#bookreview: The Image of Her | Sonia Velton

The Image of Her by Sonia Velton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'd really give this more of a 3, rounded up to the 3.5 because of the unexpected ending. I was offered this for review via NetGalley (as in, the publicist wrote and said, you liked her first book! Would you like to read this?) and, whilst it's not what I usually read, I picked it up because I really, really loved Velton's first book, Blackberry & Wild Rose. (There are always exceptions, right? Good writing can always surprise you. I was hoping to be surprised. )

Here, Velton uses a similar style, segueing seamlessly between Stella's narrative of her new life and snippets of Connie's old one. There's a mystery to how these two women could possibly be connected. Their lives are so disparate, so separate - how would they ever have met? There's only one person who links them, Connie's husband Mark. And for the most part, you see Connie drawing away from her husband, suspecting him of cheating on her, and you hear Stella wanting to know more about this mystery woman she's stalking on facebook, drawing closer to her - and to him and...

This was honestly where I got bored because one of the reasons I don't quite like reading literary fiction (or what's mostly touted as literary) nowadays is the whole prolonged drama about marriage infidelity.

ANYWAYS I pushed on because annoying as the subject matter was, the writing is good enough that I wasn't throwing things at the wall. I was more invested in Stella, honestly, because of the mystery of her accident and what really happened between her and her mother. Connie's was a very manufactured entitled-white-woman-expat drama that I found myself rolling my eyes at most of the time.

But I'll conclude this review by saying that the book blurb is right - how they are connected is one that I would have never guessed, and even if you skim the whole book, reading that ending when the timelines converge makes the rest of it pretty much worth it.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from Quercus via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

View all my reviews

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Just a quick reminder that prices for Amok go up tomorrow, June 24 - so today's your last chance to get it at $2.99 / RM12.

Get it on: Amazon | other retailers | e-sentral | Teaspoon Publishing 

#musicmonday: Jujur | Sidney Mohede

 

JUJUR
Music & Lyric: Sidney Mohede
@2019 Insight Unlimited

Verse 1:

Jujur kadang ku tak sanggup / Honestly, sometimes I don't know how
Menghadapi s’mua bebanku / To face all my burdens
Menantikan jawaban / To keep waiting for answers
Menolak untuk menyerah / While refusing to give up

Ku tau Kau Tuhan yang sanggup / I know You are God who is able
Menolong dalam sesakku / To help me in my struggles 
Namun meskipun Kau belum / But even if You don't help me yet
Kukan tetap menyembah-Mu / I will still be here to worship You


Chorus:

Ku kan bernyanyi / I will keep singing
Sampai jiwaku percaya / Until my soul believes
Sampai hatiku mendengar / Until my heart hears
Lagu Pengharapan / A song of hope
Ku kan berserah / I will surrender
Kutau aku tak sendiri / For I know I am not alone
Kuyakin Kau mengasihiku / I am convinced that You love me
Bahkan di dalam api pun / So even in the fire
Kukan menyembah-Mu / I am here to worship You


Verse 2:

Jujur kadang aku lalai / Honestly, sometimes I forget
Bersandar pada kekuatan-Mu / To lean on Your strength alone
Di dalam kelemahanku / I know in my weakness
Sempurnalah kuasa-Mu / Your strength is made perfect

Imanku memegang janji-Mu / My faith keeps holding on to Your promises
Kutau Kau s’lalu bersamaku / For I know You are always with me
Dalam s’tiap perkaraku / In every situation
Kaulah damai tenangku / You are my peace and my comfort


Chorus:

Ku kan bernyanyi / I will keep singing
Sampai jiwaku percaya / Until my soul believes
Sampai hatiku mendengar / Until my heart hears
Lagu Pengharapan / A song of hope
Kutau Kau sanggup / I know You are able
Dan aku tak pernah sendiri / And I know I am never alone
Selalu baik Kau di hidupku / You are always good in my life
Bahkan di dalam api pun / So even in the fire
Kukan menyembah-Mu / I am here to worship You

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In line with songs for my Amok mood board, this is one of those which never made the list because it came out after I was mostly done writing it. 

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Reminder!

Ebook prices are set to go up to $4.99 / RM20 this Thursday. If you haven't purchased your copy of Amok yet, you should do so now!

Malaysia: Teaspoon Publishing | E-Sentral

International: Amazon | Other retailers

#musicmonday: Pilgrimage | RiverLife Worship

I was going to find a semi-Amok related song, but my friend Josh has just released a new single with his church. So that's today's post. 

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Today on the tour: C.O. Bonham's review! 

#bookreview: Discernment | Lauren Salisbury (plus #booklaunch!)

Discernment by Lauren H. Salisbury
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

JIYA DOES NOT WANT TO GET MARRIED. That's it, that's the whole book.

Discernment starts with the typical "awkward girl who doesn't quite fit in" vibe. Jiya can't cook. She can't sew. She wants to watch the races, work on machines, maybe be a mechanic. But she can't. Not when her father is the Nalac-dar, leader of the clan, and has traditions and laws to uphold. And one of them is that she needs to get married and settle down pretty soon. Even though she knows there has to be something more to her life - something that matters.

But then Mahsan saves her from space pirates, and the off-worlder takes residence in her father's estate and eventually in her heart...

TBH I had a little difficulty starting this one. After the brilliant Esaralian world in Courage and Strength, you're suddenly thrown into an all-new Teraburan world with new customs and traditions and so. many. animal. names. I have to admit that I skipped some of the animal/plant descriptions, sorry.

What I especially love about this one is the nuance that Salisbury brings to Jiya's search for meaning. It's not that Jiya just wants to buck traditions for the sake of rebellion. She tries. But it's not enough. Why did the All-seeing One give her gifts and interests that don't fit any of their traditions? That refuses to conform to the mould? Did God make her wrong? Was she a mistake? Were all her dreams just that - dreams? To be simply discarded so that she can cook and clean and raise children for someone who won't appreciate her true gifts?

I think these are timely, relevant questions to be asking in this day and age - young women have many new opportunities now, but traditions (especially church ones!) are holding them to the same old expectations. How do you use your gifts if your community won't let you just because of your gender? What then, is the point of having that gift?

Obviously, since this is fiction instead of real life, it all ties in very neatly.

But it should, too, in real life.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

buy the book | Amazon Series Page

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A misfit, a fugitive, and a sacred destiny. Everything changes when all three collide.

In Jiya’s world, the only choice a woman has is who she will marry. When she meets a mysterious off-worlder, she must decide how far she is willing to push the boundaries of Teraburan culture to gain her freedom, and whether that is truly what she wants.

Mahsan has never been accepted for who he is. The sole human raised on an Esarelian cruiser, his attempts to belong led only to disaster and him becoming a fugitive. When he is invited into the home of a Teraburan clan leader, he finds a place where he could finally put down roots. But his past haunts him, and he will need to make peace with it if he wants any kind of future in his new home.

Not everyone approves of Jiya and Mahsan’s friendship, and some will stop at nothing to keep them apart. As the unlikely pair discover their true calling, they will have to confront everything they thought they knew and learn to see themselves as they never have before.

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Lauren H Salisbury hates writing bios. She tried to bribe her husband to write this for her, but he refused, even for homemade banana cake. Unfortunately, she’s run out of plausible housework excuses, and she’s still waiting for the next series of The Expanse. Oh, most of her writing is sci-fi and fantasy set in the universe of her Legacy Chronicles series.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Discernment Giveaway Word: 2. the

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#musicmonday: Restless | Audrey Assad

Because it's Monday.
And I am still running, still catching up, never caught up.

When does this stop?

#booklaunch: Here's the #AmokNovel tour calendar!

So, if things had gone according to plan, I had a week-long tour filled with posts from lovely, generous book bloggers on the launch week from 24 to 30 June. Now that the dates have been shifted, I have a smattering of posts across the month. This makes it a little harder to keep track of, but here's a handy-dandy calendar and a list of where posts are appearing, and when!

Click to embiggen!

TOUR STOPS

31 May: Moments for my thoughts - Launch spotlight

2 June: Mermaird - Launch spotlight

14 June: C.O. Bonham - Review

15 June: Moments for my thoughts - Guest Post: On Leaving Malaysia to Find It Again

22 June: Kara J. Lovett Co. - Guest Post: On Standing Firm in the Faith You’re Doubting

26 June: Abigail Falanga, Author - Guest Post: On Vomit Drafts and Learning to Plan

26 June: Aleesya - Review

26 June: Teh Tarik & Books - Review

27 June: Trisha Bisen - Review

28 June: Amazing Distance - Review

29 June: H. L. Burke - Spotlight

I'll also be reposting & resharing reviews on facebook, so check out my page for updates! 

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What is faith, except hope in desperation?
All Putera Mikal wants is to gain the Amok Strength, the supernatural power granted by Kudus to the Mahan royal family. No matter how religiously Mikal keeps his vows, Kudus still denies him the Strength—whilst his father, Sultan Simson, flaunts the Strength despite his blatant defiance of the Temple and the priests’ visions of coming doom.

Then the prophecies come true.

Taken captive, Mikal must find a way to liberate his people and restore his throne in Maha—and the key to this is the Amok Strength. But what does it take to gain Kudus’ favour?

BUY LINKS:

Amazon | Other Retailers | Teaspoon Publishing 

***

But paperbacks!

If you’ve preordered a local paperback from Teaspoon Publishing and/or still want to order one, we’re also maintaining the preorder price of RM35 until we actually have the printed books in hand. We'll also sweeten the deal by sending you an ebook copy to keep you occupied until the paperback finally gets printed.

***

Are you a NetGalley reviewer? Here's where you can download a review copy!

Amok

#bookspotlight: Finding God in Anime: A devotional for otakus

Being a Christian can be tough. Being an otaku can be tough. But being both at once?

Sometimes it seems easier to become Hokage rather than explaining your faith and passions to others. That is why we otaku have united in this devotional: To encourage otaku like you spiritually and through a medium we all cherish.

In this devotional, you will find God in the animes you know and love. Each devotional presents spiritual lessons found in animes ranging from the world-famous Attack on Titan to fan-favorite Haikyu!! to beloved classics like Cowboy Bebop. Each piece will feature a different theme such as:

• Human Will vs. The Holy Spirit in Yona of the Dawn
• Choosing to be Free in Free! Swim Club
• Not by My Might in My Hero Academia

…and many others! We believe that God can be seen throughout His creation—even in places where people might not intend! So pull out your cosplay and snuggle close with your plushies as you join us in Finding God in Anime.

Amazon | Other Book Retailers

About the Organizers

Laura and Moriah’s life consists of giving each other manga recommendations until they see whose TBR pile will fall on them first. Rest assured they're both still safe...until another manga releases. In the meantime, they enjoy sharing beautiful pictures of Japan and trying to make each other laugh with anime memes. They both have an appreciation for cute stickers, samurai, and pins. If they're not chatting about all things otaku, you can find them trying to write their next story or surviving on ramen and pocky after their latest manga order.

Manga Photo Challenge on Instagram

Celebrate the release of Finding God in Anime by participating in the manga photo challenge on Instagram! During the month of June, the organizers will be spotlighting a variety of manga that have had an anime adaptation by showcasing them using #MangaFestival in their posts. Each title prompt is an anime that is featured in the devotional. Grab your favorite manga and get ready to celebrate!

#bookreview: Strength (The Legacy Chronicles 2) | Lauren Salisbury

Strength by Lauren H. Salisbury
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ok, so this book. I'm all set to start reading Discernment (book 3) so I look it up on GR and then I go eh, how come I didn't review book 2???
Grab a copy and start reading and go... BUT WAIT I HAVE READ THIS. WHY DID I NOT REVIEW IT?
[Then I realise when I got to the acknowledgements that I probably didn't review it because I beta read it and then I forgot lol]

That doesn't change my opinion that this is a brilliant, brilliant book.

If you've ever wondered what happens between the time when the Pharoah's daughter adopts baby Moses and then he goes out and murders an Egyptian guard before running away, Salisbury's wonderful reimagining does a lot to fill in the gaps. Remember though, that this is (no longer baby) MOSES IN SPACE so obviously, not Egyptian, not earth.

Strength covers Moses' teenage years. Mahsan has grown up an outcast in the Esaralian cruiser - and his only friends are really his mother, Reemah, and her two friends, Velay and Selah. He reaches that age where he really wants to know about his birth family - and defies his mother to do so, and then gets into all kinds of trouble, where he has to flee. I mean, that's the bare bones. You know how the Bible story goes.

But Salisbury's writing focuses on the women surrounding Moses, so where Courage focused on Gilla, Mahsan's birth mother, Strength focuses on Ra'hos Reemah, the Esaralian princess who defies all court and social conventions to adopt a human son. I love the strength that she shows in standing up for her son, even if that means curbing her own wild and adventurous nature, and becoming somewhat of an outcast herself so that Mahsan can grow up just like the pure-blooded Esaralians, with all their advantages.

There's political intrigue, of course, and help from unexpected quarters, including just a little bit of romance.

I love it and am excited to go on to read Discernment!!

View all my reviews

DISCERNMENT RELEASES TODAY! BUY NOW!

Amok: Surprise Lockdown Launch! Get your copy now!

In light of Malaysia’s not-so-surprising Total Lockdown, Teaspoon Publishing has pushed up the release date of Amok for a surprise lockdown launch!

Yes, Amok ebooks drop on 1 June* as so that you can hunker down in your house and entertain yourself with a great read—and everyone else gets to benefit! We'll still honour our launch prices, so our ebook preorder prices of RM12 / USD2.99 will remain until the 23rd of June and will rise to RM20 / USD4.99 on 24 June.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon | Other Retailers | Teaspoon Publishing 

* Some retailers might release it on 2 June.

***

What is faith, except hope in desperation?

All Putera Mikal wants is to gain the Amok Strength, the supernatural power granted by Kudus to the Mahan royal family. No matter how religiously Mikal keeps his vows, Kudus still denies him the Strength—whilst his father, Sultan Simson, flaunts the Strength despite his blatant defiance of the Temple and the priests’ visions of coming doom.

Then the prophecies come true.

Taken captive, Mikal must find a way to liberate his people and restore his throne in Maha—and the key to this is the Amok Strength. But what does it take to gain Kudus’ favour?

***

But paperbacks!

If you’ve preordered a local paperback from Teaspoon Publishing and/or still want to order one, we’re also maintaining the preorder price of RM35 until we actually have the printed books in hand. We'll also sweeten the deal by sending you an ebook copy to keep you occupied until the paperback finally gets printed.

For our overseas friends, we’re currently in the process of approving paperback editions via Amazon’s POD and IngramSpark, so you’ll be able to get that once the book goes live at totally random times during the month! (You can tell we’re just winging it right now, can’t you?)

Bonus content!

And while we're at it, send a screenshot of your Amok purchase receipt (whether ebook or paperback) to admin@teaspoonpublishing.com.my by 24 June to claim a free copy of The Painted Hall Collection! Just tell us if you’d like it in e-pub or mobi.


Happy reading!

Stay safe, stay home, and get vaccinated.

#LindungiDiriLindungiSemua