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Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote…and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.
The last time I read this was more than a decade ago and it’s the BOTM for my online bookclub.
The Quotes
“Monsters are real. Ghosts are too. They live inside of us, and sometimes, they win.”
“Small children are great accepters. They don’t understand shame, or the need to hide things.”
“He would write it for the reason he felt that all great literature, fiction and nonfiction, was written: truth comes out, in the end it always comes out. He would write it because he felt he had to.”
“That’s your job in this hard world, to keep your love alive and see that you get on, no matter what. Pull your act together and just go on.”
The Narrator(s)
Campbell Scott. Great narration, I was immersed.
My Thoughts
I think the last time I read this book was so long ago, my memories of it was interwoven with the movie because of how prominent the movie is. This time, my memories of both the book and movie have faded quite a bit so I was surprised by a great many things I had long forgotten.
What I loved most about reading it this time is seeing more of Wendy’s and Danny’s POVs. I think Jack stood out too much in the movie, which isn’t surprising, but the book gave a lot more depth to Wendy’s and Danny’s characters. I also loved Hallorann; he might be one of my favorite characters in the book even though we don’t see him very much. He’s the kind of character that makes an impact on you even just crossing paths with him randomly.
I also feel like I got a lot more out of the book this time around; maybe because I’m rereading it, maybe because I’m older now and seeing it with a new perspective, maybe because it’s a BOTM and I’m reading it with other people and seeing their perspectives.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
In these nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories, Ted Chiang tackles some of humanity’s oldest questions along with new quandaries only he could imagine.
In “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate,” a portal through time forces a fabric seller in ancient Baghdad to grapple with past mistakes and second chances. In “Exhalation,” an alien scientist makes a shocking discovery with ramifications that are literally universal. In “Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom,” the ability to glimpse into alternate universes necessitates a radically new examination of the concepts of choice and free will.
Including stories being published for the first time as well as some of his rare and classic uncollected work, Exhalation is Ted Chiang at his best: profound, sympathetic—revelatory.
I’ve read Ted Chiang’s short story, “Arrival” and really loved it. This book was a buddy read so I decided to read it too.
The Quotes
“The universe began as an enormous breath being held. Who knows why, but whatever the reason, I am glad that it did, because I owe my existence to that fact.”
“I hope that you were motivated by a desire for knowledge, a yearning to see what can arise from a universe’s exhalation. Because even if a universe’s life span is calculable, the variety of life that is generated within it is not. The buildings we have erected, the art and music and verse we have composed, the very lives we’ve led: none of them could have been predicted, because none of them was inevitable”
“Our memories are not the impartial accumulation of every second we’ve lived; they’re the narrative that we assembled out of selected moments.”
The Narrator(s)
Edoardo Ballerini, Dominic Hoffman, Amy Landon, Ted Chiang. No complaints about any of them, I enjoyed the narration for all the stories.
My Thoughts
I loved the stories and they gave me a lot of food for thought. I listened to the audiobook and there was an author’s note at the end of each of the stories that gave extra insight into the stories. There were nine stories in the book and they were all good, but I liked some more than others, of course. My personal favorites were The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate, The Lifecycle of Software Objects, Omphalos, and The Truth of Fact The Truth of Feeling. They were all very thought-provoking, but the last one was also very emotion-provoking for me. I speak more about my thoughts on each individual story in my spoiler-filled post for the book; Notes & Reactions | Exhalation by Ted Chiang.
For more discussion on the book – with SPOILERS – check out Notes & Reactions | Exhalation by Ted Chiang. This post has SPOILERS and assumes you have already finished the book. It is password-protected to prevent accidental spoiling. Password is “SPOILME0005”. Proceed at your own risk.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Welcome to the Sunday Post, a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer to share weekly news and updates on what we’ve been up to on our blog, with our books, and book-related happenings.
Ups and Downs
Last week started off with news that one of our friends had a heart attack and was in the hospital. He’s a very dear and beloved friend and we were very worried when we got the news, but he was in great spirits when we visited him at the hospital and it put our minds at ease. He’s already had tests done and he’s well enough to be discharged back home, which is great! We will be visiting him again this weekend.
Last weekend was also the Canada Thanksgiving long weekend, and my birthday was on Monday. We got my favorite Sichuan food to celebrate and I meant to take pictures but I was a glutton and ate before I remembered!
The highlight of my week was meeting with Susan from The Cue Card this morning. I was so excited when I realized she lives relatively close to me, and I think this is the first time I’ve ever met a fellow blogger in real life. The most wonderful thing about it is that you’ve got lots to talk about because you’re both into books and reading! We had so much fun talking and we found out that we had a lot in common.
My husband and I also hung out later and had a late lunch after his work. We shared and had a little of both dishes because we wanted to try each other’s orders and they were both great! And I did manage to take pictures this time before I gobbled it all down!
The Conqueror Challenge
I didn’t do as well on The Conqueror Challenge last week compared to the week before. My goal is to get at least 20km per week, but I only got 15km last week. Hopefully I’ll make up for it this week.
It has been a tiring week but more emotionally and mentally than for an actual physical reason. It did translate over to me feeling physically tired though and not only did I not run as much as I wanted, I had to reschedule some plans I initially made because I didn’t have the energy for them. I didn’t even manage to work as much on my project as I had hoped.
I’m going to try to make up for everything else that got put off last week, not just the running, but I still don’t feel at my best yet, so I’m not sure if I’m going to end up taking some extra time this week also.
It’s hard not to feel pressured and guilty about not getting things done, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that it is important to put your own mental and emotional health first (also physical health!).
All the happy things:
So much good food! All the yummy stuff!
Meeting a fellow book blogger! I loved meeting with Susan, and I hope we’ll see each other again soon!
So grateful that our friend is doing well and recovering at home now.
So grateful that I am one year older and wiser.
The Books
Books I read last week:
Exhalation by Ted Chiang – Wow, these stories really made me think. I enjoyed some stories more than others, but I think they were all really good.
The Shining by Stephen King – This is a reread and a buddy read. The last time I read it was more than a decade ago so there’s a lot I don’t remember, but I loved reading it again and I feel like I’m appreciating it more now.
The Girl from the Other Side Vol. 10 by Nagabe – It’s starting to get more and more confusing, and I’m starting to get annoyed by the inconsistencies, but there’s only a couple of volumes left so I feel like I should just see it through.
Book(s) I’m reading:
Super Powereds: Year 1 by Drew Hayes – I’m surprised by how much I’m enjoying this book! The writing isn’t very good, tbh, but the story is really good and I’m just very pulled in by the whole thing. Also I’m listening to it on audio, and the narrator’s voices are adding to the experience for me!
Never Whistle At Night edited by Shane Hawk – I’m 20% in and while I really enjoyed the stories so far, I’m debating if I want to finish the book. I expected more focus on folklore, but the folklore connection is quite thin on some of the stories, and they’re all very dark and gruesome. Maybe it’s just that I’m feeling low right now so I don’t feel up to finishing the book, but we’ll see.
I’ve got a couple of reviews to catch up on, and I’m planning to read Pet Sematary this week for my irl bookclub, plus it’s also a buddy read for my online bookclub. Two birds! So efficient!
How was your week? I hope you had a great week last week, and I hope you have a great one again this week!
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books I Was Assigned to Read in School
I grew up in Malaysia and our schools didn’t have assigned reading so I’m just going to adapt this topic for books that are set in schools. There are a lot of great books set in schools but I suddenly can’t think of them now that I’m trying to make a list out of them!
Top Ten Books Set in Schools
Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster – I’m sure I’ve talked so much about this book that everyone is tired of hearing about it, but it’s set in a boarding school so I had to have it on the list.
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman – I love Charlie and Nick and I would die for them! I love how heartwarming the whole series is!
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – My guilty pleasure! I recognize the tropes and cheese but I still love it.
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han – I loved this one. Lara Jean and her family are so cute and fun to read about.
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan – Julia Whelan is one of my favorite audiobook narrators but she also writes books and this one is set in an educational institution. This one was so heartwarming and I loved it!
The Sweet Valley High series by Francine Pascal – I devoured this series as a child and have very fond memories of reading SVH from morning to night during my school holidays!
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins – It took me too long to pick this up because I loved The Hunger Games and wasn’t convinced I needed a story from Snow’s POV. It turned out to be brilliant though!
Matilda by Roald Dahl – I love Matilda! I was Matilda! Minus the magical powers and the over-the-top abuse from her family, and I didn’t have a Miss Honey, and I’m not half as smart as Matilda… I guess I’m not very Matilda except that I love reading. That counts, right?
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson – This one hurts but it’s such a powerful book and I loved it.
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik – I loved the idea of this series, and the first book wasn’t bad, but the books got progressively worse for me and I ended up really disappointed in the end.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
Welcome to the Sunday Post, a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer to share weekly news and updates on what we’ve been up to on our blog, with our books, and book-related happenings.
Slow Progress Is Still Progress
I had another busy week last week and didn’t get a lot of reading done; I finished two books and that was it. I’ve been working on a project for a long time and it’s very close to being done, hopefully in the next 2-3 months, so I’m trying to push as much as I can. It has been slow going before due to a lot of unforeseen issues that cropped up, but as long as nothing else unexpected happens, I feel like we’re good and we’ll finish strong!
The Conqueror Challenge
I did pretty good on The Conqueror Challenge last week but I ended up hurting my knee on Thursday in the second km and walked the rest of the way home. I was also going to try walking 8km this morning but I got tired and only did 5.7km.
I’m still ahead of my goal, so there’s that, even though I’m walking some of the time instead of running, and I did get in almost 20km this week. I find myself trying to hit certain milestones in order to get the virtual rewards offered in the app, and they are fun, but I really want that physical medal as the ultimate reward!
There’s still a long way to go but I’m already excited about the prospect of finishing this challenge and getting that medal. And then I’m anticipating the next challenges and the next medals! This thing is seriously addicting and I don’t know yet if that’s a good or bad thing! 😂
All the happy things:
It’s my birthday on Monday and we’re getting my favorite Sichuan food to celebrate!!
I also got myself a one-year subscription to Audible as a birthday present to myself!
And I got it at a discount!
I made some yummy chicken wings in the air-fryer and they were so good!
Feeling very optimistic about finishing my work project soon. 🤞
Really enjoying my online bookclub, not just for the buddy reads and book discussions, but the chats and jokes as well. ❤️
Despite my setback hurting my knee, I’m very happy with The Conqueror Challenge keeping me motivated to walk/run now that the weather is getting cooler.
I’m really enjoying seeing the Halloween decorations popping up bit by bit around my neighborhood. 👻
The Books
Books I read last week:
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler – It was a good book with a good story but it turned out a little preachy and I didn’t like that.
The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth – It wasn’t the best mystery but I really enjoy the way the author writes about familial relationships, and especially something as complicated as the relationship between mother- and daughter-in-law.
Book(s) I’m reading:
Exhalation by Ted Chiang – There are 9 short stories. I finished 6 and have 3 more to go. It’s all been very thought-provoking so far.
The Shining by Stephen King – It’s a reread and a buddy read. I’m at 20% so far and loving it.
Super Powereds: Year 1 by Drew Hayes – I started this audiobook because I listen to audiobooks to fall asleep and I needed something not scary (ie. not The Shining!). It’s actually pretty good so far!
I’m anticipating another busy week (plus it’s my birthday!) so I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to read but I really, really want to get started on Never Whistle At Night if I can!
How was your week? I hope you had a great week last week, and I hope you have a great one again this week!
A twisty, compelling novel about one woman’s complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in murder…
From the moment Lucy met her husband’s mother, Diana, she was kept at arm’s length. Diana was exquisitely polite, and properly friendly, but Lucy knew that she was not what Diana envisioned. But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice who helped female refugees assimilate to their new country. Diana was happily married to Tom, and lived in wedded bliss for decades. Lucy wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law.
That was five years ago.
Now, Diana has been found dead, a suicide note near her body. Diana claims that she no longer wanted to live because of a battle with cancer.
But the autopsy finds no cancer. The autopsy does find traces of poison and suffocation. Who could possibly want Diana dead? Why was her will changed at the eleventh hour to disinherit both of her adult children and their spouses?
With Lucy’s secrets getting deeper and her relationship with her mother-in-law growing more complex as the pages turn, this new novel from Sally Hepworth is sure to add to her growing legion of fans.
I was in the mood for a mystery thriller and I’ve previously enjoyed another one of the author’s books.
The Quotes
“I worked hard for everything I ever cared about, & nothing I ever cared about cost a single cent.”
“Some people jumped in and tried to save someone who was in trouble; others did anything they could to save themselves.”
“Why bother having a child, if you’re not going to stick around and enjoy her?”
“Being poor and having to survive without my parents was the single most defining thing I’ve ever done. It showed me what I am capable of. As a mother, I think this is the most important gift you can give to your children. Unlike money, it can’t be taken away or lost.”
The Narrator(s)
Barrie Kreinik. I enjoyed her narration very much, I got very engrossed in the story.
My Thoughts
I’ve only read one other book by the author, The Soulmate, but I feel like she’s got an amazing grasp of the dynamics in familial relationships and the potential miscommunications that can arise between family. There’s nothing quite like family drama from having to interact with people who you don’t get along with but can’t avoid because family.
As with The Soulmate, nothing is quite as it seems, and I very much enjoyed the journey towards discovery. I feel that the beauty of this story isn’t in the mystery though, but in the family relationships. I loved reading about Lucy and her mother-in-law, Diana. I loved reading from their different POVs and looking at things from each of their perspectives. I don’t think either of them, or the other characters in the book, are necessarily people I would like, but it was interesting to read about them anyway.
I didn’t like this book as much as The Soulmate for satisfying my mystery craving, but it was still an enjoyable read.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
We are coming apart. We’re a rope, breaking, a single strand at a time.
America is a place of chaos, where violence rules and only the rich and powerful are safe. Lauren Olamina, a young woman with the extraordinary power to feel the pain of others as her own, records everything she sees of this broken world in her journal.
Then, one terrible night, everything alters beyond recognition, and Lauren must make her voice heard for the sake of those she loves.
Soon, her vision becomes reality and her dreams of a better way to live gain the power to change humanity forever.
All that you touch, You Change. All that you Change, Changes you.
I’ve been wanting to read Octavia E. Butler and this was a buddy read!
The Quotes
“The world is full of painful stories. Sometimes it seems as though there aren’t any other kind and yet I found myself thinking how beautiful that glint of water was through the trees.”
“That’s all anybody can do right now. Live. Hold out. Survive. I don’t know whether good times are coming back again. But I know that won’t matter if we don’t survive these times.”
“Freedom is dangerous but it’s precious, too. You can’t just throw it away or let it slip away. You can’t sell it for bread and pottage.”
“We’ll have to be very careful how we allow our needs to shape us.”
The Narrator(s)
Lynne Thigpen. No complaints, I enjoyed the narration.
My Thoughts
I am conflicted on what I think about this book. On the one hand, it was a really great story and so well-written. I’m also discovering that I love on-the-road stories. I also love that it was first published in 1993 but set in our current times. It’s so interesting to see what the author thought 2024 would look like, and frankly she wasn’t far off. I loved most of the story, I loved the characters, I love seeing how everyone and everything changed as they went, to the theme of the story. It was brilliant!
On the other hand, it went into preachy territory for me and I don’t like that. To be clear, I have no issues with the beliefs presented in the book, in fact, I agree with a lot of them. I also have no issues with religious and spiritual preaching being a part of the story for the purpose of the story, but I don’t like when it feels like the story was written for the purpose of the preaching, unless the story is upfront about it, that is. As it is, it feels like a bait and switch; promise me a good story but preach me a sermon instead.
As mentioned earlier, it is still a good story and I have to give it props, and to be fair, this book isn’t the worst offender for preachiness – it just barely straddles the line – but that makes me conflicted and I guess I don’t like it enough to overlook the preaching and continue with the next book.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars. It’s a good story and well-written.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space-and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe-in this light-hearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.
Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.
Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.
I’ve read this book before and loved it. And it’s a buddy read in my online bookclub so I thought it was a great time to reread!
The Quotes
“Acting all sanctimonious while spouting bad info was a terrible way to win a debate, but a great way to piss people off.”
“No good can come from a species at war with itself.”
“That’s such an incredibly organic bias, the idea that your squishy physical existence is some sort of pinnacle that all programs aspire to.”
“Do not judge other species by your own social norms”
The Narrator(s)
Patricia Rodriguez. She was great! I got really immersed in the book.
My Thoughts
I want to share my review from my first read of the book in February 2021:
You know what I love most about this book? The way the people in this world handled race relations. The whole time I was reading this book and watching how the different races interacted with each other, being respectful of their different customs and um…body parts, asking questions when they weren’t sure, educating each other about their respective cultures and beliefs so patiently… I was thinking, this is the way.
Of course there were also hostile people and races in the story; I’m not so naive and/or ethnocentric as to think that there wouldn’t be those who believe in violence/war as part of their culture, but the point is that there is something important to be learned from this book. In fact, there were so many profound things that could be learned from this book, on so many different levels.
I just finished reading a book where I did not connect to the characters at all, and this book is the total opposite. I loved ALL the characters. The whole crew of the Wayfarer was just… they are now my people. My feather family. And that says a lot (both about this book and the other) because we’re talking about a crew of not just humans, but also three other “alien” races, AND an AI. I loved how different they were, the dynamics between them, how they fought and got on each other’s nerves but also stood by each other and had each other’s backs, because at the end of the day, they were a family. I related to them so much, and I loved them all. I grieved when they grieved, I loved when they loved, and seriously, to have a family like this would be my privilege.
There are other books in the series, and of course I’m going to read them all, but from what I understand, they are standalones in the same universe. That’s fine. I’m looking forward to getting to know more interesting people in this universe. You can never have too much family.
Reading this book a second time. I feel the same way, and even more so. The thing I remembered most about the book was how great it was at portraying interpersonal relationships between people of different cultures, beliefs, and species. And I continue to love it this time around, but I also paid a little more attention to the conflicts that arose because of the differences in opinions, beliefs, and cultures. Not just between the characters on the Wayfarer, but between worlds and species in the galaxy as well. It won’t surprise anyone to know that wars happen when there is an inability to accept each other’s beliefs and cultures or to be respectful towards people who are different from you. And feather family happens when you choose to love and respect each other despite your differences.
I still love this book, more now than ever, and it continues to make an impression on me.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability.
But be careful what you wish for. . . .
Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he’s finally written a new book. Even better, he’s holding a contest at his home on the real Clock Island, and Lucy is one of the four lucky contestants chosen to compete to win the one and only copy.
For Lucy, the chance of winning the most sought-after book in the world means everything to her and Christopher. But first she must contend with ruthless book collectors, wily opponents, and the distractingly handsome (and grumpy) Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books. Meanwhile, Jack “the Mastermind” Masterson is plotting the ultimate twist ending that could change all their lives forever.
It’s a bookish book and I heard this was a smart one with riddles and puzzles.
The Quotes
“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”
“Always be quiet when a heart is breaking.”
“They tell us taking care of children is the most important job you can do, and then they pay us like it’s the least important.”
“Always remember that the only wishes ever granted are the wishes of brave children who keep on wishing even when it seems no one is listening because someone always is.”
My Thoughts
This book was disappointing, but to be fair, it’s because I had such high expectations. I had heard that this was a smart book with lots of riddles and puzzles and solving things, and it does, but not in the way I expected where the reader has to do some of the work to solve the mystery. Most of the puzzles were solved on the page by the characters and they’re all quite straighforward and done quickly. Which is fine, but just not what I had in mind when people say it’s a smart book. Especially since it’s categorized as adult fiction.
This book reads more like a middle grade novel, and I think I would’ve tempered my expectations more appropriately if it was categorized as such, and I think it’s amazing as a middle grade novel. I don’t know if it was mis-categorized, but it seems too simple and basic for an adult mystery. I expected DaVinci Code levels of puzzles but got middle-grade level of book. I don’t even remember where I heard it from, so I can’t go back and see if maybe it’s my own fault for misunderstanding what was said!
Having said all that, it’s really not a bad book, and I think that I would’ve liked the book more if it wasn’t for the misrepresentation.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
