[SHORT REVIEWS] #24

Some finds, on-going stuff and future reads.

Recently I cleaned my bookmarks and the progress was great. Although to some may sound silly but the tactic of pending works for me.

What I do for any type of book. Since the array of books seems endless it feels inevitable to want to read more, but is there a way to filter them? I found that the following works for me. 

1. Read summary, read available chapters (self-publishing, online), read available excerpts (trad. publishing). Summaries almost always do not correspond to the content. It's not false advertisement, it's mostly how a synopsis tries to lure you into reading and making it sound like the best book you've ever read. Even for Chinese online novels I read so much, where authors try to put the content and idea of the novel into the title, sometimes the content may not correspond to the way synopsis painted the story.
2. PENDING period. When I have too many things pinned I basically let them pend for some time. You can't read everything at once anyway, so let those books wait for you. You will find that by the time you return it's easier to make a choice and sift through titles. 
3. Reading first few chapters (or some recommend 50 pages rule). Is to gve yourself enough time to asses if you want to proceed reading. I usually just read a bit if I want to decide how far the book will end up on the waiting list. Sometimes the story can grip you from the first passage (usually in regards to trad. publishing), while few chapters are needed to have a feel of style and story when it comes to online reading (if you noticed many don't try to reach for the first passage hook when it comes to online novels).

Because I don't follow any trends or recommendations, I tried, not my cup of tea. I have no need to rush and it is easy to just scroll and search for yourself. After all you're reading for yourself.

Now onto the novels.

绿茶穿进虐文后[穿书] by 日光融融

(mtl: Green tea persona transmigrates into a tragic novel)

[BL] On-going. Summary: An Yu had a prosperous career as an actor, he suddenly transmigrates into a novel to become a cannon fodder. Original An Yu was ostracized by his own family not knowing that it wasn't his family at all, he was manipulated into marrying a person but was actually accused of stealing a groom from his own brother, followed by infamy original An Yu never knew affection.

Newly arrived An Yu is a master of green tea, a pro, a Green Tea Lux. Although he follows the same pattern of marrying someone according to the storyline, but his own fate is not as tragic. For him this marriage is only a temporary stop before he leaves with money, leaving evidence of his family not only framing him left and right but most likely finding the evidence how all the fortune that is now squandered by the An family was originally An Yu's.

Xing Zhan (ML) was aiming to marry An Shi, the eldest brother of the An family, he did it to make his grandfather feel better and not worry about his grandson, but at the wedding saw absolutely different person. His first impression of An Yu - absoluetly worst. But day after day he figured that not everything is black and white and there is something behind the story of the An family that is not on the surface.

This one so far is the best from this whole bunch, thus first mentioned :)

    Really liked the beginning, it's fun and up-beat so far. Read ch 1-26 and it has a lot of progress in general. An Yu is indeed a higher class of green tea, at least not so obvious. I'm hopefully waiting for its' development. It's interesting to see that ML and MC don't start all mushy, but actually some hostility was involved, even if Xing Zhan changed his mind later, but he still did not truly accepted An Yu because of the wedding and stealing groom incident.

无间 by 二月竹

(mtl: Internal Affairs)

[BL] On-going.

I think I menioned this before? Anyway, this comes from the author of Backtracking / Looking back that I liked a lot.

Lu Yan (ML) is a captain of criminal investigation team, that discovered connections between murders and a person named Shen Qiao. Investigation uncovered that Shen Shao was currently entangled with three men who pursued him. But these three men, like the victims, had their own connection to a high shcool student who committed suicide 18 years ago due to bullying.

    According to author's notes this is a revenge story. Lu Yan will be living in close proximity with Shen Qiao (according to the summary). That's all I know, like with Backtracking I want to wait for the entire novel to be over to start reading it. Especially knowing this is also a revenge story. Also I know it's wrong to hype myself up, but still.

当死对头变小了 by 故筝

(mtl: After my archnemesis shrunk)

[BL] Completed. THIS ABOMINATION. Lol, but I honestly was weirded out.

I thought it's going to be a fn read, before it became weird. MC Chi Xi has a nightmare that he is a cannon fodder, but the only one who survived for almost entire book is his nemesis Wen Jichen (why he is nemesis, well mostly his sister competes in business world). But one day this President Wen disappears and appears as a 6yo boy in front of Chi Xi. Who finds nothing bad about taking a kid along on a show. What I found really a trashy turn is how the whole transformation was treated, that it had something with Wen's reaction to Chi Xi. And even if there is an adult soul in a young boy's body to me their attempts at inappropriate jokes were too trashy. Like are you seriously talking about erections? Even with an adult person you don't go around talking about this stuff.

Also Chi Xi is portrayed as this silly goose who is likable. Though mainly lacking brains for business and he is not completely clueless. But still...

And later I found out that this author also wrote this - 我和六个Alpha匹配100% - a story about matching of one person with 6 Alphas. I remember reading it before (dark history) but I dropped it soon enough since it was just... a mess. But after realizing who this author is, I realized that I basically wasted time, good thing not much.

与神明的恋爱法[快穿] by 暮时夏

(mtl: The way to fall in love with a deity)

[BG] Completed. Summary: A blue bird that was the first creation of the deity asks to come along when He travels to mortal worlds. She has her own ulterior motive, she fell in love with her creator and maybe she can get close to him in those worlds. But her memories as promised will be sealed and everything is left to fate.

    This novel is almost truly soft, if it wasn't for some sudden thrill here and there that poses no threat. I read a bit of it. As far as I can understand unlike many transmigration novels in this one ML is indeed the He who we know is a deity that created everything and the blue bird is his first creation, she was scared he will completely forget about her and will spend millenia in sealed space waiting for him, this is why she asked to accompany him, but she will remember nothing and he won't be a regular ML like a CEO or even a man, He will always be some kind of deity. Like the first arc he is a mountain god that was awakened because the little reincarnation of blue bird brought him from the brink of extinction. She still falls inlove with him as if it's the most natural thing for her.

就不能当咸鱼吗 by 青梅酱

(mtl: Can't I be a salted fish?)

[BL] On-going. 

I want to try this one, since I rarely touch Interstellar stories. This author I admit I tried before but never managed to finish the story, it was also on-going at that time and as per usual I got distracted by a hundred of other things. And I had several 'horror' type of stories with entities.

The premise of this story is about two people who live under an alias just to have a leisurely life, nothing more. While actually both of them are two bigshots that managed to fatefully meet on a desolate planet. MC is a founding Marshal who others search for, because they do not believe he died.

This author always has some fancy covers btw. And they wrote an e-sports novel (several actually), I'm pretty sure it's on NU, but I forgot which one. But I was attracted to these type of stories more. *hates e-sports*.

婚后浓情 by 若诗安轩

(mtl: Deep love after marriage)

[BG] Completed.

This should be a love after marriage story (obviously). I couldn't read passed ch18, FMC annoyed me so much with her irresponsible of words.

Wen Qian had a one-night stand with Shang Mo. She is a pampered princess of the Wen family (of course beautiful and sweet) and he is the current head of the famous Shang family (a head above Wen family, men are always more CEO than others). But even with precaution she got pregnant. She decided to keep the child, but did not tell anyone about it at the beginning, not planning to say to Shang Mo as well. I could understand her panic etc. She tried to wringle out of this (the joke became old since it was used at least three times).

And I hate this type of shit. It's good that others decided for her to enter a marriage when they found out. And I know this sounds harsh, but I want to be realistic, it's her body and she wants to do whatever she wants with it that's totally okay, but having a kid is a responsibility, not only to give birth to it, but also make their growth healthy and happy. Imagine the kid being a "wild child". Do you want your kid to be labeled that? Even if they're a wealthy family and they can provide everything the kid needs, but that part won't change.

And I could understand if ML was a complete douche, many women are single moms for the reason that men are irresponsible scumbags. But he proposed, admitted it was his fault and went on to arrange everything like marriage, in everything ML is always responsive to her. When she asked - What will our relationship be after the marriage? And he answered - It's up to you. He, the powerful and mighty, actually already loved this girl for who knows how long, she doesn't know about it of course, but she found herself in a situation that it's impossible to simply walk away. But she has the power in this relationship, he gave it to her openly.

Maybe I'm emotional because I watched a video of a review on that divorce show 'see you again' or smth, the most famous 4th season (?) with the most exhausting wige ever named Mai and the scene where her husband broke down talking about their daughter. Like in many situations I'd be on the side of the woman. But when kids come into picture it becomes different for me. And I don't like how some the situations are painted in a dark way. Wen Qian acted so dramatic because she had few nightmares. While she is a rich woman, with her entire family behind her, her future husband is sincere, I can't sympathize with her since she is not in a bad situation. To me she just acts willful and immature. This is why I got annoyed by her. All she does is pouting and sulking. Sigh, I guess it's the favorite type of FMC that acts like that. That's why I DNF'd it.

❧

I added some Korean novels to the list, but considering I mostly DNF'd the whole bunch I previously added I didn't want to mention them here. I'm just surprised at what high rate I dnf them, they're really not my cup of tea, but because of Windburg I at least rekindled a bit of faith in them, it's just not going good so far.

❧

Goodreads is not bad for digging in recommended pile.

A Grave Gift by Christy Carlyle

Electra Poole Mystery Series #1

Official synopsis:

Electra Poole has spent much of her life hiding her abilities, fearing the same fate as her mother—labeled mad and locked away. But in order to survive on her own, she plays into London’s obsession with spiritualism, offering carefully crafted séances to those desperate for answers. Yet when she foresees the death of a wealthy noblewoman and chooses to stay silent, the guilt is suffocating—and the danger is very real.

Lady Becknell is murdered that very night. And someone might know what Electra saw.

As threats close in, she has no choice but to seek help from Scotland Yard’s Detective Inspector Gideon Pierce, a man tied to her past—and to the father she’s never forgiven. But the killer is watching, and with each step closer to the truth, Electra’s own life hangs in the balance.

To outwit a murderer, she must embrace the very gift she’s always feared…before she becomes the next victim.

I always get caught when it comes to couples exploring mysteries. Can't help myself it became one of my favorite things in books. This sounded interesting and this is why I added it to "want to read".

Although having a gift may sound like a cheat code, usually it's not that easy.

A Murder in Mayfair by Magda Alexander

Rosalynd and Steele Mysteries #1

I admit I was caught by a pretty cover and that lovely redhair beauty, I read a bit and the style is okay to me. Despite it being a 1st POV. The premise is someone a man, a toff, hires someone for a murder, it's in the prologue. The next part is we meet Rosalynd, she is an eldest among her siblings, excluding her brother who inherited the title. Their parents gone and Rosalynd was like a mother figure to her siblings and spent years to bring them up, she is also a fervent fighter for women's rights and does not plan to marry, ever. This is basically the content of first chapter. As for the murder, it casts suspicion on her beloved cousin and this is where things start from (according to synopsis). 

Again, couples solvingmysteries, I'm in.

The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry

This is what I picked up as recommended by Gab Smolders (@YT). Usually I skip on recommended, but I watch Gab because she is a gaming channel instead of a book channel and her preferences are mostly in horror. I was attracted to description of this one that this should be a good and interesting take on a hounted house novel.

A Deadly Affair by Carla Simpson

Angus Brodie & Mikaela Forsythe #1

Another mystery book, another couple. I honestly read first few chapters. It's quite dynamic I think and the stakes are high from the get go. Mikaela Forsythe (one of my nieces is also called Mikaela) finds that her sister is missing, someone like her sister who would never disappear without a word has been missing for days and things get even worse when police finds a dead body of her maid. Knowing how unreliable police is, not to mention her sister's husband also wants to do things discretely without a noise, Mikaela decides to take things in her hands and finds a private investogator, Angus Broodie, someone who doesn't look like he will get his job done, but her aunt promised he is the best at what he does.

Not always chasing pretty covers. Also attarcted to the FMC of this novel, she is someone who preferred travel to balls and tea parties, she is a writer and has adventurous spirit. She also have seen enough to not be scared like any other lady would and nothing will stop her from finding her sister. I saw this recommended on Goodreads many times but I kinda skipped it. Who knew that it sounds promising.

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

Eternal Path Trilogy #1

Usually, I would skip a book others are raving about, but many people praised it, so I put it aside too. The shortest reasn to read a book ever.