Stumble into

I had tried to read this book a few years back and was completely fumbling through it. I am not very well acquainted with the bible and was not able to connect to the matter. Then last year Amazon released the tv series Good Omens. I fell in love with Aziraphale (angel) and Crowley (demon). I decided to read the book again and this time I understood it. I did some research and found it more enriching. The story superficially is good, goofy, engaging, and weird. Don’t be misled by those who class this as fantasy, humor, or just fiction it is all of those and much more. This is actually a profound philosophical and theological treatise, exploring good and evil, nature versus nurture, free will, war, pollution, and organized religion. 😉 It’s cleverly disguised as a madcap caper featuring angels, demons, the M25 motorway, Manchester, raining fish, dolphins, Atlantis, aliens, the Apocalypse, the young Antichrist, witches, witch-finders, whales, Hell's Angels, junk food made of junk, n...

“Everyone makes choices in life. Some bad, some good. It's called living, and if you want to bow out, then go right ahead. But don't do it halfway. Don't linger in whiner's limbo.” I read this book in 2015 and still remember the story that is the impact of this book. Poison Study is easily one of the best-written and underrated high fantasy, young adult series that I’ve come across, and I’m so happy that I reread it again this year.   After a while, YA high fantasy tends to become oversaturated with similar storylines, but this was SO ORIGINAL and I LOVED IT. I also enjoyed how character-driven this novel was, rather than emphasizing the fantasy aspects (although magic is very much prevalent). Yelena is a brave, clever, and determined young woman, who was given the chance to escape execution, in exchange for taking up the position as the Commander’s food taster, a potentially lethal occupation. She consistently fought over and over again for her own survival, never allo...