Saturday, June 29, 2013

Crystal Cove



Book # 46 - Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas

Her latest book... I don't think there are enough phrases, adjectives or sentences to describe how much I love Lisa Kleypas... I love, love, love her historical romances that I could never read a single title just once... and when I reread it, it doesn't get old... when she started writing contemporary romance, I worried if her good writing would translate the same in a modern setting...but I worried for naught, because her books are uh-mazing!  

And I dunno if I got a good copy or she switched publishers or if this is new thing they're doing but at the end part there's like a questionnaire about the book that's designed to make talking points for a book club meeting or something... there's a question about the symbolism of clocks stopping and how it's related to one "running out of time", maybe it was meant to make readers think about mortality and how they're spending their "borrowed" time, y'know make them think deep, existential and philosophical... but what really popped into my mind is how romance books have changed with the bondage theme included in this one... I know BDSM and erotica like Ellora's Cave have been around for a while, but I guess with the success of Fifty Shades of Grey, it has become more mainstream... I just didn't anticipate Kleypas would join in on the bandwagon... But now, I'm curious to taste a Kleypas erotica, I bet it would be great... Fifty Shades of Grey, while great because it paved the way for erotica to be mainstream, wasn't exactly well written... but let's leave my review on that for another post...

As much as I didn't want for the book to end, being that this is her latest book and who knows when her next book would come out , I was happily surprised to find at the end a bonus introduction to her next book that's coming out this September! woohoo!  I was worried I might have to wait 2 or 3 years for another Kleypas book...

Kleypas mentioned The Other Guy's Bride by Connie Brockway in the acknowledgement part... Sounds interesting... and any book reference by Kleypas must be a good book, right?  Note to self: research and find this book.

Reading Challenge


When I started doing this tracking of the books I've read this year, it was more of a competitive thing because I saw someone post the total number of books they've read the past year... I knew I had probably read more than she did but I didn't know by how much coz I never tracked it... I thought I would just try to top her number by 5 or 10 books.. I never realized how much of a "wild reader" (this is a family joke that I might share in a future date when I feel like it or more like when I'm bored and have nothing else to do) I am until I realized the total number of books I've read so far... I am now way past the goal, probably since month 3 or 4... Given that it's only half of the year and I'm already at book # 54, I'll probably end with a total of 100 books if I continue at the rate I'm going!  wow.. I actually surprised myself... O.o

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Something Borrowed


Book # 44 - Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

I've seen this book and author on lists of top chic lit books and as I'm running out of authors to read, I decided to give this a shot... this book is very interesting, to say the least... interesting or "unique" because it doesn't have the typical chic lit formula of girl meets boy, boy and girl like each other or start to like each other, some sort of conflict arises that they can't be together, but then, they overcome it and live happily ever after.. along the way there are some laughs and a few very embarrassing situations for the lead characters... 

this book is different because it is from the point of view of the "other woman".  The author tries to make the readers feel ambivalent towards the two female lead characters, Rachel and Darcy.  On one hand, we have the "loyal" bestfriend, Rachel, who has always been there for Darcy and doing/following whatever Darcy wants.. she's intelligent, always trying to do the right thing, always playing 2nd fiddle to the prettier Darcy BUT she's having an affair with her Darcy's fiancee, Dex, AND she just happens to be the maid of honor to their wedding that is 3 months away... On the other hand, we have Darcy, the beautiful, sexy, sometimes manipulative, self-centered, attention-seeker--the bride-to-be who has no idea that her bestfriend of 25 years, who she feel is like the sister she never had, is sleeping with her fiance.  Oh, but she's not all that clean and innocent, either, because at the end of the book, she was also fooling around with her Dex's groomsman (although, he is not a bestfriend since childhood, but still a close enough friend) who happened to be developing a relationship with Rachel at the start of the book (making us readers think that, OKAY, THAT SOMEWHAT MAKES THEM EVEN)...and to really drive home the point that we are supposed to hate Darcy, the bride-to-be ends up getting knocked up by said groomsman...  

It's all very complicated and difficult to say who was at fault (they all are) or more like, who is the most at fault.. for me, the author isn't trying to make a point that being the "other woman" is totally okay, I think she's just trying to make us think that everything isn't all black and white...  But here's my take on the whole situation... no matter how bitchy, whiny, self-centered, annoying, feeling superior a person is, he or she does not deserve to be cheated on.  Yes, maybe that person is your soulmate, "the one", the person who is destined to be the love of your life... BUT  that's no excuse for cheating.  If that's how you feel, then break up with the person you are with and then pursue your "soulmate".  I can almost excuse the first time they hooked up...maybe they got carried away, maybe they were just too drunk to think straight... but the succeeding times?  the lying, the sneaking around... if you are so confused because you think you are in love with two people, then break it off with both and take a long break to figure out what you want... don't two-time both girls.. especially because they happen to be bestfriends for 25 years and you are marrying one of them in 3 months.. 

The ending I would have preferred would have been that Dex called off the wedding and made a plea to the Rachel to resume their once illicit affair but she turns him down and goes ahead and move to London... in a few years, they can meet again and start fresh, or maybe not and they separate for good, either way, I don't care... because I just like how he jumped from a 7-year relationship to new one right after the 1st one officially ended... I think the Dex and the Rachel need to take time away from each other to really think things through.. as for the Darcy, I know she's guilty of the same sin, but her relationship was just sprung on at the last minute of the book that I didn't get emotionally invested on it, so I don't exactly have strong feelings for it... she could either end up with the groomsman, not end up with him and raise the baby alone, or try to get with the baby daddy but end up breaking up... 

On another note, the author tries to make us walk in the "other woman's" shoes... the "other woman" has always been seen as an "evil" person, a homewrecker, a person with no disregard for others because she knowingly consents to being with a person who is already committed to someone else...the author tries to make us feel what she is feeling, think what she is thinking... but the rationalizing, the making excuses and even the acknowledging that yes, she is in the wrong but does it anyway is annoying to me... maybe their relationship is the real one, maybe their's is the true love... but cheating is cheating...

If the author wanted the readers to have a reaction and have a discussion about the moral and ethical dilemmas of the characters, then she has succeeded because it really made me think and bothered me enough to write a REALLY long post about it...

Sunday, June 23, 2013

An Offer You Can't Refuse


Book # 43 - An Offer You Can't Refuse by Jill Manselle

Just like the the previous book, Miranda's Mistake, this one is a feel good romance type of book... It has some of the few ingredients that the first book had--a relationship with a celebrity that didn't work out before ending up with one's intended (at least this one wasn't killed off), a few embarrassing scenarios for the character that they eventually overcome, a few sub plots to attempt at comedy and then everyone ends up with their soulmate at the end of the book, tying up the ending in a neat, pretty bow.. even the assistant manager and her dad ended up together... I like it because it's not like those overwrought billionaire muscled type going after a helpless nitwit romance book where the problem could have been easily solved by them just TALKING and being honest with each other.. the writing reminds me of Sophie Kinsella, but not as hilarious as her Remember Me (although I don't remember I Got Your Number and The Wedding Night to be as funny)... An easy, light read to pass the weekend..

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Miranda's Mistake


Book # 42 - Miranda's Mistake by Jill Mansell

The book is not bad... although, it's too bad one of the characters I liked had to die, but I guess that's the only way to get rid of him so that the girl lead would end up with the author planned for her to end up with... too bad, the one that was killed off was more lovable... I have 12 other books by this author, it was uploaded as a collection.. so I guess I'll be busy for a while with this one...

Friday, June 21, 2013

Crystal Cove


woohooo!!! I finally found an ebook of Lisa Kleypas' latest, Crystal Cove!!! Good for me...

Friday, June 14, 2013

Erotica


Erotic Fiction is now mainstream... been reading it since college 😁

Secrets of a Runaway Bride


Book # 41 - Secrets of a Runaway Bride by Valerie Bowman

Nice enough historical romance book... characters are not exactly lovable but at least they're not the typical cowering virgin and seducing rake... it's part of a series, too.. I might just look up the other books...

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Marriage in a Million


Book # 39 - Marriage in a Million by Liz Fielding

Finally did some searching on the internet and found 3 books.  my verdict on this one? meh... there are times when I go for this kind of books but today wasn't it... coming from the Laurens books, I'm really in the mood for a good book... one where conflict cannot be settled by just being honest... I mean, come on!!! Just talk to each other, for crying out loud!!!  You wouldn't be having this much problems if you just let the other person know what's bothering you.. *sigh* there's a reason why I reread Lisa Kleypas books... there's a good author who knows how to make you get to know what the character is thinking by their actions and dialogue, NOT by narrating it to you... ugh! on to the next book... I hope the next one is better...

Forget About It


Book # 40 - Forget About It by Caprice Crane

Not a can't-put-it-down type of book but not awful either... it has a nice pace to it, a typical modern rom-com chic lit... plot reminds me of Kinsella's Remember Me but with a little twist.. this is like one of those tv shows you watch because there's nothing else good on tv at the moment... not totally writing off this author, who knows, she might have other good books...

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

A Rogue's Proposal

Book # 38: A Rogue's Proposal by Stephanie Laurens

I know the first 3 books were bad... but I already blew through my latest batch of book haul that the only ones left was by Laurens... with nothing else to read, I went for the 4th installment of the Cynster Series... it was just so boooring and uninspired that I just could NOT stomach reading through it... unfortunate, really, because I was excited because as this one is all the way up two 14 books in the series and I got most of them in my stash...


Book # 39: Tangled Reigns by Stephanie Laurens (unfinished)

I know I should have but I did not give up altogether yet for Laurens thinking, maybe it's just the Cynster series that sucked, since many raved about her other books... so I tried Tangled Reigns... started okay... so I kept on reading... and reading... and reading.... waiting for the plot to get interesting... but it droned on..and on.. so I cut my losses with this one... definitely time to get new books...

Monday, June 10, 2013

Scandal's Bride

Book # 37: Scandal's Bride by Stephanie Laurens

this one was slightly better than the first two... yes, the guy was still forever quirking his brow and the girl still had her chin up and "hmmph"-ing (seriously!)... if the plot wasn't interesting, I would have cut my losses on this book..

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Of Romance and Heroes

I was never one to read romances... especially historical romances... murder and mystery were more my cup of tea... but now that I have my very one "dashing hero," I kinda like reading romance books now.. O.o

A Rake's Vow

Book # 36: A Rake's Vow by Stephanie Laurens

I went to book number 2 in the Cynster series hoping that maybe it gets better in the second book,  Hey, not all are excellent writers right away when they start out... but it didn't... It's a copy-paste version of the 1st Cynster novel when it came to the characters... the male lead was forever quirking or raising his eyebrows while the girl was forever lifting her chin & "hmmph"-ing...

a copy-paste book isn't bad as long as the one you're copying happens to be a good book... but unfortunately it wasn't... I'll trudge on to the 3rd book in the series, it had better reviews than the first two...