Tag: Book Blog

Book Review: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

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Goodreads: The Nightingale
Genre: Historical Fiction, WWII, Romance, Fiction
Panda Rating:


FRANCE, 1939
In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real–and deadly–consequences.

This book absolutely shattered me. I don’t even know how to start writing a review for this beautifully heartbreaking book. I was ugly crying so hard in the last few chapters—like literally full body heaving, and just as my tears abated after one chapter, they’d flow again once I started the next. What have you done to me Kristin Hannah?! I was not expecting to feel this EMOTIONAL. Holy wow, when I finished this last night, my whole body felt so heavy but equally drained of energy! This moving book talks about a side of the war that is seldom seen or talked about: the women, and it was equally moving, fascinating and absolutely spellbinding.

“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.”

The Nightingale is told in alternative perspectives between two sisters, Isabelle Rosignoll and Vianne Mauriac, from the start of the Nazi occupation in France until their liberation by the Allies. There were also a few chapters with an “anonymous” female narrator from the US in 1995, but we don’t find out who that is until the very end. I honestly can’t remember the last time I read a story about such strong female characters. Although they’re as different as can be, with Isabelle being the rebellious, bold and feisty younger sister to Vianne’s quieter, sensible and stable older sister, they both displayed awe inspiring strength and bravery during one of the most horrifying periods in history.

I was right there from the start with Isabelle’s character. I felt for her desire to be loved and accepted. She was wild and headstrong. Although it was reckless, I greatly admired how passionate she was about fighting for her people, resisting the Nazi’s, and how she dove right into the heart of danger by joining the resistance. She went on to save the lives of hundreds of Allied soldiers, and even though I was clutching my throat through every dangerous mission, how I cheered for her character to survive!

In contrast, I initially struggled with Vianne’s character. I thought her meek, almost cowardly and too willing to accept the changes happening around her. I wanted her to be bold like Isabelle, to fight—but in the end, I recognized that Vianne’s was a quiet strength that was just as admirable and courageous as her sister’s. As a mother she did everything she could to protect her children, and to survive the situation in the way she knew how to. She made a lot of mistakes that were sometimes fatal, but of the two, Vianne was the one who clearly grew the most throughout the story.

It’s so hard to believe that none of these characters are real. I grew to love all of them: Isabelle, Vianne, Sophie, Gaëtan, Antoine, Julien, Anouk, Micheline, Henri and so many others… I became so invested in their lives, safety and survival that it almost felt as if I was there and that I knew their fear, losses, strength and triumphs. With every scene, I could picture so clearly the surroundings. Kristin Hannah did wonders in bringing the setting and the characters to life with her simple yet descriptive prose. It’s not necessarily a “fast read” and it definitely wasn’t an easy one due to the subject matter, but I found I simply couldn’t put this book down. And when I was forced to put it aside, all I could think about was coming back to the story, and immersing myself back into the lives of these characters.

I think Hannah did a really fantastic job with this book and I learned so much about a different part of this historical period. Most books covering WWII, the Nazi occupation and the Holocaust focus on Jewish characters, and the horrors of the concentration camps. While there was a small part of that in this book, it was refreshing to learn about how other countries and citizens were also deeply affected, and especially to learn about the crucial role women played in surviving the war. One quote really got me:

”Men tell stories … Women get on with it. For us it was a shadow war. There were no parades for us when it was over, no medals or mentions in history books. We did what we had to during the war, and when it was over, we picked up the pieces and started our lives over…”

How everything was tied together in the end was bittersweet perfection. It wasn’t rushed, and it answered the questions I had leading up to the “present day”. And like I said, my tears wouldn’t stop gushing. I want to give this book all the freaking panda stars!

I honestly didn’t think anything would top my feels for The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which has held the top spot on my favorites so far this year, but The Nightingale knocked it out of the ballpark for me. I definitely wasn’t expecting that! This book has received rave reviews and a lot of hype, and it 100% worth all of it. I think it’s safe to say this is now one of my all time favorite historical fiction novels. I can’t wait to read more of what Kristin Hannah has written!

Have you read The Nightingale or is it on your TBR?
Did it live up to the hype for you or were you disappointed?

#WWWWednesday: 05 June 2019

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It’s time for another WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be talking about:

  1. What did you read last?
  2. What are you currently reading?
  3. What will you read next?

What did you read last?

I finished The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah last night and let me tell you, this book absolutely destroyed me. I was crying buckets and was slightly afraid that I wouldn’t be able to stop. This book… was everything! Honestly, it has received so much hype and plenty of rave reviews and in my opinion, it completely lived up to it. I was so invested in all the characters, their stories and I was clutching my throat through all the heart thumping scenes, hoping that everyone I grew attached to would survive the war. It’s an incredible story and I’m still finding it hard to believe that none of these characters were real. Kristin Hannah breathed so much life into them and the action and surroundings of that period. I’m gutted I waited this long to read it, but I’m so glad I finally did and I can’t wait to read more of her books. My full review is coming right up, so keep an eye out for it!

What are you currently reading?

Since finishing the aforementioned incredible book, I’ve been indecisive about what to read next. So I’ve picked up Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and I’m finally continuing with the ARC for I’m Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come by Jessica Pan. I should absolutely be reading more ARCs right now (I’m so behind!), but I’m also in a historical fiction mood, so I thought I’d finally read Crawdads–I’ve been so excited to start it ever since I won a giveaway and requested it! But I’m Sorry I’m Late is also liberally sprinkled with humor and I’ve been having such a laugh reading it. Plus, after The Nightingale, I think it’d be good to have a bit of a lighter read as a “palate cleanser”, and from what I’ve read so far, I think this is going to be a great and highly enjoyable read!

What will you read next?

As June is Pride Month, I’m hoping to read a lot of LGBTQIA+ reads, so I think I’ll start What If It’s Us by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli. Here’s the synopsis for it:

Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.

Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.

But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?
Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.
Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.
But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?
What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?
What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?
But what if it is? 

What are you currently reading? Have you read any of these books? 🙂

#TopTenTuesday: Books from My Favourite Genres

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We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is: books from my favorite genre. I have to start by admitting that I don’t have just one favorite genre. Really, I don’t. Just like my taste in music, food, and many things in life, I like to love all sorts, and that definitely includes the types of books I read! There are some genres that I don’t read from at all (horror) or as much (NF), but for the most part, I read everything. However, I do gravitate towards a few genres more than others: contemporary fiction, historical fiction, and fantasy, so for today’s prompt, I’ll be introducing you to some of my favorite books from these genres!

Historical Fiction

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I’ve literally just finished this book and I’m still wiping the tears off my face as I write this blog. I want to give this book ALL THE STARS. All the panda faces. Everything! This book tore my heart apart and slowly pieced it back together. I’m astounded that I can still be astounded by the cruelty of humans, and that infuriatingly, we haven’t really learned from our past. I already can’t recommend this book enough!

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. There’s a lot of mixed reviews about this book but I was on the side that loved it. It didn’t sweep me off my feet from the start, but it hooked me and kept reeling me in until the end. I became so attached to the characters and filled myself with their hopes, and it absolutely crushed me.

Fall of Giants (The Century Trilogy #1) by Ken Follett. Historical fiction full of family drama, romance, politics and war. I was so invested in all the characters and I wanted them to survive so much. While the full trilogy was great, the first book of the series was my favorite of the three.

Natchez Burning Trilogy (Penn Cage #4-6) by Greg Iles. I don’t know how I stumbled upon the first book (Natchez Burning) in this trilogy but I was immediately hooked. This is a thrilling historical fiction set in Mississippi and covers history of the KKK, and the civil rights movement. The final book came out last year and it was the perfect ending to this mesmerizing thriller!

Contemporary Fiction

The Pact by Jodi Picoult. I first discovered Jodi Picoult’s books when I was in Year 12 and this was the first book of hers that I read. I was immediately sucked into her writing style and I couldn’t stop recommending her to everyone I met. I’m pretty sure that I only read Jodi Picoult for the rest of the year.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. This is such an important and relevant book to everything that’s happening in American society today. But I think it also holds an important message for everyone worldwide. This was one of my top five reads last year and if you haven’t read it yet, I suggest you pick it up ASAP!

Fantasy

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. This was my first Gaiman book and there was no looking back afterward. This book hurtled Gaiman into a top spot as one of my favorite authors. It’s darkly enchanting, funny, and supremely magical. I loved how Gaiman created this otherworld parallel to modern day London, and I enjoyed picturing the tube stops and surrounding areas that I was freshly familiar with while reading this!

Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan. This was my first foray as an adult into fantasy and I fell head over heels in love with it. After I finished this series, I continued on with Canavan’s other series and scoured the public library shelves in Norwich trying to find other fantasy books that could sweep me away. I succeeded, but since discovering this series first, Trudi Canavan became my first favorite fantasy author!

Caraval Series by Stephanie Garber. Remember, it’s only a game. It’s a world that I’d love to visit but a game I don’t think I would survive playing. The world building is spectacular and so magical, and the game sucks you right in with its mystery and intrigue. It’s an adventure that I haven’t yet re-lived in Finale because I’m quite sad to see this series ending.

Monsters of Verity Duology by V. E. Schwab. I have yet to read a Schwab book that I don’t like, and while ADSOM has appeared countless times on my list as the ultimate favorite, I wanted to give more love to the Monsters of Verity series. The world and its monsters are terrifying, and the characters badass. It’s nightmare inducing, savage, haunting and simply beautiful. And honestly, I just love the titles of these books!

What are some books from your favorite genre(s)? Are you a fan of any of the above genres? If you’ve done a Top Ten Tuesday post for today’s prompt, leave your link in the comments below 🙂

Book Review: Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

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Goodreads: Emergency Contact
Genre: YA Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
Panda Rating:


For Penny Lee high school was a total nonevent. Her friends were okay, her grades were fine, and while she somehow managed to land a boyfriend, he doesn’t actually know anything about her. When Penny heads to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a writer, it’s seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything she can’t wait to leave behind.

Sam’s stuck. Literally, figuratively, emotionally, financially. He works at a café and sleeps there too, on a mattress on the floor of an empty storage room upstairs. He knows that this is the god-awful chapter of his life that will serve as inspiration for when he’s a famous movie director but right this second the seventeen bucks in his checking account and his dying laptop are really testing him.

When Sam and Penny cross paths it’s less meet-cute and more a collision of unbearable awkwardness. Still, they swap numbers and stay in touch—via text—and soon become digitally inseparable, sharing their deepest anxieties and secret dreams without the humiliating weirdness of having to see each other.

For some reason, I’m having a really hard time stringing coherent sentences together to write this review. It’s been two days since I finished reading it and I thought that giving it some time to settle in my head would make it easier, but I’m still struggling; and not because I didn’t love it. So, sorry in advance for the rambling gushy review!! Straight up: this was 100% a cover buy. The blurb made the story sound cute, but the cover is what hooked me in. The art work, the pastel pink on white, and that rose gold title text made me want to add this to my shelf ASAP! Now that I’ve read the book, my favorite part of the cover is the fact that the characters depicted on it are 100% accurate of the characters within, and in terribly geeky fashion, when the cover gets it right, it pleases me to no end!

That said, I didn’t really have any expectations when I started reading it, but the story wasn’t anything at all like what I thought it would be. It’s an easy and fast read, told in alternating perspectives between Sam and Penny, and a mix of short text exchanges and paragraphs. When I finished this, all I wanted to do was lie on my bed with that book clutched to my chest and never let it go. The characters made me laugh, cry, get mad and want to give out all the free hugs. Thinking about Penny and Sam–their struggles, their friendship and relationships, and their pretty awkwardly wholesome personalities–actually still makes me want to cry (just a little). Although this could very well be my PMS? Hah, just kidding (sort of). In all realness, there was something so completely pure about both their characters and I felt for them so much throughout the book! This was more than just a cute love story, it was about characters learning about themselves, learning how to navigate college and all the freedom and expectations that this new “adult” life brings. We’ve all been there, some of us are going through that even now, so that made the story and characters very relatable.

“I like knowing that you exist. It doesn’t make me feel any less lonely, because life is lonely, but it makes me feel a lot less alone.”

I loved how Penny and Sam very awkwardly meet and become each other’s ’emergency contacts’. I loved that they texted ALL THE TIME and felt so comfortable being themselves “around each other” and there was no judgement from either. It reminds me a lot of the kind of friendship that I have with my own BFF (who I guess would be my OG EC) in that you can just talk about the silliest, most random things and they get it without you having to explain yourself. While their friendship was adorable, their awkward and dorky flirting was perfection!Thinking of their friendship/relationship and connection fills me up with a giant bubble of warmth!

I admit that I initially struggled with Penny’s character. I found myself really disliking her, not because of her incredibly awkward and seemingly cold personality, but mostly because of how she reacted to her mother, Celeste. How Penny treated Celeste really rubbed me the wrong way; however, as we learn about Penny’s character, we find out why she acts this way, and while it did leave me scratching my head a little, I understood that (however misguided) it does come from a place of love. I’ve been that girl too and seeing that reflected in Penny’s character, especially how her character grows at the end, reminded me a lot of my own relationship with my mum. Then there’s Sam. Sweet(!), mushy, lovable, tattooed(!!), BAKER BOYMAN(!!!), Sam. He was absolutely my favorite and ugh, I just wanted to constantly reach through the book and give him all the hugs! Watching how these two supported and grew together made me feel a little like I was watching my kids grow up, and honestly, I was just so proud!

Also, this book was perfectly quotable. There are so many random, quirky, funny, and relatable passages that I want to share, so the rest of this review is going to be just that!

I know we’re basically just a series of texts. But I’m glad that whatever led you to me happened.

“It wasn’t a romance; it was too perfect for that. With texts there were only the words and none of the awkwardness. They could get to know each other completely and get comfortable before they had to do anything unnecessarily overwhelming like look at each other’s eyeballs with their eyeballs.” 

“Penny thought of this Korean saying for when you really, really liked something. You’d say it ‘fit your heart exactly.’ Sam fit her heart exactly.” 

“Penny believed with her whole heart that there were moments – crucial instances – that defined who someone was going to be. There were clues or signs, and you didn’t want to miss them.” 

“It’s piles and piles of emotional homework forever if you ever want to qualify as a grown-up.” 

Have you read Emergency Contact or is it on your TBR?

Sundays in Bed With… #MyWeeklyWrapUp [07]

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We’re back with another Sundays In Bed With… meme, which dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve been you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

I’ve spent this Sunday in bed with The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I remember seeing this book on Kindle Unlimited a few years ago, but although it sounded interesting, I never got around to reading it. Then I joined bookstagram and saw this book receive so much hype, and as often happens, I felt a little wary about picking it up. I don’t think I would have picked this up yet if not for the buddy read I’ve joined for it. Unsurprisingly, I’m really enjoying it and have sped through it; mostly because I needed to get the reading done for our discussion of the first half tonight, but because it’s pretty easy to read. I’m a big fan of historical fictions, especially about WWII, the holocaust and the Nazi’s invasion and occupation of many countries in Europe. This is the first time I’ve read their occupation in France though so it’s been an interesting read. My mind boggles at how these people were so cruel, so fixated on their idea of purity and the need to cleanse society of millions of people just because of their ethnicity and religion. Obviously, it wasn’t just Jews that were targeted though. I’m thinking this one is going to at least be a 4-4.5 star read, but I have a feeling the really heart-wrenching stuff is coming up in the second half of the book. I can feel my tears gearing themselves up for release 😂

What book are you currently reading?

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In Indonesia, the holidays have already begun for everyone as Idul Fitri/Eid is coming up next week. Unfortunately though, my office is only closed on Wednesday & Thursday, and I’m taking Friday off, which means that it’s back to work for the next two days. Oh Monday, I really thought you were still a day away! There’s a lot of family visiting right now, and I’m gutted that they’re all relaxing and I have to think about getting up early for work. The long weekend honestly can’t come soon enough! June is going to be a very busy month but I’ve got two buddy reads planned (one of which is for The Nightingale) and I’m hoping to read a lot more ARCs, and to read more LGBTQIA+ reads for Pride month! Despite my ridiculous work schedule, I have a feeling June is going to be a really great reading month! But for now, here’s a wrap up of the posts I made this week:

My May Monthly Wrap Up!
ARC Review: The Women by S.E. Lynes
Friday Favorites: Classics
Review: The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
#WWWWednesday: 29 May
Top Ten Tuesday: Books Released in the Last 10 Years
Review: Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

How has your reading and blogging week been? Come let me know in the comments 🙂

ARC Review: The Women by S.E. Lynes

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Goodreads: The Women
Publisher: Bookouture
Publish date: 22 May 2019
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery

Panda Rating:


The night she moves in with Peter, she’s so happy, so exhilarated, so in love. Later, she will remember a much smaller feeling, a tiny one percent in her gut. And she will remember pushing that feeling aside…Samantha Frayn doesn’t know why Peter Bridges picks her – a nobody with bitten fingernails and a troubled childhood behind her – but she falls quickly. He’s older, charming, likes fine wine and French films, and his beautiful home has real art on its walls. Peter transforms Samantha’s life in an instant. He sees the better version of herself – the one she’s always wanted to be. It’s only normal that there’s a little friction, when she moves in, over domestic matters like where things are kept, or the proper times to eat, sleep and shower. She’s lucky to be with someone who can help her find a new job, move on from childish friends, and speak with greater sophistication. But as Samantha notices, more and more, Peter’s temper, she starts to wonder if there might be consequences to breaking the rules of the world he has so quickly built around her. And then she receives an anonymous note that makes her ask: is she the first woman to feel trapped by Peter? Is she being paranoid, manipulated, or could she be in danger? You can tell the truth about your life, but someone needs to be listening. Someone needs to trust you. And someone needs to save you from the man you thought you loved.

This was a fascinating, slow-burn psychological thriller that packed a powerful punch and tackled a very important issue. The author illustrates well the power of charm and sophistication, and how abusers can manipulate you, get under your skin and into your head before you even know it’s happened.

The story starts off at the end, so we already know that something bad is going to happen. Through the characters’ words and actions, we also know that there’s a deep underlying current of tension, anger and guilt. Peter’s ugly character already begins to shine through in this first chapter, and I knew right off that he’d be the worst kind of character. But on the surface, Peter wasn’t seen as a “bad guy”, which made him one of the most dangerous types of people out there. The ones that can charm and disarm. The ones with a seemingly thick layer of sophistication and perfection that only just masks the teeming ugliness that’s slick under the surface.

The characters were well developed. As we got further into the story, more and more layers of Samantha’s and Peter’s characters are peeled back like layers. When they first meet, Peter is a charming, handsome, and intelligent history professor that has a reputation as a ladies man, but surprises Samantha with how courteous and respectful he is. Their “relationship” moves very quickly; from Samantha visiting his house that first night, to sleeping with him the next, and then moving in with him very soon after that. Peter is persuasive and showers Samantha in compliments and assurances that he has never met someone like her and that she’s his one. However, Peter’s actions slowly become more manipulative and controlling, and I was shocked at the ease in which it happened. Samantha unknowingly relinquishes her autonomy to him and very quickly lets him dictate all aspects of her life. I particularly enjoyed how Samantha’s character grew–going from this naive young woman, to someone dogged by paranoia, anger and shock, and then she takes all that emotion and strengthens herself with it to undertake the “final act”. Her empowerment and determination after meeting “the women” who survived Peter’s abuse, made me feel somewhat giddy, just as much as it made her feel excited and emotionally high in the novel. There were many twists and turns as more of Peter’s past is revealed, and although it wasn’t very unpredictable, I was hooked and wanted to speed through to find out what happens to lead them to that final scene.

What made this book frightening was how realistic the situation is. The relationship between Samantha and Peter sady isn’t uncommon. There were times that I found myself frustrated that Samantha was defending Peter and seemed unwilling to open her eyes to his scumbag ways; but then I realized that in real life, this is the dynamic that exists in these relationships. The abused have their views so warped by the abuser, that they’re unable and sometimes unwilling (for their own sanity) to believe that something so perfect from the start could actually be the worst thing to happen to them. I thought this book was well-written and covered the topic well. Although until recently people haven’t openly spoken about the issue (at least to my knowledge living in Asia), that’s even more reason why it needs to be given greater attention. Especially with the current “Me Too” movement. I was very pleasantly surprised by this story, and I’m looking forward to reading other books by S.E. Lynes!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Have you read The Women or is it on your TBR?

Friday Favourites: Classics

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TGI-freaking-F, book lovers! Although I’ve also had a shorter week, as have many others, this work week felt particularly long and draining. Do you find that happens with you too, despite only working four days instead of five? I still can’t believe it’s already the last day of May though. Holy wow, time is flying! I quite like that May ends on a Friday though. I think the weekend is the perfect way to ease into a new month, don’t you think? And since it’s Friday, it’s time for another Friday Favourites is hosted by Something of the Book! This weekly meme is where you get to share a list of all your favourites based on the list of prompts on Kibby’s page. Sounds fun, right? This week’s prompt is: favourite classics.

Since it’s been a long day and I’m halfway to falling asleep, I’m going to keep this short and sweet. I’ve narrowed my list down to five favorite classics. Some of these left me swooning with the romance, crying with the raw deal the characters suffered and experienced, and basically sucker punched me in all my emotions at the end.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I’ve mentioned this one countless times on my blog already, so it’s really no surprise that it’s at the top of my favorite classics list 🙂

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I wasn’t expecting to love this one when I picked it up but I remember being immediately hooked and unable to put it down. It was nothing at all like what I expected and my mind was blown.

Persuasion by Jane Austen. Another Austen that I’ve also mentioned countless times on here. This one got me through a particularly rough period of time and filled me with so much hope. I’m an Austen girl for life!

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. This was one of the required readings at school that I absolutely loved. Lennie broke my heart! I’m pretty sure that I “forgot to give back” and “lost” the classroom and library copies because I didn’t want to give them back. Oops 🙊 #badpanda

The Color Purple by Alice Walker. If I’m not mistaken, this was also a book that we read in our humanities class at school. Celie’s is a powerful, haunting, and heartbreaking story. The movie wrecked me just as much as the book did.

Have you read any of these classics? What are your favourite classics?

Book Review: The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

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Goodreads: The Bride Test
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit
Panda Rating:


Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions — like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better— that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride. As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working… but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love…

I started this book for a group read with @travelingfriendsreads on Instagram. If I had no plans on the day I started this, I would’ve undoubtedly stayed poolside all day to finish reading it. As it was, I had to put it down and do things, but I was counting down the hours until I could pick it up again the whole time! This was such a fast, fun and sexy read. As an Asian, I find it so great to be able to read romances about Asians/Asian-Americans. Although I initially found the thought of Esme being a mail-order-bride not only stereotypical but intensely cringeworthy, I should have known that Helen Hoang would never have let it stoop to that level, so fear not book friends, this one is definitely a goodie! This wasn’t as sexy as Hoang’s debut novel, The Kiss Quotient, but I still found it fairly steamy (in the best way, obviously)!

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I really enjoyed the characters and the chemistry between Khai and Esme was seriously electric! Like, it was palpable and it was really fun to see how their relationship evolved. It doesn’t happen overnight, but considering the time limitation of Esme’s visa, it happened faster than would probably be realistic. Although the speed in which they fall for each other is balanced out quite nicely by the ending! I thought their character development was done well. As someone on the spectrum, who “doesn’t feel and think the same way as others do”, Khai doesn’t believe he deserves love or is capable of giving love. He experienced the loss of someone he was very close to when he was young and since then he has been ‘stuck’ in that zone of no feelings. I can’t speak to the accuracy of how Hoang wrote Khai’s character, but I did find it interesting to read a romance from this perspective, and to see how Khai interacts with others and how he views and experiences romantic relationships. It was really heartwarming and satisfying to watch him slowly open up and learn to accept that he can love and be loved in return.

Esme was such a smart, strong and independent young woman and I was rooting for her the whole time! Although she and Khai were in many ways completely different, they were also wonderfully compatible and complementary. I was so pleased to see her stand up for herself and to go after what she wanted to improve her life by learning a new language and pursuing a degree; especially when things with Khai looked rocky AF. There’s a key aspect of her character that might be considered a spoiler, although you basically learn about it in the first few pages, so I won’t mention it specifically here, except to say that I wish this relationship in her life played a bigger role in the story. Especially considering how it was one of Esme’s main motivations. Probably the most unrealistic parts of this book occurred at the end — when huge life-changing secrets were revealed in the most casual manner and so readily accepted without thought. Literally no one batted an eye and it was eye-roll worthy.

If there’s one thing that I wished was discussed more was the perception of autism within Asian circles. In many Asian countries, you don’t ever hear people talking about the spectrum. It’s not exactly a taboo topic, but it’s something that many don’t understand or want to understand because it’s something to be pitied or just ignored completely. This was kind of demonstrated by Esme, who had no idea what autism was, when Quan mentioned it for the first time. I hoped that she would take active steps to learn about it and to understand more about Khai in light of her new knowledge, but I was disappointed when that didn’t happen.

That said, this book had me breaking out in continuous laughter with the character’s random quirks and funny and endearing interactions. Michael (from TKQ) also makes a small appearance in the story and it was such a cute little scene between Khai, Michael and Quan. And SPEAKING OF, can we talk about how much I LOVED Quan?! I’m hoping that Helen Hoang is writing his story next coz I’m sure he’s won the hearts of all the readers with this book and honestly, I just want more of him! IMO, there was very little to dislike about this one. It definitely lived up to the hype for me! If you’re saving this for the summer, I’ll say there’s no better time to read it; it’s definitely the perfect beachside or poolside companion. I’m so looking forward to reading what Hoang comes out with next (**cough**Quan’s story!**cough**)! 😉

Have you read The Bride Test (or The Kiss Quotient)? Is it on your TBR? Would love to your thoughts on it! Happy reading, book friends 🙂

#WWWWednesday: 29 May 2019

Dini @ dinipandareadsLeave a comment

Friends, we’ve come to the end of yet another month. I realize this is what happens when each day and week ends, but my head’s spinning at the fact we’re already moving into JUNE. What have I done with all these months that have passed?! Damn. So it’s time for another WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be talking about:

  1. What did you read last?
  2. What are you currently reading?
  3. What will you read next?

What did you read last?

In the last week I finished Final Girls by Riley Sager, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren and I Spy the Boy Next Door (ARC) by Samantha Armstrong (read my review). I absolutely ADORED Josh and Hazel–they were adorable and their story of friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite kinds. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book as fast as I did theirs. You can read my full review here. I’m so excited to read more Riley Sager because I really enjoyed Final Girls. The twists and that ending was completely different to what I expected to happen and it blew my mind (and everyone at that Starbucks on Sunday morning can attest to how shocked, as I started swearing out loud–oops)! 🤦🏻‍♀️ My review for this one will be coming soon.

What are you currently reading?

I’m currently reading Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi. This is another one from my #APICelebrAsian list and I’m hoping that I can finish it soon, although it’s the kind of book that I don’t feel like rushing through right now. I’m loving the characters and their stories–I honestly just want to give Sam the biggest hug in the world, and then stick him in a room with Penny SO THEY CAN TALK. This was admittedly a cover buy because I couldn’t resist this gorgeous millennial cover, but I’m happy to say that I can enjoy the content as well. I’m embarrassed to say that I’m still pretty behind on reading my galleys, but I am determined to slowly make my way through them! I started The Women by S.E. Lynes and it’s been interesting so far, but I think because I can anticipate this one making me pretty anxious, I’m not racing to pick it up again.

What will you read next?

Besides the MANY MANY ARCs that I will be reading, I’m really looking forward to starting Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. I won my first ever giveaway on Instagram at the end of April, and the book I requested was Crawdads. Y’all have no idea how happy I am that this book is finally in my hands! As I’m sure many of you know, the hype for this book has been unreal and even months after its release, it’s still getting hyped. So you know it’s bound to be a great read, right? I’ve heard some say that they really didn’t like it, but mostly because they’re not fans of historical fiction, so I think it’s safe to say that I won’t find myself relating to them because I love historical fiction!

What are you currently reading? Have you read any of these books?
Leave me a comment and let’s chat 🙂

#TopTenTuesday: Books Released in the Last 10 Years

Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme was suggested by Anne @ Head Full of Books and is about favorite books released in the last 10 years (one book for each year). I think choosing one book for each year will be so tough because I normally don’t pay attention to publication years–at least, not until this year–so I’m probably forgetting a slew of backlist books that I’ve read and loved only because I’m not sure of their publication dates 🙂 That said, I’m excited to give this one a go! Without further ado…

2009: Under the Dome by Stephen King. This was first published in November 2009, but I got the edition that was published in 2010, but I’m counting it! This was my first King novel and I remember loving it so much that I was convinced King would be one of my all-time favorites and an auto-buy author. Hodder & Stoughton had these really cool alternate cover editions with different characters and I got this guy, who I assumed was Dale Barbara.

2010: Fall of Giants (The Century Trilogy #1)by Ken Follett. The Century Trilogy is probably one of my all time favorite series. A friend got really excited when she saw the third book of the series in the store one day and she immediately recommended him to me and I absolutely loved it. It’s historical fiction but told through various family lenses, there’s drama, romance, politics and mystery. I honestly loved this series much more than The Pillars of the Earth (which Follett is known for). Don’t come for me, but that one was a fair struggle to get through.

2011: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. Miller’s lyrical prose combined with the mystifying, love story between Patroclus and Achilles left me a complete wreck by the end of this book. Miller’s ability to humanize one of the most famous Greek Gods blew me away. This was honestly the Greek myth retelling that I never knew I needed in my life, but I’m so glad that I picked it up because it’s now one of my favorites.

2012: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. This is actually a hard year to pick from because there are quite a few books that were published this year that I’ve absolutely loved! I actually didn’t realize that this was published in 2012, but I remember stumbling across it at the Norwich Public Library that same year, and thought it sounded like a cute read. I was not prepared for how emotionally drained it would leave me feeling.

2013: The Rosie Project (Don Tillman #1) by Graeme Simsion. This book surprised me with how much I loved it. Don is such a character and Rosie is so bad ass. They’re such opposites but they work so beautifully together. This is a funny and touching story that I think everyone should read at least once.

2014: The Girl with All The Gifts (The Girl with All The Gifts #1) by M.R. Carey. This was a tie with All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer. I loved both equally but I thought TGWATG was particularly unique. I’m not at all a fan of horror, but this one reeled me in very quickly and  I remember being equally grossed out, scared, and incredibly fascinated by the characters, setting and overall premise. I haven’t seen the movie yet and I’m not sure I want to… But I definitely want to reread this at some point.

2015: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara and A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab because I simply refuse to choose between these two books that are some of my all-time favorites. I can’t even begin to say how much A Little Life affected me while reading. This one gave me the biggest book hangover of my life. And ADSOM is very high on my favorite series list. Schwab has a way of pulling me in with her magical worlds and complex characters, and this solidified her as an absolute fave.

Side note: Seriously though, 2015 had some hella good books. It was so hard to choose and I know it’s not going to get any easier!

2016: The Dry by Jane Harper. I only read The Dry this year but it has hands-down been one of my favorite reads so far. Harper’s writing is deeply atmospheric and it’s almost like you can feel yourself standing in the middle of the dry heat of the outback, while you’re reading this book. It’s a slow burn mystery, but it’s undoubtedly worth it. I honestly can’t recommend this one enough! You can read my full review here.

2017: How do I choose between Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay, Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid? Tell me, how? I can’t (see, I told you I was really bad at choosing favorites). So… I won’t! The first two are non-fiction and I normally have a lot of trouble reading NF because of my very short attention span. But I had no trouble devouring these two; they are both so well-written! I only read Evelyn Hugo this year but so far it’s staying strong in my Top 5 for 2019.

2018: The Lost Man by Jane Harper. Yes, that’s right. Jane Harper has made it twice onto my list. I admit that I haven’t read many books published in the last two years, but after reading both The Dry and The Lost Man, I can’t wait to read more of her books. Her character driven stories full of murder, mystery, and family drama are so compelling and unputdownable. She makes me long for a place that I once called home (Australia) and makes me wish I never left in the first place. I highly recommend her!

Oh, wow. I knew choosing this list was going to be tough, but it was even harder than I expected! I’ve read so many amazing books since becoming part of the book community, both via bookstagram and my blog. Like many others who’ve recently joined the book gang, I’ve read so much more in the last two years than I have in at least eight years combined. To say that this book community has changed my life would be a massive understatement! If I could list all the books that have become my favorites, the books that have left its mark on me, and the authors that I’ve discovered who can transport me to new worlds, I think you’d be reading on forever. But I’m sure that many of you can relate to that, right? 😉

What are some of your favorite books published in the last 10 years? If you’ve done a Top Ten Tuesday post for today’s prompt, leave your link in the comments below 🙂