After years of reading on my phone, I decided to go back to reading real, physical books.
I missed the feeling of holding a paper book, turning the pages, and smelling the paper.
But there’s a problem with picking up this hobby when you are in your late 40s.
1st, I need to wrap the book cover nicely; was it just me? Then, I need to get my glasses, I cannot just zoom in to increase the font.
I need sufficient light too. It cannot be too bright, not too dim, not from the front (migrain aku nanti), and not right at your back where I can see my own shadow covering the page. Finding that angle is crucial for smooth reading.
Sitting down (while half laying) for too long is not conducive to my back. After a few pages, my back starts protesting, and the book itself is surprisingly heavy to hold up after some time. Is the book heavier than my phone?
No wonder people switch to online reading. Still, despite the extra prep work, there is nothing quite like disconnecting from screens and turning a real page.
1. Night of Destiny by Vanessa K - this online novel has 2808 chapters in it. Crazy long-winded story. No, I didn’t finish reading it. 2. Kiss the sky. The more I read it, the more it feels like reading Keeping Up with the Kardashians. So I stopped. 3. The Longing of Lone Wolves 4. That Prince Is A Girl: The Vicious King's Slave Mate
1. House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas
2. When The Phone Rings, webnovel. I initially watched the series on Netflix but couldn’t keep up with the weekly release schedule, so I decided to dive into the webnovel instead.
I found it challenging to concentrate long enough to finish a novel. I’ve started a few but ended up stopping halfway through. I blamed it on social media, which encourages shorter attention frames and quick interactions. Over time, it's harder for me to focus and complete a novel.
The Social Dilemma, shown on Netflix, claims to be one of the most life-changing documentaries.
Ten minutes into the film, I stopped watching. I couldn’t see where it was going.
But I did skip to the end part, where it says, "How do you get out of the Matrix if you don’t know that you’re in the Matrix?"
I don’t think I’m in the Matrix. At least no one is pointing a gun at me, forcing me to check my phone every minute. I do it willingly.
It’s more of an addiction. Yes, they did a great job attracting users, but it still comes back to our own choices. Just like addictions to shopping, traveling, alcohol, smoking, etc.—too much of anything is never a good thing.
I am currently watching The Tale of Rose, and it has taken me longer to get through this series compared to others.
I can't watch it all in one go; I need to give myself breaks from all the emotion.
This drama is incredibly good, well-acted, with a well-crafted script and just the right amount of subtle humor. "The Tale of Rose" is so relatable. Even if you haven't experienced her journey personally, anyone can find themselves in similar situations at any point in their life. It's true that a woman's future can take a different path depending on who she marries, but that does not mean that that is the only path to end with.
The emotional depth and complexity of "Rose" make it stand out from other series. The storyline delves into the challenges and triumphs of the protagonist in a way that feels very genuine and heartfelt. The characters are well-developed, it really captures my attention and emotion.
I have always loved Liu Yi Fei, and I love her even more in this drama. However, I didn't enjoy her performance in "Mulan." I think some actors are simply not suited for Hollywood.
I will add my review after I am done watching. For now, I will just let myself sway a little in the drama. I don't want it to end too soon.
Updates with review:
1. I wish I had a brother as understanding as Huang Zen Hua, someone who always has your back.
2. The support of family and friends is a significant factor in life, especially if you don't have a supportive husband in this case.
3. I love how this drama ends, leaving it to your own imagination.
4. I always believe that we are still young in our 40s. Imagine if you live up to 90 years old—you aren't even halfway done. So, why limit yourself? Of course, in terms of physical fitness, that's another matter. Do things within your capacity.
5. Know your 底线 (dǐxiàn) – your limit, the lowest you willing to go.
3. Twilight (The Twilight Saga #1) byStephenie Meyer. I haven't watched the movies, but earlier this year, the short clips always pop up on my Facebook, and I still don't feel like watching the movies. Then I took why not read the books since the movies were so famous. Then I started reading it. It was well written, very easy to read, and followed through the story. Love it.
4. A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)- Sarah J. Maas. About halfway through, then I realized that I had read it before, in 2016.
5. 365 Days by Blanka Lipinska, didn’t finish it, I prefer 50 shades of grey.
From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash, #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (Blood and Ash, #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and Ash, #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The edge-of-never #1. This book makes me want to go for a road trip, maybe NZ, UK, or Sapporo again. Btw, whenever I see a single shoe on the road, I always imagine there must be something bad happened there, like a road accident, or maybe a shoe accidentally fell from the motorcycle’s basket.
People we meet on Vacation. This is a sweet novel, even though it can be a bit tiring with all the flashbacks.
The best novel in 2021 goes to..
From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash, #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Play it safe by Kristen Ashley. The writing is different. At 1st, I kinda like it, refreshing. Slowly I'm not liking it anymore. it’s getting tiring reading repetitive words. Eg. 'They might be big boys but then again they were big boys and there were two of them.' ok now I'm confuse.
I Will Marry You (Novelcat)
Books/Novels that Emmett read in 2020..
The Trials of Apollo Book Two The Dark Prophecy by Rick Riordan
Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero
Heroes of Olympus: The Son of Neptune
Heroes of Olympus: The Mark of Athena
Best choice award by me this year goes to War of Hearts: A True Immortality by S. Young
Best choice this year by Emmett goes to Heroes of Olympus: The Son of Neptune
Tahun ni mak tak banyak baca buku, banyak masa terbuang layan drama online je. iskk not good, Vina.
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