The Laughing Sutra by Mark Salzman

Summary :

Wei Ching was a monk from a monastery that have been destroyed by fire. During the fire, he had rescue many scrolls and sutra from the monastery and hence on made it his life work to protect them. But among all the sutra that he had accumulated, there is one sutra that elude his grasp, The Laughing Sutra.

It was said that the one who read and understood  The Laughing Sutra will have immortality.

Hsun-ching is a orphan that was saved from a certain death and was given to Wei Ching to raise. Initially Wei Ching was reluctant to take on the responsibility as he wanted to go hunting for The Laughing Sutra. However, it was not meant to be. 

In turn, Hsun Ching took on the task of seeking out The Laughing Sutra for Wei Ching. This task brings him to the mysterious Colonel Sun. Together, they travel all the way from China to Hong Kong and then to San Francisco in order to retrieve The Laughing Sutra. 

The journey was fill with hardship and danger. 

My Comments:

This is typical modern "Journey To The West" story plus "Tom Sawyer" all mixed together.

I must say I have enjoyed the story very much. The East meets West. It is very rich in the eastern culture. I like the part where the mysterious Colonel Sun appeared in Hsun Ching life in China, Hong Kong and San Francisco. Can help laughing when Colonel Sun was mystified by the modern days convenience like the Lift.

The pace of the book and plot was fast enough for me. The adventures was suspenseful

The only thing that I feel uncomfortable or not satisfied with the book is the part where Hsun Ching was force to join the Red Army. The time frame and things around there felt rather "brief" . Could have do without that part. Just write about the mystical part and their travel to Hong Kong and San Francisco would have been much better.

Overall am giving it 4 stars out of 5.

Theodore Boone: The Abduction (Theodore Boone #2) by John Grisham

Summary

 Theodore Boone, the kid "lawyer' is back in action. This time, his best friend April had gone missing from her bedroom in the middle of the night. The night before Theodore had just talked to her over the phone and the next morning she had gone missing.

It is up to Theodore and his friends to find out what had happen to April as the Police seems to be hitting the wall at every turn.
  
Would Theodore with his knowledge of legal system going to be able  save April in time? 

My Comments:

This is the second Theodore Boone's book that I have read. Not sure what this book official classification is but in my opinion it should be under Young Adult.

I have a feeling that this will be a whole new series of Theodore Boone's adventure that the author John Grisham going to write. Should be pretty exciting.

Just in case parents out there is wondering, I can say this book is pretty "safe" for young adults to read. It's something like Enid Blyton, The Famous Five. And may even inspire kids to wanna be a lawyer. 

The book have the element of surprises and Theodore is as cunning as a fox.It was sure a page turner for me.

Then why am I giving it only 4 stars out 5 stars? Well, it's because...I feel that it could still be better.

Now am looking forward to getting my hands on Theodore Boone : The Accused. I wonder what the boy is up to next.

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

Summary by www.goodreads.com


From the author who's inspired millions worldwide with books like "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" comes his most imaginative novel yet, "The Time Keeper"--a compelling fable about the first man on earth to count the hours. The man who became Father Time.

In Mitch Albom's newest work of fiction, the inventor of the world's first clock is punished for trying to measure God's greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time.

He returns to our world--now dominated by the hour-counting he so innocently began--and commences a journey with two unlikely partners: one a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must save them both. And stop the world to do so.

Told in Albom's signature spare, evocative prose, this remarkably original tale will inspire readers everywhere to reconsider their own notions of time, how they spend it and how precious it truly is.

My comments :

Received this book from a friend.

I have always liked Mitch Albom books as they are easy to read and meaningful. Unfortunately, I can;t say the same for this book. It took me "forever" to finish reading this. Most probably one of the contributing factor was that the book I've got is an e-book.

First of all the characters in this book were nothing really special and just doesn't "connect" . 

Dor, the Father of Time, was too busy inventing and discovering something to measure time till he neglected the world around him. Even neglected his own family. He only regretted it when he lost them.

The other two characters, Sarah and Victor, too did not shine and expected. They are just your average everyday person. One wanted love and acceptance and the other wanted more time . Both neglected to view what they were having in front of them.

The ending was rather predictable. 

However, I have to mention is that the word play and the flow of the sentence in this book is still as "delicious" as ever. I liked the way he uses words as he made them come alive.

Overall, am giving this book 2 stars out of 5 star.

Guilty Pleasures by Tasmina Perry

Synopsis in www.goodreads.com


In the world of the fabulously rich, fashion can have a very high price. 

Saul Milford, owner of one of England’s oldest and most prestigious luxury goods companies is dead, but who will inherit his estate? 

Saul’s niece Cassandra, editor-in-chief of glamorous fashion magazine Rive? Roger, Saul’s handsome brother with a demanding, scheming wife? Julia the art-dealer sister with a dark and brooding secret? 

All have their reasons for wanting the company. But only one of them will go to any lengths to secure what they believe is rightfully theirs. 

It’s a gilt-edged tale of lust, glamour and intrigue around the world’s most luxurious locations

My comments :
  
I should update this blog more but then recently I have been reading some books which I think rate around 1 or 2 stars out of 5 stars, hence I feel no point updating here. Actually am rather lazy.

However, I feel I should highlight this book. I bought it for just RM8 brand new from last year Big Bad Wolf Books Sale.

At first when I saw the book was so thick, I felt intimidated. Thought I may lose interest halfway. However, am glad to say this book is a real page turner.

I like the way the author introduced each character chapter by chapter and no all jumble up together. The story goes on from there on. No flash back here and there to confuse readers.

This is not just another Chick-lit but there are suspense too. Can't help noticing how the author artfully kept the suspense up to the very end before revealing the person who is plotting to murder for money. Oppsie...looks like I have revealed a bit spoiler. 

Anyway, this is a good book to read if you are tired of the usual no brainer Chick-lit. This book is just nice as a vacation reads by the beach or swimming pool.

For me, I rate this book 4 stars out of 5 stars.



 

Gold Diggers by Tasmina Perry

Synopsis from www.goodreads.com

Glamour, intrigue, lust and betrayal merge as New York billionaire Adam Gold moves to London. 

He’s sexy, single and about to come face to face with The Gold Diggers: 

Karin the jet-setting swimsuit entrepreneur, 

Erin the naive country girl who snares the job as Adam’s PA, 

Molly, a fading eighties supermodel with an expensive drug habit 

and Summer, her beautiful daughter. 

Who will succeed where so many other have failed – and what will they do to get him? From Monte Carlo to Lake Como, St Moritz to St Barts, Gold Diggers takes us on a heady journey through a world of sex, murder and betrayal

My Comments 


This is the first time am reading books for this author. Got it cheap from the Big Bad Wolf Sale. At first I not sure whether to but this book or not as it was very thick. Did not have the confidence it finish it. But seeing that it was only RM8, I bought it anyway.

What I like about this book is that the writing style is similar to Louise Bagshawe and Judith Michael. It's something like Chick-lit and yet the book have a bit of "meat" for me to chew on.

Most of the characters in the book have very shallow view of life with exception of Erin and Summer.

It was fun to read the spats between Molly and Karin. Molly being portray as very shallow, money minded and would not hesitate to"pimp" out her daughter if it benefited her. But I pitied her. It seems that she is always the second best in everything. All her evil scheme back-fired against her. It was hilarious.

What I don't like about this edition is that it have poor proof reading. Spotted several spelling errors.

Ones have to be very careful when reading the ending as it's link to what happen in the beginning of the book.

Overall, I rate it 4 stars out of 5 stars. This is my kind of drug.




 

Death Of A Red Heroine (Inspector Chen Cao #1) by by Qiu Xiaolong

Synopsis 

Inspector Chen Cao is an unusual character. He does not only investigate but also a poet and a translator of American and English mystery novels.

When the naked corpse of a woman was found in a canal, Inspector Chen was assigned to investigate the case. It turn complicated when it was discovered that it was the body of a "National Model Worker". On the surfaces, she seems to lead a model citizen life.

Inspector Chen got in trouble with different sections of the Communist Party when he start to unravel the mysterious death. Some section of the Party wants him off the case by all means. Whether it's by bribery or by darkening his reputation.


Would Inspector Chen be able to dodge the bullets and solve the case?

My comments:

I bought this book two years ago at the Big Bad Wolf Sale Preview 2010. I was lucky that year to have won a Pass to the Preview.

Many of you know that am a fan for books from Asian Authors. Hence, I did not hesitated to pick up this book despite its being 464 pages thick.

I must say, I enjoyed reading this very much as it's something "fresh"  compared to the usual sad stories or political stories that emerge from China.

What I love about the character, Inspector Chen, is that he is the underdog in the story. He is hindered from his investigation every turn he made and yet he did not give up. Instead he used the round about way to get to the bottom of the case.

What I dislike about the story is that the author spent too much time in describing Inspector Chen's personal life which I found a bit tedious. But am guessing the author is just laying the foundation for the subsequent instalment of Inspector Chen's series.

 am giving this book 4 stars out of 5 stars. It's good. It could have been excellent if the page count could have been reduced by editing some part about Inspector Chen personal life.



 

Love You More : The Divine Surprise of Adopting My Daughter By Jennifer Grant

Synopsis by Booksneeze.com

Following the invisible thread of connection between people who are seemingly intended to become family, journalist Jennifer Grant shares the deeply personal, often humorous story of adopting a fifteen-month-old girl from Guatemala when she was already the mother of three very young children.

Her family's journey is captured in stories that will encourage not only adoptive families but those who are curious about adoption or whose lives have been indirectly touched by it. Love You More explores universal themes such as parenthood, marriage, miscarriage, infertility, connection, destiny, true self, failure and stumbling, and redemption.

Sections include:

A Whisper

The Waiting

Learning to Know

In Love You More, Jennifer describes the way she feels God has brought her family together and completed it with the adoption of her daughter.

 My Comments:

This book I about Jennifer's life and experience that lead her to adopting a child from Guatemala altho0ugh she is already a mother of three.

What I liked about this book is that it's not procedure orientated. It's more "memoir" like. Readers are given a picture of what Jennifer's and her family life was liked before the adoption and what prompted her to think about adoption. It's really good to know that she did not preach to the readers why they must adopt kids. She just placed the facts upfront and let the readers decide for themselves. As she had mentioned several times, adoption is not for everyone.

 What I don't like about this book is that it's lack of family photos. As people said a million times before, a photo is worth a million words. It would have been good if they published some photos too.

Overall I rate this book 4 stars out of 5 star. It's not that informative on adoption procedure but it certainly helps readers to understand better what they have to expect when they adopt a child. It's not enough that the future parents wants to adopt just for the sake of charity, but they really have to have enough love for the child. To treat the child as if it's their biological child.

I would like to thank the publisher, Thomas Nelson for sending me this book to review. All opinion stated herein are solely mine.