THE PAGAN STONE by Nora Roberts (NR) is the third book of the Sign of Seven Trilogy.

This one—the third book—is my favorite. It is Gage Turner and Cybil Kinski’s story. Both are able to ‘see’ and both saw a lot of visions—frightening ones. I really enjoyed the signature NR dialogues in this book and I like seeing these two kick each others’ backside for the fun of it. Things are getting intense just as evil gets stronger.

A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA is my first Ursula K. Le Guin book and I enjoyed it immensely. The synopsis above gives a good overview of the book. It’s also a fairly short novel with 197 pages only.

Ged (his true name) is destined to be an Archmage but he does not yet know that. As a child, he is called Duny. He is wild and quick, loud and proud, and full of temper. One day by accident he repeats aloud the rhyme that he heard his aunt uses to call a goat that has strayed, and the other goats come to him. That is how he is ‘discovered’ and is sent to learn from a mage named Ogion.

I must admit when I was a young girl, I slept with my books. I would tuck my Nancy Drew mystery (or any other book) and slid an arm under my pillow to prop it up a little bit while at the same time felt for it to ensure that it was still there. So when I read that sentence at the start of Inkheart, I got really excited. I am sure a lot of book-lovers are like that as well. Come on, admit it! *GRIN*

In Inkheart, Meggie’s father, Mortimer Folchart (Meggie calls him Mo for short), has a peculiar ability. Characters literally come to life when he reads aloud from books.

Charlie, a teenage boy, begins writing a series of letters starting on August 25, 1991 addressing them to his ‘friend.’ Coincidentally in 1991, I was 14 and probably the same age as Charlie. I put on the mindset of a teenager and began to read THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER.

Friendship, family, death, sex, alcohol, drugs: I could relate to what he’s trying to convey that affects young adults at that stage of their lives. The only difference is Charlie’s a boy and I’m a girl. One thing that is unusual (or perhaps not) about Charlie is that he cries very easily. He is also quiet. The way he writes almost makes me think of him as a girl. […]

When I first saw the Ip Man movie billboard starring Donnie Yen, I was intrigued by the title, which is the name of the legendary Wing Chun grandmaster. I must admit I was attracted to the fact that Donnie Yen (my favourite martial arts star) is playing the role of the grandmaster. I decided I must read the grandmaster’s life story before I watch the movie to appreciate it better.

I did some research and found this book, IP MAN: PORTRAIT OF A KUNG FU MASTER, written by his son, Ip Ching, who is now the grandmaster. The book is co-written with Ip Ching’s disciple, Ron Heimberger. I also decided to write this review only after I watch the movie. The book offers stories of the great Wing Chun Master’s life. It also provides a set of fifteen principles as a guide to mastery but none of the actual Wing Chun moves. […]