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On My Wishlist Feb. 26, 2011

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On My Wishlist: Is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City where readers share the books that they want to to read but not yet in their possession.This week on my wishlist are the Millenium Trilogy books "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", "The Girl Who Played With Fire", and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Steig Larsson. This trilogy is said to be one of the most great outstanding trilogies in 2010.

Book an Appreciation of Dr M

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Hi guys, it has been a long time since I last blog about a non-fiction book. I have to admit that I'm more interested in reading the fiction books since they're more fun and enjoyable and hey! I read for pleasure after all. Non-fiction in the other hand normally discuss more about critical issues and I'm well aware that in order to gain more knowledge about these critical subject such as education, economy, politic, and social knowledge as well as self-improvement, this genre is much more useful. Ok, enough of me rambling..what I'm going to share with all of you today is an article from the Star News. The article is about a newly launched book on Malaysia former prime minister Tun. Dr mahathir Mohamad by American journalist Tom Plate. Here's the article:

Putrajaya: American journalist Tom Plate said his book on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is "neither a whitewash nor a grand jury indictment but an appreciation" of the former prime minister. In the book Conversations with Mahathir Mohamad - Dr M: Operation Malaysia, the country's fourth prime minister gives his views on the Internal Security Act (ISA) and Jews, among others. Dr Mahathir had also claimed that the 1987 crackdown when 106 people were arrested under the ISA, was a police decision and that he had met opposition leaders before Ops Lalang to assure them they would not be arrested. the statement drew flack from DAP stalwart Lim kit Siang who denied Dr mahathir had made him and other opposition leaders.

"I dont know what really motivated him (Dr Mahathir) to say the things he said. But I do think that at certain point of one's life, you want the world to know your thoughts on some of the controversies and what you were trying to do, even if it did not work out exactly like you wanted," Plate, 67, said after launching the book at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here yesterday. The book is part of his Giants of Asia series, which also included a book on Singapore's founding father Lee Kwan Yew. 

"His (Dr. Mahathir) point was. if Malaysia doesn't try and just sit where it is, nothing is going to be achieved. Dr Mahathir was not afraid of failure and did not want to be timid," said Plate who is also an internationally syndicated columnist and university professor. "Sometimes, when I went back to him to confirm things hehad said, Dr Mahathir would say, 'That's what I said and that's what I want to say'. "I met him five times and spent a total 10 hours with him," said Plate, adding that the discussion was intense.

In his speech at the book launch, Plate said he decided to include Dr Mahathir in his series of Asian leaders after interviewing the former prime minister to comment and "get some dirt" on Lee for his book on the republic's Minister Mentor. "Upon hearing my request, Dr Mahathir said, 'Come on down!'."When I told him that I should do Giants of Asia book on him, he gave me a big smile," added Plate, drawing laughter from the audience. 
-The Star, Wednesday, 23 Feb. 2011

Conversations with Mahathir Mohamad Dr M: Operation Malaysia: He began his professional career as a family physician but wound up prescribing innovative political medicines for the entire nation that remain controversial even today. Was he exactly the bold and fearless policy doctor that the troubled body politic of Malaysia needed? Or was he just another mendacious mediocrity with a record of persistent misdiagnoses, phony remedies and self-serving justifications? Only history s judgment can offer the final verdict but Dr Mahathir himself is in no doubt. In a riveting series of unprecedented conversations, Malaysia s most famous former prime minister reveals to American journalist and author Tom Plate a panoramic panoply of views on governing, on Islam, on Jews, on the West and on Malays that are striking in historical sweep and contemporary relevance.
This is indeed a good book as Dr Mahathir himself is a very outstanding leader and I really admire him. No doubt that under his leadership Malaysia had gone through lots of drastic development and changes. So, guys lets head to the nearest bookstore and grab this book!! 



WWW Wednesdays Feb. 23, 2011

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A fun weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. This meme gives opportunity to  readers to share our current reading, books we recently finished and books we're going to read next.


What are you currently reading?
"The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory. A rich and compelling tale of love, ambition, lust, and intrigue. Introduces a woman who survived the most glamorous and dangerous court in Europe by following her heart. Currently on page 58. 

What did you recently finished reading?
A fast-fired action thriller by Sean Slater, "The Survivor". No known motives, and no suspect, Detective Jacob Striker worked against the clock to solve the mystery behind Active Shooter at St. Patrick High. Everything lies behind the Red Mask. 4 Stars read. 

What do you think you'll read next?
I'm planning to read Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices book 1, "Clockwork Angel" and  the first book of Caster Chronicles Series by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, "Beautiful Creatures".  

Teaser Tuesdays Feb. 15, 2011

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Teaser Tuesdays: A fun weekly meme Hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading where readers share the teaser sentences from their current reads. This week's teaser is from "The Survivor", a thriller book by Sean Slater. I'm currently on page 42.

The Survivor: Three men wearing hockey masks - Black, White, and Red have stormed the school with firearms and are killing indiscriminately. Black and White are down but Red manages to escape. Detective Jacob Striker is on a dangerous hunt of the Red Masked Shooter, "The Survivor".
His first three shots missed their target, flew somewhere high and wide, but the last one hit centremass. Right between the pecs, base of throat. - The Survivor, pg. 11

WWW Wednesdays Feb. 9, 2011

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A fun weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. This meme gives opportunity to  readers to share our current reading, books we recently finished and books we're going to read next.


What are you currently reading?
I'm reading a thriller novel by Jan Burke, "Bones". I picked this novel from library shelf. But Parrish is the murderer. Julia Syre was his victim. Next victim for his terrifying plan will be a crime journalist, Irene Kelly. 

What did you recently finished reading?
I finished reading "City of Bones" by Cassandra Clare. An outstanding YA fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed the action, the adventures, the quest, and the romance. Absolutely a 5 Stars reading and I should find the rest of the series as soon as possible. Full review in progress.

What do you think you'll read next?
Next come on my list is "The Survivor" by Sean Slater. I received this book from the publisher for Thriller & Suspense Challenge hosted by Book Chick City. I also plan to read the first book of Caster Chronicles Series by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, "Beautiful Creatures".

Review: Cut by Cathy Glass

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Cut by Cathy Glass
Finished reading: February 2, 2011
Memoir, Paperback, 310 Pages, Borrow from Hidayah's Book Club

The Story: Dawn is rejected by her parents and is left at the social care institution. She is then taken in by her foster parents Cathy and John. They treat her as a daughter but little do they know that, Dawn is going to be hard to handle. One night, Cathy awakes to find Dawn standing over her baby, Adrian's cot. This freaks them out and a nightmare is about to start. They know something is wrong with Dawn and try to help but it's not going to be easy as Dawn's past is kept secret from them. "Cut" is a true story of an abandoned, abused girl who tries to be part of a family. 

My Thought: A hard-to-put-down book which I thoroughly enjoyed from the start to it's end. "Cut" tackles the issue of psychological trauma experienced by a child who was abused and subjected to the domestic violence which caused her to act beyond our (or her) own understanding. This is a heavy, critical issue but Cathy managed to deliver in a very easy-to-understand voice and the story telling flows through so well, I almost don't realize that so much time has passed because I get so engrossed in the book. Begins the story with how much she and John desperately want to start a family, Cathy makes a decision to foster a child. Her first foster son, don't give much of troubles but with Dawn, it's going to different. Dawn is sent by her social worker, Ruth. She's a polite, shy 13 years old girl and Cathy for an instant comes to treat her like a daughter. That's what I love most about Cathy character. But then, the story becomes creepy as Dawn starts to sleepwalk toward her baby cot, and re-enact the self-hurting and self-blaming behaviors in her sleepwalking. Dawn also play truants, get drunk, and repeatedly went missing and the worst of all she cut herself.  "The hurt builds up inside me until I can't stand any more. I have to cut to let it out". This statements give me the chill along the spine!

Living in worries and so much stress, Cathy and John tries to find out what goes wrong with Dawn. But, her social worker, Ruth is not much a help as she said that all the details about Dawn's past is confidential. What the hell? I start to hate Ruth by then because I think that Cathy has the right to know Dawn's background . But Cathy reaction is different from mine, of course. She tries very hard to help Dawn and she knows that  she can make Dawn happy again. I really admire Cathy and John for not giving up on Dawn though their family is put in misery. This is a good book indeed. Through her own binocular Cathy manages to grip my heart with her effortless style of writing, easy to love characters (except for Ruth) and a heart-wrenching and mind-blowing thrills. The ending is well put just in a way I love it to end. Well done to Cathy Glass for such a great work and I'm so grateful that I read this book as it is one of the books that change something in me. So, without hesitation, I recommend this to all of you.

Afterwords: This book reminds me of a movie, "Mockingbird Don't Sing" which I watched with my classmates in our forensic psychology class.

CoffeeNCracker's Meter: 4 Cups of Coffee

****This review is linked back to Hidayah's Book Club. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read  "Cut". Malaysia readers who wants to read book for free, visit Hidayah's Book Club site now. This review is also linked back to Book Review Party Wednesday @ Cym Lowell Blog.

Teaser Tuesdays Feb. 8, 2011

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Teaser Tuesdays: A fun weekly meme Hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading where readers share the teaser sentences from their current reads. This week's teaser is from Cassandra Clare's "The Mortal Instruments" series,"City of Bones". I'm currently on page 321 and am enjoying it!!

City of Bones: Clary Fray is seeing things: vampires in Brooklyn and werewolves in Manhattan. Irresistibly drawn towards a group of sexy demon hunters, Clary encounters the dark side of New York City and the danger of forbidden love.
"I was trying to make you jealous!" Simon screamed, right back. His hands were fists at his sides. "You're so stupid, Clary. You're so stupid, can't you see anything?" -City of Bones, pg. 294