CATCHING UP AFTER A YEAR (HELLO 2025)

I is soooooooo penatttttttt guysssssssss HAHAHAHAHA.

I guess that pretty much sums up my life since my last post last year sksksks.

TBH, life’s been great and definitely better than before. It’s just that so much has happened, it drained me mentally and physically. I no longer find joy in sharing and posting everything on social media. I have so many memories I’d love to share and topics I’ve wanted to talk about, but hey… you gotta rest when you feel overwhelmed, right? 😬

Hmm, so how far should I travel down memory lane? 🤔

I guess it’s best for me to kickstart everything by sharing how I’ve been feeling so far. There’s joy, tears, laughter, breakdowns, and all sorts of emotions bottled up deep in my soul. I still can’t find the ultimate way to let go and release what I feel. I guess every mom deals with this too, we’re actually falling apart inside, but we need to stand firm and appear strong for the sake of our family.

Juggling the roles and responsibilities of being a daughter, a wife, a mother, a team leader, and an employee can be excruciating. The hardest part of it all is to keep smiling, to stay present in the moment, and to cheer myself up when things go south. Don’t get me wrong, of course there’s a lot of happiness surrounding me. It’s just that I need to accept that I’m slowly losing myself.

I know things will get better, but for now, I can only hold on to what’s left of me. And deep down, I know my daughter doesn’t deserve this version of me.

I hope that when I write to you guys in my next post, the sun will find its way back to me. 🌤️

P/S: It feels so good to be writing again!

Love,

R.

MARCH & APRIL 2024 | READING WRAP UP

I'm beyond grateful that, despite all the never-ending tasks and adjusting myself as a mother, I was able to tick off reading on my overwhelming monthly to-do list for the past two months. Juggling one hand on cradling baby H and the other one holding a book or a tab (for reading ebooks), my colleague must feel the void while I'm gone considering I'm a multitasking person 😝 Which I'm gonna be honest, I really miss going to work and be productive. It sure is nice to have some time off from work but it's not always rainbows and butterflies. I'm glad I'm a reader because I find solace in solitude through the adventure of reading. Although not all the books that I read were a 5 star rating, I still enjoyed each and every one of them. It's the same feeling I get every time I flip through the pages, all of them transports me into a whole new world, I lost myself while exploring through the authors' words and imaginations. Anyway, let's recap what I read for the past 2 months. This review will be short and simple as I need to post this immediately before baby H wakes up which if that happens, you will see this post up in maybe another months. 

⭐⭐
Love the concept of the bookshop
but the storyline quite dreary.

⭐⭐
I don't get the hype.
 A connection could be established
if the author elaborates more
on her experiences and feelings. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
TOP BOOK OF THE YEAR (so far)
Love the writing.
Funny, detailed and engaging.
Covers heavy subject lightly. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Inspiring; Dream big.
Ignore naysayers.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Achingly beautiful.

⭐⭐
Could be better.

Love,

R.

FEBRUARY 2024 | READING WRAP UP

I know.. right? It has been years since my last monthly reading wrap up. Honestly, I am quite surprised that I was able to squeeze those extra times into reading more than one book for a month. Hence, I decided to commemorate the little achievement here after abandoning my TBR list for so long. Nausea, fatigue, sleepiness, and frequent urination really get the best of me. I think it started to hit me last January that this year, particularly, I will be occupied and engaged with all the motherhood responsibilities. Hearing stories and reading online about being a first-time mom totally freaked me out, haha. So I assume I will not be entertained by reading anymore because I know I want to give my all and divert my focus solely on raising my firstborn, especially for baby H's first year. Don't get me wrong, I am so grateful beyond words for the baby's arrival. I'm not saying having a baby will hinder you from doing your favorites, it just means your priorities have changed and your perspectives have shifted. It's the rule of life. You adapt to your current situation and are forced to make a choice. BTW, I am not going to abandon reading forever, but I will do the reading with my baby. It will be our bonding time 😁 Or actually... maybe I will read while my husband takes care of our baby (If I'm not sleeping lah Hehe)

Before the coffee gets cold - ⭐⭐⭐
Tales from the Cafe - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Before your memory fades - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Before we say goodbye - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've been wanting to read all of the books in the series for ages and finally made it,-continuously! It's so fulfilling to be able to tick off all of the titles on my reading wish list. Overall, it's a fulfilling read. Every chapter in the book focuses on different characters who want to go back to the past. But some do take the risk of traveling to the future, which comes with uncertainties. Most of the time, it got me thinking and reflecting on my life too. There's this one story that moved me to tears. It's about a couple and their lost pet. It just reminds me of the reality that one day my cat will be gone, and it's heart-wrenching. I don't want that to happen. My cat, Cik B is my son. Losing him would feel like losing half of me. He's been there with me through thick and thin. Even though sometimes I can't comprehend his clinginess, he's my all. 

To be honest, the reason I was intrigued to read them was because of the book cover, which I can never overlook with a cat on it! For me, the cat symbolizes coziness in the story, which is what I'm searching for in a book as of now. Enough with my demanding life, I need a light-themed book to just add a little bit of sweetness and comfort to my life. 

The first book was my least favourite because it didn't explain enough about the main characters. It left me hanging with questions and mysteries. But that's the beauty of the first book in any series. The curiosity sparked by the author will attract readers to read the next book in order to fully grasp the whole story. But, after reading all of it, I gotta say it's still not enough for me, Haha. If I'm not mistaken, there's still more to come from the author, so maybe the puzzles will be solved one day. It's just so annoying (not in a bad way) when the author knows exactly what the reader thinks while reading the stories, but he simply answers it in the stories too, saying- "It’s pointless to ask why; it’s just the rule." It doesn't make sense. I'm a logical person, and I need proper explanations about the whole concept of the story. I don't want to spoil anything, but you really need to read the books to understand what I'm talking about. One thing I didn't like about all of them is that they were kind of repetitive. From the summary, you already know the theme would be about people wanting to go back to the past. But there are rules to follow. The rules were being repeated so much that I was so sick of it at some point Haha. Regardless, if people come to me and ask about my top cozy book, I will definitely and confidently name these books. 

Love,

R.

Short Life Update: New beginning

Fuhh, it's been awhile. There's so much going on, and I would never have imagined my life was full of unexpected events that pretty much changed my life course. If you've read my previous post, you might know that I was at my lowest before this. Since then, I wouldn't say my life is better, but it's definitely improving. Though there's still a lot of trials and tribulations, I don't even know where to begin, really. So much happened in the years 2020-2022. While I'm writing this, it's January 2023. I don't think I'll finish sharing everything in this entry within this month because, huh, all the commitments and writing mood didn't come easily these days. ~ January 2023

🔅

Em, hello there, new update. Surprise! It's a new year. 2024 will be my year! BTW, I'm pregnant. My due date is supposed to be March 4th. Today is Monday, February 19. I cannot wait to meet my baby, my angel, and kickstart my motherhood journey. They say it will be tough. I'll be losing myself due to all the stress and trauma. I am scared, but I'm ready. I know I'll have my family as my support system, but more importantly, I believe I am blessed with a responsible husband. We'll make it through this together, as a family of four (Mommy, Daddy, Cik B and baby H). My pregnancy really takes a toll on my daily life, both mentally and physically. I lose confidence, I feel insecure, and it is okay. My feelings are valid. To see your body change 360° is overwhelming. You know it's changing for a good reason, but sometimes it's heartbreaking. Despite that, I feel content. I am carrying a gift from God 💓 Bismillah to a new journey. I will update more later on. Hopefully by this year too.. Hehe ~ February 2024

Love,
R.

2021

 It's amusing how time flies so fast. It feels like yesterday was my graduation day where the truth is a year has already passed by. Maybe a thought crossed your mind "She must be doing well now". Let me be honest, I'm not there yet. Like seasons, I'm constantly changing. I'm still trying to figure out my life. At one point, I'm happy with what I'm doing now. But life has its own ways to break my spirit. I feel so useless. I pray I'll be better soon. 

Till then, I hope I'm strong and brave enough to get through this motions of living without regrets.

Love,
R. 

*I'm doing okay now but it sucks to see you're far behind from some people. I'm writing this to remind myself in the future that I've been at my low during these time and I've survived.

HAPPY NEW ME!

(It's a late post but it's still a progress ..)

Hello and good day peeps.

I'm so excited like I'm so ready for new year, the beginning of my blank pages for 2020. There's a long listed things I'm so looking forward to achieve and in between I really hope and pray that I will always stay strong and don't give in easily. Since I was a kid, it kinda turns into a habit whenever the new year's coming in, I will grab my colorful pens and started to write down my goals for that particular year whether it's a general or specific one. However, I don't be hard on myself because we planned but sometimes God has something else for us in store. I will always try my best but if I can't cross off one from list, it's acceptable but only after sobbing my heart out. You make list in order for it to be achieved. So when it doesn't work out on that year, we can always bring it forward to the next year. You should never put it to stop unless you believe it's really is not yours and you've sacrifice a lot to get to where you are now. So, in short I'm currently in that situation where I have a list of goals that almost similar to last year. *freak out* 

The thing is 2019 was a really challenging year, it drained me mentally and physically. I was gaining more weight, I was degrading myself a lot and it really annoying that I prefer to sleep like there's no tomorrow instead of waking up and living my days to the fullest. I made mistakes. A really horrible one. And because of that event, it marked the turning point of my (our) lives. We both changed, into someone we're not comfortable in. Along the way, we tried to adjust and learn to communicate better. We fought a lot, even to the point of giving up with each other. But as bad as it was, we always find our back together. My final year project before graduating was also giving me the pain in the ass. I didn't cry much but it's really a tough journey. The lab works were easy whereas the people  inside the lab were not. It's not really a lose for me but I did lose a good friend of mine because of lab LOL. I was not responsible for his indecent behavior tho ==' when you're into something, you should do it attentively especially when it involves group work. 

The greater the storm, the brighter the rainbow will show after it. It's totally a lie if I say that my life was always down in the dumps. I did feel at ease and my heart was content at times as I met new people, invest in new hobby, working on a new job, going places I'm not familiar with and revisit the places of memory. I'm so pleased as punch as I'm making a trip down the memory lane. I had a pretty good memories too actually that will always be cherished forever. You’ve done great Raihana! 

I'm going to promise to myself that for 2020, I'll work on to love the person in the mirror more as it will definitely helps everything else to fall into line. And what most important is that I will respect, appreciate and value all the people who make me smile, laugh and feel loved. Plus, I will make a priority to go in nature more often and to enjoy the little things in life 💖 I don’t want to get too caught up in living to the fullest bcs taking a small step and enjoying the little things will make me happier. Try to capture more moments with polaroid camera because sometimes pictures just get lost and can be deleted unconsciously. With the advantage of the camera and by also printing the pictures out from the phone could actually give some fun as I’m gonna have a physical photos to look back throughout the year. I'll also plan my dream trip even if it's unlikely to happen maybe because of financial situation or the time of it but if I already get the details sorted it may likely to come into reality. And there's many more on the list but I'm just going to stop for now as I'm so sleepy it's midnight already and I have something big going to happen tomorrow. 

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” —John Pierpont “J.P.” Morgan

Cheers to the letting go of the past and to the beginning of a year full of wonderful and promising possibilities. 

Love,

R.

MY HOGWARTS HOUSE CHANGED ?!

(sometimes we sort too soon)

Good day everyone!

Honestly, this post has been in my draft since forever. I've always wanted to finish writing it but things got in my way hence, the procrastination. As stated, the title might not really captivating but i do hope it will inspire you in certain ways. Well,basically my Hogwarts house does not literally change because I used to decide which house I'm in solely by observing and admiring which one looks fun in the books and in the movies. As a result, the wrong choice (Doesn't suits my real character).

I always wondered how extraordinary, how amusing Gryffindor is all about especially people who representing the house as they exhibit the virtues of  courage, bravery and determination. Since most known me as a shy, intimidating and indecisive person, I would love to imagine myself as one of them and for once to feel full about myself.

So, to cut long story short, I took several tests which according to the final result, I will be assigned in the correct Hogwarts house, the place where I believe I should belong 😅

I got Ravenclaw house! hOw sURpRisINg is that ~ In fact, Ravenclaw is my second favorite house and speak of the truth, I actually might have what it takes to be in this house like how nerd and geek am I 😂 So, from now on, I am proudly announcing that I'm the most studious, quirkiest and wisest as far as I can be while upholding whatever it has to be a Ravenclaw hehe :3

On a side note, I'm still a Gryffindor fan ><

Lots of love.

FEBRUARY READING WRAP UP

Hye qtpies

It’s almost in the mid of March but hey I’m still going to do my February reading wrap up. It’s unbelievable how quickly this month has flown by and surprisingly I did better than in January! For this month, I’ve read a mixture of physical books and ebooks. Before this, I’m not a fan of ebooks because well for the ultimate reason, I really love the feeling of holding a book in my hands and the satisfaction of smelling the scent of each of the papers. It feels very rewarding the moment I flipped through the pages.  I guess that’s also the reason why the majority of us like to read books way back before ebooks did exist. I don’t have a particular reason why I finally decided to read ebook but I guess I want to experience and understand the hypes going on with the ebook. I have to agree that it’s very convenient and practical as I don’t have to tag along my book everywhere I go. One thing I love the most is because it is cheaper than physical books. I save more by buying ebooks. But if I have to choose, I am definitely on the physical books side. Back to reading, I managed to read a total of six books and I’m really proud of it. Here we go!

The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really liked her poem, it’s empowering and beautiful. She’s able to constructs words precisely what most people have been through and makes it sounds so real. Even though I can’t relate to all of it, there’s a lot that really touched my heart and evoke emotion.

Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav ⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed it but it’s not like I’m obsessed with it. Personally, I found that the ending was better than the beginning. It’s easy to read and flows superbly. This book proved me wrong in the most doubting way because at the end I felt that this book was just okay and not what I’ve expected.

Always, and Forever Lara Jean by Jenny Han  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is so amazing. It kept me engaged and the story is good enough that it intrigued me to continue on finishing the book. Something about this book filled a void in my soul as reading this really made me happy. The characters’ development is impressive especially Lara Jean and Peter since the first book. They are both getting better and have grown up so much. Lara Jean and her family do have a special place in my heart. Peter in this book is really good and definitely the best boyfriend ever. He is perfect in the realest sense. This book is the best among the three in the series mostly because everything is finally come together but I do in an urge to read more about our sweet guy, John Ambrose McClaren. The ending is flawless and cute when Peter tells her the first time ever he saw her. 

Twisted Summer by Willo Davis Roberts  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was slow to begin but by the end it was a pretty good book. Not many people enjoy it but I certainly find the story is interesting. It was a quick read and a really predictable one too actually. 

Lullabies by Lang Leav  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one is better than the first book as it has more quality poems. I was absolutely dissolved in the words she’s written. However, there’s still inexplicable moment where I found that some of the poems are expressionless but it’s still a good read.

The Hazel Wood by Mellisa Albert   ⭐⭐⭐

Fuh! This one is tough. I’m not sure what to feel about this book. Part of me did enjoy it but another part is just wondering whether to love it or hate it. The magic in the story is quite questionable. The world is confusing. Not many of the characters stand out and are just blend. I give it 3 stars just because I do think that the idea of the story is appealing even I didn’t get the best experience I possibly could out of it. 

It’s an end now. Hope you’re staying warm and have a great day. 

Lots of love.

JANUARY READING WRAP UP

Hey qtpie 

As you can read from the title, in today's post  I want to talk about the books that I read in the month of January. It's not that much but 3 books are not so bad. Even though it's a low number, all of it are so great and really my cup of tea. I'm currently in my semester break which is supposed to left for lots of great reading time, but it's not going really well as I've to complete my final year project throughout the break. Yeay, new year, new hope. I'm going to graduate at the end of this year ;)

Now, onto the books!

A Thousand Perfect Notes by C.G. Drews  ( 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 )

I  actually have posted the review for this book. I'm so glad I did pick up this book because I really connect well with it. The story is so gripping, so perfect and the twists and turns gave me so many feelings. I believe this book is not for everyone especially who's experienced mental and physical abuse. The story is tragic, it feels so real and is very well done.

P.S I Still Love You by Jenny Han  ( 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 )

I had a lot of high expectations and a lot of hype going into this book because so many people love this book so much. Overall, I really did enjoy the book. It was really a fast read and the plot really kept me going.  What I really love the most was Lara Jeans's family. They were so heartwarming, very welcoming and I can feel their love and compassion. I would do anything to have a very sweet and honest relationship between my siblings just like the Song girls sisterhood. I guess, I prefer the first book more than this one. Why Lara Jean, why?? You can't be in love with two boys at once ....

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen  ( 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋  )

I was hesitant to try this and  really worried that I wouldn't enjoy it because this is the very first book I've ever read about animals. I was really indecisive at first whether or not to put this on my TBR list because I really didn't want to ruin my reading mood. Surprisingly, I did fall head over heels in love with this one. I liked the writing and I thought the characters are all very unique and very different from a lot of characters that I've read about before. The story line is very informative as I learned a lot about different kind of animals and plants. It was an easy read and highly entertaining.It was very enjoyable and I ended up giving this one a high rating. 

Lots of love.

BOOK REVIEW: A THOUSAND PERFECT NOTES

Author: C.G. Drews

Released: June 2018

Pages: 282

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

As a reader, once I picked up a new book to read, I always anticipate to benefit something in some way especially in helping me to grow as a person. It's very amazing how we can live a thousand lives just through pages of book. So, I'm really intrigue that this book kind of had an impact on me and it surely have a special place in my heart. Most of the events that happened in the book are not really happening in my real life but I find the story is  connectable somehow. But, I think this book could be improved since I'm not really a fan of the third person point of view.

This book follows Beck and her little sister, Joey as they try to survive and just live their brutal and conflict life without minding other people's business. Specifically for Beck, everyday is a winding road. Bound by the fact that he is the firstborn of Ida Magdalena Keverich, a well known German pianist, he is demanded to be like her mother. Forced to play every notes with perfection hour after hour and day after day, Beck suffers a lot of mental and physical abuse. His mind and heart revolt to let his own music out as he is meant to be a composer, but he didn't do anything. He has to follow orders so that Joey, his pillar strength will never be harmed by their monstrous mother. Every day he reluctantly plays the same song until destiny brings him and August together. His heart starts to beat differently, full of hope and love.

The story is depressing making my heart aches but I absolutely adore this book. It is well written and it feel so real. One thing that really bother me is that at some point of the story I feel sick how no one ever come to their house to offer help  because obviously if you're living in a neighborhood, you can easily sense something's wrong in any household. But maybe, it's the social stigma that it's better for people to get out of trouble by not meddling with other's concerns or problems. I admire Beck for his courage and determination. Even he hates her mother, her music, he still practices hard and ought not to make any mistakes. One wrong note can mess up an entire performance and he's so tired of his mother insults for not being perfect. I learn that all that Beck wants is that her mother to recognize and appreciate his efforts.  And most importantly to realize that he's not a disappointment to her, that he tried his best. I believe that when we do something, even if we failed, being acknowledged makes every hard work that we put so worthy. So. it's not wrong for us to be kind by congratulating or respect other's achievement or even an attempt to be something. Despite having a broken and empty soul, he's still a loving and protective brother to his sister. It's very heartbreaking to deal with the parts where their mother dare to unleash her anger by hitting her favorite daughter and Beck reliably come to the rescue and switch the place for Joey. Beck personality just got to me and didn't let me go once I started reading. Anyway, being a mother does not give you a ticket to hit your children. I feel sorry for both of them as I know all the pains, the beating will be seared into their memories forever. It will be hard for them to forgive or even love her after the tragic incident that happened at the end of the story. No matter how many times they tell themselves or try to believe that their mother loves them, there will always be a time where they will fantasize that their mother would die. I learn that you can't control things to happen our way. You can't oblige your kids into something they don't want to do and bear in mind that passion is not born from perfection. I really love how the writer portrayed August as the wacky and cheerful girl that sparks Becky to stand up against her mother and be true to himself. It's very nice to see how inspiring she is to Beck's life. It's nice to know that we are the reason to someone's happiness right ;')

I highly recommend this book!

'Sharing music is personal because music speaks, it feels, it breathes. 

And it always says something about you.' - C.G. Drews, A Thousand Perfect Notes

Lots of love.

SEPTEMBER READING WRAP UP

 New month, new beginning and I really hope that this October will be a great deal for me to read more books. September went by very fast and I didn`t read much at all and I was kinda expected this actually.  I registered back to my university on the 11th of September and since then I was so busy with classes. meetings and of course my final year project. This last two semester will be hectic and I really wish that I will never ever neglect any reading. But still I managed to finish 3 books which is still okay la hehe. Without further ado, let’s just get into it!

The Rocky Road Trip of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang
(The Popularity Papers #4)
Amy Ignatow
⭐⭐⭐
I have a love and hate relationship with the story. It`s fun, the graphic is entertaining and the dialogue back and forth between Lydia and Julie, in journal form, is written well. But maybe the fact that Julie`s Dad divorced with her mother just bcs to be in a relationship with another man a bit bothering me.

WuMo: Something Is Wrong
Mikael Wulff, Anders Morgenthaler
⭐⭐⭐⭐
All of the illustrations are very precise and agreeable. It just that I have a slight problem in understanding some parts of the books. The humor is there but I just don't really get it. 

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and The Story of a Return
Marjane Satrapi
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book is so perfect. I really enjoy her experiences, the historical events and some are relatable especially about the personal battles between traditional and modern values, but I think it's a bit misleading about Muslim and Islam. In the story, Islam is portrayed like a very bad religion but in fact it is totally oppose it. I think the reason is bcs they are holding on to Syiah which in Malaysia our belief is Sunnah Wal Jamaah.

Lots of Love!

AUGUST READING WRAP UP

TOTAL BOOKS READ: 14

August was quite the month of reading for me. I never expected this as so far I only managed to read around 3-5 books per month. This is a huge accomplishment. I believe the reason behind this was because I bought so many books at that time and on this account alone my mom was nagging at me for buying rather than reading.
But then, I realized that I should be reading more because in the middle of September I need to go back to UKM. I was pretty sure that there's not much reading can be done while I was there.
So, 14 books are just perfect and I'm so proud of myself.
Without further do, let's jump straight to what I read and reviewed on August.
 * Most are children books hehe

➸➸➸➸➸➸

Save Rafe! (Middle School #6) 

James Patterson, Chris Tebbetts

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Ariol #1:Just A Donkey Like You and Me
Emmanuel Guibert, Marc Boutavant (Illustrations)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Ariol #5: Bizzbilla Hits the Bullseye
Emmanuel Guibert, Marc Boutavant (Illustrations)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟









Bad Babysitter
(Babymouse #9)

Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Monster Mash
(Babymouse #19)

Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm

🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌟







Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy
(Dork Diaries #11)
Rachel Renée Russell
🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌟








The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Mud-Slinging Moles
Maxwell Eaton III
🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Flying Beaver Brothers: Birds vs. Bunnies
Maxwell Eaton III
 🌟🌟🌟🌟








Finding Audrey
Sophie Kinsella
🌟🌟🌟🌟

Don't Roll Your Eyes At Me, Young Man!
(Zits Sketchbook #3)
Jerry Scott, Jim Borgman

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Oh my God I love this comic strip. It's a very enjoyable light read.

More Peanuts
Charles M. Schuls
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Doctor Proctor Who Cut The Cheese?
Jo Nesbo, Mike Lowery (Illustrations)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟








Ariol #4: A Beautiful Cow
Emmanuel Guibert, Marc Boutavant (Illustrations)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟








 Oh, Brother! Brat Attack!
  Bob Weber, Jay Stephens (Illustrations)
  🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I super love this one. The sibling rivalry between Lily and Bud is relatable as many of the interactions can be recognize from our own lives. Apart from it is hilarious I kinda wonder how their parents are never portrayed and if I think critically it just doesn't makes sense. But as for a fun read, it's worth it.

BEAUTY REVIEW | THE ORDINARY NIACINAMIDE 10% + ZINC 1%

Hey qtpies!

Today I'm back with another review and basically I've been using it religiously for almost 2 months and it works wonder on my face.
Right before Eid Mubarak, I was having a serious breakout and luckily the acne soothed down and I gave it a shot to help me repair back my skin texture and to control the sebum production.

If you're not aware, it is a water - based serum that contains Niacinamide (B3) and Zinc. The formulation is oil-free, alcohol-free and siliicone-free. It is expected to reduce the appearance of blemishes, redness, enlarged pores, uneven tone and oily skin.
Moreover, it also promotes clearer, brighter, and smoother skin while balancing sebum production.

I don't develop any sensitivity towards the ingredients. I have a dry and sensitive skin. I love it so much because I don't feel any itchiness and there's no redness appears upon applying it. Some had issues with it causing breakouts but luckily I'm excluded. The noticeable differences after weeks using it was that my skin became more smoother and radiant, It also makes my face glow even if I don't use any highlighters by that time. It does boosts skin's immunity and improves skin retention. For the first two weeks, I used it twice daily but afterwards I use it once daily and it is either in the morning or night. The packaging is simple and hygienic as it is in a bottle with a dropper.

However, I'm slightly not liking it because once you apply moisturiser on top of the serum, the product tends to form white smudges. But it's okay because all you need to do is to pat the product instead of rubbing it. One more thing is that, the product tend to dry and clump around the mouth of the bottle. 

Overall, my skin has been loving it. It is a hero for being sensitive skin approved. If you want to give it a try, important to remember to not use it along with pure Vitamin C products as it claims that they can cancel out each other effectiveness. Hope this review helps you and even it works well on me, it does not promise you the same thing. You need to try it yourself.

Lots of Love.

BEAUTY REVIEW; ORGANIC AID VITAMIN E MOISTURIZING CREAM

Product: Organic Aid Vitamin E Moisturizing Cream

Hey qtpies ♥️

I finally been able to share with you guys my experience after using this moisturizing cream for a month ++. I bought this at Watson during the sale for only RM16++ (I can't recall the exact price)
The reason I bought this was because i've heard of many good reviews and since my skin concern was dullness and acne scars, I deeply trust that it might help me.

Ingredients:

Deionized Water, Glycerol Monostearate, Propylene Glycol Monostearate, Diglycol Stearate,  Triethanolamine, Hydrolyzed Amino Acids, d-Alpha Tocopheryl, Methyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben, Quaternium 15, Fragrance 

So the product claims that it contains Vitamin E to promote and maintain a healthy, radiant complexion. It also has Amino aids used to help restore nutrients to rough skin. Moreover, the formula includes natural emollients for added softness, plus moisture-replenishing humectants to protect against the sun and wind. 

 

The packaging is a bit no as i find the inner cover is not very efficient. There's leakage going on and the cream is wasted. But i like the jar because it is very light and will not cause much burden for traveling. 

As for me, after applying a layer onto my face, it is quite sticky but it absorbs pretty well afterwards. It feels very smooth and silky. It hydrates and moisturizes very well without leaving any trace of greasy. Initially, I'm not a fan of it as it feels a bit heavy and the cream needs to be massaged a little bit longer as the texture is literally thick. It does gives my skin an extra boost as i notice my radiant skin and a few mild acne scars did fade away even it's not that obvious. However, at some point i aware that it tends to make my face a little too oily. My skin type is normal so this kinda bothersome. I will apply only a small amount of the cream just to prevent this. 

So far so good as i had not experienced any break outs so it's definitely worth buying! I'm not very sure if i gonna repurchase as i would try to find another moisturizer that will not turns my face oily after a while using it. 

Lots of Love

BOOK REVIEW | THE SECRET KEEPERS

Hey qtpies 💜
I'm back!
So this will be my very first post in 2018 and from the beginning I was kinda indecisive on what to write but then I decided to do another book review since I'm in the mood for reading.
Today's book is  The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart. Some of you might recognize him as he is also the author for the brilliant book of 'The Mystery Benedict Society' series.

  

Rating: ★★★★

A magical watch.
A string of secrets.
A race against time.

When Reuben discovers an extraordinary antique watch, he soon learns it has a secret power and his life takes an intriguing turn. At first he is thrilled with his new treasure, but as one secret leads to another, Reuben finds himself torn between his innately honest nature and the lure to be a hero.

Now he is on a dangerous adventure--full of curious characters, treacherous traps, and hairsbreadth escapes--as he races to solve the mystery before it is too late. Even with fearless Penny, mighty Jack, and the wise Mrs. Genevieve on his side, can Reuben outwit and outmaneuver the sly villain called The Smoke and his devious defenders the Directions and save the city from a terrible fate?

In this ingeniously crafted novel, acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Trenton Lee Stewart invites readers to join the adventure, decipher the clues, and ask themselves the question: Is knowing a secret a gift or a curse? 

I received this on the October of 2017 and what kept me from reading it sooner was because this book is so long with over 500 pages. But then, i regret it. Each chapters was very detailed and nuanced. This book is amazing even it is very descriptive. It starts out a bit slow but after few chapters, the pace is getting better. Although i felt like for some parts, if they were being removed wouldn't affect the story at all. The mystery was very intriguing and the plot builds up very well.

 I love how the author portrays the intimate relationship between Ruben and his mother. As Ruben never knew his father, his mother is all everything he have despite having a very difficult life in the Lower Downs. He has no friends so he spent most of his spare time exploring and hiding all by himself. However, he usually will come home in time before his mother come back from her works. Putting aside their tiredness, they will spend time together having fun. For me, they are so kind and very supportive to each other. This shows at the end of the story where his mother is the key to his escape from the harm apart with the help of other supporting casts. I do adore all the characters.

Throughout reading this book, i kept making guess. After knowing the truth, i like it more as it is than what i thought could happen. The story is very well written and for young readers, it should not be a huge problem for them to get along with the books. This book is enjoyable for it has unexpected twists and turns at every corner and full of puzzles and tricks. It also holds on to many good values to be learned. I definitely recommend this book.

 Lots of love - R