✔ To the Moon and Back by Jill Mansell (kindle own) 4★

Loved the ending! Even if it was predictable. Middle of the book was a bit slow, like a 3★ slow. But the ending was great so bumped up to 4★. Really loved Zack. Didn't like the very long conversations Ellie had with her dead husband (imaginary conversations).

Jill Mansell is still a favorite author of mine. This is the third book I've read by her. They are a little formulaic, but this one I thought was a little different. Good different, as it didn't stick to the mushy romance, which I still love, but it's nice to have a plot too. There was a little predictable ending, but it was still nice. Jill also has other characters' point of view. In To the Moon, there was just a small amount of characters added, and I thought it was a nice touch. Even though some of the characters I couldn't relate to, their story was still nice.

I loved this book! It’s kind of like reading An Affair to Remember, though Greta James’s story & fam is a lot more interesting than Terry McKay (Deborah Kerr). And I did imagine Ben as a rugged Cary Grant… or maybe Charles Boyer from the 1939 Love Affair (the original movie).
And this had me so emotional at times. The added story of the father/ daughter going on an Alaska cruise was so touching.

5★♥♥

To describe this book without any spoilers is complex, especially to describe all the little Chinese traditions, folklores and fairy tales that are interwoven in this book. The description of the book had me thinking of Tim Burton's Corpse Bride... which have little in common now that I've read this, but they both have a dark mood.

So I'll try to given a short summary without spoiling the story here.
The setting is a historical fiction, 1893 set in Malacca, Malaysia. There is the still some Old Chinese culture mixed in with New Malay Culture and very little of European Catholic culture. And with all cultures, there is some superstitions. Which brings up the all powerful and rich Lim family. Their son has mysteriously died and the very superstitious mother (Madame Lim) believes that a living girl should marry her son in order for him to pass on in the spirit world. So that brings Li Lan, who right at the start of the book, is asked by her nearly penniless father (who still has enough to buy opium) to be "The Ghost Bride" for deceased Lim Tian Ching of the Lin family.

And to describe anymore will certainly give away spoilers. *sigh* I did think it was a pretty good romantic, adventurous, and mysterious story. With a lot of Chinese Folklore. I borrowed it at first, but I liked it so much I went ahead and bought the kindle book. A definite future reread is called for.

This is Yangsze Choo’s debut book and I did like her writing style. There was a small slow pace in the middle or so, but I never wanted to stop or give this up. I will be keeping an eye for any more books she'll write. I really liked Li Lan. She is young (18 yo), but she wasn't a typical teen like all the other books I've read. She was actual quite mature for her age. And the character development and setting description was good. I really enjoyed reading this and recommend it for others.

I liked this short story a lot better that the first book in the series. Glad I found it on the Scribd library.