escapades of the elusive kat

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Amazon Product Link

As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on “a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise” (Elizabeth Gilbert).

Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings—asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass—offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.


Listened as an audiobook.

There were quite a bit of scientific names that I don’t remember now, but those were just given for reference.

I liked hearing about the ways of the Indian Tribes, how there’s this ritual of thanks. Glad to say I do something similar.

This was a pretty long listen (17 hours), and I will definitely admit my attention did slip in parts but I think I’ve listened to the main bits.

Assistant to the Villain
Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Amazon Product Link

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer―naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain―and his entire nefarious empire―out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.

The Assistant and the Villain series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:
Book #1 Assistant to the Villain
Book #2 Apprentice to the Villain
Book #3 Accomplice to the Villain


Alrighty, this was a cute read. The title of the book sort of called to me as I’m a working EA (though it does feel more like a PA sometimes). Here’s me choosing a random book by title only, I didn’t even read the Synopsis.

I originally thought this would be a modern world thing, but then apparently, it’s a… medieval timeline thing. And then it started to stump me, because it was a medieval thing but with so much modern world references. So in the end I figured it was a fantasy thing.

Anyway, it was a cute read. A bit corny on the romance part. The dialogue’s sometimes crazy, but certainly similar to how my brain would jump topics.

Looking forward to reading the second book, and the next as well.

ADHD is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD
Penn Holderness, Kim Holderness
Amazon Product Link

Hi, friend! Welcome to the ADHD club.

You're here because, like me, you've been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder—which, by the way, just might be the worst name for a condition ever—and you're trying to figure out how to make your life a little more manageable. Or because, like my wife, Kim, you love, teach, or work with someone who has ADHD, and you're trying to figure out how to best support them.

The world isn't built for ADHDers, and navigating it can wear us down. But we'll let you in on a little secret: having ADHD doesn't have to be a burden. It can actually be a superpower that propels you to creative heights and allows you to achieve more than you ever thought possible.

We want to give you a new perspective on ADHD, whether it's your own brain or a friend or family member's that you're trying to understand. We hope you come away with strategies you can employ to make things a little easier. (We also hope you laugh out loud, at least once or twice.)

Most of all, we want you to silence that voice that whispers that you're broken or a mess or a failure. None of that is true. You have ADHD—and that makes you awesome.

—Penn Holderness

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Audiobook listen (random "available now" loan)

It was mid-way through this book that I realise I had watched some reels from this family.

Being all my life in Asia, I've got a rather "Asian" mentality that... "there are no 'mental illnesses'". Yes, I get to read about different instances (ADHD/Autism/Depression/etc) and while I know they are very much true, "thanks" to my upbringing, many times my first gut reaction is like, "they just don't have enough willpower." I am trying to rectify my thoughts.

In many parts, wherein they explain the traits of ADHD, I'll be like "huh, that's me too, but that's no excuse," or "that sounds like me before but I've worked to change that!" etc. I can only say, different culture, different tolerances.

And what I'm slightly annoyed with is, they keep saying "you need to be patient or give chances to ADHD-ers", but the fact is, you need to patient or give chances to everyone. But it's a tricky line to go over, I'm sure. It's a long road to unlearn something I've been taught all my life... I'm trying....

Pretty Girls
Karin Slaughter
Amazon.com product link

More than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia’s teenaged sister Julia vanished without a trace. The two women have not spoken since, and now their lives could not be more different. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother, dates an ex-con and struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the horror and heartbreak of their shared loss—a devastating wound that's cruelly ripped open when Claire's husband is killed.

The disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: what could connect them? Forming a wary truce, the surviving sisters look to the past to find the truth, unearthing the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago . . . and uncovering the possibility of redemption, and revenge, where they least expect it.

Powerful, poignant, and utterly gripping, packed with indelible characters and unforgettable twists, Pretty Girls is a masterful novel from one of the finest writers working today.


Random Libby loan and I don't know if I should be glad or sorry that I got through. First things first, I listened to this as an audiobook.

The reader's voice was pleasant and was not at all grating.

The book itself was interesting. Plot twists, shock factor, wow factor, thriller, all that was ok. Many people's comments about this was the gory torture scenes. I didn't mind so much the torture scenes... I was super annoyed with the long-winded and repetitive explanations though. Sometimes, word-for-word repeated phrases.

Because of the repetitiveness (and a background boredom) I actually went looking for spoilers, and when I knew that THAT particular thing would happen, I was looking forward to it, and expected that to be the tail end of the book. When I reached THAT scene, and saw there was still 4 more hours of the book, I almost threw out my phone. But no, the book itself was just another 1 hour to finish, the other 2 or so hours was probably a preview of another book or the actual prequel (I haven't finished that yet, so I don't know if it's the story in its entirety or not).

THE SECRETS OF THE JAPANESE MIND- Demystifying the Japanese psyche towards life, gender, love and more
Al Kim (Asianalysis with AL & HELEN)

Initial thoughts:

I can only use the usual Apple vs Android fight, those who use Apple hate Android and vice versa. This was similar. I love the Kindle platform. (Thus it means I hate the Kobo platform)

The Kobo device felt... flimsy, for lack of a better word. Like if I drop it a little harder it will come apart. No worries, as I'm a very careful person with electronic devices.

The Kobo device is more ergometric with that extra space on the right hand side, provides a better grip, and I didn't realize I would appreciate a physical button for page turning so much. Someone just posted a comparison of the Kobo Libra Color and the Kindle Oasis and now I see the Oasis has the same shape/set up as the Libra Color (with the extra space on the right hand side)

Setting up the Kobo account was a pain. For some reason, 2 emails went through but at the verification stage just refused to be verified. After half an hour fighting with it, I decided to use a 3rd email and voila, this one worked.

And then I thought I could get Libby into the Kobo just like on my phone, but no, it doesn't connect to Libby, it connects to Overdrive. Also. The Overdrive option wasn't showing up. After some time perusing the internet, I find out I need to set a billing address in a region that allows usage of Overdrive, which, to make a long story short, I simply made up some address in the USA to get it sorted. Got the Overdrive option, but then, I find out you can only login to 1 account at a time. On Libby, you can search the database for all the libraries you are in. So, it's another sad note.

Another thing that redeems the Kobo is the super easy way to transfer books there though. I got it hooked up to my Dropbox account and all I have to do is move ebooks into my Dropbox then they show up on the Kobo.

The Perfect Son
Freida McFadden
Suzie Althens, Daniel Thomas May (Narrators)
Amazon Product Link

"Mrs. Cass, we were hoping your son could answer a few questions about the girl who disappeared last night..."

Erika Cass has a perfect family and a perfect life. Until the evening when two detectives show up at her front door.

A high school girl has vanished from Erika's quiet suburban neighborhood. The police suspect the worst--murder. And Erika's teenage son, Liam, was the last person to see the girl alive.

Erika has always sensed something dark and disturbed in her seemingly perfect older child. She wants to believe he's innocent, but as the evidence mounts, she can't deny the truth--Liam may have done the unthinkable.

Now she must ask herself:

How far will she go to protect her son?

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A quick second Audiobook because I was browsing on Libby and what the heck why not.

I started off not expecting much from this book, but I have to say one thing: I really liked the female narrator on this one. In many audiobooks, I get annoyed with the voice and then give up listening, but this narrator’s voice did not grate on my nerves. Her playing up her voice for other characters, and accents and such also were very smooth and didn’t annoy me at all.

Although I did not realize the twist until it revealed, I must say I always had this… mistrust of the (then-revealed) antagonist. It was all like a… it’s too good to be true thing haha.

The ending of the book was corny-ish in that it was trying to drag on the suspense, haha, it was cute. But who knows.

The Boy and the Dog
Seishū Hase, Alison Watts (Translator)
Amazon Product Link

One dog changes the life of everyone who takes him in on his journey to reunite with his first owner in this inspiring tribute to the bond between humans and dogs and the life-affirming power of connection.

Following a devastating earthquake and tsunami, a young man in Japan finds a stray dog outside a convenience store. The dog's tag says "Tamon," a name evocative of the guardian deity of the north. The man decides to keep Tamon, becoming the first in a series of owners on the dog's five-year journey to find his beloved first owner, Hikaru, a boy who has not spoken since the tsunami. An agent of fate, Tamon is a gift to everyone who welcomes him into their life.

At once heart-rending and heart-warming, intimate and panoramic, suspenseful and luminous--and deepened in its emotion by the author's mastery of the gritty details and hardscrabble circumstances that define the lives of the various people who take Tamon in on his journey--this bestselling, award-winning novel weaves a feel-good tale of survival, resilience, and love beyond measure.

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Well. The most important line first. THE DOG DIES.

Had I known it I wouldn’t have read the book.

Anyway.

Easy enough to read, but then every new “owner” incident gets repetitive. The dog also seemed to be some kind of death bringer, as any owners it got would die (except for a lady towards the end, who went to admit her crime.

I liked how in the end, through some posters sharing, they sort of found other people that knew of the dog along the way. Felt like a nice (albeit corny-ish) wrap up.

What You Are Looking For is in the Library
Michiko Aoyama; Alison Watts (Translator)
Amazon Product Link

For fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, a charming, internationally bestselling Japanese novel about how the perfect book recommendation can change a readers’ life.

What are you looking for? So asks Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian. For Sayuri Komachi is able to sense exactly what each visitor to her library is searching for and provide just the book recommendation to help them find it.

A restless retail assistant looks to gain new skills, a mother tries to overcome demotion at work after maternity leave, a conscientious accountant yearns to open an antique store, a recently retired salaryman searches for newfound purpose.

In Komachi’s unique book recommendations they will find just what they need to achieve their dreams. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library is about the magic of libraries and the discovery of connection. This inspirational tale shows how, by listening to our hearts, seizing opportunity and reaching out, we too can fulfill our lifelong dreams. Which book will you recommend?


Quaint little feel-good book. It also had a nice touch of tying the characters together. I especially liked the message the book is trying to express: no matter the (dire) situation, you can adapt to it. It has certainly helped me re-evaluate my “obstacles” in a different light.

Spare
Prince Harry, J.R. Moehringer (Ghostwriter)
Amazon Product Link

It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on.

For Harry, this is that story at last.

Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness—and, because he blamed the press for his mother’s death, he struggled to accept life in the spotlight.

At twenty-one, he joined the British Army. The discipline gave him structure, and two combat tours made him a hero at home. But he soon felt more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and prone to crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn’t find true love.

Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple’s cinematic romance and rejoiced in their fairy-tale wedding. But from the beginning, Harry and Meghan were preyed upon by the press, subjected to waves of abuse, racism, and lies. Watching his wife suffer, their safety and mental health at risk, Harry saw no other way to prevent the tragedy of history repeating itself but to flee his mother country. Over the centuries, leaving the Royal Family was an act few had dared. The last to try, in fact, had been his mother. . . .

For the first time, Prince Harry tells his own story, chronicling his journey with raw, unflinching honesty. A landmark publication, Spare is full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.

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Listened to this as an audiobook. (Libby loan)

Did not like nor dislike. It was ok.

I was never much for the "Royals Gossip" though inevitably I would hear something or other. I'd like to think I'm also rational enough that I know for a fact these gossipy news are mostly fabricated or spun out of proportion from the actual truth.

I'm not taking sides, but as I'm reading THIS book so hearing THIS side of the story, I must say I'm appalled by the way Harry was treated, especially by his brother. I also don't get the oscillating reactions from William. Like, one moment he's all "hey congrats that's great!" and the next moment he's all "hey nooooooo, you can't do that and she's this [negative thing or other]".

It's really sad that as a family, they can push one of their own away.