Teh Hui Wen

Secrets of Successful Teens  by Adam Khoo My first "self-help" book was Secrets of Successful Teens by Adam Khoo. It was about how to take charge of your life, make many friends and get along with parents. I loved the book because Adam shared a lot about his rocky teenage years, where he was failing all the subjects in school and had a bad relationship with his dad. I first read it when I was 13, and the book really spoke to me. It was then when I learnt about setting goals, time management and how to study well. When I had finished the book, I reread some of the chapters whenever I needed guidelines. It was my handbook to survive and thrive in my teenage years.  Secrets of Successful Teens was the book that made me believe that self-help books could really change my life. Today, I would say I was not quite right, but not entirely wrong either.  I have had my fair share of self help books:  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, How to Win Friends and Influence P...

 Yesterday, I was bored and restless, having finished the BBC TV series Sherlock, which left me feeling empty because I didn't have anything more to look forward to. I opened the book cupboard, hoping to find some fantasy to entertain myself. I dug out my old copy of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief , which was the first book in the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians . I sat down on the floor and immersed myself in the world of Greek gods, monsters and demigod heroes.  The Percy Jackson series was the HIGHLIGHT of my life back when I was 11 years old. I first saw it as an advertisement for the movie (of the first book) in a brochure, and after I read the excerpt, I was immediately drawn to the story. I was excited when I found out that it was adapted from a book. (Yes, I was a total bookworm.) I begged mom to buy me the book, and to my surprise, it was sold as a set of three! That was when I became a total fan of the Percy Jackson series.  If you haven't read it,...