tien's reviews
3860 reviews

 I find that I have a thing for small town romance these days so that's the main reason I was interested in this book. Aside from the eye-catching cover, that is. Did you notice her claw, btw?

A Peony for Your Claws is a fairly cozy read; not quite The House in the Cerulean Sea but it has that cozy heartwarming vibe. Told in dual perspectives (FMC & MMC), readers get to peek inside both their minds and see all their hopes and fears. Both MCs are easily likeable; Delilah in all her pink cuteness and Cedric with all his gruff manliness. I adore this setting of a small town in the middle of nowhere that is a sanctuary. I wish there were more about the other inhabitants but I guess that's where the rest of the series is for! I'm excited for those.

While the language is easy to read, I found that at times, it didn't flow quite so smoothly. There were a few times that I had to reread a sentence a few times to make sense of it; those probably could be rephrased to make a smoother flow. There were also some phrases which didn't quite fit the occasion; I didn't keep a comprehensive note but most I could swat away but one in particular got me scratching my head. I also think that perhaps it is slightly long (I could do with 2-4 chapters shorter) but as you know, I do love big books!

My thanks to the author for ecopy of book in exchange of my honest thoughts 

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧

<i>Icefall</i> is a coming of age tale where a young girl finally realises her worth. The protagonist, Solveig, struggles with being the middle child and "plain" looking. Her older sister is as beautiful as her mother and her youngest sibling is a boy and therefore, her father's heir. She, the one her father always passes over, does not believe she has anything to offer her family nor anyone else. However, in this story, we see her kindness, generosity, and intelligence. And despite her heartache, she will finally start to find that she is worth quite something after all. But she was not the only one who needed to find their feet.

While this story is told in an isolated island, it was told well and with a 'locked room' sort of mystery, rather engaging. Even if, I didn't think it was really that hard to guess who. There was a slight twist which I wasn't quite happy about though. Yet, I just loved Solveig as a protagonist. We could all learn from her.

Adrienne Young is an author I liked because I just love the setting of her worlds. From the mountainous cold to the heat of the open ocean and they are all such harsh world yet her heroines are made even stronger. I have to admit I have a thing for pirates too so I really had to read this series.

I had a discussion with a friend the other week that we hate miscommunication trope and perhaps are growing out of our love for YA. Even as characters promise to do better by being honest and open, then they go ahead and do the opposite. That is one reason I've taken a star off for this book. That was a bit frustrating; this is book 2, can we just work together already!? But okay, all relationships need work and they obviously need to work better together.

<i>Namesake</i> was fairly easy to read and was even difficult to put down at the start (until we reach the rocky bits, for me anyway). I had to agree with a minor character about why does it always have to be about Fable 🤣 It's besides the point that Fable is the main protagonist, of course! However, I loved that she sorted out her father issue in this book. It was even really quite heartwarming. On the other hand, while I enjoyed the read, I didn't find it as intense as her other books.

<i>"It was one long series of tragically beautiful knots that bound us together"</i>

Woo! I just read this in a single sitting! It's a wet day outside; 22C today when it was 37C yesterday so it's been so good to snuggle down with a good read. I only meant to read a few chapters and then to pick up my buddy read book. Well, let's just say, buddy read didn't happen today 🤫

I love nearly everything about the book except that I found the main protagonist, Lila Macapagal, annoying at times and it was also pretty easy to guess who the killer is. It was just too obviously placed. But, I love the setting, the diversity of the characters, and all the food. Oh my goodness, this book is not doing my hips any favours. I am plotting for my meal tomorrow and will be fitting in all the cuisines (Filipinos, Korean, Japanese, and waffles!). I am currently salivating for some kimchi so excuse me a moment while I check my fridge....

Let's just say, READ this book to your hips' peril! It's so easy to swallow and felt pretty good going down.

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧

A surprise find when trawling through hoopla ;) It was at first the cover; despite being pastel, the combination of pink and blue grabbed me. And that title! Such pithy phrase, I thought, and I couldn't help myself.

The protagonist left her job due to 'burn out' and after all her savings been used up, she needed a paying job BUT... nothing like before. And so, her "adventure" through some short term contracts starting with a surveillance job. I figure maybe a security firm? I didn't actually catch who she's working for (I'm not great with details on audiobook) but it sounded like her dream job. Working on your own, sitting at a desk, etc. But in the end, she found another stressing component to this job and moved on.

And as she moved on from job to job, she found different things she enjoyed, people she liked but yet more things that stressed her out. Even as none of these jobs are what I think as being 'regular' jobs, they are out there and from this protagonist's experience to the title. The protagonist is 36 yo and I'm a few years older than her but I can already tell you without having to move from jobs to jobs that there is no such thing as an easy job. However, the people you work with and liking what you do (if not passion for it) is IT. A lesson for my kids later in life...

<i>There's No Such Things as an Easy Job</i> is an enjoyable and easy listen. A very much slice in life but with 5 different jobs, there was more than enough variety for an entertaining read. And of course, that ending, almost makes me laugh. That's life, lady!

I have to admit that I jumped into this book not knowing exactly what it is about. I have been aware of this book for a while but the illustrations did not particularly grabbed me so it didn't get added to my TBR. Picking up this book now, though, I realise that I would have missed out so much if I didn't read it.

While I find the illustrations not quite to my liking (I'm more of a manga person), the content of this graphic novel blew me away. The author tells of her childhood in war-torn Iran, her 'exile' in Vienna, and then her return to Iran as a young woman. She spoke of her traumas, her love for her family, her love for her country (her home) but yet her abhorrence of the Islamic state, her diasporic feelings, and many more issues. I admire her for having remembered all these things that she could share and her ability to write her feelings out fluently. Admittedly, it probably took her a long time to grow and come to terms with all these things. And at the same time, I feel that I haven't lived at all (a very sheltered life is mine).

Highly recommended if you wish to discover what someone like Marjane Satrapi (Irani and emigrant) experienced.

🎧Audiobook Review🎧

Truly, I enjoyed this book. BUT. I would have enjoyed it more if there were a better range in narrator's voice. Okay, I get it... it's a ghostly secret intelligence tale so lots of whispering involved. However, you don't have you drop your voice so low that I have to toggle the volume up to hear and then have to bring it back down. I got so sick of it that I just ignored the bits I couldn't hear which means that I am probably missing quite a few bits of the story. I may have enjoyed it better on print.

<i>A House of Ghosts</i> has all the potentials for a great read for me. A sensitive* codebreaker turn spy protagonist with a whodunit (locked down "house") flavour and a freezing chill of spectral presence. Quite an interesting mix in this novel. I could see potential for his protagnist and her love interest as a serial and would be interested if there were more. I think it's a stand alone though. The showdown at the end was great although the ending of the book itself was rather abrupt. And aside from all the bits I've missed, a highly entertaining read.