Ray Bradbury's The Playground Made Me Rethink How I Parent.

I just finished listening to Ray Bradbury's The Playground on Audible, and I've been thinking about how I parent my children.

Bradbury is known for writing stories that linger long after they end. If you've read his most famous book, Fahrenheit 451, I know you'd agree. He's talented at placing ordinary people in ordinary settings while quietly exposing something unsettling about human behaviour. 

The Playground did exactly that.

I was going through my Audible library and stumbled across this one. It was only 45 minutes, and I thought it would be a good way to kick-start my reading in 2026 with something short.

In a nutshell, Ray Bradbury's The Playground is about a widower, Charles Underhill, haunted by his childhood bullying and desperately trying to shield his 3-year-old son, Jim, from the same experience at a local playground.

At its core, this isn't really a story about children. It's a story about fear, grief, and the way love can slowly turn into control when it's driven by anxiety.

The Audiobook Review

I enjoyed listening to this. Finished it in one day during my drive to and from work. Not sure when the audiobook was recorded, but the narration reminded me of those classic storytelling style they used to do for radio. 

What starts as a story of a grieving, overprotective father suddenly becomes a supernatural event where the Underhills make a decision that impacts their lives forever.

It's only a 45-minute listen, and while I wouldn't say it was absolutely enjoyable, it's short enough to get through. For me, it made me reflect on how I parent my kids.

If you have 45 minutes to spare, I'd recommend listening to it. Ray Bradbury's work is worth the time.

Are We Overcompensating As Parents?

Listening to this made me reflect on how differently many of us parent today compared to how we were raised.

Many of us grew up with way less supervision. Our parents didn't monitor us constantly or track our every move. We made mistakes, scraped our knees, got into trouble, and figured things out on our own.

That freedom didn't make us reckless. If anything, I think it made us resilient.

Today, many of us parent by overcompensating. We know more. We see more. We're constantly exposed to stories of what can go wrong. So we buffer, protect, and manage—sometimes down to the smallest detail.

And The Playground made me pause and ask an uncomfortable question:

Are we protecting our children, or are we trying to protect ourselves from our own fears?

What The Playground Made Me Rethink

Bradbury doesn't argue for neglect or reckless parenting. What he does, at least for me, is hold up a mirror, which can be unsettling.

When fear becomes the foundation of parenting, even love can become suffocating. Children don't build resilience in perfectly controlled environments. They built it through:

• Small risks
• Mistakes
• Discomfort
• Learning where their own limits are

The playground, literal or metaphorical, is where that happens.

This story made me rethink how I parent my kids, not with guilt, but with awareness.

Maybe strength isn't built by removing danger entirely. Maybe it's built by allowing space for independence, even when letting go feels terrifying.

And maybe the hardest part of parenting isn't keeping our children safe from the world, but making sure our own fears don't quietly shrink theirs.

Book Review: Alchemised by SenLinYu

I've never read the Harry Potter fan fiction Manacled, which Alchemised is based on. 

So I went into Alchemised with no prior background of the book that was popular amongst Dramione fans. I picked this book up mostly because of the hype I kept seeing on BookTok and, well, simply because I'm a Harry Potter fan. 

I was also curious after reading about the author, SenLinYu. Manacled was so popular that she received offers to publish Manacled as a book, which was then reproduced as Alchemised to avoid copyright issues with the Harry Potter franchise, and even received a movie deal shortly after. 

When a book gets offers left, right, and centre like that, you start thinking... okay, this must be good, right? 

What is Alchemised About?

Helena Morino - Official artwork from Avendell

Alchemised is a dark fantasy romance set during a brutal war against the Undying. 

The central character is Helena Morino, a healer who tends to wounded Resistance soldiers. This book carries heavy themes around war, power, blind religious loyalty, female status in society and how narratives can be manipulated to serve those in control. 

But beneath all that? 

It's also a deeply intense love story between a spy and his handler. Two lonely people who fell in love during the war. 

Spoiler Free Review. 

This was a painful read, and I don't mean emotionally. 

At 1,040 pages, this book is heavy. Carrying it around actually threw my shoulder out, so I eventually caved and bought a copy on my Kobo. 

So what's inside this 1,040-page brick? 

Alchemised is broken into three parts. 

Part 1 was confusing. So confusing, in fact, that I stopped reading and left the book collecting dust for a good two months before picking it up again. 

The world-building was impressive, but the magic system and terminology tripped me up constantly. Animancy, vivimancy, necromancy, all the "-mancies" started to blur together. I found myself constantly looking things up repeatedly just to keep track. 

If you're planning to read this, do yourself a favour and print out a terminology list for reference. Trust me, it'll help. 

I eventually picked it back up during the long year-end holidays, and I'm glad I did. Trudging through Part 1 was worth it because Part 2 is where the book truly shines. 

I was so high-strung through Part 2 and the early sections of Part 3 because both Kaine and Helena faced so many challenges that when the book finally ended, it felt... flat. 

And that's where my mixed feelings come in. 

What lingered days after I finished was a feeling of unease. 

The story doesn't offer a clean finish. It doesn't reward sacrifice with recognition, and it doesn't provide a neat closure. That made it deeply unsatisfying yet strangely compelling. 

Long after I finished the book, I found myself scrolling through TikTok endlessly, talking to my book club members who had read it, trying to understand why the story stayed with me. 

Alchemised isn't a comfort read. It's a book that asks you to sit with moral ambiguity rather than resolving it neatly. 

And honestly, I'm still sitting with it. 

Some books end, and you go, "Okay, that was good/bad," rate it a few stars, and move on. 

And then there are books that live rent-free in your head long after you've finished reading them. 

This was definitely one of those books. 

So, would I recommend you pick up this book? 

Yes. It's definitely a one-of-a-kind reading experience. 

That said, please pay attention to the trigger warnings before you decide to jump into reading this book. This is not a light or casual read; it's the complete opposite. 

There were moments while reading Alchemised when I was completely drawn in.

But is it a five-star read? 

I can't say. I'll need to get back to you. I'm still processing. 

The part I really enjoyed in the book was Part 2. Part 1, as I mentioned, was confusing, and the ending, while unsatisfying, did make me think deeper about the themes. 

And with that, I'll stop here because the rest of my thoughts live firmly in spoiler territory. What follows are my personal notes and reflections, written mostly so I don't forget how this book made me feel. 

So, if you want to avoid spoilers, stop here. 

What Stuck with Me (Spoilers Ahead)

⚠️ Fair warning - spoilers below ⚠️

Sigh. Where do I even begin? There's a lot to unload here, and this might be a long post. 

1. Characters from the book

There are so many unlikeable characters in this book. 

Marrough is not the only villain. Ilva Holdfast, Jan Crowther, and especially Falcon Mathias, members of the Resistance council, were the ones I found deeply unsettling. 

What disturbed me most about the council wasn't that they were obvious villains. They were unlikeable not because they were evil, but because they were protected by blind belief, rank, and a narrative that conveniently suited them. 

Kaine Ferron - Official artwork by Avendell

On the flip side, Kaine Ferron is easily my favourite character in the book. Not because he's flawless or romantic, but because he constantly pays the price quietly. He keeps his promises. He carries loyalty, restraint, and emotional cost without recognition, and he feels like someone trying to remain decent caught inside a system that punishes decency. 

Also, his dry wit and humour genuinely made me laugh, which made me love his character more. 

Helena Morino, on the other hand, disappoints me at times. She's intelligent, capable, and deeply burdened by responsibility and deep loyalty to the Resistance. My frustration comes from the fact that she always prioritises the Resistance. Her actions mostly reflect that without fully considering the cost to Kaine. 

It often felt like Kaine consistently gave, while Helena gambled, and he absorbed the fallout. That imbalance felt unfair, and yet, I still loved them together. 

2. The Themes

There are so many heavy themes woven into Alchemised, from gender inequality and the ethics of power to how narratives can be controlled to serve a political purpose. 

But these were the ones that stayed with me the most:

One line that had me literally shaking my head in agreement was: "There's nothing to rival war to money."

Simply put, war isn't just ideology or belief. It's an economic engine. I think that single line frames the entire story well; it shows how war reduces human life to insignificance.

Another moment that lingered with me was the theme of blind faith. 

In the story, Helena is reprimanded for suggesting necromancy to revive fallen Resistance soldiers as a strategy to win the war. The idea is met with immediate backlash by the Council. It's labelled heretical and deeply immoral by the Resistance, whose ideology is built around preserving life and preventing necromantic corruption. 

In one scene, shortly after the incident, the Resistance is celebrating a win, and in one conversation, the belief is that the win came because they held firm to their faith, i.e. not agreeing with Helena on using necromancy, which shows their commitment to Sol. 

"They thought the war was being won because her proposal for necromancy had been so sharply reprimanded that the resistance passed some final spiritual test, and all the success of the last year was a reward for it."

This blind belief is dressed up as moral certainty. The Resistance convinces itself it's winning because it held firm in its belief. In their minds, Sol is now rewarding them for their righteousness. 

They were so deep in their faith, so convinced that belief alone can save them, that it ultimately led to the Resistance's downfall.

Then, towards the end of the book, after Kaine and Helena have escaped safely, they read reports that neighbouring countries are finally going to intervene and help free Paladia from Marrough's clutches, and this line hits hard: 

"How different it could have been if the international community had decided to put even a negligible amount of effort into caring sooner." 

Tell me that doesn't echo real life. 

This is where the book stopped feeling like fantasy and started feeling current. Alchemised doesn't just critique war; it critiques apathy. 

Alchemised also explores memory and truth. The novel comes across as a reflection on history itself: how records can be falsified, burned, or rewritten, and how those who shape the events are remembered as something they never were. 

Kaine will be remembered as a mass murderer, a figure of pure evil. Helena will not even be recorded, but behind that are two legends who sacrificed everything and fought in their own way to end the war. 

The world will never know the truth, and the idea that memory and history are illusions is what makes it devastating. 

This is what I think is special about the book: the author includes heavy themes but lets you think for yourself. 

I think this is why the book stayed with me long after I was done: I needed to process it all to understand where I stand on each theme. 

3. The Plot Twists

There are two plot twists in this book that really got me. 

Look, it's no secret that Kaine Ferron and Helena Morino are lovers. The relationship revealed between Kaine and Helena in Part 2 wasn't the twist; the timing was. 

What impressed me was how the author revealed why Kaine behaves the way he does in Part 1 only after showing us their history in Part 2. Things Kaine says early on in Part 1, his restraint, his exhaustion, his quiet loyalty, feel emotionally loaded even before we understand the full context. 

When their past is revealed later, those earlier moments click into place. It's not a surprise about the relationship itself, but a revelation about its depth and duration. The story doesn't change what happened; it changes how you understand what you already read. 

Hats off to SenLinYu for this, because she really managed to craft the storyline and merge it well as we move through the book. One day, I'd love to read this again just to see what I missed the first time around. 

The other plot twist which broke me was when Helena found out that Marrough had taken control of Luc's body, thus explaining why Luc was acting so strangely. By the time Helena realises what's happening, it is too late, and he ultimately meets his death. 

Luc's death completely shifted the emotional weight of the book for me. Especially the reveal that he was already lost before Helena realised it. 

This was the only part of the book that made me cry. 

Luc's death - Official artwork by Avendell

4. The Love Story

Kaine and Helena - Official artwork by Avendell

Helena and Kaine's relationship feels less like a traditional love story and more like trauma bonding, forged under constant danger, secrecy, power imbalance, and survival.

Their relationship is captured perfectly in this line: 

"They were the inverse and counter to each other. A healer and a killer, circling slowly, the push and pull inexorable."

 

 Kaine's love is quiet, protective, and possessive. 

"You're mine. I'll always come for you." 

"I'm going to take care of you. I swear, Helena. I'm always going to take care of you."

"If you die, Helena... I'm done. I won't continue this. I'm tired."

This isn't soft romance. 

Their love was built on loneliness and shared purpose during wartime. They didn't fall in love despite the war; they fell in love because of it.

Both were deeply isolated long before they were romantically involved: Kaine by duty and conditioning. Helena by responsibility and moral burden. Working toward the same goal forced proximity, trust, and dependence in a world where genuine connection was rare. 

War compressed time and intensified emotion, turning shared agenda into intimacy. Their love becomes both refuge and risk, not ideal or pure, but deeply human. 

And maybe that's why it felt so powerful, and so fragile at the same time. 

5. The Ending

The problem I have with the book's ending is that it felt flat. 

The reason? 

There was so much intensity in Parts 2 and 3 leading up to the end that, when Helena and Kaine finally managed to make their escape, I was anxious. I kept thinking they were going to get caught, or recognised, or that Marrough would somehow find out and go after them. 

Then, when they finally made their escape to the island and seemed to live a happy life, it was a good ending, but the anticipation made it fall flat. 

I was, however, left with an ending where I really felt sorry for their daughter Enid, who eventually returns to Paladin to pursue her studies, only to end up reading a distorted narrative of her father, the merciless killer, and the mother who had sacrificed everything but wasn't given any recognition. 

That ending sat with me because I realised that their greatest sacrifice in the war was anonymity. 

While the ending didn't break me, it still stayed with me, and maybe, that was the point. 

6. Final Thoughts

Alchemised might look like a fantasy novel on the surface, but at its core, it's a war story. One that strips away any illusion of glory or simple morality. 

What makes it a powerful story is its refusal to divide its world into good and evil. There are no heroes in war, only people driven by their philosophies, fears, and desperate choices. 

In war, nobody truly wins. 

And at the centre of it all is a love that's not romantic in the traditional sense. It's tragic, painful and achingly human. 

Quotes I'm Keeping

• "I think the hospital's worse than the battlefield ... in the hospital, every battle looks like losing."
• "In combat, there's no difference between an angry person and a stupid one."
• "Do as I say, not as I do."
• "I thought we could suffer enough to earn each other."
• "Women were always defined by the lowliest thing they could be called."
• "Love isn't as pretty or pure as people would like to think. There's darkness in it sometimes. Kaine and I go hand in hand. I made him who he is. I knew what that array meant when I saved him. If he's a monster, then I'm his creator."
• "All those years. All the people she'd healed, her resonance knitting them back together so they could live to fight another day, and for what? So they could be tortured to death, or enslaved or - worst?"

Book Review: The Never List by Koethi Zan

Written by: Koethi Zan

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Penguin Books

Publishers Summary: 

For years, best friends Sarah and Jennifer kept what they called the “Never List”:  a list of actions to be avoided, for safety’s sake, at all costs.  But one night, against their best instincts, they accept a cab ride with grave, everlasting consequences. For the next three years, they are held captive with two other girls in a dungeon-like cellar by a connoisseur of sadism.

Ten years later, at thirty-one, Sarah is still struggling to resume a normal life, living as a virtual recluse under a new name, unable to come to grips with the fact that Jennifer didn’t make it out of that cellar. Now, her abductor is up for parole and Sarah can no longer ignore the twisted letters he sends from jail.

Finally, Sarah decides to confront her phobias and the other survivors—who hold their own deep grudges against her. When she goes on a cross-country chase that takes her into the perverse world of BDSM, secret cults, and the arcane study of torture, she begins unraveling a mystery more horrifying than even she could have imagined.

Review:

It’s been a while since I read anything from the mystery, thriller genre and I think this selection was quite a good break from all the young adult books that I have been reading of late. 10 years after escaping from her sadistic abductor, Sarah is forced to leave the comforts of her secure home to find out what really happened to her friend Jennifer. Her quest unravels something darker and sinister surrounding the events of her abduction.

To my surprise The Never List was actually a quick read. I actually read it in two seatings. It was engaging and gripping from the first page till the last and I could not put it down. The storyline provided a fairly good mystery and I felt the suspense was quite consistent throughout.

Though it does not tell you the details of the torture Sarah went through, I still found it dark and twisted. To be honest, I’m quite glad that the author didn’t go through the gory details because I don’t think I would have finished the book if she did.

Overall, I would think that this is something one can pick up if one wants a light thriller that’s quite easy to read.

I gave this book a 5 over 5 on goodreads because it was dark, suspenseful and had a great plot.

Audiobook Review: Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

Written by: David Sedaris

Narrated by: David Sedaris

Length: 6 hours 25 minutes

Format: Audiobook

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Publisher's Summary:

From the unique perspective of David Sedaris comes a new collection of essays taking his listeners on a bizarre and stimulating world tour. From the perils of French dentistry to the eating habits of the Australian kookaburra, from the squat-style toilets of Beijing to the particular wilderness of a North Carolina Costco, we learn about the absurdity and delight of a curious traveler's experiences. Whether railing against the habits of litterers in the English countryside or marveling over a disembodied human arm in a taxidermist's shop, Sedaris takes us on side-splitting adventures that are not to be forgotten.

Review:

This is my first exposure to David Sedaris’s work. I heard it on Audible. The essays were short and mostly revolving around his life experience covering some stories of his family, his life in France etc.

The first essay, Dentists without Borders got me laughing so hard I was afraid I’d get into an accident while driving. Most of his work is hilarious, especially the essays that are related to his own personal experience. He definitely has a very quirky view of life.

Not all the essays were ‘laugh out loud’ material but I generally enjoyed listening to this book. I think this book is better on audio format as Sedaris’s reading style does bring his essays to life and makes it feel a bit more personalized; for me it felt like I was having a conversation with a friend on his experience with his father, losing his passport and mourning the loss of his computer.

Sedaris’s piece on China is the one that I will remember the most. Thanks to you Mr Sedaris, I have decided never to visit China cause now all I think about when I hear China, is phlegm. Yuck…

I gave this book a 4 over 5 on Goodreads.

Book Review: Make Good Art by Neil Gaiman

Written by: Neil Gaiman
Designed by: Chip Kidd
Format: Paperback
Publisher: William Morrow

Publishers Summary:

This book is a reprint of Neil Gaiman’s speech to the graduates of Philadelphia’s University of the Arts in May 2012. In his speech, he shares a bit of his experience and how he succeeded as a writer. The nineteen minutes speech also covered his thoughts on creativity, bravery and strength. Neil Gaiman’s ‘Make Good Art’ Speech is not a normal book, the speech is printed in stylish graphic design by renowned graphic artist Chip Kidd.

Review:

I absolutely love this book. One because it was so bright, colourful and beautifully crafted by Chip Kidd that it was really pleasing to read. Two, though Gaiman’s speech was specifically targeted to art graduates I felt that there were a few pointers that anyone regardless of age can take as good advise in order for them to succeed in what they do.

There are two quotes that I love from this book. The first:

“I tended to do anything as long as it felt like an adventure and to stop when it felt like work, which meant that life did not feel like work”

I totally agree with this. I hold the same principle and believe that one should have passion in what they do then only will they enjoy the work.

The second quote I like from Gaiman’s speech was on why people will still get work, they don’t have to be perfect but at least good in one of these three things and people would re-hire them regardless.

“1. Their work is good,

2. and because they are easy to get along with,

3. and because they deliver the work on time.

And you don’t even need all three.

Two out of three is fine.”

I have much respect for Gaiman and have always thought of him as a very talented writer. I have enjoyed all of the books I've read from Gaiman so far. This book opened up my eyes to the fact that even though he is a great writer, he too faced challenges, made mistakes and faced failures in his journey to success.

This book will take less than one hour to read. It’s definitely a keeper on my book shelf for the insightful content as well as the colourful style it was presented in. I gave it a 5 over 5 in Goodreads.

Book review: A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Written by: Julia Donaldson

Illustrated by: Axel Scheffler

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Authors Summary:

“Wise old man, won’t you help me, please?
My house is a squash and a squeeze.”

This was my first book, published in 1993, but it started its life earlier still, as a song which I wrote for children’s television. There is also a Big Book, a board book, a Braille edition, a Let’s Read edition, a 20th anniversary edition with early drawings from Axel’s sketchbook and audio version with Imelda Staunton, Steven Pacey and Julia which includes both story and song (I sing the part of the little old lady!)

A Squash and a Squeeze features in a Scamp play called Tiddler and other Terrific Tales which frequently tours the UK. For performing details visit www.scamptheatre.com

"a bit of a classic… a goat on the bed and a cow on the table tapping out a jig? My readers collapsed in heaps, and then had to have it read again. And again."  Vivian French in The Guardian.

Review:

The kids and I are exploring a lot of Julia Donaldson’s books this year. So far the boys’ favourite is The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom. We have these in both paperback and audiobooks formats. Whenever we travel in the car, the kids will definitely want to hear either one of these books. I think my eldest has even memorized the whole Gruffalo book by now.

A squash and a squeeze is a simple story of a woman who thought her house was too small and had asked the advice of a wise old man. The old man then had asked the woman to bring one animal after another into her house and then take the animals out again one by one. It was not until all the animals were out of her house did the old woman realized that her house was not small after all.

I really liked this book. The story has a nice rhyme to it and I quite enjoyed reading it to the boys. The illustrations were colourful and bright and the kids loved asking about the animals. However, the kids didn’t seem to be as engaged with the story as much as they were with The Gruffalo or Room on the Broom. I’ve tried reading this book to them a couple of times already but they were just not interested in the story but were more inquisitive on the animals. Maybe stories of little old ladies don’t appeal to them? Oh dear...

Regardless of how the kids reacted to the book, I personally think this was an enjoyable book to read.

In the author’s website, Donaldson mentioned that this book started off as a song for a children’s television show. So I googled and got a video of it on YouTube of the song which is sung by none other than the author herself. I’m going to try sharing the video with the kids instead and see if the kids will like the video better.

We have a couple more books from Julia Donaldson which I haven’t started reading to the kids yet but I really like her work so far. I gave this book a 3 over 5 in Goodreads.

Audiobook Review: Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Written by: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: David Aaron Baker

Length: 10 hours and 33 minutes

Series: Odd Thomas, Book 1

Format: Audiobook

Publisher: Random House Audio

Publisher's Summary:

"The dead don't talk. I don't know why." But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn.

Maybe he has a gift, maybe it's a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and Odd's otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo's sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter, can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time it's different.

A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd's deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15. 

Today is August 14.

In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares, and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.

Review:

A couple of years ago, I saw a movie called Odd Thomas. It was a good movie with a very sad ending that made me cry buckets. After watching the movie a couple of times, I suddenly wondered if it was an adaptation from a book. So I googled and found out that it was an adaptation from a book of the same title authored by Dean Koontz. To be honest, I was pretty shocked that I knew nothing about this book. Why? Because in my late teens and early adulthood I thought I had read everything from this author. Dean Koontz was my favorite author during that time and I assumed that I had read everything and I really mean EVERYTHING from him.

Anyway, back to my thoughts on this book. I loved it. I think the movie adaptation also did justice to the book.

I really do admire Odd’s character. At times I feel sorry for him especially when the book reveals a little bit about his parents and his upbringing but I love him for how he decided to live his life independently and in pure simplicity despite all that he had gone through in his young life. I love the relationship he has with the people around him especially with his soulmate Stormy.

I’m a big Dean Koontz fan and honestly I am biased. This book could do no wrong for me. The storyline was excellent and the pacing was good. The audiobook production was also excellent. The narrator’s voice and depiction of Odd’s character is perfect. Truth: I cried at the end despite knowing fully well how it ended as it was similar to the movie.

I definitely will read the rest of the series and see how life turns out for Odd and his little troupe in the little town of Pico Mundo.

I gave this a 4 over 5 rating on Goodreads.

Audiobook Review: Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin

Written by: Charles Martin

Narrated by: Andrew Peterson

Length: 9 hours and 15 minutes

Format: Audiobook

Publisher: Oasis Audio

When paramedics find a malnourished 6-year-old boy near a burning car that holds a dead woman, they wonder who he is – and why he won’t talk. Chase, a small-town journalist who was raised by foster parents, is assigned to cover the story and investigate the boy’s identity. But will his search unearth long-buried emotions – and answers to his own history?

Review:

The first few pages starts with intense drama. A 6 year old boy is being abused by whom we can only assume is his mother in a car, parked in the middle of the railway track with an oncoming train headed their way. 

The story follows through in the aftermath of a tragedy, when the boy is found wondering, not willing to utter a word to anyone and Chase Walker, a local reporter is put to task to investigate on the boy’s background. The journey leads to a story of self-discovery, the test of family bonds and a secret that is finally revealed after being hidden for so long.

This book is definitely the best book I’ve listened to in 2013. Hands down.

This novel has strong and memorable characters. The development of each character from the first page until the last is absolutely amazing. Unc, who is Chase’s foster father, is my absolute favourite character in this book, followed by Chase and Tommye. Unc’s relationship with Chase as a foster father is admirable. Though Unc is known to sometimes utter things that only he can understand; spoke many words of wisdom in the book. Listening to audiobooks while driving means that I am not able to jot down notes of quotes from Unc which is really sad but trust me some of Unc’s words are profound.

Chasing Fireflies is paced well. Characters and storyline is revealed at just the right time and the storyline is engaging which actually made me want to take longer drives. Shamelessly, I’ll admit tearing a number of times while listening to this book on my drive to work.

This book is about the importance of family relationships and the quest in search for the truth. It is a beautiful novel that is filled with emotions, strong family bonds and a revelation that is quite unexpected at the end.

My hats off to Andrew Peterson, the narrator of the audiobook. Not only did he read the story well, he manages to read each character differently and bring each and every character to life and made the listening experience even more worthwhile.

I absolutely LOVE this book. I loved it so much that I gave it a 5 over 5 on Goodreads.

Audiobook Review: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Written by: Melissa Marr

Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan

Length:10 hours and 9 minutes

Format: Audiobook

Publisher: HarperAudio

Aislinn has the third eye and is able to see faeries. Unfortunately, Aislinn’s mother was killed by faeries when she was young. Because of this she has been trained by her grandmother to hide her gift in order to protect her from the evil faeries.

She lives her life by a set of strict rules outlined by her grandmother. And these rules have kept her safe, until now. Suddenly, none of the rules apply anymore as she is stalked by Keenan, the faery Summer King. Keenan is after Aislinn as he believes that she could be ‘THE' Summer Queen and help release him from his mother’s evil powers.

The review:

Ok. This was not an exceptionally great book but I quite enjoyed it.

It offered a different take on how I normally see faeries. I always thought that faeries were like Tinkerbell from Peter Pan… Eh. Wait a minute. Is Tinkerbell a faerie even? Ok whatever…. Anyway you catch my drift, faeries: small creatures, a bit mischievous but overall good supernatural beings with wings attached to them.

My absolute favourite character in this book is…. drum roll please… SETH! (I’m so predictable right?) He’s the perfect guy (well, maybe a bit too perfect thus the reason why he only exists as a fictional character). I love him because he was:

• Patiently waiting for Aislinn (I mean the guy did wait for 7 whole damn months before he told her he was in love with her)
• Supportive (Did not call Aislinn crazy when she told him about her gift plus he even went all out and did research to find out more about the fairies)
• Cool, outgoing, good in bed and apparently the man can cook (two thumbs up from me on this point more than the previous points).

Keenan on the other hand I find a tad annoying. I won’t comment on the female characters cause … well, none of the characters had a huge impact on me.

Overall the storyline was ok. I quite enjoyed it mostly though I thought some parts was like… huh? For example: when grandma met Keenan.

Storyline revolves mainly around Aislinn (duhhh… she is the main character Tasha!). But seriously, its Aislinn wondering what’s happening, Aislinn pissed off at Keenan, Aislinn wondering what to do with Seth and Aislinn having to decide whether she would take up the challenge handed to her by the faeries. That about sums up the story. Sorry for the spoiler.

I heard this on audiobook and thought the narration was great though the narrator’s voice seemed a bit too mature for Aislinn.

Good book but not great. Enjoyable nonetheless because of the different take on faeries plus I do love Seth tremendously in this book. I gave it a 3 over 5 on Goodreads.

*Side note:

After writing this post, I did a quick Google search on fairies vs faeries. I’ve always spelt it as fairies and wanted to know what the difference was. Turns out there IS a difference between fairies & faeries. My perception on fairies (like Tinkerbell) is right and Marr’s depiction of faeries is not new or different after all. 

Hah! I learn something new everyday. Lets see if I can make any use of this information in real life. 

Book Review: Talk Like Ted by Carmine Gallo

Written by: Carmine Gallo

Narrated by: Carmine Gallo

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Format: Unabridged

TED talks have redefined the elements of a successful presentation and become the gold standard for public speaking around the world. TED and associated Tedx conferences are held in more than 130 countries and are being viewed at a rate of 1.5 million times a day.

These are presentations that set the world on fire, and the techniques that top TED speakers use are the same ones that will make any presentation more dynamic, fire up any team, and give anyone the confidence to overcome their fear of public speaking.

Public speaking coach and best-selling author of The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, Carmine Gallo has broken down the top TED talks and interviewed the most popular TED presenters as well as the top researchers in the fields of psychology and communications to get their cutting-edge insights and to reveal the nine secrets of all successful TED presentations.

From “Unleashing the Master Within” and “Delivering Jaw Dropping Moments” to “Sticking to the 18-minute Rule”, Gallo provides a step-by-step method that makes it possible for anyone to create, design, and deliver a TED-style presentation that is engaging, persuasive, and memorable.

Ideas are the true currency of the 21st century, and Gallo gives listeners a way to create presentations around the ideas that matter most to them, presentations that will energize their audiences to spread those ideas, launch new initiatives, and reach their highest goals.

My thoughts:

In my line of work, we do a lot of presentations. A lot. You’d think that with the amount of presentations we do, we’d be as good as Steve Jobs by now. Far from it.

I’m always looking for ways to improve my presentation skills and thought Talk Like TED would be an interesting book to listen to. The book was an unplanned purchase, I happened to see it featured on Audible and decided it might be worth a listen.

Overall I gave Talk Like TED a rating of 3 over 5 in Goodreads.

It was definitely an interesting book and the advice provided by Carmine Gallo was really good but it was hardly anything new. The nine points highlighted are pretty obvious and some of the advice I’ve heard before through seminars that I’ve attended and some books that I’ve read in the past.

Though the nine secrets may not be anything new, Gallo does present the points in an interesting manner. What I liked about Carmine Gallo’s book was that some of the points he provided was supported with scientific studies, research and even case studies of actual presenters at TED conferences. After every chapter, I’d take the time to watch the TED talk presenter he mentioned in his book just to learn how well they presented. Most are pretty impressive and very inspiring.

One of the first public speaking books that I read and which is my favourite till today is How to Develop Self-Confidence and Influence People by Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie. Some of the advice Carmine Gallo offers, echoes Dale Carnegie’s points as well but of course presented with context and case studies which is more relevant to our time.

Worth a listen if you have not read any book on public speaking.

Now… I have a major presentation this month and my challenge is to develop an effective presentation using Gallo’s techniques. Wish me luck.

Book Review: Usborne Very First Reading: Book 2 - The Dressing-Up Box

Written by: Mairi MacKinnon

Illustrated by: Kate Sheppard

Pages: 32 pages

Format: Hard cover

Genre: Children’s Book

Reading Level: 3 – 5 years old 

• An exciting story to inspire very beginner readers.
• Based on the principles of synthetic phonics, supports the "Letters and Sounds" programme used in thousands of UK primary schools.
• Adult and child take turns to read, and the child’s text uses only the letters s a t p i n m d.
• Fun puzzles test understanding, and provide opportunities for discussion and further reading practice.

My thoughts:

This book is part of a series that introduces reading to first time readers. I started reading Book 1: Pirate Pat from the series a couple of weeks back to the kids. Per my previous post on my experienced reading the first book, my kids loved it because they love stories about pirates but I had suspected that the kids won't enjoy the second book so much.

I was right, my kids were not as excited to read the Dressing-Up Box unfortunately. Don’t get me wrong the book was fine but dressing-up is not something my kids are into just yet so that’s why they were not interested when I read it to them. It took a lot to get them to focus on listening to me read the whole book.

So note to self: Read books with subjects that they are interested in and it would be easier for them to stay focus on the book.

I had plans to slowly purchase and collect the whole Usborne Very First Reading Series but was surprised that they had removed it from the shelf of the bookstore I originally purchased it from and is no longer available for sale in any of their outlets. The sales girl was explaining about stocks being on their shelves for only six months and after that it is returned back to the stockist. I called all other local bookstores and they don’t carry it either. Buying it online would just cost more for delivery.

What that means really is that I won’t be reading any other books from this series to the kids. That’s kinda sad cause I was looking forward to reading the rest of the series with the children.

Anyway, I just made major purchases on Audible for the children like Gruffalo’s Child, The Dinosaur that Pooped a Planet and Curious George Visits the Zoo. Big boy and I listened to the Dinosaur that Pooped a Planet last night and he quite enjoyed it because of all the farting sound effects… sigh… boys…

Book Review: Going Gray (Gray Series Book 1)

Written by:  Brian Spangler

Pages: 285 pages

Format: EBook

Genre: Apocalypse, Science Fiction

Going Gray is a 285 page novel, and is Book 1 of the Gray Series.

CENTURIES BEFORE GRAY SKIES...

When Emily heard the first scream, she became concerned.

When she heard the second scream, she grew scared.

When she heard the third scream, she was struck with terror.

But it was what Emily could not hear that frightened her the most.

Emily wakes to find that her world has plummeted into darkness--the clouds have spilled out of the sky and taken the sun.

And there is more to the mysterious fog--the mist is poison, killing everything in its path. Emily's home is no match for the caustic fog, and her family is suddenly on the run for safety.

But when she learns that the machines built to save the world could be the cause of the accident, Emily turns to her father, the original architect, with the hope that they can stop the environmental catastrophe.

My thoughts:

Going Gray is a gripping story that kept me at the edge of my seat from pretty much the first page. The book starts off with a bang and was an intriguing read until the last few pages.

The ending however felt abrupt and there was not much story on how Emily and the group survived. I really did want to read more about what happened to Emily, Justin and Peter and how they built their life to survive the apocalypse. It would have been great if it was elaborated a bit more.

But anyway, the ending left me with a few unanswered questions: Why did the skies fall? What is the purpose of the machine? I suppose this book really focusses on how the apocalypse begins and sets the pace for the next book in the series, which I look forward to reading. So much so that I bought the Gray Omnibus version that has all four books from the series on my Kobo yesterday.

Going Gray is a quick read seeing that it is only 285 pages in total. Storyline was captivating making it an easier read. I gave this book a 4 over 5 on Goodreads.

Book Review: We Were Liars

Written by:  E. Lockhart

Pages: 240 pages

Format: E-Book

Genre: Young Adult, Mysteries and Thrillers

A beautiful and distinguished family.

A private island.

A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.

A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.

A revolution. An accident. A secret.

Lies upon lies.

True love.

The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.

And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

My thoughts

We Were Liars is a story of Cady who comes from a family that is rich with ‘old’ money. Cady spends every summer on a private island with her cousins. The summer of her fifteenth year, a terrible event occurs which left Cady suffering from a severe memory loss and constant migraines. She returns to the island two years later and slowly the memory of the tragic event returns in scattered memories.

Can I just lie and say I didn’t like it? Ok. Truth: I didn’t like all of it but I liked the ending.

The writing style was not something that I’m used to and it was sometimes annoying to read. There were parts where fairy tales were used to narrate the story. Truth, I skipped those parts mostly. I’ve read reviews of people actually appreciating Lockhart’s style of writing but unfortunately, I can’t appreciate it.  

Despite the writing style, the storyline was still engaging. Cady is an unreliable narrator. Her memories are scattered and revealed in bits and pieces but just at the right time and the right doses to keep you wondering and wanting to know what happened to her that summer fifteenth.

What I did absolutely love was the plot twist at the end of the book. I. Did. Not. See. That. Coming.

I finished reading We Were Liars a couple of days ago and honestly the thing I remember the most is the twist and not much else from the book.

I gave this book a 5 over 5 in Goodreads for the memorable plot twist. 

Book Review: Lego Star Wars Book Collection: A New Hope and the Empire Strikes Back

Written by:  Emma Grange

Pages: 32

Format: Paperback

Genre: Children’s Book

Reading Level: 5-7 years

DK Readers is a multi-level reading program guaranteed to capture children's interest while developing their reading skills and general knowledge. With nine new exciting titles to choose from this season, kid's ages 4-9 will find the perfect book at their appropriate reading level to help with school projects or independent reading.

A New Hope:

DK Readers: LEGO® Star Wars®: A New Hope is the exciting story of the iconic Star Wars: Episode IV movie, retold for young readers with their favorite LEGO® Star Wars® minifigures and sets. This Level 1 Reader follows our heroes as they attempt to rescue rebel leader Princess Leia from the evil empire.

The Empire Strikes Back:

Follow the adventures of the rebels as they fight against the Galactic Empire-all in LEGO® form, with DK Readers: LEGO® Star Wars®: The Empire Strikes Back. Clear, informative text helps beginner readers to read on their own in this all-new Level 2 Star Wars Reader from DK.

My thoughts:

I’m a big Star Wars fan and when I saw this box set on the shelf of my local bookstore, I just couldn’t resist getting myself one. The box has a picture of a storm trooper in front. Inside the box set, there are 4 books; one copy of A New Hope and one copy of The Empire Strikes Back plus two activity/sticker books.

My kids are into the Star Wars Rebel cartoon so when they saw me come back with this box set, they attacked it and tore it open. I think my kids enjoyed the sticker books more than the actual story books. The sticker book was really a fun activity to do with the kids and I also honestly think my husband had more fun with the sticker book than the kids.

As for the books, well I’m quite surprised that the author managed to capture the essence of the storyline in less than 30+ pages for each book. The Lego mini figurines were used quite well and flowed with how the author wrote the story.

Obviously, I had more fun reading the books than my kids did because they are below the intended reading level. It really is a cute book and a fun 10 minute read. A definite must have for the Star Wars buff parent who want to introduce their young kids to the Star Wars series.

I gave both these books a 5 over 5 on Goodreads. 

Book Review: Usborne Very First Reading: Book 1 - Pirate Pat

Written by: Mairi MacKinnon

Illustrated by: Mike and Carl Gordon

Pages: 32 pages

Format: Hard cover

Genre: Children’s Book

Reading Level: 3 – 5 years old 

• An exciting story to inspire very beginner readers.
• Based on the principles of synthetic phonics, supports the "Letters and Sounds" programme used in thousands of UK primary schools.
• Adult and child take turns to read, and the child’s text uses only the letters s a t p i n m d.
• Fun puzzles test understanding, and provide opportunities for discussion and further reading practice.

My thoughts:

I have a two and a four year old boy who is more interested with the iPad and watching cartoons on TV than reading. I wanted the kids to have more exposure to reading actual books rather than the storybook apps that they go through on our gadgets. So I did some research and found the Usborne Very First Reading Series and figured I’d give it a try with my boys.

How this book works is that the parent reads one part and the kids read another. The process is repeated until the end of the story.

Both my boys can’t read yet but what I do is I place my finger on each letter I am reading so that hopefully they can recognize some of the words if we continue doing this often enough.

My boys are quite into Pirates so they did like this book a lot. The simple rhyming used to tell the story makes it interesting to read together with the boys. My two year old especially loves it when I read this to him.

Overall we quite enjoyed reading about Pirate Pat. I’ve only purchased this book last Friday and we’ve read it about three times together over the past few days. That’s a good sign. Overall I give this book a 5/5 on Goodreads.

Oh before I forget, the book also has puzzles that you can use as activities with the kids. My kids are not so interested in them yet but I'm sure they will once they get a hang of how it works. 

This week I’m aiming to read the second book in the series titled, The Dressing-Up Box. I have a feeling my boys won’t like reading about dressing up so much as they do reading about pirates but I’m gonna give this a go anyway.