Bitter + Sweet = The Perfect Combination

How do you know when you've gotten your money's worth?

In "Vivien" terms, it means getting the perfect book.

How do you grade a perfect book?

To me, a perfect book used to be a book bursting with imagination, fantasies and wonderful dreams that would never occur in life. These genres are still pretty good reads; but my reading preferences have shifted a lot since then.

Historical fiction is now my cup of tea. 

Fact + Fiction = Historical Fiction

A dash of history and imagination contribute to a perfect blend of words.

All of the historical fiction books I've read so far (which isn't a lot, really) are stellar writes. I highly recommend:

1. In My Father's House, Book 1, The Shiloh Legacy, by Bodie and Brock Thoene

- Based post-World War I, the story revolves around four young men and their difficulties in adapting to their respective lives after the war. Heart-warming friendships and painful separations make this book a very special, precious and realistic read.

Rating: **** (would've gotten 5 stars if I'd managed to get the other two books in the trilogy)

2. Pearl of China, by Anchee Min

- The story revolves around Pearl S. Buck, and her friendship with a fictional character, Willow, during her times in China. Willow is actually a combination of Pearl's real friends from China. Told from Willow's point of view, it slowly unravels the adversities of life in olden-day China and a friendship that survives the tests of time, distance and restrictions.

Rating: *****

p.s. Anchee Min's other works, such as Red Azalea, Empress Orchid and The Last Empress are also highly recommended. These are all works of historical fiction.

3. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford

- This really is the creme of the crop for me. Set during World War II, it tells the tale of young love between a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl. Family conflicts and prison walls prevent the two friends from reuniting, but in a twist of fate, belongings of 37 Japanese families found in the basement of Panama Hotel bring back bittersweet memories. Love can survive time and distance - perhaps, with the help of an old jazz record and a hotel that was never taken down.

Rating :***** (just an extra *) for good measure. This is my current favourite book.

p.s. The author is actually half-Chinese. His great-grandfather was one of the pioneers in the mining sector in the United States of America.

Just a few lovely reads to recommend for anyone who reads this blog. :)