Book Review: Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price

 Pride and Premeditation

by Tirzah Price

Source:
I received a free audiobook from NetGalley & HarperAudio in exchange for my honest review.

Genre:
Historical Fiction, Mystery, Retelling, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a young woman who desires a law career must be in want of a case. So when sixteen year old Lizzie Bennet hears about a scandalous society murder, she sees an opportunity to prove herself as a solicitor by solving the case and ensuring justice is served.

Except the man accused of the crime already has a lawyer on his side: Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious Pemberley Associates law firm. Lizzie is determined to solve the murder before Darcy can so that she can show the world that a woman can be just as good as a man. (The fact that Darcy is an infuriating snob doesn’t help.) But there’s still a killer on the loose, and as the case gets more complicated, Lizzie and Darcy may have to start working together to avoid becoming the next victims themselves.

Review (may contain spoilers):
This was my first Voice Galley, and I know that this isn't meant to be a review of the app or recording, but I was pleasantly surprised. NetGalley's app is comparable to the Audible app for listening functions, and it was an all-around pleasant listening experience.

I thought this was a really fun retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. To be honest, I have never read the original, but I have watched and loved several film adaptations, and would count this retelling among my favourites. I really should try to read the original one of these days... 😂

In this completely new and reimagined version of Austen's beloved story, Mr. Bennett is cast as a partner in the law firm Longborn & Sons. Mr. Collins is another solicitor in the same firm, and Mr. Bennett's heir. Charlotte Lucas is the firm's secretary. When Mr. Bingley is accused of murdering his brother-in-law, Lizzie jumps at the chance to solve her very own case and prove herself to her father (and all of mankind) and earn a position in the firm. Lizzie gets herself into all kinds of trouble as she follows leads, searches for evidence, interviews witnesses, and cavorts with questionable characters in an effort to prove Bingley's innocence, find the murderer, and beat Darcy.

I enjoyed the mystery a lot, but the romance didn't quite do it for me. It felt a smidge contrived to fit the original story, and if I'm honest, this version of Darcy is one of my least favourites. He just didn't come across as an exceptional or very interesting character, even at the end. I was much more invested in Lizzie herself, and in solving the mystery.

My favourite part of this book was probably the characters. I felt that the author stayed true to the personalities of the characters as portrayed in other versions of the story that I have known and loved, which is really important, in my opinion, especially when retelling a well-known classic with such iconic characters.

I've learned that this is the first in a series of Jane Austen murder mystery retellings which will be coming out in the next few years. I must say that I am very excited to see what other adventures the author will take us on, and I'm also curious to know if there will be any character crossovers. 

My Goodreads rating:
I gave this book a 4-star rating on Goodreads and would happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, retellings, murder mysteries, and young adult novels.

 

Book Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything

by Nicola Yoon

Source: I bought a paperback copy from BookOutlet

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary

Synopsis:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Review:

I'm gonna go ahead and say right now that this review contains SPOILERS. I just don't really know how to talk about books at any length without giving away pertinent information! I can't do it! I'm sorry! And like, I absolutely hate it when people spoil stuff for me (in fact, this book spoiled the ending of Le Petit Prince, which made me mad!), but I honestly don't know how not to! So, I'm just not going to try.

Alright, so, that said... I adored this story! I tend to shy away from very cutesy high school romances, but this one was different. Maybe because it wasn't actually set in a high school, or maybe it was just the writing. We're obviously still talking about a couple of teenagers, one being very sheltered, but the story managed to be youthful without being juvenile.

Here come the spoilers.


Maddy only really interacts with three people: her doctor/mother, her nurse Carla, and Carla's daughter Rosa (she does her classes online, so she is in touch with other people, but not in person). Maddy never leaves her house, because she is allergic. To everything. Or so she thinks...

Olly moves in next door, and Maddy is immediately interested. But can you blame her? An attractive, moody teenage boy dressed in black who does parkour? I was into him, too...

Anyway, so they start communicating through the window, and then exchange e-mail addresses, and then start IM-ing at all hours of the night... And then Maddy convinces her nurse to make arrangements for Olly to come over while Maddy's mom is away. And they, of course, fall in love, as is to be expected.

Olly's dad is abusive, and things get pretty interesting when Maddy witnesses him beating Olly and she runs outside to help him. If she really is as sick as she's supposed to be, stepping outside for even a moment should result in an immediate and grave reaction.

But nothing happens.

Needless to say, Maddy's mom is beside herself that Maddy would go outside, and when she realizes just how well Maddy and Olly know each other, and what's been going on behind her back, she fires Carla and forbids Maddy from talking to Olly anymore.

Maddy's not having any of that. She plans a trip to Hawaii (because it's on her bucket list), buys the tickets online with her mom's credit card, and convinces Olly to go with her, despite the potential risk to her health, because love makes you crazy like that, right? Olly begrudgingly takes her, and they spend a magical weekend together, but then she starts to get sick. Knowing all about her apparent illness, and already being concerned for her health and his responsibility for her, Olly rushes her to hospital, her mom comes to take her home, and while she is recovering (and not talking to Olly, because, how embarrassing to almost die in front of the boy you love?!) Olly's family moves away.

After one of the doctors from the hospital in Hawaii contacts Maddy to tell her she doesn't have what she thinks she has, Maddy begins to question her health. She starts snooping through her mom's files and realizes that it has all been a fabrication, all this time. It turns out that her mom had a sort of psychotic break after the accident that took Maddy's father and brother, and fear made her believe that Maddy was ill, and therefore do everything in her power to protect her and keep her safe.

Maddy, understandably, leaves her crazy mother behind and goes to find Olly to start a new life with him.

I thought Maddy was awesome - cool and smart and well-read and knows what she wants. Olly was obviously super cool, too - did I mention the parkour? And their love story was super cute. Like, so sweet.

I loved Carla, too. She so obviously cares for Maddy as if she were her own daughter, and struggles with suspecting the truth about Maddy and her mom.

Maddy's mom... It's obvious that she meant well - she only wanted to protect this surviving piece of her family... but she's straight up crazy. Though you suspect the truth from the beginning, reading that part of the story is heartbreaking. Maddy's mom was so delusional that she absolutely believed all of it. She had gone so far off the deep end as to have written articles in medical journals about her daughter's super rare disease, and dealing with it... So sad!

My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

The Upside of Unrequited

by Becky Albertalli

Source: Came in the April "Head Over Heels" OwlCrate box

Genre: Young adult, Romance, Contemporary, LGBTQ+

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love—she’s lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny and flirtatious and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back.

There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker Reid. He’s an awkward Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?

Review:

I was on the fence about reading this book. But, I am a sucker for anything to do with twins - I've always had a real fascination for multiples and especially identicals - so it didn't take much convincing. The fact that others said it was a really fast read made it more interesting too, and I did end up reading it in one day, which is quite rare for me.

As you can see from the synopsis, the story is about Molly and her twin Cassie. Cassie suddenly falls head-over-heels for her new girlfriend, and Molly feels totally left behind because she's never had a boyfriend and she feels like her twin isn't hers anymore, and the only way to fix it will be for her to find herself a boyfriend. But how can she find a boyfriend when she's so insecure, feeling fat and ugly and like nobody could ever love her more than as a friend...?!

It was super cute, as most YA romances tend to be. I loved the twin element, of course, and I just really felt like I could relate to Molly, so much. From her self-image to her feelings about Cassie's new relationship, I often feel the same way, even now (maybe even more now) about my friends and peers: that they are succeeding and achieving and drifting away, but I'm still here, not moving... not achieving or changing or succeeding... I can only imagine what it must be like with a twin. Especially when they went from being best friends who told each other everything, to keeping secrets and developing new interests.

The writing style wasn't necessarily something I enjoyed in this book. It is definitely written for its audience (teens and young adults), and so I can see how the witty banter and blatant sex talk would appeal to rebellious teenagers, but I just didn't enjoy that aspect so much. I was raised very conservatively, so I would even venture to say that I found it a bit scandalous for a YA book. I understand how it can be perceived as "realistic" to have teenagers and their parents talking about these topics so openly, I'm just saying that I myself would probably not have enjoyed this book as a teenager. I don't know. But as an adult, it was an ok read. It entertained, it was cute, and it was fast, so it's a 3.5 stars for me.

My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Daughter of the Pirate King

by Tricia Levenseller

Source: OwlCrate (March 2017 "Sailors, Ships & Seas")

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Pirates, Mermaids

Synopsis:

"There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for."

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

Review:

This was such a fun adventure, and I'm really glad I finally got around to reading it! I only wish that I had read it sooner, and that I already had my hands on Book 2! By the way, this review contains spoilers. #fairwarning

The books that come in the OwlCrate box are not typically books that I would pick up on my own. But I was actually anticipating this one for a long time. I'm not exactly crazy about pirates, or mermaids, but generally speaking I do like stories about them. The cover is pretty, and the synopsis intriguing, so I was thrilled to received it in the box.

Alosa is probably my new favourite heroine. She seems a lot like Merida from Disney's Brave - a sassy, strong, independent woman who does her own thing. She's a badass pirate chick like Elizabeth Swann (Pirates of the Caribbean), and also just so happens to be part mermaid! One couldn't ask for a more interesting leading lady!

The story plot revolves around Princess Alosa, pirate in her own right, daughter of the Pirate King and an unknown siren, who is on a mission for her father to find a hidden treasure map on another pirate ship. She lets herself be captured and taken prisoner on said ship. The captain's brother and first mate, Riden, nominates himself as her keeper.

Alosa proceeds to baffle and frustrate her captors as she escapes her cell at night to search the ship. At one point Riden decides that in order to keep a closer eye on her, she'll just have to stay in his own quarters. Alosa determines that she might have some less-than-murderous feelings for the handsome first mate after all...

Overall Alosa's mission does not go as anticipated: she gets captured several times (sometimes on purpose, sometimes not) is forced to use her siren powers, and may or may not have fallen in love.

I cannot wait for the sequel of this book!

My Goodreads Rating:

Book Review: Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

 

 

Of Fire and Stars

by Audrey Coulthurst

Source:  Subscription box (OwlCrate's "Epic" box, December 2016)

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, LGBT

Synopsis:

Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden.

Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine—called Mare—the sister of her betrothed.

When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two become closer, Mare is surprised by Denna’s intelligence and bravery, while Denna is drawn to Mare’s independent streak. And soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.

But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other.

Review:

Sadly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. My copy came in last December's OwlCrate box, and I had *almost* bought it for myself days before the box arrived, so this was definitely one I was excited about and interested in. It intrigued me, because princesses and magic, duh. But it wasn't as well executed as I had hoped it would be, so I was a bit disappointed. I liked the premise of the story: a princess with an Affinity, betrothed to the prince of a kingdom totally against ma Sadly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. My best friend, Paige, and I decided to read this one together. I ended up finishing it a few weeks before her, but we did have a discussion to compare notes once she had finished it. So, we got this book in last December's OwlCrate box. I had almost bought it for myself days before the box arrived, so this was one of the few OwlCrate picks that I actually knew about beforehand, that I was excited about/interested in. It intrigued me, of course, because of the princesses and magic, but it wasn't as well executed as I had hoped it would be, so I was a bit disappointed. I liked the premise of the story: a princess with an Affinity, betrothed to the prince of a kingdom totally against magic, who ends up falling for the prince's sister. I mean... that's a pretty good plot! That has some real potential! But I just didn't like how that played out, and I didn't particularly care for the characters.   I probably shouldn't have (I like to try to formulate my own opinions before reading others), but I just read a bunch of Goodreads reviews on this book. The more I read, the more I agree, and the more I think I've been really generous with my 3 stars...   Please allow me to just paraphrase a few things other reviewers/bloggers have said that I completely agree with: The world-building sucked. There was information given, but I still didn't feel like I knew where I was. Granted, I have a hard time imagining well-developed worlds, so you can take that with a grain of salt. What's going on? We were kind of thrown into the middle of a conflict, without much history to understand why there was such animosity between Mynaria and their neighbours, why they hate magic so much, and by the way, do we know what happened to the Queen...? The story was flat and uninteresting. There's not much more to add to this. Enough with the horses! I am by no means a horsey girl, but I can appreciate a good horse story. Horses paid a strangely large role in this book, but it didn't feel right. By the end, I was just annoyed with all the horse talk. The names. I just... can't. If you must give your fantasy characters weird names, at least provide a pronunciation guide at the front of the book to help your readers out. The worst ones, for me, were Dennaleia (which I was just calling Daniella in my head) and Thandilimon/Thandi (which just sounds like a stupid lisping version of Sandy). I didn't have such a hard time with Amaranthine, except that the way I was pronouncing it in my head made her nickname of Mare seem awkward (although, it does make sense with the author & character's apparent obsession with horses).  The "adults." A lot of reviewers mentioned the "adults" of this world being clueless and obtuse, and it's true. There were several scenes with conversations revolving around politics which I really couldn't care less about. And, as one other reviewer pointed out, why is it that all of these Council members automatically assume that attacks are from this specific country, without investigating at all? Conveniently stupid.

I really couldn't tell if homosexuality was supposed to be  acceptable in this world, or not. I think that prevalence shouldn't be confused with acceptance. It was brought up a lot, mostly by Mare (who we understand to be bisexual), in the context of the liegemen's activities and her own trysts, yet it didn't seem to be acceptable, at least not for royals and noblemen. Denna's noblewoman friend's lover was not accepted by her family (I can't remember her name, but she was from a different country). Mare was the proverbial "black sheep," which I can't help but connect to her sexual orientation. Politics aside, the relationship between Denna and Mare felt forbidden. If homosexuality is so acceptable in this world, why would that be? While many other reviewers felt that this lesbian romance was the one redeeming element of this book, I would have to disagree. It's still the most interesting part, but I couldn't love their relationship. If you look at the overview of how things happened, it would appear to be a natural progression from dislike to friendship to more, but in the actual text and dialogue... It just felt kind of forced.

 

I didn't hate the story, and I wasn't exactly bored, but it definitely wasn't the most interesting book I have ever read. I wanted to like it. I had heard good reviews from other OwlCrate subscribers at the time we got the book. That, along with the fact that it had such potential and sounded so interesting makes it a real disappointment that it fell so flat. I think I will still hold firm to my 3 stars... for now.

My Goodreads Rating:

Book Review: Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

Kindred Spirits

by Rainbow Rowell

Source: I bought an e-version from the Google Play Store

Genre: Young adult, romance, fiction, short story, contemporary

Synopsis:

'Everybody likes everything these days. The whole world is a nerd.'
'Are you mad because other people like Star Wars? Are you mad because people like me like Star Wars?'
'Maybe.'

If you broke Elena's heart, Star Wars would spill out. So when she decides to queue outside her local cinema to see the new movie, she's expecting a celebration with crowds of people who love Han, Luke and Leia just as much as she does.

What she's not expecting is to be last in a line of only three people; to have to pee into a collectible Star Wars soda cup behind a dumpster or to meet that unlikely someone who just might truly understand the way she feels.   

Review:
This was actually one of the first Rainbow Rowell stories I read. I don't recall exactly how many pages there are, but it definitely is a shorter one. It felt like it could have been a bit longer, and yet it was probably just the perfect length the way it was.

 

Elena's father instilled in her his love of Star Wars. She had dreamed of the day she could join "the line" to wait for the release of a new movie. When she finally gets her chance, it's not quite what she was expecting. There are only two people in line: the first a hardcore Star Wars fan probably her parents' age (Troy), the other a hostile boy around her age (Gabe). She thinks that maybe the others will join as the days progress... but they never really do.

 

Waiting in line is a serious business, and people just don't really do it anymore. People ridicule them. Elena's mom drives by frequently trying to convince her to come home. The movie theatre managers reminds them that they can buy their tickets online in advance, there's really no need to sit in line...

 

As the day approaches, Elena does her best to make the most of the situation: bringing a little life to the line, posting pictures of the fun to her Instagram, and trying to befriend Gabe. Despite his reluctance and hostility, Gabe helps her out with line etiquette (and peeing behind dumpsters in the middle of the night). As the countdown to release day approaches, Elena wears Gabe down, and attracts attention to the line with her Instagram posts.

It's a quick, cute, funny read, and the ending is both sweet and funny. I enjoyed it, but it's not one of my faves, so I only rated it a 3 on Goodreads, but I'd definitely recommend it!

My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Love & Gelato

by Jenna Evans Welch

Source: Bought a hardcover copy online

 

Genre: Young adult, romance, contemporary, fiction

 

Synopsis:

“I made the wrong choice.”

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then she is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

 

Review:

I don't typically enjoy contemporary YA romance because I generally find them to be cloying and unrealistic. This was probably still unrealistic, and definitely cutesy, but for whatever reason, it wasn't too much for me and I was able to enjoy it.

I personally found it equally sad and happy. The story follows Lina's summer adventure to Tuscany, Italy from America, following her mother's death. It was Hadley's dying wish that Lina would go to Italy to get to know her father, Howard, whom she has never met. Lina's journey has a rough start, but she quickly makes some new friends and discovers Italy and all the wonders it has to behold - especially gelato!

Upon her arrival, Lina is given her mother's journal, which had been sent to Italy before she died. The inscription inside the front cover, "I made the wrong choice" prompts Lina to read it to find out more about this choice her mother made which she regretted, and to try to figure out what her mother saw in Howard.

Through the course of the book, Lina uncovers her mother's secrets, gets to know Howard, and falls in love - both with the city, and with the boy who shows it to her. It's a bittersweet feeling as we simultaneously watch Lina and her mother (through the journal) fall in love, and then learn the truths that change everything.

(Possible spoiler warning for this paragraph)
There's an air of mystery around Howard and Hadley's relationship that made me want to keep reading to know more. The friendship between Lina and Ren is sweet, and it was both frustrating and cute to watch them struggle with their feelings for each other. I really loved all the characters, but Lina and Howard were my favourites.

I gave this book 5 stars because it made me feel a range of emotions and I didn't want it to end. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary YA and romance.

I have always wanted to go to Italy, the language and culture has always intrigued me. But the descriptions in this book, of various landmarks and famous places, just made me want to go all the more! My best friend and I are tentatively planning a trip to Europe in 5 years (for our 35th birthdays!), so if that ends up happening, Italy will definitely be in the running for possible destinations!

 

My Goodreads rating:

 

Book Review: The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

Source: I bought this book

Synopsis:

Monsieur Perdu calls himself a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life. Using his intuitive feel for the exact book a reader needs, Perdu mends broken hearts and souls. The only person he can't seem to heal through literature is himself; he's still haunted by heartbreak after his great love disappeared. She left him with only a letter, which he has never opened.

After Perdu is finally tempted to read the letter, he hauls anchor and departs on a mission to the south of France, hoping to make peace with his loss and discover the end of the story. Joined by a bestselling but blocked author and a lovelorn Italian chef, Perdu travels along the country’s rivers, dispensing his wisdom and his books, showing that the literary world can take the human soul on a journey to heal itself.

Internationally bestselling and filled with warmth and adventure, The Little Paris Bookshop is a love letter to books, meant for anyone who believes in the power of stories to shape people's lives.

Review:

There are spoilers ahead. I do not care and I make no apologies.

I won't say I hated this book... but what I feel is pretty close to that.

I had such high hopes from reading the above synopsis! In my mind, this book was going to be a very different journey; a more magical, fantastical journey. To me, this synopsis read like a science-fiction sort of theme... with this bookseller who has this uncanny ability to be able to prescribe books to his clients to feed their souls and heal their broken hearts. That he would travel the world in his floating "apothecary," prescribing books to his clients, and eventually discovering the book (or the love?) that would heal his own heart and feed his own soul.

I suppose, in essence, that is what the book is... It's just that in my mind, it was a much more exciting and adventurous story...

What I actually got was a gratingly romantic fiction story (romantic in the sense of which followed approximately the same formula as above. I found it pitiful that this man was still mourning the loss of a lover twenty years after she left. I found it petty and immature that he had never read the letter she wrote him, completely closed off the room that reminded him most of her. I found the journey he took pointless and unexciting. We only saw him prescribe a handful of books, and in the end, he gave away the bookshop! I'm sorry, but if the thing is in the title, it needs to hold a more significant role than merely being the vessel he uses to travel the world!

In short, I would not recommend this book to anyone.

Goodreads rating:

 

Book Review: P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Source: OwlCrate sub box (August 2016)

Synopsis:

Signed, sealed, delivered…

While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

Review:

I read this book as part of the OwlCrate-A-Thon reading challenge in February. I gave it a bit of a lower rating on Goodreads because it felt a bit juvenile, a bit more junior high than high school.

I liked this little romance, don't get me wrong. It was cute. Like, super cute. Too cute.

I liked our main character, Lily. She's funny and sweet, and super loyal - all qualities I like to think that I possess. I did not like Cade, and to be honest, I wasn't super fond of her friend Isabel. She's sweet and all, but... I don't know. Something about her I didn't like.

I adore writing letters, it is one of my favourite past-times apart from reading and binge-watching Netflix... So the fact that this story revolves around passing notes in class (uh, yeah, I did that!) and writing love letters, I was into it. I had fantasies in high school of a story like this playing out for real in my life: me writing notes on a desk and somebody answering, and we fall madly in love... *stares dreamily into space* 

So, aside from the fact that the main element of the story is something I love, and the fact that I like and relate to the main character, and dreamt of something similar happening to myself in high school... despite all of this, I couldn't give the book more than three stars, because I didn't like who Lily's secret letter writer was. It was predictable, I saw it coming (I mean, who else could it have been, really?), and I didn't like it. I mean yes, he was a different person in his letters, and yes it was sweet how they seemed perfect for each other on paper, but... I just didn't ship it, ok guys?! 

Like I said, it was super cute. I would highly recommend it to a high school student who loves romance (or an adult who loves high school romance...), but I didn't completely love it.

Goodreads rating:

Book Review: The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry

 

 

Source: OwlCrate sub box (February 2016)

 

Synopsis:

Natalie’s last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start…until she starts seeing the “wrong things.” At first, they’re just momentary glimpses—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a pre-school where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn’t right.

That’s when she gets a visit from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls “Grandmother,” who tells her: “You have three months to save him.” The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it’s as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau.

 

Review:

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It came in my OwlCrate subscription box in February 2016, and I was not immediately interested in it. In fact, the only reason I read it when I did was because I used it for part of the OwlCrate-a-Thon reading challenge in February (2017). I was convinced that this would be a weird book, and, in truth, it is. But not creepy weird, just blow-your-mind kind of weird!

I don't know why, exactly, but I've kind of made a habit of not doing any research into the books that come in my OwlCrate box before I read them. I guess I feel like the fact that somebody read it and recommended it is enough. They are a bit hit-and-miss with their books, for me, however. For the most part, they include books & authors that I have never heard of, and the covers don't typically draw me in (admittedly a pretty big factor for me). Some of them have been good, others have not. But I continue to give them the benefit of the doubt!

 

This is not a book I would have picked out for myself, based on both the cover art and the synopsis, but it was actually quite good. It is a bit of a thought-provoking book, and I like when a book forces me to think - not necessarily about hot, current issues, but just thinking in general. Why this book makes you think is because it raises questions regarding the space-time-continuum, and the whole story/situation revolves around an incident that caused a tear in said continuum which needs to be addressed if "he" is to live.

 

Certain aspects of the book were predictable (I totally called Grandmother's identity!), while others were not (did not see that ending coming). I like that type of story: I like not being able to tell what the ending will be right away, but I also want to be able to say, "I knew it!" sometimes.

 

The romance was sweet, the Native American stories were informative and interesting, and while I didn't understand a lot of the scientific parts I definitely appreciated the weird sci-fi elements. I also think that the ending, while unexpected and a bit shocking, is vague enough to be open to interpretation, and that both frustrates and satisfies me. :)

Goodreads rating:

 

Book Review: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Source: I had pre-ordered a copy, and then received one in the February OwlCrate box.

Synopsis:

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . .

Welcome, welcome to Caraval―Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.  

Review:

I fully expected to love this book from the moment I first heard of it, and I was not disappointed! I have read a few reviews of people saying they found the first half of the book really slow and uninteresting... I can maybe admit that the first 1/3 of the book is a bit slow. Mostly, though, I feel like the slow beginning was necessary to show us where Scarlett and Donatella were coming from, what brought them to Caraval. And I guess I could just appreciate the slow burn, because I knew this book was going to be amazing. It made sense for things to start out slow and gradually pick up pace as the game progressed. (But it's true that things really start to pick up and get interesting once Scarlett goes to the dress shop...). A book doesn't get that much hype, and get featured in several sub boxes, and pique my interest enough for me to pre-order, and not be worth every penny!

 

I loved how strange and quirky the world of Caraval was. The descriptions of the little shops and hidden passages and people, etc. reminded me very much of Alice in Wonderland/ Wizard of Oz, for some reason. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is about it that reminds me of The Night Circus, but there are definitely elements of that here as well. I was also strongly reminded of the old TV show Fantasy Island, because of the magical island owned/run by the mysterious Legend (Hello, Mr. Roarke!).

 

The characters were interesting. A lot of people complained about how annoying Scarlett was because she's always talking and complaining about the same things, but I really didn't see it that way. I liked Scarlett for her sense of loyalty and honour, and responsibility. I also enjoyed seeing her loosen up over the course of the story, fall in love, be more daring, and become her own person.

 

I enjoyed the evolution of the romance, and while the ending confused me, it certainly made me want to read the second book (next year!!). I think this would be an amazing movie or TV show someday, by the way. Just saying. Somebody should make that happen. As soon as possible.

 

Goodreads rating:

Book Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor & Park

by Rainbow Rowell

I found my copy of this book at a thrift store, and I was so excited! I had received this beautiful exclusive necklace in my OwlCrate box a few months before, which I adored!, and after finally finding and reading the book this necklace now has so much more meaning to me and I love it.

This was also my first Rainbow Rowell read. My best friend adores her books, so it was high time that I was finally introduced. :)

The story is about the unlikely romance between the big, red-headed, strange Eleanor, and small, quiet, Korean-American Park, and it is quite possibly my favourite love story of all time (well, for the moment, anyway). I try to steer clear of typical high school romance novels because they're usually just so cringe-worthy, and I just don't want to be reminded of that excruciating period of my life. This book, however, did a very good job of keeping the love story sweet and real.

Eleanor, who was living with friends of her mom's for the past year, moves back in with her mom & step-dad. She's the new girl, with a flaming red mane and questionable sense of style. She's an immediate magnet for the wrong kind of attention as she steps onto the school bus, and doesn't make matters any better by trying to find a seat. Park eventually concedes to let her sit with him because he feels bad for her and is frustrated by her weirdness. That's all it took. They continue sitting together, morning and afternoon, and eventually start reading his comic books together. Then talking about music. Then they start talking about other things, start seeing each other outside of school. It really is just the sweetest development. But, of course, all good things come to an end. In this case the end is Park helping Eleanor to run away, and possibly never seeing each other again. Although, the ending is kind of left to interpretation. Which is both fun and frustrating.

I adored both characters of Eleanor and Park. I was initially irritated by Park's parents, but really liked them in the end. Eleanor's family, however, I never really cared for. All in all, if you hadn't noticed, I loved this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Young Adult fiction, contemporary, stories about high school, and clean romance.

Book Review: After You - Jojo Moyes

**SPOILER ALERT**

Do not read if you have not yet read Me Before You!

 

 

Earlier this year I read Me Before You, the prequel to this book, about our main character, Louisa Clark, who becomes the caregiver for a quadriplegic man, Will Traynor, and their tragic love story. I enjoyed that story. Tears were shed, frustrations abounded, twists appeared to add a bit of hope to an otherwise depressingly predictable ending... And now comes After You, a continuation of Lou's story, one year later.

 

The book starts off dramatically enough, with Lou being terribly depressed after the events of the last year, stuck in a horrible dead-end job, and then she falls off the roof of her apartment building. Of course, one's immediate reaction would be to wonder if Lou will also end up a quadriplegic, like Will, and history will repeat itself. Amazingly, she survives the fall with minimal injuries. After spending some weeks/months back at home with her family while she recovers, she goes back to her London flat, promising her father that she will attend grief counseling.

 

The story at that point slows down and tends to drag on a bit. A new character comes into the picture, a 16 year old girl called Lily Houghton-Miller, who claims to be Will's estranged daughter. Louisa takes it upon herself to take the girl in, helping her meet & be accepted by her new family, etc. Lily brings a lot of stress and upset to Louisa's life, to the point where Louisa can take no more, which leads to more drama and a somewhat intense search.

 

There is, of course, a new love interest for Louisa, and near the end of the book, trauma strikes again, adding more action & intensity, and did cause some tears to be shed.

 

The last few chapters I personally found to be a bit choppy and confusing. Honestly, that was probably the point, but it felt a bit unnatural compared to the rest of the story.

 

The book could most certainly be read as a stand-alone novel. There is enough of the previous book mentioned to know what has happened and not necessarily need to have read it first. I enjoyed how certain issues were resolved in this book that were left "hanging" in Me Before You, such as Lou's relationship with her family.

 

As seems to be Jojo Moyes writing style, there were several small twists thrown in, which were just enough to make you think that the somewhat predictable ending will be different than you thought... but turns out to be exactly what you thought. However, she always manages to make you feel hopeful and satisfied in the end.

I enjoyed this book a lot, possibly more than the first (not quite so sad), and would definitely recommend it.

Book Reviews: Brand New Friend & Wedding Night

I have been trying to review the books I previously read this year, before starting up the blog again, so this is a continuation of that. I decided to review these two books together as they were both quick, romantic, fluff reads.

When Rob's girlfriend asks him to leave London and live with her in Manchester not only will it mean moving cities, it'll also mean leaving behind his best mate in the entire world. Believing that love conquers all and convinced of his ability to make new friends, Rob takes the plunge.

Six months in, and yet to find so much as a regular drinking buddy, Rob realises that sometimes making friends in your thirties can be the hardest thing to do. With drastic action needed, his girlfriend puts an ad in the classifieds for him. Three excruciatingly embarrassing "bloke dates" later, Rob begins to truly despair. Until his luck changes . . .

There's just one problem. Apart from knowing less than nothing about music trivia, football, and the vital statistics of supermodels, Rob's new friend has one huge flaw . . .

She's a girl.

Brand New Friend is one of those stories that, if made into a movie, would be your typical rom-com, along the same lines as Made of Honor and Just Friends. It's a fun little adventure that explores the relationships between men and women, and asks us the question, Can men and women truly just be friends? The triangle between Rob & Jo & Rob's girlfriend is as cringe-worthy as one would expect. Because he thinks she would overreact, Rob lies-by-omission to mislead his girlfriend into thinking that his new friend Jo is a man. He also misleads Jo into thinking that his girlfriend knows all about her and is totally fine with the situation. Awkward humour follows...

I enjoyed this book, it was a fun sort of fluff read. It's a bit longer, I think, than a typical girly book, but not too long. The story progressed at a fairly comfortable rate. It was funny and awkward and sweet. I give it 3.5/5.

Lottie just knows that her boyfriend is going to propose, but then his big question involves a trip abroad—not a trip down the aisle. Completely crushed, Lottie reconnects with an old flame, and they decide to take drastic action. No dates, no moving in together, they’ll just get married... right now. Her sister, Fliss, thinks Lottie is making a terrible mistake, and will do anything to stop her. But Lottie is determined to say “I do,” for better, or for worse.

I went through a phase several years ago where I read a whole bunch of Shopaholic books, and then collected as many other books by Sophie Kinsella (as well as Madeleine Wickham) as I could get my hands on. But nowadays I can only read Sophie Kinsella's books in small doses, and I really must be in the right frame of mind. Wedding Night was an amusing fluff read, but there's just something about her characters that annoy me. That being said, I did like the book and all the silly shenanigans the characters get up to.

Fliss is the responsible sister. With a career and raising a young son on her own, she also manages to find time to look out for (and clean up after) her younger sister Lottie. Lottie is the carefree, flighty, happy-go-lucky sister. They didn't have an easy childhood, but Fliss always made sure that Lottie was happy and cared for. And Fliss feels like she can predict Lottie's next moves, because she always does the same things. So when Lottie's boyfriend doesn't propose when she's just sure he is, Fliss is completely prepared for the meltdown and the rebound hunt. What she isn't prepared for is for Lottie to make a promise of celibacy and accept a marriage proposal from a near stranger! Hilarity ensues as Fliss tries to stop her sister's wedding, and above all, prevent its consummation!

As I mentioned, there's something about Sophie Kinsella's characters that annoys me; maybe it's how completely air-headed they are, or the fact they're not very believable. But they are almost always amusing, and make for a quick, funny read. I give this one 3.5/5 as well.

Book Reviews: May-June

Not sure why I didn't post this yet (maybe I intended to flesh out the descriptions a bit? Hmm... Too bad), but here were some (possibly not all?) of the books I read between May and June...

Hope in a Jar - Beth Harbison Allie is in her late 20's, goes to her HS reunion and reunites with her friend Olivia to mend old wounds. She gets herself a makeover and realizes she's in love with her best friend, Noah. But Noah is engaged, so she has to break up her best friend's engagement in order to be with the one she loves.

The Lucky One - Nicholas Sparks (Marine finds pic in Afghanistan, considers it his lucky charm. Goes on a quest to find the girl, falls in love, etc. But there are issues when she finds out about the picture and complications from her past.)

The Book of Negroes - Lawrence Hill (Aminata Diallo is stolen from Africa at 11 years of age, sent to a South Carolina indigo plantation, then gets sold to Charles Town with Lindo Jews, escapes to New York, buys her freedom to Birchtown, Shelburne NS, finds a way back to Sierra Leone to try to get back home, and finally has to escape to England with abolitionists. Loses husband Chekura. Babies Mamadu and May stolen from her.)

Knit Two - Kate Jacobs (second book after Friday Night Knitting Club - how the group deals and heals after Georgia's death.)

Still Missing - Chevy Stevens (told in the form of therapy sessions with a psychiatrist. Annie O'Sullivan, realtor, was abducted after Open House. Held hostage for about a year. Had a dauther named Hope, but she died. She killed her captor in order to escape, but the danger isn't over when she leaves the cabin in the woods. Turns out Mom was behind it all along. There's a love interest with the cop in charge of the case, Gary...)

Death of a Dancer - Caro Peacock (Victorian London murder mystery. Dancer Jenny is accused of killing the famous dancer Columbine at the Augustus theatre and will be hanged. Liberty Lane knows Jenny is innocent and does her best to find the real killer and exonerate Jenny, who is her best friend Daniel's love interest.)

Between Here and April - Deborah Copaken Kogan (Elizabeth Burns comes face to face with a tragedy from her past she thought she had forgotten - the death of her childhood friend April Cassidy. Elizabeth decides to try to find the truth about what happened to April  - the mother, Adele Cassidy, killed herself and 2 daughters with carbon monoxide. In learning more about Adele Cassidy and her undiagnosed PPD, Elizabeth learns more about herself.)

Forecast - Jane Tara (Rowena "Rowie" Shakespeare, is a psychic, from a long matriarchal line. She's a fiery redhead who can predict the weather and see your future with a kiss - and she's never wrong. Drew Henderson is the local weather reporter and heartthrob. When he falls thru a roof covering a tornado story, Rowie gets asked to take his place. Jessie, the producer and Drew's jealous ex, believes that she and Drew were meant to be together, he just needs to see it for himself. So once he's home, she bets Drew that he can't get Rowie to kiss him by the end of the night, and also tells Rowie that she should kiss him and tell him who he's meant to be with so he can get over past heartaches. The energy between them needs no persuasion and Rowie and Drew do kiss, but Rowie doesn't see anything. Is he her One True Love, at last?)

Book Reviews: April Reads

April has been a slow reading month for me. The month itself seems to have flown by and lots has happened, which is probably why I haven't been reading as much. In any case, here are the books I've read:

The Importance of Being Married by Gemma Townley. This was quite a fun little story about a girl, Jessica Wild, who just tells one little lie that gets her into a heap of trouble. Jessica never knew who her father was and mother died when she was 2, so her grandmother raised her and Jessica dutifully went to visit her grandmother in the home. Then gram dies leaving Jessica with no family at all. But another lady from the home, Grace, becomes her friend and asks Jessica to continue visiting her, which she does happily. Grace is always asking Jessica about her love life and finally Jessica cracks. What can it hurt to tell an old woman she's got a boyfriend if it makes her happy? So Jessica tells Grace that she has a boyfriend called Anthony Milton - who is, in fact, her handsome boss. Grace is happy, but then Jessica makes the biggest lie of all and tells Grace they got married. But it's worth it to make the older woman so happy, right? Then Grace dies and Jessica learns that Grace was actually quite well to do and left an entire inheritance to Jessica. Jessica Milton, that is. She has 50 days to convince Anthony to marry her so she can get her inheritance. Can she do it?

Before I Wake by Robert J Wiersema. This was a crazy, weird, but good read! It's about this little girl who is involved in a hit and run accident, leaving her in a coma. The doctors said she would never wake up and so her parents made the difficult decision of removing her from life support. She stopped breathing and her heart stopped for a moment, but she continued to live for a year. The driver of the vehicle who hit her disappeared. During the year, they move her home and hire a nurse to help take care of her, her parents separate, and then weird things start happening. The story is told from the point of view of many different people, making it interesting and keeping you on your toes. I won't say anything else that could ruin the ending, but it might have you believing in miracles if you didn't before.

A Breath Away by Rita Herron. This was a really good romance mystery, I got really into it. Violet's childhood was traumatized when her best friend, Darlene, was murdered. Violet's psychic connection to Darlene in those last moments as she tried to tell the searches where to look for the little girl, still haunt her. Then Violet's father sends her away with her grandmother and she never sees him again. Twenty years later, Violet starts having visions again, of dying women, just like when Darlene died. Then they get the shocking news that Violet's father is dead - it looks like suicide, and there was a note near his body saying he killed Darlene. Violet doesn't believe her father was a killer. She goes back to Crow's Landing to bury her father and find the truth. Darlene's older brother, Grady, is now the town sheriff, and Darlene's death still haunts him, too. He is also now on a mission to find the truth, no matter the cost. How is it that Violet has a connection to these women she's never met? And how many secrets can one little town hold?

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah - This was a crazy good read, it had me crying at various points. It's a chilling tale of one woman's escape from Soviet Russia, and the journey she and her daughters make from strangers to family, with a happy, surprising twist at the end. :)

By the way... this new blogger is kind of weird! Just had to mention that...

Book Reviews: March Madness

Well, March has been a productive month for me, as far as reading goes! I read almost as many books this month as I did in the last 2 months combined. Wow! I have no life... But, chances are good that I'm going to meet or even exceed my goal of 52 books in the year 2012!

So to begin, I read what I consider to be an Indie type book called The Orphan Sister. It's the story of grown triplets (identical twins and their singleton triplet), told from the POV of _, the singleton. I find the dynamics of multiples fascinating. The identical twins can read each others' thoughts, finish sentences and hold entire conversations without opening their mouths. _ struggles with wanting to be more a part of that bond, and craving her independence from her sisters. In the end, the sisters all learn

Next I read the last 2 books of the Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Totally gripping, with much more insight into the workings of the Capitol and Panem in general. Finnick is definitely the sort of character I would have a crush on. Catching Fire helped endear Gale to me (I was not a fan in the first book) and I can see why people would prefer him, but I'm Team Peeta all the way. However, we have to remember that this is not a love story. The love triangle is merely an added bonus to pique the interest of young girls (and, ok, grown women, too). There is plenty of action to entertain boys of all ages, but not so gorey to be distasteful. This is definitely my current favourite series. It took me weeks to get out of Panem in my mind, Suzanne Collins does such a thorough job of sucking her readers into Katniss' world. I also managed to see the film opening night (totally would have gone to the pre-showing Thursday, but I couldn't find anyone willing to stay up late to go with me). It was a good representation and I look forward to the rest of the movies, to see how they tie everything together and make up for the parts they left out...

Due to my mind being drenched in Panem, it took me a while to get into the Body Movers romantic-murder-mystery books. But once I did, I was hooked. It was a shock and disappointment to learn that there are, in fact, 6 books in the series, and I only have the first 3 (Body Movers, Body Movers: 2 Bodies for the Price of 1, and Body Movers: 3 Men and a Body). *sad face* Carlotta Wren is a great character. Reminiscent of Sophie Kinsella's Becky Bloomwood, but a bit more responsible and down to earth. Carlotta and her younger brother Wesley have been on their own for 10 years now, since their parents abandoned them during their father's trial after he was allegedly accused of investment fraud from the firm where he was a partner. The then 18-year old Carlotta lost everything; the mansion and privileged lifestyle she was accustomed to, her friends, her parents, and then her fiance, Peter Ashford (handsome and wealthy). All she had was Wesley (then 9 years old) and the townhouse her parents had bought in her name. She's done her best to raise Wesley, but it's tough! Wesley gets arrested by Detective Jack Terry in the first book for hacking into the court house's system. Detective Terry (big, strong, Southern) makes a great love interest for Carlotta, and also seems to always be at the right place at the right time to bail her out. Then Peter waltzes back into her life, making an interesting little love triangle. But then, as if the girl isn't lucky enough to have 2 guys interested in her, Wesley gets a job moving bodies for the morgue and his boss, Cooper "Coop" Craft (Mr. Mysterious) turns into another interested party! Carlotta manages to get herself into trouble as well, over and over throughout the books, tangled in various murders, but with 4 guys looking out for her, and her quirky best friend Hannah, life's not so bad!

After all that romance and frivolous murder, I was in the mood for something a bit more serious. I had recently purchased Shutter Island (have only seen parts of the movie), but I knew the story, more or less. I thought reading the book might clarify things. Hardly. I didn't enjoy the writing style, it read too much like a movie, which confused me a bit. The overall story was captivating and exercised the mind a bit, which is always good. But it's not a book I would be inclined to read again, or even to keep. If interested, drop me a line, I could probably give you a good price...

After that I went back to my frivolous, flirty books to read Shopaholic & Sister by Sophie Kinsella. A great installment to the Shopaholic series. Becky is now married to Luke Brandon. In the beginning of the book, they are on their year-long honeymoon travelling around the world, have all sorts of wondering experiences, and buying all sorts of extravagant souvenirs, of course! Becky goes behind Luke's back to buy a bunch of really expensive items and then of course has to lie and sneak her way around telling him. They decide to head home early because Becky misses her family and friends and Luke has some business deals he wants to take care of, but they don't tell anyone they're coming, which ends up being a bit of a flop. Her parents aren't home when they get there, and when they do show up they act really weird. Then she goes to visit her best friend Suze, who has made a new best friend! Then Becky's parents tell her she actually has a half sister, and she is just so excited about the prospect and the idea of a replacement for Suze. But Becky's sister, Jess, is nothing like her. After a lot of misadventures, Becky and Jess finally accept each other for who they are, Suze and Becky make up, and Becky and Luke are pregnant!

And yesterday I finished, The Wedding Girl, by Madeleine Wickam (Sophie Kinsella). Main character Milly is wild at heart, but nobody knows just how wild she really is. When she was 18 she made some gay friends who asked her to marry one of them so he could stay in the country. It was too much of an adventure for Milly to miss, so she agreed. Ten years later, Milly is engaged to Simon Pinnacle, and days before the wedding, she meets her photographer, Alexander - the same young man who was witness to her first marriage and even has a picture of her to prove it. Alexander's presence, and teasing, gets Milly into a real panic and she decides that she needs to find Allan, the man she married, to know if he finalized their divorce, or if they're still married - all without telling anyone but her sister, Isobel, and godmother, Esme. She eventually finds Rupert (Allan's former lover), and Rupert eventually finds Allan. But not before someone tells the priest and everyone, including Simon, learns the truth, and they call the wedding off 2 days before. But is it off for good, or can true love conquer a few lies from the past?

This puts me at 18 books (currently in week 13), which means only 34 to go in 39 weeks! Wish me luck!

Book Reviews: August-September reading

Hi again! It has been a while, but here's the latest in what I've been reading...

Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It's taken me nine months to do it, but I can now say that I have read the complete Sherlock Holmes collection: 56 short stories and 4 novels. I also watched the movie when it came out last year (or was it the year before... time flies...) and between the two I have completely fallen in love with both Sherlock and John Watson. I won't go into really describing each story, and to be honest, it's been a while since I read the first ones. But I think my favourite Holmes story will always be The Hound of the Baskervilles. I also particularly enjoyed The Adventure of the Dying Detective and The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire. In the Dying Detective, Holmes pretends to be dying of some rare disease in order to draw a confession out of a murderer. In the Sussex Vampire, a woman is believed to be a vampire because she is found with her mouth to her young child's neck, where there are pinpricks, and her mouth is covered in blood. Holmes figures out that the child's half brother was trying to kill his brother with poison darts, out of jealousy, and the mother was sucking the poison out.

Overall story rating: 9.5/10 for all
Recommendation: 13+ (the British might be more difficult for younger readers)


Over Her Dead Body by Kate White. I read another book by Kate White, this book actually takes place before that one. In this book, main character Bailey Weggins lands a great job working for a high profile celebrity magazine. Shortly after starting work, her boss is found dead in the office and Bailey makes it her business to find the killer. Another coworker dies along the way, but Bailey eventually finds her man.

Overall story rating: 9/10
Recommendation: 14+


My Wicked Vampire by Nina Bangs was by far the strangest take on vampires and other-worldly creatures that I have ever read. In this book (which is apparently part of the Castle of Dark Dreams series), main character Cinn Airmid is hired by Sparkle Stardust to work for the Castle of Dreams - an adult theme park - because Cinn has a unique ability with plants. Meaning that she can develop plants that do unimaginable things. Cinn believes that it's all science, but Sparkle knows that the truth is that Cinn is a descendant of the plant goddess Airmid and Cinn is actually a demi-goddess which means she has some of Airmid's own powers. And Airmid doesn't like what Cinn's doing to her plants. Cinn is suddently thrown into a world she never knew existed and falls for the most lethal creature of all - vampire.

Overall story rating: 7/10
Recommendation: 17+


If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home Now by Claire LaZebnik. I found this to be a really awesome "coming-of-age" story that I kind of felt able to relate to. College dropout Rickie is a 25 year old single mom to the very challenging 7 year old Noah, who has been unemployed and living with her parents since Noah was born. She can't get along with her mom, and can't understand her son. Things start to change when Noah complains that his new gym teacher pushed him too hard and let the other kids kick him and laugh at him. Rickie goes to the school in a rage and tries to get Coach Andrew Fulton fired. That of course doesn't work, but it sparks an interesting relationship between Rickie and Andrew and they ultimately fall in love. *sigh* <3

Overall story rating: 10/10 
Recommendation: 14+


Smart Girls Think Twice by Cathie Linz. This was your typical romance. Between a smart, naïve girl, and a buff, guarded boy. It's more or less love at first sight, and lots of sexual tension between them for most of the book. The story wasn't very well developed/written. The characters were, I feel like the main characters are some of my friends. But the story line was lacking. And it was all very predictable - nothing new going on here. The basic opposites-attract, fall in love, then one runs away and hurts the other, and then they get back together and live happily ever after. The End.

Overall story rating: 5/10
Recommendation: 19+ (a lot of explicit imagery)


I have now read 30 out of my aimed 52 books. There are 14 weeks left of 2011 so I've got 22 books left to read, approximately 1.5 every week between now and the new year!! Wish me luck!  =0D