Freaking out moments #7 - Yangsze Choo

Hi guys, Ms Yangsze Choo is coming to town for a visit on her book titled "The Ghost Bride" on:

Date: 28th June 2014 (Saturday)

Time: 12.00 - 1.00 PM

Venue: Kinokuniya Bookstore, KLCC 

Got myself a favourited, retweeted, replied and a FOLLOW! I'm so so humbled.

Her Goodreads page.

At First Sight 01 - Tell Me It's Real by T.J. Klune

I am trying very hard not to emphasize that this is my first full fledged LGBT book and... I literally enjoyed it!!! It's so funny where you can literally ROFL and the love story between these 2 guys are so heart warming. I would really want to thank my friend that introduced me to this book. Such a light read and so much laughter.

Imagine this: I was on a train transit and so happens I was reading the office scene where Paul directly blurted out the most ridiculous profanity towards his boss when he was being introduced to someone... I literally burst into a loud laughter, and I was shaking so bad (from the controlled laughter) that I got myself attracting a lot of attention! 

When it comes to romance, I will always search for weird cheesy plots that makes you cringe in many ways possible. Moreover, this romance novel revolves around with 2 guys and the good thing is, no cheesy lines at all. The setting is so modern, conversations are really to-date where it counters many cheesy lines which they've tried using it with each other. Characters are so well developed for everyone. EVERYONE!

From a mundane day-to-day job, nosy parental care, and homophobic parrots!  Folks who watched the 1999 "She's All That" movie could very well relate to this new term called "Freddie Prince Jr you/me". You can never blame Paul for being skeptical over Vince's affection towards him. He is one special guy who's really facing major low-self esteem crisis about himself and there goes Vince the so-called hunk who falls head over heels for Paul. Given ant circumstances, this is a perfect world that Klune has created where most readers will fall into this trap by going "Awwwww...".

The voice inside Paul's head. It's so hilarious! And when he can't control himself, he blurted out what's really the voice that resides in his head. I'm really laughing out loud when you can sense his facial expression when he's talking.

Steamy kisses and hot sex scenes were described with full knowledge of what every men really wants. The author himself truly understands how to pleasure both his character's needs. Sexual needs.

Paul is weary about Vince actions towards him whether is he really genuine about all the flirting and falling-in-love fiasco. Come on, think about it... in our world, that's never gonna happen. Hence the term, "Freddie Prince Jr you/me" came about. Vince has insecurities and found the love of his life whom he thinks Paul is able gave him that security, with the exception that he needs to assure Paul that his affection towards him is real. Hence, the title.

Towards the end of the book, it was so heartfelt that it became so emotional which Klune has successfully present it with much praise. It just put a bright smile on your face when you finished it. This book just sucked you in from the very beginning til the end regardless the genre. Bravo!

So I asked myself, am I an inch closer to understand the gay community? I am never worthy to answer that but I think they are just as normal as any other straight people will face when it comes to the reality of love. So, who am I to judge them?

My question for the author will be whether are there any LGBT books where gays and straight guys are ever best friends? Not with those that eventually became lover but those that edify each with true and warmth friendship where they stand by each other all the time. 

Ratings: 4.8 out of 5

Goodreads Review Link

Posted a question via Goodreads to Mr Klune
"Here's my question: Will you be exploring into LGBT books where gays and straight guys are ever best friends? Not with those that eventually became lover but with those that edify each other with truth, warmth and honesty where they can stand by each others' back all the time. Thank you and do take care."

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Booksplosion Read-Along for the month - June - #5

It's so goooood! Oh my goodness!!! It's so traumatic and tragic at the same time while reading books like this. I'm so caught up by being shocked when the truth came out. You know something is coming but you would not expect it to end this way. I thought it's going to be on my fingertips about the ending, but I was so wrong.

A lot of mixed reviews on this book but I can't help myself by loving it even more. I can't comprehend the whole journey that one has to go through with events such as this. Has the author been through this? Has the author knows someone dear to her that suffered from this? The writing is so beautiful.

I, for one, have to face adversities at a very young age with my siblings. And I am very glad that we do not have that privilege to enjoy the luxuries in life as to compare with those upper income family that you've read in this book. We do not even have the opportunity to have siblings fighting or comparing who's most loved in the family for inheritance.

In as much I'm trying very hard not to sound like a rotten sour grape here, but I think we are able to witness such dramas over local television soap operas episodes for the rich and famous to maintain their status. What they really forget was the post effect for their down line, their 2nd generations -- their TRUE future inheritance.

Whilst the debates are going on on who's getting what, who's not worthy of getting what and who's getting none of it... they forgo the fact what all these emotional strained has causes these innocent young ones to endure such nonsense, to sucked-it-all-in their dramas, to be someone that they are not. JUST TO IMPRESS.

It's sad but it's true.

Read it! And all I can ask you to do is to submerge yourself into Cadence's shoe. Thank you Ms. Lockhart!

There is this one quote that literally crescendos my reading journey was:

"Some people have nothing. We have everything. The only person who used the family money for charity was Gran. Now she's gone and all anyone's worried about is her pearls and her ornaments and her real estate. Nobody is trying to use their money for good. Nobody is trying to make the world any better."

Ratings: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Review Link

Freaking out moments #6 - Danielle Paige

Ms Danielle Paige just followed me!!! Oh my... I'm sobbing manly tears right now.

Freaking out moments #5 - Aaron Hartzler

As I finished reviewing "Rapture Practice", Mr. Hartzler himself favourite-ed my tweet on my review. I just can't comprehend this... I'm so freaking out right now. To me, all authors has a special place in me, these are the moments that words can never described.

This is his official page.

 

Freaking out moments #4 - E. Lockhart

Just the mention of reading "We Were Liars" via twitter tagging Ms. Lockhart's name. She favourit-ed my tweeeeeet!!! I know I'm being weird but I just can't control myself from freaking out! Yikes!!! 

Her official page.

 

Rapture Practice by Aaron Hartzler

I really love this book. I do! This book speaks to me in so many ways. I am also brought up in a very strict Christian family background but never like this. This book makes me raged all the time. No offense to the author because he delivered what he really went through as a child and a teenager which I can very much relate to.

Well, you can really sense that Aaron is going to bring us into a roller coaster journey in his memoir and it's gonna be a wild ride! From the very beginning, while reading the "Author's Note", Aaron did warn us that there will be a lot of kissing.It really does! While I'm reading, you are journey-ing with Aaron on how this young boy has turned into a fine young man with much joy, laughter and pain.

He very much spells out how he struggles with God. Was it really with God? Or his parents? Or himself? I wonder how much of self-discovery he has managed to discover during the course of him staying with his family. If there is a chance of having a coffee session with Aaron, I certainly would! This book makes you want to know more about Aaron. And as I was reading I was literally pondering how did he manage to control his stature even though we know his strict Christian brought up was very pronounced.

I, too enjoyed the occasional hymns and Christmas lyrics while reading, because I tend to sing along. Many of us has taken our daily activities a major advantage and it may seem a norm to us, but not to Aaron. Hence, I can never blame him for being curious at all. Say all you want, he still obeys his father no matter how much he wanted to go against him badly. This is one value I will always give my respect to Aaron. What an amazing person.

There were times, I can't go on reading it through because I was literally heartbroken. It's really really difficult for me to go on with such emotion in you and it seems like I'm facing my own sin too! The agony of continuing with this story crushes my pride, crushes my ego, crushes my confidence because it's too DAMN HARD to get yourself that low! Now that is really humbling! And with all these emotions, this book is way toooo goood!!!

Genre wise, it was mentioned that it has LGBT in it and I would imply by saying that this is my first LGBT book. However, it was only written with just a hint of curiosity while one is growing up. Now, with this book being published, I would really want to know how well Aaron and his father is doing right now. In spite of all the trouble he's been through, Nanny  will always be very supportive of Aaron's choices and decisions. Was she there when this book came out? And I still want know more. Is that weird?

Lastly, my only wish is to see Aaron performing "Before a Bakery Showcase" if there was a recorded version of him performing that show on stage. Thank you Aaron for the amazing journey!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Review Link

Freaking out moments #3 - Zulkiflee Anwar Haque (Zunar Kartunis)

I know I have this weird uncontrollable habit by translating something that's really good and meaningful not only for myself but also, to many who can benefit from it! So, here I was, translating the wonderful poem by our local talent namely Zunar Kartunis, which needed much praise, and he replied to my tweet with a Graphic version of my translation... Ahhhh!!!!! So stoked!!! I'm so so freaking out right now!!!!!

His official page. 

And here's the full scale Graphic Poem by Mr. Zulkiflee.

Aku Tak Peduli by Zulkiflee Anwar Haque (Translate: I Don't Care) - Poetry

Hi guys,

I really love this poem by Zunar the cartoonist. A little of what our country is currently facing: There is a major political turmoil where many happenings are unjust to the society and is creating a lot of disharmony among the people of the nation.

Here is a rough translation of the Poem:

*****************************************************
I Don't Care
I Don't Care if you're an Islam or a Christian
I Don't Care if you're a Hindu or a Buddhist or believe in other religions
I Don't Care if you are a freethinker

I Don't Care if you're a Malay, an Indian or a Chinese
I Don't Care if you're an Iban, a Kadazan or a Murut or other race
I Don't Care what/which race you are

I Don't Care what type of clothing you're wearing
I Don't Care what your education qualification is
I Don't Care what your occupation is

I Don't Care about your sexuality
I Don't Care about your skin colour
I Don't Care what chocolate you're eating
---------------------------------------------------------------
If you are fighting against unjust ruler
Then, you are my brother/sister.

By Zunar, May 2014

*******************************************************

Ref: Original posted by Zunar Facebook
Link