63. The Dead Celebrity Cookbook presents Christmas in Tinseltown by Frank Decaro

BOOK REVIEW: The Dead Celebrity Cookbook presents Christmas in Tinseltown by Frank Decaro

Don’t we yawn sometimes reading a cookbook, just looking at plain old recipes and the prepared dish’s photo or sometimes no pictures at all only text? How about a smattering of facts on Hollywood’s famous actors and actresses (those who were on the silver screen during the black-and-white movie era)? If it’s a resounding yes, then this is the right cookbook for you.

When it comes to holiday fun, the stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age knew how to make merry on stage, on screen, and especially on the dinner table. With this book – the follow-up to his international The Dead Celebrity Cookbook – the author shows how to put the kitsch into your holiday kitchen as he salutes a quirky collection of celebrities who are gone, but fondly remembered every year at Christmastime.

Filled with pop culture ruminations and genuinely delicious recipes, this book pays tribute to such movie classics as It’s A Wonderful Life and White Christmas, gives three cheers for such time-honoured animated gems as Frosty The Snowman and How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and puts such offbeat offerings as The Star Wars Holiday Special and The Pee-wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special in their rightful place – your dining room!

In such chapters as “Miracle Whip on 34^th Street”, “Eat Meat in St. Louis”, and “Munch of the Wooden Soldiers”, Decaro dishes up a smorgasbord of culinary delights that will enliven any holiday gathering.

This star-studded cookbook promises to get even the biggest Scrooge in the holiday spirit and will have you saying your “ho,ho,ho”s in true Hollywood style for many years to come.

62. 101 Healthiest Foods: A Quick and Easy Guide to the Fruits, Vegetables, Carbs and Proteins That Can Save your Life by Dr. Joanna McMillan Price and Judy Davie

BOOK REVIEW: 101 Healthiest Foods – A Quick and Easy Guide to the Fruits, Vegetables, Carbs and Proteins That Can Save your Life by Dr. Joanna McMillan Price and Judy Davie

We all enjoy our sinful slice of cheesecake or the decadent buffalo wings in all its sticky glory. Alas, our sinful enjoyment is often looked upon with scorn once our weight tips the weighing scales or our health takes a nosedive. So we try to consume healthier foods to bring us back to the realm of health and wellness. But what exactly are healthy foods? This book pulls out all the stops on this very question that pops into people’s minds.

101 Healthiest Foods is a handy, easy-to-use guide to power-packed superfoods that are chock full of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Using the book’s five-star ratings of over 300 foods, you can easily replace unhealthy foods in each area of your diet with life-saving alternatives.

Taking a positive, empowering approach to better eating, 101 Healthiest Foods doesn’t tell you what not to eat – it encourages you to enjoy the most delicious and nutritious foods in the world. From Asian greens and tropical fruits to Italian ricotta and Atlantic salmon, it presents the best of the best and reveals the perfect foods. You’ll also find recipes that bring these superhealthy ingredients together in imaginative, tasty meals.

Seriously eye-opening and surprisingly fresh and fun, this tome relates fresh produce to health and wellness in a simple but informative way that will keep you rooting for good, fresh wholesome produce. What are all of you waiting for? Let’s go grab some delicious omega-3 rich sashimi!

61. Taste of Japan by Masaki Ko

BOOK REVIEW: Taste of Japan by Masaki Ko

My mum, who happens to be the most wonderful cook, had a bevy of cookbooks tucked under her arms. She never referred to any of them while cooking but read through them and gained fresh new ideas to prepare the day’s meal. This is just one of the many cookbooks that she had since I was a kid but, believe me, it will just bring you back to Japan when you read the tantalizing recipes in this book.

There are over 70 of the best authentic dishes from Japan, all accessible to the western kitchen. Recipes include salmon sashimi, teriyaki trout, yakitori chicken, pork and beef cabbage rolls (sorry for the some of the non-Halal recipes in this book), scrambled tofu with spring onions, nigiri sushi, sukiyaki and assorted tempura to name a few.

Every recipe is photographed in colour with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions and informative cook’s tips throughout.

A comprehensive introduction gives a full glossary of ingredients as well as information on basic techniques.

Being a mangakai and a sashimi baby, this cookbook proved to be a perfect go-to when I needed my fix of Japanese right at home. Although this book was printed during my childhood days, reprints of this book are available with all new content at good bookstores near you. 

60. Salt: The Essential Mineral & Its Medicinal Benefits by Margaret Briggs

BOOK REVIEW: Salt – The Essential Mineral & Its Medicinal Benefits by Margaret Briggs

We love our food and without a doubt the star of the food is – you guessed it – salt! Without a pinch of two of this must-have seasoning, food will not bloom into its many dimensions of tastes – umami, spicy, salty, sweet, and sour. But just how many of us know what this essential mineral holds in store for us medicinally and beyond? This book will enlighten you on this question and many other queries you might have on salt.

For many people salt is just a white granular substance you sprinkle from a salt cellar onto your chips. Using salt to season food is a habit that many adults acquired as children, from their parents. We just use it because it is there. How many people have you seen reach for the salt, even before tasting the food placed in front of them?

Salt is a commodity that we cannot do without. Every species of living creature needs the sodium in salt, but through changes during evolution, social groupings and civilization we now consume far more than we need.

This book explores many themes in a light-hearted fashion. While we can learn from history and we can take advice from scientists, mow is, perhaps, the time to listen to advice and evidence from the medical world and not take their words with a pinch of salt (pun intended).

Flipping through these pages, my tongue yearned for a slight salt fix. So, as I thumb through this book the crotchety-crunch of my teeth on a bag of sour cream ‘n’ onion crisps is audible till the next condominium block.

59. Entertaining Edibles by Sidney Escowitz

BOOK REVIEW: Entertaining Edibles by Sidney Escowitz

As a child, I used to gape in awe and amazement at the almost life-like fruit and vegetable sculptures that appeared at many a buffet spread in hotels. Those sights astonished me beyond words and at times my mum had to drag my jaw-dropped self away from the displays to where the actual food began. When I entered college for culinary arts, I managed to satiate my child-like desire by preparing my very own assembly of fruits and vegetables to mimic almost everything, from a birthday cake to a car. When this book dropped on my lap, it changed my whole viewpoint on normalcy of fruit and vege sculptures.

In Entertaining Edibles, celebrate any special occasion with whimsical fruit and vegetable sculptures. Projects range from easy to advanced. Full-colour photographs and easy-to-follow instructions accompany every project.

Besides that, this book includes basic handling techniques and trips (how to prevent an apple from browning when exposed to air) – and best of all – all designs are edible.

Now as I look at the green Volkswagen beetle (green honeymelon) being driven away by a suave Englishman (a radish with beans for eyes), I can’t help but get intrigued into attempting more projects for family and friends. 

58. SuperFoods, SuperFast: Eat your Way to Superhealth by Michael van Straten and Barbara Griggs

BOOK REVIEW: SuperFoods, SuperFast – Eat your Way to Superhealth by Michael van Straten and Barbara Griggs

When we consume food, we always would like to know the calorie count and health benefits of every morsel that we chomp on. Have we ever wondered the wonder benefits of the banana in the banana split sundae on a hot afternoon or maybe a tear-jerking chilli in a Thai mango salad? SuperFoods SuperFast  tells readers the bursting goodness of each and every fresh fruit and vegetable we consume from day to day.

Eat your way to super health. Protect your health, control your weight, boost your immune system, and relieve the symptoms of illness – with SuperFoods, SuperFast , it’s easy!

More than 100 high “nutridensity’ superfoods are described in this book, all chosen because they are packed with antioxidants and other nutrients.

Besides food description, there are more than 180 superfast, superfoods-based recipes that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes, with many that can be ready in less than 20 minutes.

By reading this informative health book, I have gained extensive knowledge of the nutrients in a lot of the common fruits and vegetables that appear on our table today. Shall we rejoice in the joy of our green friends while nibbling on some carrot crudités?

57. Herbs that Heal - Natural Remedies for Good Health by H.K. Bakhru

BOOK REVIEW: Herbs That Heal – Natural Remedies for Good Health by H. K. Bakhru

Herbs act in almost magical and astonishing ways – spasms may relax, pains vanish, constipation overcome, nervousness recede, headaches disappear, colds be banished, allergies counteracted, fevers controlled, blood flow arrested...the magic is endless. So how do we put these herbs to good use in our daily life without overdosing? This book gives you exactly that and more.

Since early Neanderthal man, plants and herbs have been used for healing purposes and maintaining good health. Even as medical science has progressed, methods and ideas based on herbal healing have sustained and grown in different countries, across different cultures, often being used in exactly the same way. Bitter chamomile, for instance, is used as digestive aid throughout the world.

Traditional herbal remedies have led scientists to the development of numerous ‘modern’ drugs; from aspirin and tranquilizers to heart saving digitalis, establishing beyond doubt the efficacy of ‘herbal medicine’.

The book covers more than 100 herbs, most of which are readily available (some even in your kitchen) or easily obtainable, and describes their specific healing properties, how the herb is useful in alleviating or preventing specific ailments; in most cases, the method of making and using herbal preparations is also explained. Index of ailments which can be treated by herbs makes the book specially useful.

Before the clinical doctors come after me with torches and rakes for promoting herbal medicine, I rather skedaddle and find a corner to drink my honey and pepper concoction for sore throats,

56. The World on your Plate by Martha Rose Shulman

BOOK REVIEW: The World on Your Plate by Martha Rose Shulman

We Malaysians are not adverse to devouring a plate of spicy and piquant Korean kimchi, or maybe scoff down a fluffy naan with a plate of tabbouleh. Being a self-titled foodie, I love exploring the cuisines of the places I travel to and relishing its taste after touching on home ground. The World on Your Plate is a surefire way of logging on to Air Asia to book your next flight for a total life changing food experience.

From tapas to biltong (sundried meat), this is a book that captures the essence of the world’s cuisines. Through its evocative narrative, this book explores the ways in which culinary traditions and everyday eating habits have been shaped by history, geography and culture.

It gives you a taste of the foods that define a country – the distinctive ingredients, menu favourites, food customs and festive dishes – and illustrates these with sumptuous colour photographs, shot on location.

It also allows you to taste specialty dishes for yourself, as it includes a selection of recipes that create authentic flavours but use readily available ingredients. For armchair or actual travellers alike, this is the book that brings the world of food alive.

Patriotic Malaysians rejoice as Malaysian food is also mouth-wateringly described in detail with photographs of street food (satay being grilled on smoking hot coals, I can already see those drools) plus all manner of Malaysian delicacies we cherish. Let me just take a bite of that delicious pani puri while I read this excellent tome. 

55. The Singapore Cookbook by Charlotte Davies

BOOK REVIEW: The Singapore Cookbook by Charlotte Davies

Singapore, like Malaysia, has a culinary heritage that spans centuries, recipes that have stood the test of time and influences of those who colonized Singapore. Steeped in history, but most of all rich in flavours, The Singapore Cookbook opens up a window into the world of Singaporean food.

Like the city itself, the cooking of Singapore is an intriguing blend that has been moulded by its diverse population. The fusion of ingredients, preparation techniques and cooking styles has created an appealing combination of dishes that are familiar by name, and yet use subtle differences of approach and flavouring to give them a uniquely Singaporean freshness and character.

With its roots lying in so many different cultures, including Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Thai and Vietnamese, Singaporean cooking offers a vast range of flavours and styles. This book reflects this diversity with a selection of recipes to suit all occasions, from light stir-fries to hearty curries.

Every recipe is illustrated with simple step-by-step instructions and a photograph of the finished dish. If you’re looking for a unique twist to your favourite Oriental cuisne, this book will be a welcome addition to your kitchen.

54. Food and Travels Asia by Alastair Hendy

BOOK REVIEW: Food and Travels Asia by Alastair Hendy

When I was three years old, my doting parents strapped me to the front of their bodies and globe-trotted. Probably that’s where I got bitten by the travel bug. Being nourished with only the best food since young, I developed an even bigger appetite as I grew into the young woman I am today. My passion for food and travels has made me acquire quite a number of books on this passion of mine and this book is no exception.

Award-winning food writer and photographer Alastair Hendy has travelled through India, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan in search of the best home cooking, scribbling down stories and recipes, and clicking the camera at everything delicious in his path.

And here is the result: a gastro-led travelogue of Asia, captured by a sensitive eye and with a passion for all things Asian. The author has spent years researching this book – trawling through dawn starts, sundown climbs, mosquitoed nights, and dodgy boat and plane rides in far-flung outposts of the globe, in search of the ultimate recipe, ingredient or shot.

The result is a unique collection of images and back-home do-able dishes that celebrate the food, lives and worlds of generations of Asian home cooks. After rereading this book for the umpteenth time, I just can’t wait to set off for my upcoming trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand come Mother’s Day with my mum and dad. It’s just a culinary diaspora waiting to be discovered.

53. The Ultimate Asian Cookbook by Emma Callery

BOOK REVIEW: The Ultimate Asian Cookbook by Emma Callery

Asian food can be said as the most diverse in terms of flavours, presentation, ingredients and many more aspects. Being Malaysians, we are almost familiar with how our traditional dishes in different ethnicities and races taste like or how they are prepared. However, do we actually know how to prepare these scrumptious dishes from scratch? Not to fret, this cookbook is just for you to whip up an array of tantalizing Asian dishes that will stimulate your taste buds and fill your rumbling tummies.

The Ultimate Asian Cookbook allows you to learn the skills you need to create mouth-watering meals from one of the world’s greatest cuisines. This book has an introduction to the ingredients and flavours of China, Thailand and Japan, featuring over 100 tried and tested recipes.

As soon as you scan the recipes once or twice, you will be able to prepare deliciously authentic meals including meat, poultry, and fish dishes as well as rice and vegetable side dishes, dim sum and desserts.

Step-by-step recipes guide you through the preparation of delicious meals and cook’s tips add expertise and variety to your cooking. Illustrated with full-colour photography throughout, this book is sure to be your kitchen top companion during those days where you wish to have Asian meals without the hussle of take-away.

52. The Exotic Fruit and Vegetable Handbook by Oona van den Berg

BOOK REVIEW: The Exotic Fruit and Vegetable Handbook by Oona van den Berg

In today's hectic schedule, most of us are opting for a quick yet healthy fuss-free bite. So we reach out for an apple or maybe even a fresh salad from one of the many salad bars which are blooming fast like mushrooms after the rain. However, other than the common apple and carrot, are we aware of other unusual albeit mouthwatering fruits and vegetables which are available for consumption out there? The Exotic Fruit and Vegetable Handbook will be your trusty guide to the fruits and vegetables deemed to be exotic or imported that we can find around us and that we haven't taken into consideration.

This book  is a colorful reference guide that will introduce you to the many different types of fruits and vegetables that are now available in supermarkets and ethnic stores. Everyday brings new and exciting, exotic produce to our supermarket shelves and this book will inspire you to be adventurous when shopping.

The directory consists of 70 exotic fruits and vegetables from around the world, all of them beautifully photographed. Each entry has information on the origin, appearance, flavour and nutritional content, entries also include cooking, storing and serving suggestions.

There are more than 50 recipes from around the world to tempt your tastebuds. From soups and starters to desserts and ices, you are sure to be inspired. This is an indispensable guide to selecting, cooking and enjoying exotic fruit and vegetables.

51. Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things by Readers' Digest

BOOK REVIEW: Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things by Reader’s Digest

Not that long ago, in the days before computers, cable television, mobile phones and robots that can do the housework for you, washing windows was a simple job. Our grandparents poured a little vinegar into a bucket of water, took an old rag and in no time had a clear view of the outside world through gleaming glass. Or maybe polish your shoes with toothpaste? You may be laughing but this book does just that.

Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things is a book that shares with readers how to go about household chores using ordinary household products that you already have on your shelf such as salt, aluminium foil, nail varnish and even women’s tights.

This book has thousands of intriguing ways to get more value out of more than 200 everyday items. The hints in this book will also help you reduce household waste by giving you hundreds of delightful and surprising suggestions for re-using many of the items that you would otherwise throw in the dustbin or send for recycling.

Whether you love discovering new ways to use everyday household items, or if you hate throwing things away, I’m sure you will find the ideas in this book entertaining and enlightening. So get ready to be dazzled by the incredible number of everyday problems that you will soon be able to solve with ease.

50. Zumbarons - A Fantasy Land of Macarons by Adriano Zumbo

BOOK REVIEW: Zumbarons – A Fantasy Land of Macarons by Adriano Zumbo

Don’t we all love the little French darling with the frill in her step? You may be imagining a rosy-cheeked French girl wearing a frock with frills? WRONG!!! I’m talking about those scrumptious, too-good-to-eat macarons that deck the shelves of most high-end cafes and restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. If you are like me, a foodie who scoffs cartons of macarons and bake them too as well as find novel ideas for different macaron flavours, then this book is just the ideal go-to.

Sydney pastry chef Adriano Zumbo has taken the dessert world by storm with his quirky cakes and otherworldly delights.

Zumbarons celebrates his most popular creations – macarons. Discover 40 amazing flavours, including cherry coconut, salted butter popcorn, cola and peach ice tea. You will be blown off your feet to find a famous Malaysian flavour in this book – drumroll please – satay (it even has a peanut sauce cream for the macaron).

This whimsical and heavily illustrated book is a perfect gift for anyone who loves to cook and eat the most delectable of sweet treats. Psssssttt, even if you buy it as a gift I suggest you keep it for yourselves dear ladies.

49. Wild Things to do with Woodlice by Michael Cox

BOOK REVIEW: Wild Things to do with Woodlice by Michael Cox

As a Green Ranger, I find nature intriguing. Even as an adult I just can’t get enough of the hidden voices of unheard critters and the whisper of leaves of various species of trees. Kids especially have an insatiable curiosity towards the natural environment as they themselves are the children of Mother Nature. This amazing book leads both kids and adults out to the great outdoors to get down and dirty!

This nature guide is packed full of awesome activities, projects and amazing outdoor adventures that will appeal to those who are tired of crouching in a cubby-hole, crunching crisps and going square-eyed at the telly screen.

Some of the amazing activities that readers can find in Wild Things to do with Woodlice are:

• ·         How to make a bouncy ball from dandelions.
• ·         How to make a maze for a woodlouse.

A flash of a fish’s dorsal fin in the lake has caught the attention of one of my bright-eyed Green Ranger in-the-making. That just gave me an idea that I could teach the young ‘un how to analyse the parts of a fish after reading this informative guide. Hook, line and sinkerrrrrrr! 

48. Secrets of Macarons by Jose Marechal

BOOK REVIEW: Secrets of Macarons by José Maréchal

Pastel-coloured, almost too-pretty-to-eat macarons are a common sight in a bakery’s window display or the shelves of a well-stocked pastry cafe. Introduced to France from Italy in the 16^th century by Catherine de’ Medici, the macaron was originally a form of pasta.

Now a worldwide symbol of dainty indulgence, the macaron seduces taste buds and practically invites itself onto our plates. This small round biscuit, crisp and tender at the same time, has transcended generations and is more in-vogue than ever.

In a thorough approach to this subject, the author tries to offer some tips and tricks, an analysis of what can go wrong, and a considered selection of the necessary equipment and ingredients. Every step is explained simply, to maximize your chances of success.

Macarons, c est la vie! 

47. 300 Frogs - Frogs and Toads from Around the World by Chris Mattison

BOOK REVIEW: 300 Frogs – Frogs and Toads from Around the World by Chris Mattison

It’s either you hate ‘em or love ‘em. Thinking just what I’m rambling about? Let me give you a hint, this little critter peeks its head out when it rains? Still don’t get me? Well, I’m talking about frogs and toads. I can see those faces scrunching up in disgust at what you guys think are ugly, bulbous creatures with nary a touch of cuteness. But in all its negative publicity, have all of you ever wondered about the habitats, diet and breeding seasons of these sometimes elusive hoppers? If the answer is a yes dive in!

Covering some 300 species, subspecies and forms of frogs and toads, this book is an invaluable reference to this remarkable group of amphibians.

The diversity of frogs and toads is immense, yet the every existence of many species seems threatened, with many populations in decline, often for unknown reasons. 300 Frogs is a timely reminder of the hidden world of these unique animals:

·         The perfect introduction to frogs and toads in all their diversity.

·         Illustrated throughout with stunning photographs.

·         Text describes key aspects of form, natural history, and distribution.

With so much to know about these cute creatures (yeah, I can see you guys scrunching those faces again at my mention of cute), this book is a definite pick-me-up if you have a similar love for those jumping jacks known as frogs and toads.

46. Temporary Tattoo Treasury for Girls by Anita Rattigan and Betsy Badwater

BOOK REVIEW: Temporary Tattoo Treasury for Girls by Anita Rattigan and Betsy Badwater

Sometimes we admire those ladies out there with tattoos, whether it’s a small one at the napes of their necks or full bodies. We love the fun and new body art designs, but are we ready for a lifetime tattoo commitment? The answer may be a contemplative “no”. There’s an easier way to get the new look you’ve seen on TV and in the movies. Now you can feel cool, look great, or be tough with any design you want.

Temporary Tattoo Treasury for Girls has all the transfers you need to wear a different design every day of the week. This book includes 100 high quality, long-lasting transfers in the 10 most popular styles. Whether you want a tribal design, gothic tattoo, or something fun for the beach, there are so many to choose from.

You’ll love the explanations of each tattoo, giving you the symbolism and meaning behind every design. Complete with flash drawings and color photography, this book is your one-stop-shop for needle-fee body art.

Since I acquired this book, I have had numerous transfers on different parts of my body. Sadly, my transfer purchases have extended to Zalora too as I can’t have enough of having body beauty without the pain and fuss. Plus, I don’t have to get bored with just one design the whole time.After reading this book, you will find transfers are more pocket-friendly and healthier compared to permanent tattoos.

45. Sharks by Anna McMurray

BOOK REVIEW: Sharks by Anna McMurray

As I step into the ocean for snorkelling, I start trembling at the thought of sharks circling nearby. What if I get pulled away or mauled by a ferocious Great White? Movies like Sharknado and Jaws have all instilled a deep, dark fear for these marine beasts. However, after reading this book, I have begun to see the clear picture of these somewhat “tame” sharks and that their behaviour is often misunderstood.

Sharks provides information about the anatomy, behaviour, and the different species of sharks. It also contains a classification table, followed by a glossary and a comprehensive index. Fact boxes throughout the book provide at-a-glance information about a subject, such as how long undigested food can remain in the stomach, and what senses the shark uses to lead it to food.

Dipping my flippers into the warm waters of Ao Nang, I scan the calm surface of the sea for any tell-tale signs of a fin that would warn me not to thrash around too much (snorkelers thrashing around is said to look like a seal to sharks, whereby the snorkelers are attacked) and slowly immerse myself into Mother Nature’s belly.

44. A Zombie Ate My Cupcake by Lily Vanilli

BOOK REVIEW: A Zombie Ate my Cupcake by Lily Vanilli

Don’t those cupcakes look oh so dainty? With shops selling cupcakes popping up like mushrooms after the rain, for example House of Mini, we just can’t get enough of chowing down on such dainty little things. But how about if I gave you a cupcake with a large beetle embracing the top of it or maybe a bloodied eyeball staring out at you from inside the cake? No? I shall take my leave now....STOP! You just might take a bite after reading this gruesomely enticing book.

Cupcakes have been banished for too long to the land of the pretty and identical, the domestic and the twee – but now, they’re biting back. Here, the author shows how you can take inspiration from anywhere – insects, roadkill, zombies – and recreate it in cake.

Throughout history, people have experimented with cake design – take Alexis Soyer, the world’s first “celebrity” chef, who in the early 1800s was making cakes of suckling pig’s heads, with cherries for eyes, and swans out of meringue. This book is an introduction to making cakes that look weird, ugly, and even grotesque – but always taste divine!

Lily shows you how to turn basic cupcakes into amazingly realistic – and delicious – sculptures, simply using materials such as edible luster dusts, gum paste, and glazes, and a range of natural ingredients.

Give your guests a shock with creepy Marzipan Beetles, or create your own cupcake graveyard with Undead Gingerbread tombstones. For really gory desserts, why not make Dracula’s Bite red velvet cupcakes, a cherry “blood” sauce, or some Bleeding Hearts, which are molded with deep red fondant into human hearts?

You can also go for heavenly Fallen Angel Cakes, made with a divine honey-flavored frosting, or indulgent, truly dark chocolate Devil’s Food Cupcakes, with ganache frosting and chocolate devil’s horns.

Take your inspiration from the macabre and grotesque to create some really evil-looking desserts that taste divine. Believe me, bones and blood couldn’t have tasted better in a thousand years. Love cupcakes for a thousand years....... 

43. How to 'Harvest' Water - The Art of Saving Water by the National Trust

BOOK REVIEW: How to ‘Harvest’ Water – The Art of Saving Water by the National Trust

Majority of the population in developed and semi-developed countries have not taken the issue of water supply as something to be looked into. Underdeveloped and third world countries such as Africa, India and others find the presence of clean water hard to come by. As Malaysia faces the predicament of hot and dry weather during this these trying times due to the El Nino phenomenon, measures are being taken by all parties to ensure clean water supply is adequate and within reach. So how exactly we as normal folks do our part in conserving this precious resource? By reading this book, you just may get a brainwave to start harvesting what little rain that falls these days or maybe how to reduce water when you flush your toilets.

This handy guide gives a valuable overview of what you can do to save water in your everyday life. From turning off taps to fixing leaks, from thinking about how you cook to what you plant in your garden, this book is overflowing with practical tips on saving and gathering water, both inside and outside the home.

Water is essential in caring for and promoting nature and heritage. Every one of its properties depends upon and interacts with water in some way, so the National Trust is both looking at how best to reduce water use and minimize its impact on the water environment.

Complete with internet links to further enhance your knowledge of water and its importance, this book is bound to give you an idea or two to spread to your loved ones on how to conserve water in any chore they do. After reading this book, it has helped me reduce my water bill significantly so maybe you should give this book a go too.

42. Hey Mr. Green by Bob Schildgen

BOOK REVIEW: Hey Mr. Green by Bob Schildgen

Being a Green Ranger and advocate of environmental awareness, I have now dedicated most of my time to spreading the green word to friends, family and the public. There are just so many ways we can make the message of green awareness propagate through the throngs of Malaysians out there. To enliven the process, I flipped through the pages of this book only to come out with invigorated zest to holler ‘Green is Good’.

For years, Bob Schildgen (aka “Mr. Green”) has been answering real-world questions about green living in his Sierra magazine column. Readers know they’re getting up-to-the-minute, authoritative responses, backed by the research and experience of the Sierra Club.

Now the editors of Sierra have distilled the best of “Hey Mr. Green” into this useful and entertaining book, organized into five chapters:

• ·         “At Home” offers tips on staying cool, cleaning up, and other domestic details.
• ·         “Food for Thought” focuses on how to eat and drink better while spending less.
• ·         “Out and About” covers getting around, fuelling up, and enjoying the great outdoors.
• ·         “The Three Rs” shows you how (and why) to reduce, reuse, and recycle almost everything.
• ·         “The Big Picture” considers how the environment, politics, religion, and other issues intersect.

By reading this indispensable and opinionated book, I feel you just might find answers to lightening your environmental footprint. Go Green Rangers!  

41. Best In Beauty by Riku Campo

BOOK REVIEW: Best in Beauty by Riku Campo

Since enrolling and completing my courses in modelling and beauty from Amber Chia Academy, I have been very particular about how I look and present myself when I’m out and about. However, there are just too many techniques to wade through to find something that actually really works for me in terms of beauty, skincare or hair care included. When I stumbled upon this book, I knew I had found just the thing I needed to pop into my never-ending collection of beauty books.

Best in Beauty is the most complete guide to beauty products, tools, and makeup techniques, based on interviews with top beauty experts: skin care gurus, hair stylists, manicurists, eyebrow specialists, and a nutritionist.

More than 100 amazingly beautiful photographs of makeup, done by Riku, will show step by step how to create each and every look for your face.

This comprehensive guide offers the star treatment from experts such as skincare specialist Ole Henriksen, nutritionist Debra Santelli, spa director Donna shoemaker, manicurist Beth Fricke, hairstylist Kevin Woon, and more.

Flipping through these pages, I was more than enlightened on body care and makeup tips and tricks that I used to shy away from. Maybe the next time make an entrance to a party, I just might go the extra mile with the glitter so I can go “Bang! Bang! Into the room!” J

40. Natural History - Essential Facts about the Earth by Michael Bright

BOOK REVIEW: Natural History – Essential Facts about the Earth by Michael Bright

Being a nature lover, I’ve always been curious about Mother Nature and her endless bounty of natural wonders. Nature not only consists of flora and fauna, but also the oceans, the soil we step on and the air we breathe in.

This book is filled with quick-reference facts and figures to help you with your research projects – or simply to keep you generally informed. It describes the world’s flora and fauna, as well as the formation of mountains, deserts, glaciers, forests, and jungles.

It also gives you information on rocks, gems, minerals, and much more. Natural History is an overview of our planet and an entertaining guide to life on Earth.

After reading this pocketbook, it has been my constant companion in the many forest excursions I have been to and will be going to in the future. Embrace nature and all its wonders or there soon come a time and age when it’s no longer available for all and sundry. 

39. Freaky Deaky - 150 Really Scary Stories by the Editors of CosmoGIRL! Magazine

BOOK REVIEW: Freaky Deaky – 150 Really Scary Stories by the Editors of CosmoGIRL! magazine

Oh! The horror! I just can’t take my well-deserved forty winks at night. Why you may ask? My brain is working overtime during my REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, conjuring nightmares way worse than what horror aficionados can even think up. The reason for this atrocious malady is my love of reading supernatural stories especially when the clock chimes the dreaded midnight hour. So when I came upon this tiny palm-sized book of ghouls, ghosts, spirits or whatever you may call the ‘Other Realm’, I just couldn’t resist scaring the socks off myself.

A few years back the editors of CosmoGIRL! magazine started a column for readers to share their experiences with the supernatural. Readers sent in stories about things that have happened to them that seem to have no explanation – dreams they’ve had that turned out to predict actual future occurrences, pets with a sixth sense who knew when they were in danger and took them out of harm’s way, and even times when they felt like they’ve been contacted by loved ones who’ve passed away.

Though some of you may think that all this talk of invincible beings and silent voices are a bunch of hokey-pokey, you just might change your mind after reading this book. With true bone-chilling personal accounts with the Unseen, this book left a gaping feeling that someone was watching me though no one was at home....

38. Yuck! The Things People Eat by Neil Setchfield

BOOK REVIEW: Yuck! The Things People Eat by Neil Setchfield

Following my book Fierce Food, I still had a niggling curiosity on all things weird that landed on the dinner table. Questions started flitting around in my mind: How do some of these atrocious food items look like?, What do people in these countries describe the tastes like? and even What paired well with these foods? By now, all of you may have eyes popping out of your head at my somewhat appalling attraction but dive into this book and you will feel the same way as me.

From stir-fried tarantula to goat’s testicles, Yuck! presents more than 100 of the world’s most bizarre dishes, as captured by renowned photographer Neil Setchfield.

Full of culinary wonders, this remarkable book is guaranteed to provoke a reaction – whether that be ‘Yuck!’ or, indeed, ‘Yum!’.

The graphics in this book are bound to catch your eye with balut (duck embryo famous in the Philippines) glistening on the page, or perhaps the skewered grilled snake might just tickle your fancy. Bon appétit folks! 

37. Be Buried in the Rain by Elizabeth Peters writing as Barbara Michaels

BOOK REVIEW: Be Buried in the Rain by Elizabeth Peters writing as Barbara Michaels

Some of us would have grown up on Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes or even the famed Nancy Drew series. Clouds of mystery surrounded these books like a storm and always left the reader thirsty for more clues and more adventures. As we grew, mystery fiction was a vast landscape to be explored. In that aspect, Be Buried in the Rain is a fantastic mystery book that will push you over the edge.

There are terrible secrets from generations past buried at Maidenwood. Medical student Julie Newcomb has returned to her family’s decaying plantation – the site of so many painful memories – to tend to her tyrannical grandmother, felled by a stroke.

The fire of malevolence still burns in the cruel, despotic matriarch’s eyes – yet, for Julie, a faint spark of redemption and second chances flickers in this hated, haunted place. But her hope – and her life – are seriously threatened by a nightmare reborn...and by the grim discovery on the lonely road to Maidenwood of the earth-browned skeletons of a mother and child.

With an aura of sinister intrigue, this book will keep the reader spellbound. Besides that, this book is one up for the crime scene alter ego in all of you. Chock full with techniques on post mortem and all things grim in crime scene investigation, this tome will set you reeling in amazement with more than just your ordinary mystery. 

36. Grinding it Out - The Making of McDonald's by Ray Kroc with Robert Anderson

BOOK REVIEW: Grinding it Out – The Making of McDonald’s by Ray Kroc with Robert Anderson

Can I have the GCB set and the McChicken set please? Still didn’t get it? Yes, you guessed it! I’m talking about everyone’s all-time favourite fast food joint, McDonald’s. Many of us place orders maybe once or twice a week, once a month or even everyday if you swear by the taste of those fat-filled burgers. But did anyone ever bother to look behind the scenes as to who founded this fast food mecca we all resort to anytime? This marvellous, zesty read will fill you in on all you need to know about McD from the then till now.

Few entrepreneurs can claim to have actually changed the way we live, but Ray Kroc is one of them. His revolutions in food service automation, franchising, shared national training and advertising have earned him a place beside the men who founded not merely businesses but entire new industries.

But even more interesting than Ray Kroc the business legend is Ray Kroc the man. Not your typical self-made tycoon, Kroc was 52 when he met the McDonald brothers and opened his first franchise.

Now meet Ray Kroc, the man behind the business legend, in his own words. Irrepressible enthusiast, perceptive people-watcher, and born storyteller, he will fascinate and inspire you. You’ll never forget Ray Kroc.

In this classic success story, it shows how someone past his golden years can become a millionaire and establish an odyssey that promised followers of the crazed kind worldwide. After reading this book, I have never looked at a McD burger the same way again.

Bookerville @ Putrajaya International Convention Center (PICC)

Good day fellow book readers. What can be more satisfying than a book? A room full of books? Or perhaps a sprawling space filled to the brim with books at enviable prices and a wad of cash in hand to purchase those gems? I’m pretty much sure that all of you would have chosen Option B, the choice which I undoubtedly put to the test yesterday.

On the 2^nd of April 2016, I hopped out of bed before my alarm could rouse me out of dreamland. Some of you may be giving me quizzical looks, why not sleep in till late and have an awesome day lounging on the couch? Well, how could I when the Bookerville Carnival was being held at Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).

Held for the third time this year from the 29^th of March 2016 to the 3^rd of April 2016, Bookerville never failed in its attempt to satisfy the most avid of bookworms like me. With over 5 million books at attractive prices filling every nook and cranny of the hall in PICC, I couldn’t help myself from reaching out to 9 attractive titles.

My haul of the day was:

1Brain Boosting by Michael Powell (firing up our natural hard-disk from time to time is essential).

2How Life Works by Andrew Matthews (one positive thought attracts another so let’s get positive – through reading, of course).

3Let’s Veg Out by Love Food (a book haul would be incomplete without something to feast your eyes on and maybe your tummy later if you have the time to cook after endless hours reading).

4Tranquil Wilderness: Colouring Book for Adults by Peter Murray (a little bit of magic to bring out the hidden child in every one of us).

5The Complete Idiot’s Guide to The Coconut Oil Diet by Maria Blanc and Dr. James Pendleton (to answer the niggling questions about this current health fad).

6The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan (being an avid fan of Amy Tan’s books since high school, cradling this tome in my hands flooded me with lovely memories from reading her books).

7 Hotel K by Kathryn Bonella (if you think Guatenamo Bay is a notorious jail, read on to find out the atrocious notoriety of Bali’s Kerobokan Jail – otherwise known as Hotel K).

8Mysteries of the World by Ulrike Kraus (if you are a fan of the X-Files and the Tamil programme Andam [Unexplained Mysteries], this is the book for you).

9Lastly, drumroll please, Horror Stories by Tunku Halim (yeah, I can hear all the fans out there rushing to get a hold of this, beware the midnight hour).

Being in the book fair, I found myself drooling over the array of books like a kid in a candy shop. For those who would like to treat themselves to a book or two (maybe three, no make that four! Forget it! Grab three empty bags!), throw on your most comfortable ensemble and skedaddle over to Bookerville @ Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC). Today is the last day of the fair, so do make the most of it and wallow in the glory of books. See you next year at Bookerville! J

35. The Queen of New Beginnings by Erica James

BOOK REVIEW: The Queen of New Beginnings by Erica James

Don’t all we women love our chick-lit fix? I sure do and this is one of the chick-lits that touched the deepest depths of my heart. Would you believe me that I needed a pack of tissues nearby? Though there were tear-jerkers, fortunately the book had a happy and romantic ending that is a must in a grade-A chick-lit.

Alice Shoemaker goes to great lengths to avoid telling the truth about herself and her past. But this proves difficult when she agrees to help out the strange and obnoxiously rude man who is staying at Cuckoo House and who clearly has something to hide. (psssst..a little sneak peek...in the storyline you will find out that Alice Shoemaker’s actual name is Alice Barrett).

Clayton Miller’s life is a mess. His career as one of the country’s best comedy script writers has stalled and his long-term girlfriend has left him for his ex writing partner. Just when he thinks life couldn’t get any worse, he commits a spectacularly public fall from grace and, with the press hounding him, his agent banishes him to the middle of nowhere until the dust has settled. And there he meets Alice.

As they learn the truth about each other they form an unlikely friendship and secrets are revealed, until Alice discovers the worst kind of betrayal. With the theme of boy meets girl, girl falls in love, guy turns out to be a jerk, temporary break up and repatchment through promises and proposals, this novel has it all. My opinion: grab it and sit alone or you will risk embarrassing yourself with tear-streaked faces.

34. Food for Free by Richard Mabey

BOOK REVIEW: Food for Free by Richard Mabey

The fragrant whiff of caramelized mushrooms or the sweet scents of a raspberry sauce...any of these smells will set our mouths watering. However, do we all know where these food items originate from or how to source them OURSELVES? You may be thinking “Why should I forage for food when I can just buy it?”, but there is such a joy in foraging that puts food under a new spotlight.

When Food for Free was first published in 1972, it became an instant cult success. Launching an awareness of seasonal, fresh, local and unusual produce, it was ahead of its time. But its aim was to rekindle that lost traditional art of gathering our food from natural, wild sources.

Beautifully illustrated, this book helps you identify 240 wild foods, including fungi, seaweed, shellfish, roots, vegetables, herbs, spices, flowers, fruits and nuts. With a new foreword and recipes, it also suggests the best ways to cook and eat them to discover their delicious and often exotic flavours and aromas.

More than 30 years on, the author’s classic guide continues to inspire and whet the appetite for the natural ingredients around us. As I was reading this guide in a field, I actually spotted an edible Morel (I think) and fed it to the street cat. Hopefully it’s still alive (laughs).