The Friday 56: Cold Case

Title: Cold Case
Author: Faye Kellerman
Series: Peter Decker/ Rina Lazarus, # 17
Genre: Thriller, Crime
Source: Library 
Details: Large Print, 367 Pages

"If I thought this would only take a few minutes, I would let you come in. And if I thought it would help Ben's case, I'd let you come in. But I know what it's about because you've probably talked to the bastard."

 ........

The Friday 56 Rules

• Grab the book nearest to you. Right now.
• Turn to page 56 and find the 5th sentence.
• Post that sentence (or plus one or two others you like) along with this instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Story Time With Tonya and Friends.
• Post a link along with your blog post back to Story Time with Tonya and Friends.
• Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the closest.

Follow Friday & Book Blogger Hop

Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee @ Parajunkee's View

Q:If you have, or would have a daughter, what book would you want your daughter to read.

A: Above all, of course her school text books! Haha! Study is her priority after all. About story books I can't really tell. Maybe I'll let her decide by herself but of course I've to monitor whether she read appropriate books or not. Well, my daughter...read Daddy a story please. (Actually I'm not even married yet..LOL)

*****

Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy for Books

Q: What is the one bookish thing you would love to have, no matter the cost?

A:  Break the rule!! Instead of one I'll list two things. First my own mini-library and second an E-reader of my own. Smile...

 

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

Title: The Magician's Nephew
Author: C.S. Lewis
Publisher:HarperCollins
Series: The Chronicles of Narnia #1
Genre: Fantasy 
Details: Paperback, 216 pages


The Story

Narnia, where talking beasts walk, where a witch awaits, where a new world is about to be born. On a daring quest to save a beloved life, two friends are hurled into another world, where an evil sorceress seeks to enslave them. But then the Great Lion Aslan's song weaves itself into the fabric of a new land, a land that will become known as Narnia. And in Narnia, all things are possible.

My Thought

Having adventure is really great. To get to know the world other than what we are living now is quite spectacular. Seeing beautiful lands with all the strange and queer creatures and sometimes get involved in a dangerous quest was what I always dreamed when I was  a little boy. Well, I enjoyed reading the Magician's Nephew because I love adventures. Though the story is engaging and well crafted, but I think there some flaws within the story. The story was told in a very direct way and there are several characters that I really expect to shine in the story but didn't really stand out. For example, Polly. She's supposed to be one of the main characters but sometimes I just feel that she does not exist at all. Well, almost all the characters except for Digory were describes in a superficial way and they did not developed in a way that I expected. This made the story an easy one and not much actions and emotions were put within the story line. However, C.S. Lewis did a good job to get me to stick on flipping the pages until the end of the story. They way he described how the Narnia was formed was really beautiful and splendid. The end of the book is neatly written as he put forward the value of love between a mother and son. Well, this is indeed a review from an adult's point of view. If I'm still a boy, I'm sure that the comment would be different and this book is definitely will be one of my favorite. Well, all in all, this won't be the last book from the series that I'll be reading because there will be more adventures in The land of Narnia. Looking forward for the next adventure!! 

Favorite Quotes

And soon, very soon, before you are an old man and an old woman, great nations in your world will be ruled by tyrants who care no more for joy and justice and mercy than the Empress Jadis. Let your world beware. This is a warning. -Aslan. pg 206.

CoffeeNCracker's Meter

3 Cups of Coffee: This book was narrated in a straight forward, predictable style. However, it was an enjoyable reading with an interesting adventure. Enjoy!!

Teaser Tuesdays: House Rules

Title: House Rules
Author: Jodi Picoult
Publisher: Atria Books
Details: E-Book, 395 Pages
Genre: Thriller, Drama

He won‘t look you in the eye. And if you pause to speak to someone else for a brief moment, you might turn back to find that Jacob‘s left the room. - Emma ~pg. 9

I don‘t get into trouble because rules are what keep me sane. Rules mean that the day is going to go exactly the way I am predicting it to be. I do what I‘m told; I just wish everyone else would do it, too. - Jacob ~pg. 18

I used to have dreams that my brother was normal. Theo ~pg. 78

........

Teaser Tuesdays' Rules

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Marley & Me by John Grogan

Title: Marley & Me
Author: John Grogan
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Biography
Details: Paperback, 289 Pages

The Story

The heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family in the making and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life.

John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.

My Thought
To be honest, the very first time I came across Marley & Me on net, I'm not interested at all. A story about dog? What fun can I get from such a book? Moreover, hey it's a biography! My least favorite genre of all. But then, after reading feedback and reviews from the readers, saying good things about the book I thought I have to try this too. And yes, this is such a stunning biography! I loved it.

John and Jenny brought a cute little Labs puppy, which was then named Marley into their life. Marley, a neurotic and a difficult to handle dog, gave so much joy to their life and also so much trouble. He chewed almost everything and listened to almost nothing instructed by the couple. So, basically, he was a real bad dog. But, the love between them grew even stronger. He was there to comfort Jenny when she had her first miscarriage and accepted the Grogan children into the family with so much love. But, as dogs' lifespan is shorter that human, 13 year old Marley's life was at the end. Now John and Jenny had to make the most difficult choice, to put Marley into an eternal sleep and to say a final goodbye to their beloved family member Marley.

Marley & Me is indeed a novel which is full of emotion and humor. I'm really impressed with the way John Grogan telling us about Marley and his life in particular. Sometimes, it's so hard for us to tell people about our own life. But John Grogan narrates the story very honestly and in a way that people will think that, Oh..this is John Grogan and Marley and this is their story. When talking about biography, I'm very skeptical. You, know it's not easy to get me interested to a biography and I always think that biography is just boring, but Grogan made a great job by telling the story in another perspective or in a way that moving my heart. And yes, I admit that this is the best biography I've ever read. It's full of emotion, relationship, how to give love and how to appreciate love that we have. Though it's a story about Man and Dog, but the message that John Grogan delivered is spectacular and it gave a great impact in me. 

I love John and Jenny because they are so sweet as a couple and they're helping and understanding each other very well. Marley? Owh..I hate that dog when he don't behave but his affection and love to his owner really extraordinary. John Grogan brilliantly describe Marley as the worse dog ever but at the same time the most amazing and adorable dog he ever knew. Well, all in all this biography of Marley and Grogan's family is such a great book that left me weeping at the end of the chapter. 

Favorite Quotes

“No matter how hard life become, he reminded me of its simple joys. No matter how many demands were placed on me, he never let me forget that willful disobedience is sometimes worth the price.”

“In his own flawed way, he was trying.”

CoffeeNCrackers' Meter

5 Cups of Coffee: This is not a typical biography. This is an extraordinary masterpiece and they it was told is just amazing and very honest. If you're a dog lover, this is a must read this. But, if you're not (like me), this story surely will be a tale that you'll be talking again, and again. Highly recommended!

The Friday 56: Mosquito

Title: Mosquito
Author: Roma Tearne
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Historical Fiction, Political Thriller, Love
Details: Paperback, 296 pages

"Vikram," said Gerard, "you must learn not to ask to many questions. You'll be told everything. But, all in good time. Don't ask questions. You aren't going to be an ordinary members of the Tigers, believe me. You are both intelligent and a good shot. So now you're going to be trained for something top class. Trust me, men."

........

The Friday 56 Rules

• Grab the book nearest to you. Right now.
• Turn to page 56 and find the 5th sentence.
• Post that sentence (or plus one or two others you like) along with this instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Story Time With Tonya and Friends.
• Post a link along with your blog post back to Story Time with Tonya and Friends.
• Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the closest.

Teaser Tuesdays: I, Alex Cross

Title: I, Alex Cross
Author: James Patterson
Publisher: Century
Details: Large Print, 374 pages
Genre: Thriller, Crime

When I used that logic to translate the first string, BGEOGZAPMO, it gave me 2430492760. Then I took the first three digits and Googled them as an area code. But 243 came up invalid. pg. 64

 

........

Teaser Tuesdays' Rules

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Naked Face by Sidney Sheldon

Title: The Naked Face
Author: Sidney Sheldon
Publisher: Warner Books
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Action, Thriller, Psychological
Details: Paperback, 316 pages

The Story

Judd Stevens is a psychoanalyst faced with the most critical case of his life. If he does not penetrate the mind of a murderer he will find himself arrested for murder or murdered himself..

Two people closely involved with Dr. Stevens have already been killed. Is one of his patients responsible? Someone overwhelmed by his problems? A neurotic driven by compulsion? A madman? Before the murder strikes again, Judd must strip away the mask of innocence the criminal wears, uncover his inner emotions, fears, and desires - exposed the naked face beneath..

My Thought

This is such a page turner and I just simply cannot put down this book. This book is brilliantly crafted by Sidney Sheldon and no doubt that he is one of the master of story telling. The naked Face is a fast pace psychological action thriller with the twists here and there. The story begins when two police detectives, McGreavy and Angeli came over to Dr. Stevens' clinic to investigate the murder of one of his patients. He was interrogated as if he is the murder and this made Dr. Stevens a bit tensed. Then the second murder occurred. The victim was Carol, his receptionist and Dr. Stevens himself almost got killed in the hit and run. Now, he knew that the real target is himself and told the detectives, But, McGreavy thought that Judd was  making it all up.While he was on the run from both the murder whose several time attempted to killed him and the police who treated him like a murderer he came across a private investigator but just before the investigator wanted to tell him who was behind all the scenes, he got murdered. Then, Judd was alone in pursue of the murderer.

The story was told in a simple language and easy to understand, but it was predictable and too straight forward. For me, a thriller book should make me thing harder what was going on and keep on guessing what  is happening? who's the real mastermind? how the hero will proceed to prove his innocent? This book have a bit of those things but not that much. It was an easy one. However, I loved the sessions of Judd and his dangerous patients, they are maniacs, mentally sick, and psychotic. Being a psychoanalyst is just way to dangerous and I don't think I'll dare to take his job as my profession. But Dr. Stevens did just alright and I kind of admire him. It's not easy to deal with mentally sick people right?

The main character, Dr. Stevens (Judd) developed very well but this is the only character who gave impact in my reading. I really expected that other characters such as McGreavy and Anne can give more spice to the story but Sheldon didn't tell much about them. There were too little involvement of these characters with the story and I really think that The Naked face would be much better if these characters got more roles. Well, I knew that this is Sidney Sheldon's first novel and this minor weaknesses can be forgiven. I'm looking forward for his other novels. For sure.

Favorite Quotes

 “Civilizationwas a thin, dangerously fragile veneer, and when that veneercracked, man became one of the beasts again, falling backinto the slime of the primeval abyss he prided himself onhaving climbed up from.”

CoffeeNCrackers' Meter

3 Cups of Coffee: This is one of those "I-simply-cannot-put-it-down" books. A bit predictable and too obvious but it was a good read. It left you wanting more from the author. Enjoy!

12th On My Wishlist

Hi Guys! Happy Saturday. I browsed through Goodreads and found a book that looks interesting. The cover is simple but nice and the story sound intriguing. The book is Room by Emma Donoghue. Visit Emma at emmadonoghue.com to get further details about Room and the author.

Room by Emma Donoghue

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.

 

 

Credit: On My Wishlistis a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too.

The Tag: You're It!

I was tagged by Darlyn @ Darlyn N Books. Thanks Darlyn.

The Rules

1) Accept the tag and link to the tagger at the beginning of your post.
2) Answer the questions honestly in your post by listing four things.
3) Pass on the love by picking four other people to tag and listing them at the bottom of your post. Notify them that you tagged them.

4 things that are in my handbag (it's backpack in my case)  

1. My journal: I rarely write anything in it though. LOL

2. A notebook for lectures and lab practicals. Also contains my creative works if I got bored in class.
3. Some lecture notes (like a best student who always bring his notes..haha!)
4. The book that I'm reading. Right now it's Marley & Me.

4 favorite things in my bedroom

1. My book collections. 
2. Mirror: I look at it every day. It makes me feel great!
3. The air-cond. The climate is kind of hot in Malaysia you know. 
4. The pillows and mattress. 

4 Things on My Desk

1. The Holy Qur'an
2. The Saint Polo silver watch, a gift from Nisa.
3. My Happy Panda coin box. It's tranparent and I can see the coins inside the panda. Not much in it though.
4. My laptop of course.

4 Things I've Always Wanted To Do (but haven't yet)

1. Take a scuba license and go for scuba diving, to see all the fish and coral reefs.
2. To climb Mount Kinabalu. The highest peak I climbed so far is Mount Korbu.
3. Get a job, a car, a house, and start a happy family.
4. I always wanted to cook my own Tom Ya. (I'm not a good cook)

4 Things I Enjoy Very Much At The Moment

1. Reading
2. Eating
3. Sleep
4. All above..haha!!

 4 Songs I Can't Get Out Of My Head

1. Learn My Lesson by Daughtry
2. Fireflies by Owl City
3. You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift
4. Kiss Me Through the Phone by Soulja Boy

 4 Things You Don't Know About Me

1. I play volleyball and not good in soccer. I can say that my hands is better than my foot when handling ball.
2. I'm addicted to pineapple tarts. I can finish a jar of the tarts in a day and I hate to share them with someone else.
3. I can dance
4. I'm a horrible singer but I love listening to songs. I'm no good in acting but love to criticized other people's act.

4 Bloggers I am Tagging

Karen and Gerard  @ Grab a Book From Our Stack

Miss Page Turner @ Miss Page Turner's City of Books

Jillian @ Random Ramblings

Kah Woei @ The Books of My Life

Teaser Tuesdays: The Naked Face

Title: The Naked Face
Author: Sidney Sheldon
Publisher: Warner Books
Details: Paperback, 316 pages
Genre: Thriller, Crime

"What do you call a man who thinks that everyone's out to kill him?". "A paranoiac," said Judd. He saw the look of Angeli's face. "You don't think I am...?" - pg. 90

........

Teaser Tuesdays' Rules

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Sirens of Baghdad by Yasmina Khadra

Title: The Sirens of Baghdad

Author: Yasmina Khadra

Publisher: Doubleday

Series: A Trilogy of Islamic Fundamentalism

Genre: General Fiction, Political Thriller

The Story

Forced to leave the University of Baghdad when the Americans invade Iraq, a young man from a small desert village returns home, where he witnesses three events that transform him. First, American soldiers at a checkpoint kill the sweet and beloved “village idiot.” Several days later, an American plane bombs a wedding on the outskirts of the village. And then one night, soldiers looking for terrorists come to the young man’s own home and humiliate his father in full view of the terrified family. Consumed by the desire to avenge this unspeakable act, the youth leaves the village for the city. 

Baghdad is going up in flames. The young man searches for a place to stay before being taken in by a radical group and convincing its members that he is willing to do anything to help their cause. After proving his mettle by participating in several attacks, he is sent to Beirut to undertake a super-secret mission that will take him to London. As the time to board the plane nears, he struggles to reconcile his mission with his moral principles.

My Thought

The Sirens of Baghdad is truly an eye-opener, provided us with an insight and perspective on the war and the people who directly involved in the war itself. The story was told from the point of view of a young Iraqis and took place during the invasion of US army in Iraq after the tragedy of September 11. He experienced all the damages including the emotional damage due to the cruelty of the war. This is a well crafted story with full of emotions, disappointments, sadness, anger and resentment. Yasmina Khadra did such a brilliant job in writing such a sensitive issue like this. He didn't put the blame on any party, but rather he gave us the details about how the conflict arose and why it happened in the first place. So, when you closed the book you'll be thinking in different way from when you first opened the book. 

The first part of the book was taken place in Kafr Karam, somewhere in Iraq, which is the village of the main character. A series of regretful events occurred before his own eyes. His friends got killed unreasonably, and his family was assaulted by the enemy resulting his father got killed brutally with no pity at all. These events leave a deep wound in his heart and it won't be healed over time. He sought for a better life and left Kafr Karam to Baghdad, with the hope that life would be better. But, thing didn't happened as he expected.The situation worsen and his wound became deeper. The war have turned the society into chaos, the place once was beautiful turned into a rotten and disgusting place. So, this man loathed the West so much and sought for revenge. Then, his only aim was to destroy the enemy and to make them feel what he and his people feel. SUFFER. So, then he went to Beirut to be injected with a powerful weapon, "the virus" and his mission is to bring the virus to the enemy territory and infect as many people as possible, innocent or guilty both will be punished. It scared me a lot.

All in all, The Sirens of Baghdad was a gripping story with full of regretful events which slap you hard on your face so that you'll wake up from your deep sleep. Yasmina Khadra crafted the story beautifully with the strong characters and breathtaking storyline. But, the only irritating thing about this book is, you don't know what is the name of the main character, because it never once mentioned in the story. The rest is great! Well, I'm so grateful that I'm living in peace here in Malaysia, without fear to go to university, to sleep on bed, and to write this review. *smile 

Favourite Quotes

The imam concluded his lesson by saying, "It's not a question of washing your bodies, but your souls, young men. If you're rotten inside, neither rivers no oceans will suffice to make you clean." pg. 37

Life's nothing but an insane gamble; it's the way you die that determines whether or not you win the bet. That's how legends are born. pg. 269

CoffeeNCrackers' Meter

4 Cups of Coffee: A beautifully crafted eye-opener story about real people, real lives, and how they are really affected by the war. A satisfying read and it left me wanting more from Yasmina Khadra.

11th On My Wishlist

This week On My Wishlist are two books from the YA genre. The first book is The Thirteenth Chime, a book written by a blogger-turned-author, Emma Michaels. The second book would be The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff. Both were published in 2010.

The Thirteenth Chime by Emma Michaels

No one knew of its existence until it was removed from the attic upstairs. In a beautiful house that overlooks the sea, an antique clock has the power to change the course of their lives. The power the clock resonates will not only force Destiny and ex-boyfriend David on a journey into the depths of one man's mind long dead, but into the mind of a man filled with hatred and bent on revenge.

With the only clues to the nature of the clock having disappeared into the sea, Destiny and David must retrace the steps the man had taken into the darkness, before they fall prey to the trap he had set in motion over half a century ago. Hatred never dies.

........

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, Mackie comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement—left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is slowly dying in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with an oddly intriguing girl named Tate. But when Tate’s baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.


Credit: On My Wishlistis a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too.

Follow Friday & Book Blogger Hop

Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee @ Parajunkee's View

Q: How many reviews do you like to do a week?

A: I'm a slow reader, and I can finish at most only 4 books a month. So, one review a week I guess. I would love to do more but for the time being, it's not about how many reviews I can write, but how good are my reviews that matter.

*****

Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy for Books

Q: What's your favorite beverage while reading or blogging, if any? Is it tea, coffee, water, a glass of wine, or something else? 

A:  Plain water is always good for me. But, sometimes I'm rooting for coffee and some crackers or snack while reading and blogging. 

The Friday 56: Marley & Me

Title: Marley & Me
Author: John Grogan
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Biography
Details: Paperback, 289 pages

I thought back to Saint Shaun and how quickly I, a mere ten-year-old boy, had been able to teach him all he needed to know to be a great dog. I wonder what I was doing wrong this time.

........

The Friday 56 Rules

• Grab the book nearest to you. Right now.
• Turn to page 56 and find the 5th sentence.
• Post that sentence (or plus one or two others you like) along with this instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Story Time With Tonya and Friends.
• Post a link along with your blog post back to Story Time with Tonya and Friends.
• Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the closest.

You might also like:

Mine by Taylor Swift

Song: Mine (Single)
Singer: Taylor Swift
Album/Year: Speak Now (2010)
Composer: Taylor Swift
Genre: Country Pop
CoffeeNCrackers' Meter: 5 Cups of Coffee

Do you remember, we were sittin' there, by the water?
You put your arm around me for the fist time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Do you remember all the city lights on the water?
You saw me start to believe for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine.....

She got a nice voice, can sing very well, can play instruments and this song she composed herself. What a talented singer she is? I loved Mine so much, the lyric is simple and sweet and the melody is just superb and catchy. And of course you'll never be bored listening to her songs over and over again. Mine is the first single from Swift's third album, Speak Now, which will be released on October 25, 2010 via Big Machine Records. She wrote the song herself and co-produced it with Nathan Chapman, the producer of her first two studio albums. Unlike with her past two albums, Swift wrote all of its material by herself. Awesome!! Here's Mine 's music video.Enjoy!! 

Mine's Official Music Video

What more?!! Just look at this, the cover album for Speak Now. She looks stunning in that purple dress. Way to go Taylor Swift!!! There will be 14 tracks in Speak Now including Mine. I bet the others will be great also. There is a song with title "Dear John" and it sounds familiar to me. Yeah! It's same title with Spark's novel, Dear John.

Teaser Tuesdays: Perfect Match

Title: Perfect Match
Author: Jodi Picoult
Details: PDF, 307 Pages
Genre: General Fiction, Family

He wishes he could close his eyes and fall asleep forever, just stay in that place where dreams feel so real. Suddenly he has a thought: Maybe this is the nightmare. Maybe he'll wake up and everything will be the way it is supposed to be.

........

Teaser Tuesdays' Rules

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

Title: The Book of Lost Things
Author: John Connolly
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Fantasy
CoffeeNCrackers' Meter: 5 Cups of Coffee

The Story

12 year old David mourns over his mother's death. He is angry and alone and when his father married to Rose and his half brother pops up into his life, his anger and loneliness become worst and he only have  the books on the shelf as company. But those books have begun to whisper to him and because he is to much occupied with his imaginations, the fantasy and reality begun to meld together. He started hearing his Mother's voice and this brought him into a land strange. Then his adventures begun in this land of heroes and foul creatures which is ruled over by a faded king who kept his secrets in a book called.....The Book of Lost Things.

My Thought

When I read the first few chapters of the book, I just simply said to myself, "Is this another story of The Chronicles of Narnia?". Yes, the idea is pretty much the same. The main character went to an unknown land with strange creatures and the conflict was there in the kingdom and he happened to be the next King who will put the conflict to an end. Does it sounds like Narnia to you? I do think so. But the different with The Book of Lost Things is that, the writer got a great idea of the stories within the story. David, throughout his adventures had been told stories by his companions about Little Red Riding Hood, Hensel and Gretel, Snow White and many more. But these characters and the stories are all twisted and very different from what I've ever heard. And the most twisted one is the story of Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs.where Snow White happened to be fat, disgusting, and cruel and 7 Dwarfs tried to kill her with the poisoned apple. Yeah, the story is skewed and twisted almost 360 degree. But it is such a great idea by the author. But all the stories were nicely tied together and the book becomes wonderful and enjoyable.

Despite of all the twisted fairy tales and David's dangerous adventures, there is something to be learned from this book. Appreciate what you have now, so that you won't regret it once they've been taken away from you. David who is holding on his past, get carried away with his emotions. The emotions make him blind and he didn't realized the happy life he got. Fear of losing his memories with his late mother make him refused to accept a new family. But then, after all the adventures he had been through, he learned a lot of things and evolved from a child who is immature to a man who knows what is the real meaning of life. I love the ending of the book and it makes me think a lot. Such a wonderful story....simply love it!

Favorite Quotes

"For in every adult there dwells the child that was, and in every child there lies the adult that will be."

"Stories wanted to be read, David's mother would whisper. They needed it. It was the reason they forced themselves from their world into ours. They wanted us to give them life."

The Friday 56: The Sirens of Baghdad

Title: The Sirens of Baghdad
Author: Yasmina Khadra
Series: A Trilogy of Islamic Fundamentalism
Genre: General Fiction, Political Thriller
Details: Large Print, 307 Pages

 "Shut up! Shut the fuck up or I'll blow your brains out. Hands behind your head!"

........

The Friday 56 Rules

• Grab the book nearest to you. Right now.
• Turn to page 56 and find the 5th sentence.
• Post that sentence (or plus one or two others you like) along with this instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Story Time With Tonya and Friends.
• Post a link along with your blog post back to Story Time with Tonya and Friends.
• Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the closest.

September Recap

Hi, guys!! It's a new month, October! Lots of things happened in September. There are good things, and there are the bad things also. That is life. Well, lets look back what happened  in September. 

Book I Finished In September

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger  [Review]
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen  [Review]
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly  [Review in Progress]
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer  [Review in Progress]

Book of the Month: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Rated: 5 Cups of Coffee

I'm so happy that I can read all these books and it is such an enjoyable experiences. I really hope that I can bring this joy into October because a lot more interesting books are waiting to be read.

To be Read in October

The Sirens of Baghdad by Yasmina Khadra
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult
My Shit Life So Far by Frankie Boyle

That's all for the recap. Happy October and I hope that this month will bring joy and happiness to all of us. Happy reading!!