The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

This is my final read of the year, and the sixth novel in the Robert Langdon series. Even so, it works perfectly as a standalone. I haven't read or watched many of Dan Brown’s earlier works, but this one immediately caught my attention and made me want to go back to his previous novels.

This time, Robert Langdon, a world renowned scholar of religious symbology and a Harvard professor, finds himself targeted alongside Katherine Solomon, a noetic scientist. Katherine’s upcoming book introduces a strictly hypothetical technology she has invented, one with the potential to reshape humanity’s understanding of consciousness. That idea alone makes her a threat to a secret group known as Threshold.

Things spiral quickly when the CIA becomes gravely concerned about Katherine’s manuscript, viewing it as a risk to national security and attempting to suppress its publication. What begins as a race to protect an idea soon turns far darker. Langdon and Katherine uncover a covert military intelligence operation experimenting on innocent test subjects without their consent. If exposed, the consequences would be explosive and global.

I found Dan Brown’s writing fast paced and easy to follow, with short chapters packed with adrenaline. The characters are well drawn, the plot twists are satisfying, and the ethical questions surrounding science and power linger long after the final page. This was a gripping, thought provoking read and a strong reminder of why Dan Brown remains so widely read. 4.5 ⭐

Hari-Hariku di Kedai Buku Morisaki by Satoshi Yagisawa

Selepas mengalami putus cinta yang teruk, Takako mengambil keputusan untuk melupakan sejenak bandar Tokyo. Bila pakciknya, Satoru menelefon dan mencadangkannya untuk bekerja di kedai buku Morisaki milik datuk, Takako tiada pilihan lain selain menerima hari-harinya di tempat baru.

Yang uniknya Kedai Buku Morisaki bukan satu-satunya kedai buku yang terletak di kawasan itu, malah sepanjang jalan dipenuhi dengan kedai-kedai buku lama menjadikan Jimbocho sebuah kota buku-buku lama terbesar di dunia. Ia sebuah kedai buku yang menjual buku-buku sastera moden dan sudah bertahan sejak tiga generasi yang lalu. Walau pun begitu, Takako tidak berminat dengan membaca. Masanya kalau tidak bekerja di kedai buku, dihabiskan dengan tidur.

Baru beberapa hari di sana, dia belajar sesuatu tentang buku, dan pakciknya. Kedua-duanya telah menjadi titik tolak untuk dirinya banyak belajar dan tidak hanya seputar kisahnya sahaja. Saya suka sangat part ni. Bila Takako bertemu dengan buku yang betul-betul kena dengan dirinya. Betullah kata orang yang membaca itu menjadi tidak menarik disebabkan kita belum jumpa buku yang berjaya meruntuh tembok jiwa kita. Dari situ jugalah dia menjadi berani dan mencuba sekali hidup berdikari tapi dengan diri dia yang baru. Tidak berapa lama kemudian, dia menerima panggilan telefon dari Pakcik Satoru bahawa isterinya, Momoko sudah kembali selepas lima tahun menghilangkan diri. Susah juga ya bila berdepan dengan mereka yang jenis avoidant attachment tapi Takako belajar sesuatu dari situ.

Apa yang menarik, penterjemah menggunakan sedikit lenggok bahasa Malaysia membuatkan ia tak nampak kekok dan menghiburkan. Ini antara bacaan terakhir saya (kot😅) untuk tahun 2025. Sesuai dibaca oleh gen z yang ignorant (dibaca dengan nada mesra dan lemah gemalai).

He's So Possessed With Me by Corey Liu

This reading was quite a challenge for me. As you know, I’m not really fond of queer reads, but I successfully finished this one anyway. No matter what year we’re living in, I personally believe there are only two genders. What I did appreciate about this book were the themes of friendship, and family bonds. Those basics play an important role in shaping who we become in the future.

Ren Hsu and Colin Ong are schoolmates who are inseparable and serve as each other’s safe space and support system. Both are Asian, gay, and clearly searching for validation. For about half of the book, the author leans heavily into familiar struggles of being gay, which to me felt a bit cliche and exaggerated.

Things take a turn one day when they are heading home through the woods. A strange incident occurs and Ren is suddenly caught by something, at least that is what Colin thinks, and goes missing for a while. Then, just as suddenly, Ren reappears out of nowhere, but he is not quite himself anymore. While the plot is clearly there, I felt the author could have made this part more cinematic. Instead of building tension and atmosphere, the moment came across as a bit monotonic, which made the impact miss slightly for me.

Their parents do not exactly approve of their tendencies, and soon their dream of living together for college falls apart due to a sudden change of plans. Determined to figure out what is going on, Colin starts investigating and discovers that Ren might be possessed by a demon. A gay demon, to be precise. 😅

Overall, He’s So Possessed With Me by Corey Liu mixes friendship, identity, and supernatural chaos in a way that is quirky, even some parts were not quite for me.

The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine

I know by heart that this book deserves a 5⭐s. Everything about it pulled me in completely, the prose, the plot, the premise, the unsettling vibes, even the book cover. It is one of those reads where you already feel obsessed before you turn the final page.

Set in the early 90s, the story begins with a culinary world scandal that still lingers decades later. Legendary chef Damien Capello vanished without a trace from his family’s farm, leaving behind rumours that grew darker with time. Whispers of murder, cannibalism, and secret ingredients circulated wildly, all tied to his wife, Maria Capello. From grieving spouse, Maria emerged as a celebrated cookbook author and television icon, admired and untouchable.

Years later, Maria agrees to publish a memoir with a small publishing house and personally requests that it be edited by Thea Woods. For Thea, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. Maria has been her idol for as long as she can remember, and the Capello case has haunted her curiosity for years. This book is meant to be the highlight of her career.

But as days pass, Maria begins to unravel Thea’s carefully constructed image of her. She is guarded, elusive, and deeply unsettling. The farm where Damien disappeared feels less like a home and more like a carefully protected secret. As Thea digs deeper, the truth behind Damien’s disappearance slowly surfaces, and what she discovers is far more shocking than any rumour.

The shifting narratives kept me completely hooked, blurring the line between truth, myth, and obsession. Each chapter is paired with one of Maria’s recipes, which feels both intimate and unsettling, as if food itself becomes part of the confession. By the time the final revelations surfaced, I was stunned by how expertly the story had been layered. This is a dark, seductive read that creeps under your skin and stays there long after the last page is turned.

The Last Death of The Year by Sophie Hannah

The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah is narrated by Inspector Edward Catchpool, who along with Hercule Poirot, is invited to a remote island in Greece for a New Year celebration. The invitation comes from Nathaniel Athanasiou, known as Nash, the founder of a spiritual movement called the Very Good Friends. At the House of Perpetual Welcome, or the Spitty, Nash promises unconditional forgiveness, a fresh start, and a place where people can leave their past behind.

The premise is intriguing, but the execution feels cluttered. Nine residents live at the Spitty, each with an unclear backstory, which makes it difficult to connect with them or fully engage in the mystery. Instead of building suspense, their secrecy becomes frustrating, and their suspicious behaviour lacks emotional weight.

The New Year resolution game is meant to spark tension, yet it comes across as exaggerated. Soon after, the threatened death occurs. Nash then reveals that someone had already received a death threat and feared for their life before the tragedy. A second death follows not long after.

Many of the residents behave suspiciously, yet their characters remain vague and hazy, making it difficult to feel fully invested. While the execution of the mystery was acceptable and largely reasonable, the reckless decision to create a so called murder challenge felt absurd and unnecessarily dangerous. This is my first Poirot novel by Sophie Hannah. I found it messy at times yet it's an okay Poirot pastiche rather than a standout one. 

Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren

Disclaimer: take your time, it isn’t a fast-paced read.

I owe this read to Pansing’s former ME, Ms. Cheryl. She sent me this copy two years ago, and I only finished it yesterday. I genuinely feel sorry and a little regretful that I took so long because I ended up loving it. I’m giving it 4.5 ⭐.

Collected Works is a portrait of literature, academia, and the fragile inner worlds of its characters. The book unfolds like a long, winding diary shared between Martin Berg and his daughter, Rakel.

Fifteen years ago, Cecelia Berg had vanished after the birth of her second child. Her disappearance left behind an ache that never fully healed. Confusion, grief, and unanswered questions linger over every page, shaping the lives of those she left behind.

The story spans from the early 1980s to the present, told through Martin’s and Rakel’s alternating perspectives. Before Cecelia entered Martin’s life, there was Gustav Becker, his inseparable best friend. Their friendship, through every storm and season, is beautifully written. Together, they carry each other through the years until Cecelia disappears irrevocably.

Fast-forward, Rakel stumbles upon a novel introduced by her father. As she reads, something strange happens. The protagonist feels uncannily familiar, like a shadow of someone she once knew. Driven by curiosity and longing, Rakel begins her own quiet journey to piece together the figments of her memory, and maybe, her mother.

Part Three is the heart of the novel. It reminds us that no matter how close we are to someone, there are depths we may never truly know. The book touches gently on themes of friendship, mental health, and depression. I am grateful I finally read this beautifully translated work. Some stories linger with a gentle resilience long after the final page.