222. The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

BOOK REVIEW: The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

Growing up in Malaysia, I was never far away from the many folk tales and superstitions regarding the parallel worlds of the living and the dead. From penanggals (violent ghosts of female heads with entrails hanging from them) to toyols (imps which are used to steal money from households, being fed human blood from the owners themselves), my childhood and adulthood was and always revolves around the inhabitants of the spirit world.

The author, Yangsze Choo, being a Malaysian herself, has masterfully woven an eerie yet beautiful story of the custom of Chinese ghost marriages that will set you rethinking about the boundaries of our world and the afterlife.

In 1890s Malaya, 17-year-old Li Lan receives an unwonted proposal: marriage to the recently departed son of the respected Lim family. Li Lan knows what this means for her impoverished father. She has to appraise it prudently.

The Lims' opulence and splendour is dizzying, but Li Lan has her sights set on another - undoubtedly she has to be certain of her heart's true desire before pledging to a life with a ghost?

Night after night, Li Lan finds herself trawled into another world. One where the thresholds between reality and dreams are hazy, and where the afterlife shows itself to be a place of dread, enticement and delight.

Li Lan must uncover the mysteries of the ghost world, and be united with her true love, before she is confined there for all time. A stirring, eye-catching and passionate ghost story.

Intricately woven throughout the story is Chinese folklore and the Chinese believes of the afterlife, underworld and all things supernatural. There are even snippets of information at the end of the book regarding ghost marriages, Chinese notions of the afterlife, Malaya, Straits-born Chinese, Chinese dialects, Chinese names, meanings of names and Malay spelling.

This book was entirely refreshing from the macabrely scary stories of the spirit world filled with blood and gore. An historical romance set amidst the bushes of the spirit realm, it was a beautiful book from start till the end.

221. How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo

BOOK REVIEW: How To Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo (courtesy of Times Reads)


Now this is what I consider a definitive guide to parenting. What can be a better aid to raise kids in a wholesome way than through books? Not to boast, but my childhood purely consisted as books as my playthings. My parents being avid readers, the gentle nurturing for me to become a reader has chiselled the voracious reader that I am today.

Do you remember your first foray into a library that left you mesmerized? How about curling up for hours on end to discover the secret of the Sorceror's Stone in the Harry Potter series? These are vivid moments that can only be provided by the magical realm of books.

Combining clear, practical advice with inspiration, wisdom, tips and curated reading lists, this book shows you how to instill the joy and time-stopping pleasure of reading. 

Divided into 4 sections, from baby through teen, and each illustrated by a different artist, this book offers something useful at every turn of the page, whether it's how to develop rituals around reading or build a family library, or ways to engage a reluctant reader. A fifth section, "More Books to Love: By Theme and Reading Level", is chockful of expert recommendations.

Throughout, the shining authors, mothers of readers themselves, debunk common myths, assuage parental fears and deliver invaluable lessons in a positive and easy-to-act-on way. It's an indispensable guide to welcoming children to the reading life.

This book was entirely relatable with some of the techniques similar to how my parents instilled reading in me since the age of three. Absolutely necessary in a family setting, I give this book a major 10/10 on my rating scale.

220. Culinaria Greece: Greek Specialties by Marianthi Milona

BOOK REVIEW: Culinaria Greece - Greek Specialties by Marianthi Milona

Books are portals into new worlds, allowing us to explore countries in the cosy comforts of home. That just goes to explain why, as a foodie, I'm very much intertwined with books relating to the world's varied cuisines. In this book, it is no exception as mouth-watering pictures and illustrations coupled with food porn writing allows you to embrace the country of Greece and its cuisine.

This tome takes us on a journey, stopping off at the tables of the symposia of classical Greece, discovering the refinements of the haute cuisine available in major Greek cities, and sampling the simpler fare of fishermen, farmers, and shepherds. 

Comprising oodles of colorful illustrations, this book will take you behind the scenes and will delight anyone who loves Greece, its culture and cuisine. The many authentic recipes contained in this book guarantee that it will prove to be an equally pleasurable experience for the palate.

Be forewarned though, massive drooling episodes plus excessive hunger pangs await readers who peruse this foodie heaven of a book. Happy reading and eating dear readers!

219. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

BOOK REVIEW: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

In Asia, we come across the jetsetters and A-listers, from celebs to billionaires. But since I'm in Johor, let me elaborate on the extravagances of the glitterati in neighbouring Singapore.

Singapore is one of the most expensive cities in the world and for good reason to boot. You have anything and everything that you could imagine from the best hawker food to the sparkling expanses of swanky hotels.

Now not only does Singapore boast of technology but it also boasts of its concentration of millionaires that live in the poshest settings, owning the most luxurious cars and experiencing life literally on a silver platter.

Little is known of how these families work isn't it? In this frolicking read from Kevin Kwan you are just about to be thrown headfirst into the beautiful and ugly side of a rich family in Singapore.

When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry.

But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country's most eligible bachelor.

On Nick's arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives and scheming social climbers.

From obsessive clanship to dysfunctional families, this wonderfully written piece of fiction is ravenously gorgeous in its own right. Now a major motion picture, this book is sure to leave you glimmering and retching at the high life and what it entails.

218. The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

BOOK REVIEW: The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

For my Hari Raya break, I decided to spritz away a copy of this book which is an ode to our very own Kuala Lumpur Book Appreciation Club. Being a modern literary society so to speak, this book made me feel the true affinity of our fellow members towards books by relating to the characters here.

The war is dead. Juliet Ashton is tussling with writer's block when she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams of Guernsey - a total blow-in living halfway across the Channel, who has come across her name written in a pre-loved book.

Juliet begins writing to Dawsey, and in time to everyone in the astounding Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The society apprise Juliet about life on the island - and the inky years spent under the shadow of the German occupation. Drawn into their fetching world, Juliet sets sail for Guernsey, reforming her life - and theirs - eternally.

This book not only related the bond between the literary society's members but also the issue of writer's block. Writer's block is the condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing. It commonly pains authors and journalists alike when they are in the midst of composing words into beauty.

The most heart-warming part of this book was the stories of the German Occupation. Many individuals went hungry, disease-ridden and tortured in German encampments like Ravensbruck. The pain and triumph they experienced gave a glimpse into the hard life trudged through due to unforeseen political circumstances.

One of those fiction books that could tickle your funny bone and draw one up at the same time, it was like a fresh breath of air compared to reading common fiction that revolve around romance, mystery and plenty of other light topics. Portrayed in the form of letters from Juliet to the members of the society and vice versa, it was a beautiful read to be cherished and passed on from one generation to the next.

217. The Flavour Thesaurus: Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook by Niki Segnit

BOOK REVIEW: The Flavour Thesaurus - Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook

Relishing food and preparing meals are my life's greatest passions after reading. But as fellow chefs would have encountered, certain food pairings work like a gem while others make you turn green in the face. This book is a lifesaver for both the kitchen rookie and the iron chefs.

Divided into 16 flavour profiles, this book denotes almost all the flavour pairings you will ever need to know, leaving you craving for more of a certain dish. Quirky and fun to read, flavour affinities of one ingredient to another is light-heartedly explained for ease of comprehension.

If the food pairings are not enough to pique your interest, then maybe the recipes would. Some recreated from the golden days to even haute cuisine from the biggest names in the food industry, the recipes are shared by the author to test flavour affinities in the best possible way.

A delicious (pun intended) read, it left my stomach rumbling from all the worthy food descriptions and food imagery. For those culinary aficionados out there, this is certainly a page turner. Keep a bite on hand in case you get too peckish.

216. The Million Pieces of Neena Gill by Emma Smith-Barton

BOOK REVIEW: The Million Pieces of Neena Gill by Emma Smith-Barton (courtesy of Times Reads)

Death is a debilitating feeling, harsh and cold in delivering its blows of misery to those affected by the demise of a loved one. Without a strong support system, many fall victim to mental illness that often leads to bitter endings. 

Neena Gill is a Pakistani-Christian girl born and raised abroad. Desperate to fit in with her peers and parents after the death of her elder brother, Akash, she stumbles around dangerously in life as a 15-year-old teenage girl.

This story relates teenage angst at its best and how not coping with the death of a loved one in a proper channel could lead to disastrous consequences. The author has also brought up a much hushed topic of mental illness, particularly psychosis.

Psychosis is a severe mental disorder in which thought and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality. Hallucinations and hearing of voices are the norm of the day in the life of such patients.

A sad and empowering story of how true love and support of family and friends could patch back all the broken pieces, it's a trembling read. The book was extremely relatable to myself as I still roil through the bubbling emotions since the demise of my dad in September last year.

I personally give this book a 10/10 and recommend that you hunt down a copy in your nearest bookstores ASAP.