to "Shabanu : Daughter of the Wind" and "Haveli".

Initially I was kinda lost because I didn't read the other two books.

In this book, is set in Afghanistan. Story begins with Shabanu who have been in hiding for 10 years since the day she staged her own death to escape the evil crunches of her brother-in-law and for the safety of her daughter.

Her daughter, Mumtaz, have been raised by her husband's family and have been given the education and security which Shabanu demanded for her daughter.

Mumtaz's closest friend was her cousin Jameel.Her protector was her Baba the leader of the Clan. Only Baba can understand her loneliness without a father and a mother. Being constantly bullied by the women in the family.

One day, Baba suddenly died. And it was revealed that Jameel is to take over as the leader of the tribe. His uncles were "overlooked" in this matter. One bear grudges while the other was happy to step aside for Jameel.

It was also revealed that Jameel is to wed Mumtaz. This cause both of them to questions their feelings and whether they are willing to give up their future in order to fulfill their obligation to their family.

For me this book is an average read mainly because I did not have the pleasure of reading the previous two books.

However, the emotional turmoil of the main characters were well reflected in this book. The flow of the story was well done and smooth.

My Pride and Joy - Enid Blyton Collection

I have read many of Enid Blyton's books and have collected quite a numbers of it. None are first print or anything like that but I just doesn't have the heart to give them away. I love them very much. 

Here are a few that I managed to dig up the other day.

The "Color" collection. Sadly, I only have these two "color".

The first time I came across the "color" book was when my primary schoolmate, Christopher, loan me his "The Blue Story Book".

Gosh, it was a magical experience reading that. Then on my own, I managed to buy The Yellow and The Red Story Book. There is another book. The Green Story Book. I have read that one too.

 

Next comes The St Clare's collection.

 

 Managed to collect all 6 books.

 It was not an easy task. I had to buy them one by one.

We were not rich. For me, story books like these are a luxury item.

Each weekend, we would go to visit my grandma. At the end of the day, an Uncle who have car will come to visit Grandma too. We would get a ride home in his car. Those days he would quietly slip me RM10. On the weekend that he was not free, we had to walk quite a distance and took bus home. We had to change two buses before we reach home.

Every Friday after school, me and my friends would go to a shopping complex called Q-Mart at Old Klang Road. With the RM10, I would then select a book to buy. Those days, it cost RM4-90 a book. It's consider pricey for we can get a bowl of noodle for RM1-80 at that time.

From there, slowly my collection of books grew.

 

Malory Tower Collection nearly escaped me. The brownish color was not that attractive. I thought it would be rather dull book. 

I think it was Chinese New Year or something where I suddenly have influx of $$. Hence, I took a chance and bought one.

I enjoyed it very much and went back for more.

It's truly a journey to relish in collecting all 6 of them.

It was simply delightful reading about the Midnight Feast, the Sports, the holidays and everything in it.

There are people who hates Enid Blyton because of her personal life. If all spoken are true, then she could have been a rather unpleasant lady.

However, the books she wrote were extremely good.

In these two boarding school series, she teaches children to be independent and try to work out their problem instead of being a "Tell Tales". There were many example on teamwork, tolerance and of course the balance between working hard in their studies and also of having fun.

Some may say, "What?? these old and musty books? Sell to the Recycling Centre also no value. What for keeping them and take up the space. Can always get e-book."

For me they held a lot of fond memories and have sentimental value.

Peony In Love by Lisa See

Set in the seventeen century China, Peony is a young girl of 16 years age from the Chen family. She is betrothed to the second son of the Wu family.

Being the only daughter of the first wife and all the rests of the concubine bears only girls, Peony, is much loved by her parents.

During that era, unmarried girls are secluded at home and are trained to be good wife to their future husband. The same happen to Peony. She was taught to sew, play musical instrument and most important of all to read.

At that time the work of Tang Xianzi "The Peony Pavilion" is one of the most popular work and have been made into opera.

As fate would have it, Peony loves The peony Pavilion and had tried to get her hands on as many version of it as possible. On the month of her 16th birthday which also coincide with the 7th month celebration of the Weaver Maid and Cowherd, her father commission an opera troupe to their luxurious home to entertains them and their guests.

Her mother was against it. For her mother thinks it is not appropriate for unmarried girls to be seen in public. However, her father assured her that all will be taken care of.

That night turns out to be the turning point of Peony cloistered and protected life. For that night she bump into a man which makes her thinks of the seven feelings that makes us human.

 Here starts her journey from this life and later one the journey to the realm beyond.

This is truly one of the most wonderful and beautifully written book that I have ever read. The description of the love and lost that Peony had was very heart wrenching. It is a adventure itself to see her trying to do the right thing and things kept turning out unexpectedly

There are so many layers of stories in this book. Nothing is what it seems.

I stared reading this book last night and it is a real page turner. This is definitely a MUST READ. This is indeed a sad day for me. Why? Because I fear the next book which I laid my hand onto may not be as good as this.

Flawless by Tilly Bagshawe

Diamond is a girl's best friend. Do you agreed? This book is all about diamond.

Scarlett(what a name!) is a stunning British girl with an artistic stripe. The jewellery she designed is simply gorgeous. And she uses certified diamonds only.

She is not just any beautiful girl. She have talent and the stubbornness of an ox. She champions the right of the poor diamond miners in Africa and Siberia. Her stubbornness had lead her into a dangerous path.

Brogan is the tycoon which she had offended. He owns a company which invested in diamond mining in Siberia. It's a very big business and he does not like bad publicity. He is determined to crush Scarlett.

At the same time, fate brings her face to face with Jake Meyer. A devilish handsome and charming diamond supplier whose supplies comes from dubious origin. Outwardly she hates him but somehow fate seems to conspired against her and forced the two of them together.

To add suspend to the story, in comes Jake's twin brother, Danny. He fell in love with Brogan's young wife. Wow..it's like adding fuel to a fire.

Anyone who loves Sidney Sheldon's book would certainly love this book. It have a good dose of  charm, suspense, mystery, drama and romance.

I have read two of Tilly Bagshawe's books. I love "Sidney Sheldon's Mistress of The Game"  but did not like "Do Not Disturb".