~Sweet Saturdays - May 19th, 2012~

My Week

Okay, so I've started this new feature on the blog, called "Sweet Saturdays", in which I'll chronicle my week, how I'm feeling, and all the things I'd love for my readers to know about my week. Some of it will be book-related, some not. I'd love your feedback on this new feature, to see if this is something you might be interested in.

 

My week has been relatively easy-going. I spent two days, earlier on in the week, substituting for a 6th Grade homeroom teacher. I really enjoy teaching kids that age. They understand, and appreciate, my humor - and that same humor aids me in reprimanding them without being too harsh. I am quite strict, and I find that very surprising about my teaching style. I prefer children to teenagers, when I'm playing with them but prefer teaching teenagers to children. But with that age group comes the teenage angst, the attitudes, the self-assuredness that only comes with being a teenager! LOL :P

I've also been working on the blog a lot more, and scheduled a bunch of reviews, and such, so that I can stop being a lazy bum, and actually be the blogger I promised myself I'd be when I began this blog. Plus, there are a lot of amazing books I've read, and a bunch of truly inspiring authors, that I'd love to expose YOU, my reader, to. 

I'm also studying "Pharmacology" for my Boards, this week, and I've realized I've forgotten a lot of key things, so there's going to be lots of memorization going on this week. Tomorrow, I'm going to put up a review of the book "Overseas" by Beatriz Williams, which is an immensely interesting read, so watch out for that! Also I've started a new feature called "Movie Mondays", I posted a review for "12 Angry Men" earlier this week, in which I'll be reviewing movies I love...so watch out for that as well.

Question:  What do you think of the new features on the blog? Got any suggestions for me? Let me know in the comments.

Book I'm Currently Reading

by Theodore Weesner

 

Hailed by The Boston Globe as "so poignant and beautifully written, so true and painful, that one can't read it without feeling the knife's cruel blade in the heart", The Car Thief was first published to enormous popularity, and sold over half a million copies.

Alex Housman is a kid who at the age of sixteen has had fourteen cars, harbors many hurts, and seems to fade into his environment while raging inside. His father is an alcoholic, losing his grip on life even as he wants the best for his son. The Car Thief explores the love Alex and his father share, in a tremendously poignant story that is filled with unusual triumphs.

Question:  What book have you been reading this past week? Let me know in the comments.

Work It Out

I just joined CURVES this week, and today was my first Zumba class at the Curves location in Chino. I was extremely apprehensive, but went any way. Had about eight (yes, EIGHT) heart attack scares, and halfway through, I told my instructor that at the end of the hour she'd have to drive me home (or to the emergency room!) but I hung in there, and stuck to my guns and powered through the routine. At the end of it all, my lungs felt like they'd burst, my legs felt like someone had attached 50 pound weights to each leg, and I was soaked in sweat from the top of my head, down to my pinky toe (including my underwear) - HOWEVER, I also felt DAMN proud of myself! 

I know, one hour of Zumba should not be such an achievement, but I feel more proud of not giving up when the going got tough, rather than actually just showing up to the class. Also, I loved that the class was set to music, which really makes the time go by faster' especially when the music has such amazing beats. I can't wait for my next class! :D

Question:  Do you work out? Have any work-out/fitness goals? Let me know in the comments, and maybe we can swap war (as in, work-out) stories! :D 

Song of the Week

Song: "Shake It Out"

Artist: Florence & The Machine

 

I've always loved Florence & The Machine - these guys are musical geniuses! But I was reminded of the song when Santana, Tina and Mercedes sang it on Glee (Season 3, Episode 18: Choke). And since then (it was aired on May 1st) I've had this song on my playlist, and I've been playing it over and over again. But then again, with lyrics like, the ones featured below, how can you NOT?

"And I am done with my graceless heart 

So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart 

'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn

 It's always darkest before the dawn"

Question:  What about you? What's playing on YOUR playlist? Let me know in the comments below.

 

 

Thank you for visiting the blog today, I hope you'll leave me a comment telling me about YOUR WEEK, and about your aspirations, dreams, music/books you've enjoyed during your week etc. Looking forward to hearing from you...have a WONDERFUL WEEKEND! :)

~Sunday Stew - July 31st, 2011~

Sunday Stew is a Weekly Meme hosted at Books Devoured

Bookmark of the Week

I received some literature about Rosetta Stone as part of the pamphlets/flyers in a Barnes & Nobles order that I received. This was a bookmark with a perforated edge, to be separated from the literature itself and used. Of course, I jumped at that opportunity, because I think the message depicted is so absolutely adorable. "More than words. Understanding." which here applies to learning a new language, but could be applied to many other aspects of life as well. Come to think of it, although the expression of love is grand, there is often times one does not need any words at all to express love, or desire. I wish the whole world understood and accepted that concept - rather than creating rifts between one another based on caste, creed, color and language. 

Book of the Week

Dominance by Will Lavender

I have a review coming up tomorrow for this absolutely riveting mystery, so keep an eye out for that. But in the mean time, make sure to go and check out this amazing novel! 

Around The Web

Rosetta Stone is offering a chance for you to win an iPad if you just try out their demo. I think this is a delightful little opportunity, because I absolutely LOVE learning new languages. I tried out the Spanish (Latin American) demo and it absolutely ROCKED!!! I had so much fun, and having tried it out, I am convinced that one of the first things I'll buy once I have a job is the full set of Rosetta Stone learning CD's to learn Spanish. I also want to try out the Italian demo, so that may be next. What language would YOU like to learn, or try to learn via demo? For the love of language, or merely for the love of an iPad, click on the picture above, and go and try out the demo, and enter yourself in the race to win an iPad :)

Another absolutely wonderful giveaway hop. I had REALLY wanted to be part of this giveaway, but the truth is, with the Kindle giveaway, I am currently in no financial situation to be hosting a giveaway. So, I refrained from this one. I've been told, time and time again, that a giveaway hop is the BEST way to gain followers, but try as I may, something always comes up. But I'm not too worried, I've gained a lot of friends along the way...I'm sure it won't hurt me any. Next time, I promise! Click on the banner above, happy hopping :) Oh, and all of you...make sure to check out my Kindle giveaway!

All you people who have loved me, and supported me, shown me kindness, respect and encouragement - all this, my blog, is possible because of YOU! So I thought, why not give one of you the chance to win this e-reader...so here it is, just click on the banner above, and it'll take you to the giveaway post. Make sure to enter, pass the info along, etc. Wishing you ALL the BEST OF LUCK!!!

Around Me

For those of you who are Muslim and/or observing Ramadan (which starts tomorrow):

It's been a really busy week/weekend for me. With my mom home for the summers, she tends to want me to not sit still for even a second! So there's been a lot of cleaning. Also, this past week, I did most of the cooking.

I made "Chicken Haandi", a very flavorful, creamy chicken curry. In addition to that, I made a Pakistani/Indian rice dish called "Biryani" with beef and potatoes. And finally, yesterday, I made a Pan-Seared 7-Bone steaks along with Pepper Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, and Sauteed Mixed Veggies. You can see pictures of the fare below - they're not very clear since I used my cell phone to take the pictures. And the steaks, well, I was searing them and serving them right away, so I really didn't stop to take pictures! lol :P

 Beef Biryani with Potatoes

Chicken Haandi Curry

Lastly, my bestie Fei-Fei and I are doing a "True Blood" night again, for which I am SOOOOOOO excited. It's kind of become a ritual every Sunday, except last Sunday both she and I were busy (her boyfriend was moving, and it was my mom's birthday). But the Truebies unite, and we're planning on having a blast...AGAIN! :) For all you Truebies out there, here's a bit of a treat! :D 

First Eric gets naked, and splashes around in the water...during...the DAYTIME!

Then Alcide & Sookie come to his aid, and Alcide growls at Eric the way I'd like for him to growl at ME. Not to mention, there's two almost naked men in ONE frame - needless to say, it was the equivalent of multiple orgasms that Sunday! ;-)

But then, this past Sunday, it got even better...because first we saw Eric Northman, the absolutely and insanely sexy Sheriff of Area 5, become totally vulnerable and cry...

And then, to my utter shock and delight, the following happened!!!

So what measure of madness is going to take place tonight? If you're not following the show (and question that begs to be asked is, WHY THE HECK NOT!?!?) I'm sure you'll hear all about it next Sunday!!!! ;-) 

Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed this week's ~Sunday Stew~, I definitely enjoyed writing it. With this, I conclude this week's Sunday Stew post! Thank you for reading, feel free to leave me any comments/feedback you may like. I wish you a blessed rest of the week, and that you'll continue to visit! :)

~Once Upon a Read-a-Thon - FINAL Update~

"Once Upon a Read-a-Thon" is hosted by Angela at Reading Angel, Lori at Pure Imagination, Candace at Candace's Book Blog. It runs from 12:01 AM on July 11 to 11:59 PM on July 13th. 

I ended the Read-a-Thon reading: "Iron House" by John Hart

# of Pages Read (of last book): 278 (out of 432 pages) 

  

Total # Pages Read: 1,908 pages

Total # of Books Read (completed during Read-a-Thon): 5

Names of Books Completed: "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton, "The Mistress's Revenge" by Tamar Cohen, "The Peach Keeper" by Sarah Addison Allen, "Divergent" by Veronica Roth, "Protect the Heart" by LK Hunsaker, and "Iron House" by John Hart (Incomplete).

 

 

 

Comments/Concerns (about the Read-a-Thon and/or your book selections): This was my second read-a-thon ever, and I had done extremely poorly on my first one, so when I signed up for this one, I tried to be as prepared as possible. Last time I didn't choose my books before hand, and ended up spending an insane amount of time trying to pick what I'd read next. This time, I made my TBR pile for the #OUreadathon and vowed that I'd only read any other title if/when I get done with the books I'd already picked. The other strategy that really worked for me was to read as much as possible at night. During the day I keep getting interrupted by family, for errands, housework, conversations, etc - so night time is the prime time for me to get ahead of my goals, and this strategy worked out really well, for the most part. The tactic that I didn't really employ, which I wish I had, was to choose shorter books - these allow for you to flit from different subject to different subject, keeping everything sort of fresh. I mostly chose my books based on how fast-paced I'd thought they'd be - or "mysteries" so that I'd remain glued to the book in pursuit of what would happen next. This also worked in my favor; further proof of this was, when I picked up the historical fiction novel "Protect the Heart", although it was a pretty good book, it took me longer than it would normally take for me to read 198 pages, because the pace in the book was far slower than the pace in the ones before it. Anyhow, OVERALL, it was a delightful experience, and I absolutely LOVED IT! A very big THANK YOU to all the people who helped arrange this read-a-thon, hosted mini-challenges, etc. You all know who you are...and you all deserve a big *squishy* hug! :)

Books I'd Planned To Read:

• Iron House by John Hart (432 pg.)
• The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (273 pg.)
• The Human Race by O.C. Heaton (448 pg.)
• The Mistress's Revenge by Tamar Cohen (224 pg.)
• Divergent by Veronica Roth (487 pg.)
• Protect the Heart by LK Hunsaker (198 pg.)
• What You See in the Dark by Manuel Muñoz (272 pg.)
• Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (eq. of 385 pg.) - Audiobook

In Conclusion:  If you're on Twitter, make sure to add me and say hello! Maybe we can discuss some of the books we read during the #OUreadathon . Also, AGAIN, I want to THANK all the people involved with the Read-a-Thon, and all the people who participated. Special hugs & love to all those who visited my blog/updates and commented - you make my blogging-world go round!

~Once Upon a Read-a-Thon - Update#4~

 

"Once Upon a Read-a-Thon" is hosted by Angela at Reading Angel, Lori at Pure Imagination, Candace at Candace's Book Blog. It runs from 12:01 AM on July 11 to 11:59 PM on July 13th.

Book I'm Currently Reading: "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

  

# of Pages Read (of book currently reading): 413 pages (out of 487 pages)

  

Total # Pages Read:  1,358 pages

Total # of Books Read (completed during Read-a-Thon): 3

Names of Books Completed: "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton, "The Mistress's Revenge" bt Tamar Cohen and "The Peach Keeper" by Sarah Addison Allen. (for pictures/book-covers check out the Update#3).

Comments/Concerns (about the book currently reading): When I made my last update, I'd stated that I was a little underwhelmed by the action in the book, and that although I liked the writing, it hadn't "gripped" me yet. Boy, was I wrong. Moving just a little forward, the action hit me LIKE A TON OF BRICKS - and I'm not even complaining. This book totally sucked me in! I know a book is worth it, when every bone in my body is aching (yesterday was a super-busy day), and my eyes are heavy with sleep, yet all I keep doing is telling myself, "just one more page...just one more!" LOL :P

Book I Plan To Read Next: "What You See In The Dark" by Manuel Muñoz.(Although, since it's the last day, I really want to challenge myself to pick up "Iron House" by John Hart and try to finsih it!).

Mini Challenge#1

Ok, well, the challenge is to play MATCHMAKER to characters that would otherwise not land together in a romantic tryst. I'm terrible at matchmaking (which is why I'm single, see!? LoL) but the following characters that I have picked, I think would work really well with each other. So, I'm pairing together:

Peter Pevensie (or High King, Peter the Magnificent) of The Chronicles of Narnia series  

 

❤  

 

Luna Lovegood of The Harry Potter series.

Why? : Well, Luna and Peter are, inadvertently, the same person. Inherently good, always looking out for their loved ones, always trying to do the right thing, and unfazed by the world to change who and how they are. Peter is good at making decisions, and Luna is excellent at sticking to her decisions. Plus, with Luna's beautiful eyes, and Peter's unruly crop of hair...can you imagine the offspring of this couple? lol =P I think they'd make an excellent couple, don't you? 

A big thank you to Nikki from Wicked Awesome Books for hosting this amazing Mini-Challenge. Make sure to check it out here. 

Mini-Challenge#2

Book Recommendations:

1) Any Book of Choice: Have you ever picked up a book completely unaware as to how it is going to be instrumental in changing your life, and then being truly and inexplicably bamboozled and overwhelmed by it's beauty? "19 Minutes" by Jodi Picoult was just such a book, for me. If you're looking for a contemporary read that incorporates real life, family drama, pivotal social issues, mystery, crime and even courtroom drama into one absolutely heartrending and gut-wrenching novel, "19 Minutes" is the book to pick up. Mind you, Jodi Picoult does not sugar-coat the subjects that she writes about, and as it is, the subjects she chooses are heavy-hitting ones - so this is not a book for you, if you're looking for a light, summery read. However, if you want to read a book on an important social issue such as teen-hazing, bullying, and teenage frustrations and the consequences of such actions, presented in an unbiased, multi-perspective and multi-faceted manner, then I highly doubt you'll find a better book than "19 Minutes" by Jodi Picoult out there. Full of rich characters, both beautiful and flawed, and a storyline that will break your heart and mend it, leaving you full of wonder and amazement, but ultimately this book is sure to change your life.

2) Favorite Book from Read-a-Thon Pile: You have definitely heard about this book before if you're a book lover. You've heard book-lovers gush about it's awesomeness, you've seen bloggers write reviews full of praises for it, and you've heard critics are duped to find fault with it. And believe me when I say, all of that hype, was not for nothing. "Divergent" by Veronica Roth is the kind of book that absolutely transports you from reality into a dystopian world full of action and drama. In this dark, and stark, time the society has been divided into five factions. Each faction is dedicated to the cultivation and edification of a certain virtue; Abnegation are the selfless ones, Candor value honesty above all, Erudite spend their life in the pursuit of knowledge and intelligence, Amity are dedicated to perpetuating peace and the Dauntless are the brave ones. When you reach a certain age, you take a test that tells you which faction your nature is best suited for. For Beatrice, this choice is harder than others, because she is a "divergent", someone who fits into more than one group - but this secret can be life-threatening for Beatrice. But Beatrice makes her choice; a choice that surprises everyone and changes her entire life. What follows next, is an action-packed, thrilling-ride that keeps the reader wanting more.

A big thank you to Ashley from Bleh to Basically Amazing Books for hosting this amazing Mini-Challenge. Make sure to check it out here. 

~Once Upon a Read-a-Thon - Update #3~

 "Once Upon a Read-a-Thon" is hosted by Angela at Reading Angel, Lori at Pure Imagination, Candace at Candace's Book Blog. It runs from 12:01 AM on July 11 to 11:59 PM on July 13th.

Book I'm Currently Reading: "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

  

# of Pages Read (of book currently reading): 59 pages (out of 487 pages)

  

Total # Pages Read:  1004 pages

Total # of Books Read (completed during Read-a-Thon): 3

Names of Books Completed: "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton, "The Mistress's Revenge" bt Tamar Cohen and "The Peach Keeper" by Sarah Addison Allen.

Comments/Concerns (about the book currently reading): I had planned on reading "What You See In The Dark" by Manuel Muñoz next, however, "Divergent" kept calling to me from amidst the pile of books I'd planned. I just couldn't help but pick it up. In all honesty, it hasn't totally "gripped" me yet...but that's only because I'm about 60 pages in. It seems to be in an intriguing concept, and I suppose all the "action" is yet to arrive in the book; I am really looking forward to it! :)

Book I Plan To Read Next: "What You See In The Dark" by Manuel Muñoz.

Mini Challenge#1

Love Triangles

1) Edward Cullen vs. Jacob Black from the Twilight Series

2) Bill Compton vs. Eric Northman from the Southern Vampire (Sookie Stackhouse) Series

3) Linden vs. Gabriel from The Chemical Garden Trilogy

A big thank you to Sabrina from YA Bliss for hosting this amazing Mini-Challenge. Make sure to check it out here. 

Mini-Challenge#2

Synopsis (Fake): 

 

"The pace of evolution is murder..." in The Human Race. All those notions that we had about the planet and the universe have all been wrong; Mother Earth is, in fact, Daddy Earth and he's NOT a happy camper. He has slowly begun to devour the world, and has threatened extinction of the human race until they do as Daddy Earth desires. Money is no longer the currency of the world, leaves are. If you have maple leaves, good...if you have redwood leaves, even better. Animals are no longer fit for consumption and have all been marked with a virus that results in the growing of horns on the head of anyone who consumes their flesh. Cars are banned, and even the mention of an airplane results in an earthquake! 

 

Humans are absolutely mortified at the difficulties that they're facing, and cannot fathom why Daddy Earth is being so callous towards the human race. Until one of their political leaders, Captain Prince Sir Hump-A-Lot comes across the secret that Daddy Earth's beloved wife Gaia has threatened to leave him for not having run a tight-ship, for allowing Earth to come to disarray and harm her beauty, and for generally being a sloth. When humans come to find this, they suddenly realize that they've not only brought this upon themselves but have committed a grave injustice in the process. Can they redeem themselves, beautify the Earth, change slovenly and slothful Daddy Earth and please Gaia so that her love can become the emollient for Daddy Earth's wrath? You must read...to find out! 

 

A big thank you to Casey of The Bookish Type for hosting this amazing Mini-Challenge. Make sure to check it out here.

~Once Upon A Read-a-Thon - Update#1~

 

 "Once Upon a Read-a-Thon" is hosted by Angela at Reading Angel, Lori at Pure Imagination, Candace at Candace's Book Blog. It runs from 12:01 AM on July 11 to 11:59 PM on July 13th.

 

Book I'm Currently Reading: "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton 

  

# of Pages Read (of book currently reading): 387 pages (out of 448 pages)

  

Total # Pages Read: 387 pages 

Total # of Books Read (completed during Read-a-Thon): 0

Comments/Concerns (about the book currently reading): The Human Race by O.C. Heaton is a pretty interesting book - it gripped me from the get-go, allowing me to really immerse myself into the story. I began reading it at night, and it kept me awake despite my sleepiness because I wanted to know "what next?".  You can click on the picture above, and it will take you to the Goodreads page for "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton.

Book I Plan To Read Next: "The Mistress's Revenge" by Tamar Cohen

~Once Upon A Readathon - Starting Line~

 

"Once Upon a Read-a-Thon" is hosted by Angela at Reading Angel, Lori at Pure Imagination, Candace at Candace's Book Blog. It runs from 12:01 AM on July 11 to 11:59 PM on July 13th.

Books I Plan To Read:

• Iron House by John Hart (432 pg.)
• The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (273 pg.)
• The Human Race by O.C. Heaton (448 pg.)
• The Mistress's Revenge by Tamar Cohen (224 pg.)
• Divergent by Veronica Roth (487 pg.)
• Protect the Heart by LK Hunsaker (198 pg.)
• What You See in the Dark by Manuel Muñoz (272 pg.)

Also, on audiobook, I'm reading:

• Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (eq. of 385 pg.) - click on the picture below for the link to the audiobook on Audible.

# of Pages I Plan To Read: 2719 pages. I know that's a very high number, and I can't promise that I'll actually finish reading all those pages, but I sure am gonna try! =)


Book I'm Starting With: "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton.


Book I Plan On Reading Next: "The Mistress's Revenge" by Tamar Cohen.


Comments and Concerns: My biggest concern is that I won't be able to get a lot of reading done, because I'll have to run errands with my mom & dad. But I'm going to get on the reading wagon late night/early morning, to try and cover as much ground as I possibly can.


In Conclusion:  If you're on Twitter, make sure to add me and say hello! Use the hashtag #OUreadathon to check out what the other participants are up to, what books they're reading, and what they're talking about. HAPPY READING EVERYONE!!!

~Spring Into Summer - Update #8~

Update:

• Total Books Read: 1
• Total Pages Read: 528 Pages
• Books Read Since Last Update: 1
• Pages Read since last update: 0 Pages
• Total time read: 4.5 hours
• Currently Reading: "Very Bad Men " by Harry Dolan
• How I'm currently feeling: I knew that I wouldn't be able to do much once my dad wakes up. He woke up and we surprised him with his presents, and birthday cards. Also, I made him his favorite breakfast, and we all sat and ate together. Then we sat down to watch some TV together - so I haven't gotten ANY reading done since the last update :(

Mini Challenge:

If you had bookshelves FULL of all of your favorite books, how would you organize them?

If I had a bookshelf chock FULL of my favorite books, I would organize them first, by genre. And then, on a secondary level, the books now sorted by genre would then be sorted by author's last name. And on the tertiary level, say if there are six books in a series, or six books by one author, they'd be organized in chronological order, according to the flow of the story (even if the prequel came later!). Chronology is very important to me! :)

Since we're on the subject of bookshelves, I just wanted to share with you guys, my dream bookshelf/library *le sigh*

Admont Benedictine Monastery-Library

Isn't it absolutely beautiful, and doesn't it look just like the library from "Beauty & the Beast"? 

But yeah, DREAM ON, right!?!? For that, I'd first have to buy a huge mansion. But, I guess I could compromise for something simple like this...

Look at that oak paneling, and the warmth of that corner. I mean, that would be the favorite part of MY house! I wish!!! *le sigh* Haha, okay, okay...I'll stop...coz I could continue dreaming...HAPPY READING! :)

"The Map of Time" by Felix J. Palma - A Review

Details

Title: The Map of Time
Author: Felix J. Palma (Translated by: Nick Caistor)
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: June 28th, 2011
Available for Pre-order here: Simon & Schuster / Books-a-Million / Barnes & Noble


My Review

"The Map of Time" by Felix J. Palma is a book that defies being boxed into a single genre. Its a magnificent novel that is part Historical Fiction, part Science Fiction, part Romance, even part Steampunk, and all in all, a great Mystery/Thriller. Even if you are a fan of only one of those genres, but not a fan of the others, I guarantee that you are still going to enjoy this book because it manages to do justice to all the genres it encompasses.

The book begins with a narrator introducing the reader to the story and its various characters. Author Palma has created a narrator with a clear, strong voice and a commanding presence. The narration is fluid, and on various occasions it tends to engage into direct dialogue with the reader, thus drawing the reader right into the novel itself. It has been quite some time since I have enjoyed a book narrated in the third-person, and seldom have I come across a narrator who resonates so well with me.

The story is simple, and the story is good. It involves the manipulation of time, and time travel, and is full of adventures. But it is not just telling an interesting story that this author succeeds in, he has also given birth to characters that are dynamic and multi-dimensional, much like the story itself. Felix J. Palma takes great pains to infuse as much detail as possible into his story, he leaves no stone unturned in order to give great depth to his characters, which in turn gives a lot of substance to this magical tale.

The novel is woven around three main intertwined tales. First, we have Andrew Harrington, the wealthy and heartbroken bachelor residing in Victorian London who lost the love of his life, prostitute Marie Kelly, to the evil and conniving murderer 'Jack the Ripper'. In his destitution, and inability to move on from his tragedy, he is willing to try anything, perhaps something even as implausible as time travel, in order to save Marie Kelly from the hands of the cold-blooded murderer. Then there's Claire Haggerty, a woman who feels stifled by the norms of the Victorian society which dictate her to marry a suitable man from the many suitors that her family finds for her. She feels disconnected from the people and customs of her time, and longs to exist in another world - a world where she is free to follow her desires, and love whomever she pleases. Last, but definitely not the least, there is the young author H.G. Wells, the man whose novel, 'The Time Machine' has motivated many to try their hands at time travel, and his book becomes the root from which the branches of this story sprout forth. Also incorporated into the story are the stories of Dracula, Joseph Merrick (the Elephant Man), and the futuristic Captain Shackleton battling the automatons of the year 2000.

Ultimately, Felix J. Palma has authored a novel that is sublime in all its aspects. Acerbic wit, intellectual commentary, mind boggling twists and turns, combined with unique characters makes for an enchanting, satisfying and deeply mesmerizing novel. In the novel, the author writes about an invention being something that supersedes the being of the man who invents it, and outlasts him to form part of world as it goes into the future - to which I surmise that in this case, "The Map of Time" is Felix J. Palma's greatest invention to date, a novel invention that transports us to another place and another time, and this will surely be a novel talked about for ages to come.

My Rating : 5/5 Stars

Disclaimer: Although I received an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) of this book for review, I was not compensated monetarily, or in any other way, for my opinion. The opinions stated in this review are solely mine, and are not representative of views of the author, or publishing company, of this book.

Dear Author: A Reader's Letter

Dear Author,

I am in awe of you. Google gave me this definition when I searched for you, “writer: writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)” - but you and I both know it’s not just for pay, is it? You work at McDonald’s for pay; you don’t undergo the tedious process of writing a manuscript and then go through the painstakingly laborious act of editing it, and then having it published, just to get paid. You do it because it matters to you. You are a nightingale with a song in its breast that you sing to the world, in the form of your words. I understand that – as a matter of fact, I cherish it, I appreciate it, respect it and am amazed by it. But I think it is time that I introduced myself to you.

My name is X. I am nobody – just a face, behind a laptop screen, that you know nothing of. And yet, I am everybody. For my eyes are the ones reading your work, taking it all in, deriving pleasure from it and sometimes seeking comfort and/or escape in it. Sometimes I am astounded by the words you write, and at times, I am disgusted by them. Sometimes they make me laugh, and at other times, they make me cry. Sometimes I cringe, sometimes I sigh, and sometimes I stare blankly in complete incomprehension. But regardless of my reaction to your words – I am still nobody, and everybody, and I am still your reader. Unless, of course, you write only to please yourself, like me, but then I assume that you would not take the pain to publish your work.

I know that it is not easy, putting yourself out there for the world to judge. Not yourself or the beloved characters that you take years and years to develop. But in the event that I end up feeling not-so-strongly about your characters, it has taken many, many more years to develop your own character, so please don’t tarnish it in their defense. I also know that it is no small task, in this vastly connected yet psychologically detached world of the internet, to find you face-to-face with articulations of dissent. Senator William J. Fulbright said, “We must learn to welcome and not to fear the voices of dissent.” – for I hope you understand that they only serve to challenge you to improve, hurtle you towards advancement.

I want to make it clear to you; I do not pick up your book just so I can disagree with you. Just like I would not put salt in my coffee, rather than sugar, only so that I can spit it up and exclaim how awful it is – I take NO joy in acts of complete futility. I will not read your book if it does not seem to be something that appeals to me – I have no shame in saying this because I know there are going to be many others who will find it to their liking, and pick it up. In the case that I do pick up your book to read, I assure you that I expect it to please me, I expect it to be good, and in the event that it is – I will give it the praise it deserves, and the credit you are due. I will praise you for years to come, recommend you to everyone I see (on the bus, in the park, at funerals, in public bathrooms – you name it!), or to whichever poor,unfortunate soul who is within hearing-distance. I will tweet it until Twitter inevitably gives me the “give it a rest, sheesh” by showing me the #FailWhale. I might even name a few kids after you or your characters (I’m currently in negotiations with Mr. Reader-man to name our future daughter Sayuri and our future son Darcy – to which he says, we are not Japanese and that he refuses to name his daughter after a geisha [snob], and that Darcy is a last name, not a first name. Thank God, I didn’t tell him about my love for the heathen Heathcliff – that’s a discussion he’s not going to want to have!).

In the event that I find it NOT to be to my liking – as a reader who has invested time in it, time that I thought would be well-spent in your book, I feel like I have a right to state my opinion, and I hope you will respect that. Sometimes I do it in the form of a blog-post, sometimes as a review on a book-vendor’s site, sometimes in the shape of a tweet (and for the advanced nobodies like me, all of the above) – but regardless of where and how I state my opinion, I feel like I’ve earned my right to express my 2 cents worth because I have given my time to YOUR words, to YOUR characters, and to YOUR world. And before you issue a verbal (or written) anathema against me, try and understand that I am merely stating my opinion. To allow me to opine about your work, is the utmost form of respect that you could show me.

Let me also clarify, I know that on the journey to being published – you are constantly seeking approval. Approval from a literary agent, after he/she accepts your manuscript, then from an editor, publisher – there are a million people telling you a million different things, so that when your book is finally published, you are hoping that you have laid that need to rest. And then comes a negative review, and it is as if Pandora’s box has come unhinged, and all that negativity comes flying out, sending you reeling back to that past you, with the needling voice inside your head going, “Please don’t tell me you hated it.” I didn’t. Hate it, that is. I may not have liked it, but I could not possibly hate your book. Hate requires a personal vendetta – and I have nothing against you, or your book. And like you have faced dissent, so will I – there will be many others to counteract my dislike.

The advice to you, Author, is a quote from a poem by one of my favorite poets, Pablo Neruda. He says, "Let us forget with generosity those who cannot love us." If my words have cut you under your armor, then forget me, and forget what I have to say – just do not forget that you were once a reader too. As a matter of fact, I’d like to hope/think that you still are one. And that I may one day be where you are. Remain within the dictates of decorum in the face of adversity, and I promise you will never lose readers – you will only gain respect. I’m a reader, a book-lover, who has a compulsive need to read books the way that Octo-mom has a need to have children, like a crackhead is addicted to crack, and like Charlie Sheen is addicted to controversy – so I need you. But let’s face it, Author, you need me too – don’t forget that.

That being said, now that we have been introduced – I hope we will harbor a friendlier, more congenial relationship, and I hope you won’t be a stranger. Drop in for a slice of pie, any time – just make sure you’re bringing the pie with you! If you ever want to borrow a cup of sugar, come waltzing right in. Need help with that flat tire? You know who to call. Just don’t let it be at 2 o’clock in the morning, or else I’ll throw a book at your head – quite possibly your own! I know we’ll get along just fine, Author – for I am nobody and everybody, and I am your friend.

Sincerely,
Your Reader.