We’ve all seen the posts: the perfect, filtered life of the person who quit their job to "follow their bliss". They’re sipping lattes in Paris or doing yoga on a beach in Bali. It looks so easy. But I'm always left wondering... what about the parts they don't show? An UnRealistic Life by Elena Hiatt Houlihan is the book that finally shows the messy, unfiltered reality. Houlihan’s story isn't just about the highs of being an artist; it’s about the crushing lows. I was absolutely gripped by her story in the chapter "Losing The Way". She falls for a charismatic, sophisticated man named László, who promises her millions. He’s always talking about grand schemes, like finding buried Japanese gold in Indonesia. She gets so caught up in the dream that she "was in love with possibility.” Read the book to find out what happened next. It’s a harrowing, honest look at betrayal and self-deception. She admits she was "sucked... in" and "hypnot...
A 17th-century pirate's hoard, a modern-day murder mystery, and a friendship put to the test. What could go wrong? If you're looking for a story that seamlessly stitches a historical epic into a modern-day thriller, then "Yamada's Treasure" by Anton Peeters is the hidden gem you need to unearth. This book grabs you from the first page and plunges you into a high-stakes hunt across Thailand, where the past is dangerously alive. What sets this book apart is its brilliant dual-narrative structure. We're transported back to the 17th century to follow the legendary Yamada Nagamasa—a samurai-turned-pirate whose life is a masterclass in rebellion, strategy, and secret-keeping. The historical detail is rich and immersive, painting a portrait of a man who was as skilled with a sword as he was at building a hidden empire. His story alone is a captivating piece of historical fiction. But then, we're thrust into the present with Peter and Somrak, a duo whose chemistr...