"I parked there yesterday and my Range Rover exploded."

Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There's a reason I didn't read more book in 2014 and it's because of this author. I just got this book a few weeks ago and it's now pretty dog-eared, thanks to the multiple re-reading because I enjoy it just *that* much.

The novel is set in a world where magic is real and is the main currency for power and wealth. A small-time private investigator was tasked to persuade a powerful pyromage to surrender to his family after a series of high profile arson. She has a competitor in the chase, another catastrophically powerful mage who can level cities. A lot of mayhem and high octane action, peppered with tickle-your-ribs humour and steamy sexual tension.

The book is peopled with characters who are not just larger-than-life but also wonderfully likeable. The primary characters sucked me in and kept the book glued to my hand up to the very end. C'mon, how am I to resist when the male protagonist was described as such:

He'd traded the suit and shoes for faded jeans, a pale grey t-shirt and heavy, dark boots. The effect was staggering. The suit had toned him down, smoothing harshness with a veneer of wealth and civilisation. Now he was all rough edge and rugged strength. He looked like he needed some jungle ruins to explore or some bad people to hit with a chair. Trouble was, he was the bad people

I also adored that the female protagonist was no Mary Sue; she had a complement of vulnerabilities along with kick ass determination, wilyness and intelligence. Her Mom was a magically enhanced sniper, her Grandma talked to tanks and the heavy weaponry that she crafted, and a cybermage cousin as her sidekick. Her family was insane and fun and I can't wait to see more of her crazy sisters and cousin in the next books.

Even the psychopath was pretty endearing and made you want to root for him.

Pierce did have devil eyes. Deep and dark, the rich brown of coffee grinds, they were unpredictable and full of crazy.

Burn for Me is a new tangent for the husband-wife writing team, a book that is closer to a traditional romance in the action-adventure genre. However, the romance aspect developed more slowly, paying out over a three-book series. By the last page you are jonesing for the next book and gosh, can't they write any faster?

Favourite quotes:


1. "... Had I known that you were going to pull a pretty ribbon out of your sleeve like some two-bit magician, I would have shot you. Many times."

"Two-bit magician?"

"Men like you enjoy being flattered."

2. Small talk with the dragon. How are you? Eaten any adventurers lately? Sure, just had one this morning. Look, I still got his femur stuck in my teeth. Is that upsetting to you?

3. "I was conceived because my mother skipped bail. Her boyfriend at the time threatened to call the cops on her, so she had to do something to keep him from doing it."

4. And then he had felt her. She was warm and golden and she tore through the sterility of the ascent and reached for him. She kissed him and as she shared all of her fears and wants, he felt alive. He had shrugged off the cold serenity for her, and the world around him bloomed.


Seriously. Go get this book. You won't regret it.

Male protagonist: 5/5 stars
Female protagonist: 5/5 stars
Storyline: 5/5 stars
Pacing: 5/5 stars
Fun Factor: 5/5 stars
Repeat Reading Factor: 5/5 stars


View all my reviews

Hanging out in Tartarus by the river of fire would be a jolly thing to do

Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had this book in my keeping for over a month before I cracked it open. One is because of its size: at 930 pages and at least 2.5 inch thick, I worry that if I accidentally drop it on my face when reading, I might break my nose.

OK, spoilers ahead. You have been warned.

Self pimpage

I shamelessly share my latest posts on Cowbird.

On reading and not just reciting.

On fish crackers and sibling disbelief.

Aye, I'm a comment whore. Feed my habit, please?

*bats eyelashes*

Excitement!

I love her contagious enthusiasm: I will never look at a penis (mammalian or otherwise) the same way again.



I admire how she could discuss something titillating in a funny and creepy way.

(Undercut because pretty NSFW)

Moar ear candy

I love NPR. They are the reason I begin to have an appreciation for musicians who make lyrical poetry to match their songs.Otherwise, I'm basically melody driven. The song could be about monkeys fornicating for all I care, which is how I enjoy opera and songs in a language I don't comprehend.

Simone White's Big Dreams and the Headlines.



Patrick Watson's Adventure in Your Own Backyard.



Sinead O'Connor's I Had a Baby.



And of course, her iconic anthem.



Have a great weekend, y'all!

Ear candy

I have been listening to this over and over. The riffs, navel gazing lyrics ...

 

Delicious. This is my approximation of poetry appreciation.

Self-pimpage

A horrifyingly belated commentary to Whitney Houston's passing can be found here.

Better late than never, right, Pidah?

Science rocks!

From particle to people

Under cut because of a lot of cool stuff!

Oh, Mr Depp ...

... how is it thou art an adorable undead?

Books read: week 10

I have a habit of re-reading books, especially those I love (like this one and the second one in this list) that it slowed down the number of books that I devour.

 

1. Guilty Pleasures by Laura Lee Guhrke

 

 

Hero: 3/5 stars

Heroine: 2/5 stars

Storyline: 4/5 stars

Pacing: 3/5 stars

Fun Factor: 2/5 stars

Repeat Reading Factor: 1/5 stars

 

I heard good stuff about Ms Guhrke and she was recced to me by a friend on Goodreads. I really want to like her books, I do. After all, I need new authors to follow to feed my insatiable reading habit. Alas, though the premise was interesting, the follow through was disappointing. The hero was okay to me, but when the heroine suddenly devolved into this fishwife after being no more exciting than a doormat, the book just lost its lustre for me. The bits that pulled the heroine's bacon out of the fire was a bit too pat for my taste, but in the absence of other readables (and the fact that I forked out money to rent it), I consumed it till the end.

 

2. Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells

 

 

Hero: 3/5 stars

Heroine: 3/5 stars

Storyline: 3/5 stars

Pacing: 3/5 stars

Fun Factor: 3/5 stars

Repeat Reading Factor: 1/5 stars

Again, another recced author. Premise was all right, lousy follow through and the development of characters and plots were meh. Pity since she is quite prolific.

 

*sigh*

 

3. Set the Dark on Fire by Jill Sorenson

 

 

 

Hero: 5/5 stars

Heroine: 5/5 stars

Storyline: 4/5 stars

Pacing: 4/5 stars

Fun Factor: 5/5 stars

Repeat Reading Factor: 3/5 stars

 

This book was a pleasant surprise. I picked it up because I had a few more bucks of rental money, but it was a nicely constructed book with interesting characters and great plot development. I adore how "real" the characters were, flawed and yet still striving to do the right thing. 

 

It was a little disconcerting in places because of the shifting POVs, but once you kept track of the major players, it was a breeze. The character interactions were fluid and realistic, the imagery crisp and descriptive that you feel the head of the dry lands of south east California.

 

I will look for her other works next time. 

4. Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James

 

 

Hero: 5/5 stars

Heroine: 5/5 stars

Storyline: 5/5 stars

Pacing: 4/5 stars

Fun Factor: 5/5 stars

Repeat Reading Factor: 4/5 stars

 

Eloisa James is one of the rare authors whose work I did not enjoy in the beginning, but then grew to love. I came across something she wrote way back in the late 90s but somehow it just didn't appeal to me. But now, I devour anything new that she produces.

This book is a reinterpretation of the classic Cinderella tale, except that this time around, the heroine doesn't wait around waiting to be rescued. Oh, and the prince wasn't really that charming.

Great banter, great characters, great plotting.

I hope that the butler gets his own story too.

 

5. Blood Royal by Jonathan Green

 

 

Hero: 3/5 stars

Storyline: 4/5 stars

Pacing: 4/5 stars

Fun Factor: 3/5 stars

Repeat Reading Factor: 1/5 stars

 

Sherlock Holmes meet Phileas Fogg with mutant insect people and Victoriana. This is a fun and adventurous read, reminiscent of the style made popular by Jules Verne and Arthur Conan Doyle. Very deux-ex-machina and the dialogue is a little clunky at times, but over all a nice way to spend your reading hours.

 

6. Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

 

Protagonists: 5/5 stars

Storyline: 4/5 stars

Pacing: 5/5 stars

Fun Factor: 4/5 stars

Repeat Reading Factor: 3/5 stars

 

This is book 1 of the Kane chronicles, a new series by young adult author, Rick Riordan. I started reading him courtesy of my friend Iztoy who lent me the first three of the Percy Jackson series. It was about how Carter and Sadie Kane worked to save their father (and incidentally, the world) by stopping the god Set from unleashing the forces of chaos. Based on Egyptian mythology, the vivid characterisation and storyline really captures you from page one.

 

Now, to find book number two ... 

 

Steam punk romance are the H-bomb!

I have always enjoyed reading Meljean Brook stories in anthologies. Her short stories are tightly plotted, well-paced with peopled with awesome characters you fall in love with. However, I found her Guardian series disappointing, but who cares when her steam punk romances are like totally awesome?

Hero: 5/5 stars

Heroine: 5/5 stars

Storyline: 5/5 stars

Pacing: 5/5 stars

Fun Factor: 5/5 stars

Repeat Reading Factor: 5/5 stars

Basically, it's about two damaged people drawn together in an adventure fraught with megalodons and kraken monsters, zeppelin airships and nanoagents. Can't say much more without massive spoilers, but seriously, read this. Guys will enjoy the adventure and technology aspects, the romance addicts will be swept away but the grand passion. 

All in all, a fabulous time was had while reading this.

Stuff to watch in 2012

Guys, when these come out, let's go! Let's go! Let's go!

One: Where Liam Neeson kick wolf ass.



Two: Where we get our hearts broken and mended again.



Three: We need to read the books for these!

Four: Edgar Allan Poe! Edgar Allan Poe! Edgar Allan Poe!



Five: Animated ginger girl kick ass.



Six: Old men kickin' ass and taking names.



Seven: Would I actually watch this? I may scream the cinema down. :p



Eight: I don't care if the movie is lousy. It's got Taylor Kitsch.

Lessons in song

(Severely personal post ahead. You have been warned.)

Majalah 3 tonight featured Mr. Abdul Halim Yazid, a dikir barat artiste and his travels in the Deep South of the United States to trace the story of the blues. I only caught it halfway when my ears pricked to the call of prayer from Senegal that was featured on the show (caught the rest on online). I happily abandoned the dishes I was washing in the kitchen and sat down to watch.

It was nice to see how musicians from different backgrounds and musical traditions could mesh together so beautifully when they sit down for a jam session. But what made me tear up was the song "Al-Fatihah untuk Ayah" (Al-Fatihah Prayers for Father) that Mr Abdul Halim sang together with some blues musicians. No one uploaded that version just yet, so here is the plain dikir barat version.



It was a beautiful tribute from a child to his father, singing farewell to his father who has departed this world for the next. My understanding of the Kelantanese dialect is poor, but I got the gist of the message of the song. The words were simple but heartfelt, the melody plucking the heartstring as it beats along to the rhythm of the drum.

(The rest is undercut for intensely personal navel gazing which may not be of interest to you.)

Do you appreciate your senses?

As a music aficionado, I love the luxury of listening to aurgasms (the first 2 definitions, please). I try to be cautious with my headphones and earbuds, not to listen at too high a volume which could damage my hearing in the long run. But as I mentioned before, many people are not as careful. Are you one of them?

Like many of our senses (sight, taste, feel) we take our hearing for granted. I only appreciate my voice (although I am a mediocre singer) when I had a horrid throat infection to the point that I completely lost my voice. And yes, my youngest uncle was right. Once you stopped talking, it is very hard to start again, even if you are a chatterbox.

Do we think about other people who are deprived of their senses, either from birth or due to disease or accidents? Have you ever thought how it would be like if one day you can no longer hear the voice of your loved ones, no longer see the beauty of this world, no longer taste chocolate, no longer feel the silk against your skin? If your answer is yes or no, pray to God that you will never experience it.

It is easy to feel sorry for people who are unable to enjoy one or more of their senses due to a disability. However, many of them refuses to be the object of pity and made a life for themselves that is fulfilling and rewarding. And yes, even deaf people can enjoy music. Evidence are below.

Grenade by Bruno Mars



The New Sh*it by Marilyn Manson



Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri

Happy New Year!

Okay, okay, I am a few days over due. But what can I say? I'm an inveterate (invertebrate?) procrastinator. I'd tell you that it's my resolution to change, but then I would be lying.

Anyhoo, enjoy some sweet music from the delightful Zooey Deschanel and her dashing friend, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

The tree song

This song is mega cute!!! Pity it didn't progress to the finals for the Anugerah Juara Lagu this year.

On how I freaked out my friend at the movie theatre

It started really innocuously. I went to watch this movie with Naz ...

And I was a sobbing mess at the end of it. Haven't cried like that watching anything; not since the staging of Lantai T Pinkie and Erma Fatima's amazing monologue way back in 1997. That one was really bad in that there were 4 of us watching the theatre with only 2 pieces of Kleenex between us. FML.

Anyway ... most of my friends know that I have been frothing at the mouth to watch this movie thanks to this man,

who is not only dastardly attractive and massively talented, but also warm and kind and just bloody adorable as seen on his interviews.

But I have to say that I was absolutely ecstatic with how Gavin O'Connor crafted a family drama with mixed martial arts as a sport as a background.

Mad fangirl squeals and massive spoilers ahoy!

Pimping!!!

I have always been a little embarrassed that I could read and write better in English than I could in my own mother tongue. It had not always been so: I could only read English well only when I was eleven years old (thanks to my sister). Before that, I read exclusively in Malay and mastered all kinds of simpulan bahasa. I could even recite syair correctly.

So here is my attempt to write in my mother tongue.

http://kelkatu2serupa.blogspot.com/

The content are fictional accounts derived from my imagination or from stories I heard at my father's knee. And yes, he is good at telling some rip-roaring tales.

So please. Do come and visit. And tell me what you think.

Swing it!

For those who enjoy steampunk novels, here is the genre that would be the perfect soundtrack to your reading pleasure. Caravan Palace is a marvelous example of the melange that is electro swing. Big band sensibilities with electronica edginess, this genre is whimsical and magical with an underlying darkness like hidden teeth.





*is swinging away to the beat*

Relationship manifesto

(Un)healthy relationships ... if you are in one or are looking for one, this is the song for you.



I give you the delightful Emily Haines and DJ Tiesto. Lyrics can be found here.