Happy Lunar New Year
It is the year of the OX! With Covid, this year’s Lunar New year has been weird. My family in Malaysia has to follow weird visiting rules that changes every few days. So this year, celebrations are more subdued than normal. Which is understandable, because they have been a lot more Covid cases back home.
For the special day, I made a dish call Buddha Jumps Over The Wall, not exactly an apt name, because Buddha is a vegetarian… But this is a complex dish with many expensive ingredients.
We have abalone, sea cucumbers, fish maw (better known as fish’s gas bladder), mushrooms, dates, and scallop. I don’t have the picture of the gelatinous stock that I spent two days making. But you get the idea. This is a rich soup that is definitely not a suitable dish for hot Australian summer. If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, it will be winter and this soup will warm you up in no time. But in Adelaide, it was a bad idea to make this dish. No matter now tasty it is, one bite and I can feel my blood running hot.
But it is worth all the time preparing it.
Reading Binge:
The Highlander Series
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Highlanders, Romance, time- travel
Whole series link here
I am not sure what tempts me so about this series, I have read six of the seven books (waiting for the 1st book in the series). Maybe it is the time- travelling aspect, or hunky men… The series centrals around The Tuatha Dé Danann’s folklore and the people who guards their secrets.
The first two are different than the others, mainly they look completely unrelated.
Beyond the Highland Mist
He is known throughout medieval Scotland as Hawk. No woman could refuse his touch, but no woman ever stirred his heart—until Adrienne de Simone tumbles out of modern-day Seattle and into Hawk’s legendary bed.To Tame a Highland Warrior
He was born to a clan of Highland warriors of supernatural strength, but Gavrael McIllioch abandoned his name to escape the dark fate of his ancestors. Yet even from afar, he watches over Jillian St. Clair. She is the only woman who can tame the beast within him—even as deadly enemies plot to destroy them both.
What started the Binge
My reading binge actually started with Kiss of the Highlander
Of course the cover has to feature the lips of a man, and a really tasty synopsis. The story is just so- so, completely predictable. Yet, a good romance author has the ability to make your toes curl with words. The main attraction is the romance between two people with different views of life, not to mention the sex. Karen Marie Moning manages to build up a lot of anticipation to the event, and then meeting your expectations.
This is perfect Valentine’s Day read. I am glad I discovered her books in my library’s Ebook collection. And thank heavens they have all 7 of the book!
The good thing about the series, is that each book is a standalone in their own way. But I will highly recommend reading Kiss of the Highlander before The Dark Highlander because these two are about twin brothers. There is a succession time line, so if you can read them in that order, it will make much more sense.
Verdict
Seven books is not a lot when you are on a reading binge, particularly if you want to savour all the fights and making ups. If you are ever in the mood for a good fight and make up love stories involving time- travel, this is a must read.
Hope the Year of the Ox brings Joy, Prosperity and Good Luck to everyone reading .
Copyright © 2021 Ailyn Writes. All Rights Reserved.
