33. Susuk - The Evil Within by Amir Hafizi

BOOK REVIEW: Susuk – The Evil Within by Amir Hafizi

Being in Malaysia, we women as Asians look towards the West for beauty inspiration. We adore their flawless looks, drop-dead gorgeous body and the way men just gravitate towards them. Many modern procedures have mushroomed to provide Asian women with the elusive ‘beauty’ such as plastic surgery, botox, fillers and the list is endless. However, are you familiar with the ancient dark art of susuk (the Muslim black magic of inserting spelled needles below the skin’s surface to look youthful till death and also for unparalleled attraction)? This novel written by our very own Malaysian writer Amir Hafizi is bound to raise a few hairs on the back of your neck while providing an insight into this well-kept beauty secret.

Beauty has a price. Suraya is a young trainee nurse who is starting to feel disaffected by her life. A chance introduction to the world of glamour piques her ambition to be a star. She does not succeed at first, but then she is told of the forbidden practice of susuk. She is torn between making a decision of being the way she is or crossing the line to the other side.

Suzana is a diva with an air of mystery. She has long used the extreme susuk keramat. Every time she violates a taboo, a human life is required. In this book, we follow the eventful lives of these two women until we get to the true secret of this dreaded charm.

Susuk is the forbidden practice of inserting and embedding foreign objects under a person’s skin to increase their allure. The wearer will have to respect a few taboos, failing which the consequences will be dire. More dangerous is a variant called susuk keramat.

Being brought up in a small town which still practiced forbidden black magic like this, I have personally encountered close acquaintances wearing this art. Some effects of disrespecting the taboos are bleeding for no reason from the face, aging way beyond your age in a matter of seconds (for example, looking 60 when you are only 30 in a span of five minutes after disrespecting the taboo) and other macabre and ill after-effects. Beauty is within you and will radiate outwards if you choose to. So, I don’t encourage doing any of these ‘beauty procedures’ and those intending to do this susuk, you guys will resort to healthier means of gaining beauty rather than through the back door after reading this insightful book.

32. Kitchen Mysteries by Herve This

BOOK REVIEW: Kitchen Mysteries by Hervé This

Being from a Culinary Arts background, I simply adore the way food is prepared and served. Coupled with my intrigue in Science, I found myself wondering just why a luscious salted butter caramel crystallizes when you stir it but if left untouched becomes the familiar heaven that goes in a pecan pie or how meringues puff up in the oven when they are just egg whites and sugar beaten into a foam. This study of food science is called molecular gastronomy and is a subject that is picking up pace in both overseas and our very own homeground Malaysia.

An international celebrity and founder of molecular gastronomy, or the scientific investigation of culinary practice, Hervé This is known for his groundbreaking research into the chemistry and physics behind everyday cooking.

In Kitchen Mysteries, the author offers a helping of his world-renowned insight into the science of cooking, answering such fundamental questions as what causes vegetables to change colour when cooked and how to keep a soufflé from falling.

He illuminates abstract concepts with practical advice and concrete examples – for instance, how sautéing in butter chemically alters the molecule of mushrooms – so that cooks of every stripe can thoroughly comprehend the scientific principles of food.

Flipping through these pages was like entering a fantasy world which I’ve only looked at from the outside in. Now with the inside out knowledge of food and its many wonders I have come to realize that more alcohol to flambé my crepe suzette might not be the best idea. Scientifically prosaic and insightful, I highly recommend this book to readers who just want to know what puts the punch in their food from stove to the table.

31. The Rising by Brian Keene

BOOK REVIEW: The Rising by Brian Keene

At first glance, the book cover shines a graphic display of rotting wood panelling with even more rotting arms jutting through the holes. Yup, you guessed it, ZOMBIES! I just can’t get enough of their shuffling, groaning and moaning, and I know all you readers out there do too. Reminiscent of the all-time favourite The Walking Dead, this book delivers blood, disembowelment and more shuffling on a plate! How delicious!

Nothing stays dead for long. The dead are returning to life, intelligent, determined and very hungry. Escape seems impossible for Jim Thurmond, One of the few left alive in this nightmare world. But Jim’s young son is also alive and in grave danger hundreds of miles away. Despite astronomical odds, Jim vows to find him – or die trying.

Joined by an elderly preacher, a guilt-ridden scientist and an ex-prostitute, Jim sets out on a cross-country rescue mission. Together they must battle both the living and the living dead and the even greater evil that awaits them at the end of their journey.

For zombie purists, the storyline may come forward as being a little conflicting as these zombies possess the power to articulate speech. Zombies are only known for their moaning and groaning but in this book, the zombies are portrayed as capable of speech just as they were when they are alive. Besides that, they have the power to manipulate their prey psycholigically (well, humans of course, duhhhh) before moving in for the kill. Heart thumpingly addictive, this novel definitely has my thumbs up in the air.

30. Lobsters Scream When You Boil Them by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

BOOK REVIEW: Lobsters Scream When You Boil Them by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

Most of us are sometimes duped into believing myths, especially those surrounding food, and what’s worse we believe in these people! For those just learning to cook, these myths end up becoming a deterrent from them ever touching a knife let along go near a fire. Ever had a niggling question like do spicy foods cool you down or do apricot pits contain cyanide?

In this entertaining and informative reference guide, two award-winning cookbook authors take on more than 100 popular kitchen myths and dish up answers to all your burning questions about food science and lore.

No longer must you wait for your butter to reach room temperature before you bake or panic because you forgot to soak your dried beans for dinner.

This handy book explains how knowing the truth behind these urban legends can help you be a better chef in your own home and offers 25 delicious recipes so you can practice.

Whether you’re a serious foodie, an avid dieter, a trivia lover or are just searching for a secret to the perfect cup of coffee, Lobsters Scream When You Boil Them is essential countertop reading and a whole lot of fun.

29. Waking Brigid by Francis Clark

BOOK REVIEW: Waking Brigid by Francis Clark

With the releases of movies like The Conjuring, Annabelle, and The Exorcism of Emily Rose, we have become familiar with the theme of demons terrorizing the lives of those it possesses and torturing those around them. The respite from all this suffering comes in the form of angelic forces in Christianity that expel these demons to where they belong. On the lines of this, the novel Waking Brigid is a morbid literary masterpiece that portrays this exact same theme with twists and turns that only a writer can put to paper.

10 years after the civil war, a demon is stalking the graceful city of Savannah, Georgia, spreading death and terror in its wake. Raised by a cult of evil men and women whose devotion to evil has brought them both wealth and power, the bloodthirsty fiend kills with impunity in exchange for diabolical human sacrifices.

In response to this unholy threat, the Catholic Church summons a team of seasoned exorcists and white magicians to combat the demon and his wicked acolytes. But as the powers of darkness prove more formidable than anticipated, Savannah’s salvation may lie in the hands of an inexperienced Irish nun.

As a child, Sister Brigid was tutored in the pagan ways of her ancestors, but, since taking Holy Orders, she has turned her back on the old gods and her own very special gifts. Now, with evil spreading like a miasma through the humid streets of the city, Brigid must choose between her faith and the ancient power waking within her.

As I was reading this book, it occurred to me that it was a fast-paced, nail-biting fantasy tale of the perennial battle between good and evil. Definitely not a disappointment, this literary masterpiece is bound to glue readers to their seats for a demonic rollercoaster ride.

28. Fierce Food: The Intrepid Diner's Guide to the Unusual, Exotic, and Downright Bizarre by Christa Weil

BOOK REVIEW: Fierce Food: The Intrepid Diner’s Guide to the Unusual, Exotic, and Downright Bizarre by Christa Weil

Malaysians are reknown the world over for their love of food and dining. At any time of the day we eat, eat and eat! With a vast array of foods from around the world on our plate here in Malaysia, we have a well-developed palate. But just how far can our palates go? A plate of fried water bugs perhaps, or maybe a cheese notorious for its maggots as it is its sulphuric taste? Thinking twice? You might just have a nibble of these dishes once you delve into this book.

An alphabetical survey of the world’s most extraordinary edibles, Fierce Food describes what these foods are, where they’re consumed, and how they’re captured or foraged. For example, Casu Marzu, a rotting Italian cheese with “guests” (you guessed it, maggots!).

Readers also learn how the foods are traditionally served and eaten, and, best of all, what they taste like, because if you can’t actually bring yourself to down Filipino embryonic duck eggs, reading about it is the next best thing.

Fierce Food is a fascinating exploration of global cultures that definitively proves the old adage, “one man’s meat is another man’s poison”. Now if you will excuse me, I just loved the fried cicadas. They’re absolutely fabulous!

27. Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews

BOOK REVIEW: Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews

Novels which harbour inexplicable twists are ones which capture the reader’s rapt attention, guaranteeing an eye-opening reprieve from novels with the common climaxes and endings. Sensitive topics such as incest are hard to portray without so much as raising an eyebrow here and there. However, Flowers in the Attic has managed to achieve just that.

The Dollangangers were a perfect family, golden and carefree – until a heartbreaking tragedy shattered their happiness. Now, for the sake of an inheritance that will ensure their future, the children must be hidden away out of sight, as if they never existed.

At the top of the stairs there are 4 secrets hidden. Blond, beautiful, innocent and struggling to stay alive. Kept on the top floor of their grandmother’s vast mansion, Cathy, Chris, and twins Cory and Carrie’s loving mother assures them it will just be for a little while.

But as brutal days swell into agonizing months, they realize their survival is at the mercy of their cruel and superstitious grandmother...and this cramped and helpless world may be the only one they ever know.

V.C. Andrew brought to life the pitiable story of kids holed up in a loony bin and how as the older siblings come to terms with their bodies, they turn to each other to satisfy needs normally satiated by those not of the same blood ties. Deeply moving and tear jerking, this book is for those who have a strong heart to digest the realities of cruelty on children as well as the strong family bonds that could disintegrate once exposed to the elements.