Seductive Poisons by Deborah Layton

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A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the People's Temple.

This was a page turner for me. Started the book at about 9pm and finished it around 1am in the morning. It's a non fiction but the book is a classic example of how truth is often stranger than fiction. I can't believe how ignorant I was about the subject and am very glad I read the book.

At first I just couldn't understand how one can be so naive as to believe the power that the leader claimed he has but again this naive author/survivor was not the only one. Hundreds were already influenced by Reverend Jim Jones. And they were not a teenager like her. Many were scholars and educated people. I remembered how I got all jittery and nervous as Layton planned her escape and almost didnt make it. Unfortunately 918 others didn't, including her mother.

The Day Diana Died by Christopher P. Andersen

It was 11:57pm on Apr 14 and I heard Candle in the Wind by Sir Elton John on the radio. My thoughts automatically went to Princess Diana and a book which I happened to have but never read. So I went to rummage by precious book cupboard and found it. That's how I ended up reading the book.

I remembered the fateful night when I first heard the news. I was attending a farewell dinner for my unit's supervisor. It was just so surreal. I for one didnt want the news to be real. It completely changed the mood of the party I was attending.

I was in my teens when Diana became famous. Almost every girl in my circle of friends wanted to be her. Well at least, to have the same haircut as her. I did, for several years ^_^

Some of the information in the book were quite shocking and rather sad but was quite an eye opener for me. All I can say is 'gone too soon'. As a mother, I wished she had the chance to see her sons grew up.

Friends, Lovers & Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith

Read this book in April but didnt get to write about it till now.

The story is about Isabel Dalhousie who is a philosopher and a part-time general editor of the Review of Applied Ethics - and this statement is repeated over & over again through out 277 pages!


I was intrigued to read more of the book not because of the moral and ethics struggle (not to mention lengthy elaboration) suffered by Isabel but mainly bcos she happened to fall 'in like' (in love would be unethical word for her to admit) with a younger man whom was an ex-boyfriend to her niece. She was in her early forties whilst he's in mid twenties.

I so wanted her to tackle that issue head on. Alas it didnt happen. So much for wishful thinking. All thru out the book I can't connect with the character and her feelings' issue until I realised that the author is a guy. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to be a gender-ist here. It's just my justification on why I can't understand Isabel's stand on her emotional issue. But I do understand that Mc Call has several books under the woman detective series. Maybe it's just me.

I wonder what's the chocolate in the title was all about bcos there were only a few lines about it. Cheese would have been a better choice.

Dear John - the movie

OMG. I was crying buckets and smiling silly as I watched this. It is so heart wrenching and sweet, all at the same time. Remind hubby and me of our three years long distance relationship. He in Tucson, Arizona and I'm in KL. Time when internet are things you found in IT labs, and I dont own any PC. Notebook was the thing for the rich people. LOL those were the days. So we rely on ... yes letters!!Hand written letters.

Ending was not really to my liking. Im not too sure about the ending in the book bcos I have not read it. But again I'm a sucker for romantics so the movie was quite alright for me. As of Channing Tatum in this movie ... I shall not say anything .. okay maybe just two words ..too cute :)

Fridge magnet - Buenos Aires & Brasil

Several of hubby's colleagues went to South America for company's incentive trip. And I got these from them which made it to number 99 and counting on my fridge. Arent they beautiful?

Movie week

It started last weekend.

Saturday - I decided to watch New Moon again so I bought the DVD with several other titles. Guess bcos I'm eagerly anticipating the 3rd movie from the Twilight saga - Eclipse, which will be out in theater somewhere in early July. Sigh, still a long way to go.
Verdict: I'm always bias when it come to anything Twilight, but to be fair the book New Moon is my least favourite in the series (no surprises there) but I enjoyed the movie more. Below is the trailer of my next must watch movie from the book -Eclipse


Sunday - The kids and I went to watched Iron Man 2 in theatre. Hubby bought us the tickets but we went on our own bcos he has to go outstation. My 8 year old boy last for about 35 minutes (well, until his popcorn finished) before he got restless. The movie felt longer that it really was. But I enjoyed watching Robert Downey Jr. He makes the Iron Man suit looks sexy ;)
Verdict: I like this better than Transformer 2. My 12 yr old son like the scenes whenever Iron Man has his partner to fight against or with. I gave it 3 out 5 stars.



Wednesday - I received 2 free passes for the premier of Letters to Juliet. Went to see it with hubby. My colleague predicted that my hubby will sleep halfway thru the movie but I assured her no bcos hubby only sleeps when it's an action (ie. James Bond), robot fighting (ie. Transformer), epic fiction (ie. LOTR) movies lol - go figure. And true enough, he didnt.
Verdict: Nothing spectacular about the movie but it was sweet (Hallmark channel kinda feel) and thanks to the italian fiance chef, the movie become quite funny with his trademark exclaimation 'win-win'. I'm actually looking forward to watch Amy Seyfried in Dear John (I have the dvd, yeah). I gave it 2.5 out 5 stars.



Friday - Again hubby is away. So we got the TV to ourselves. The kids and I decided to watch Avatar. Yup, we are the last people in the galaxy that hadnt watch it yet. I only wish we had caught it on 3D in theatre. My boys would have love it.
Verdict: Awesome. Enjoyed the whole 3 hours, with many pausing in between ie. to make hot drinks for my son and I, on the air-con in the kids room, tuck my sleepy youngest son to bed. 4/5 stars.



Now if only I can persuade hubby to watch it too.

Servant of the Bones by Anne Rice

PROLOGUE
I'm re-writing this. I cant believe what I wrote earlier vanished as soon as I wrote the end. As if some invisible force is angry at me for not having positive feedback of the book?? Okay, I'm being paranoid.

Azriel the main character doesnt convince me at all. I dont feel anything towards him except maybe a little when earlier he was burned in the boiling couldron .. and I'm already on page 208.

Lord knows how many times I want to quit, give up, raise the white flag .. when I read this book. It was such an agony. Everytime when I picked the book to continue where I left, it felt like a chore. A heavy one.

21 out of 26 chapters were about Azriel the ghost/spirit transforming himself into human like form over and over again. And everytime he does, there is this lengthy narration which seems to go on forever on every chapter. I just cant take it anymore!! And how this powerful spirit Azriel breezed thru his 21st century knowledge and surroundings, to me it felt like a cheap attempt by the author to trick her readers.

I'm desperate for the book to end. Ever since I picked up the book, I had finished two other books in between. That's how difficult it is for me to finish this one. I was praying for a small excitement in the plot to help me put a closure to this book. The excitement came in the last 3 chapters. Amen.

The moment I close the final page, it felt like a huge burden has finally been lift out of me. Such an agonizing journey and I lived to tell the tale.

T.H.E E.N.D