Riri
Group read with Mitsu, Joyce, and Nikki.
I absolutely love Laini Taylor's writing. This book is beautiful with vivid descriptions that bring everything to life, and needless to say the world-building is simply amazing. The plot twist and the reveal might be predictable for some (myself included), but the execution is just so well-done that it turns into a very engaging story—even if you see the secrets coming from a mile away.
Another thing that I adore from this book is the grey characters. Even though the story takes on the theme of angels and demons, the characters are never 100% black or white. Both sides have their own legends that justify their perspectives, and the romance that serves as the beginning of this story shows that things are not as simple as “good and evil”. The way Brimstone and his group take care of Karou and Madrigal is very touching, and the same goes for the love between her and Akiva. It happened really fast and at first left me wondering if it's another love at the first sight, but the second half of the book really gives depth to their story.
That being said, I didn't give this book 5 stars because some parts are written so vaguely it feels like something is missing. Mainly the time skips, the brief flashbacks, and especially the epilogue. The first two didn't bother me that much, mostly because we get the full version of the flashbacks later on, but I feel that the epilogue killed the tension built by the last chapter. As much as I dislike cliffhangers, I believe the book would've ended in a more intriguing note that way... Then again, it's a finished series so thankfully I can just grab the next volume and marathon them all.
As much as I love Ilana Tan, this book disappointed me a little. Admittedly it's partly my own fault for not checking reviews before getting this book, but the blurb on the back of the book isn't very informative either. It's a bit too vague and doesn't really tell you that this book is actually not a novel, but a collection of quotes from her seasons series.
Each page has one—ONE—quote, along with a space for you to leave notes on. It's a bit pricey for the contents IMO, mainly because you can get another 300-page full novel for the same price. On a more positive note though, it does feel nostalgic and makes you want to read the seasons series again.
That, and the illustrations are beautiful. Pretty layout too.
Interesting concept, but rather lacking in delivery. The world-building is vague and sometimes feels inconsistent. The heroine, Sydelle, is annoyingly inquisitive and stubborn about things she doesn't actually know... while everyone else mainly just ignores or dismisses her. Also, North is only 18, but somehow gives off the impression that he's much older than he really is. Which isn't exactly a good thing for me. It's all these small things that took away my enjoyment of reading this book.
Maybe Brightly Woven is simply not my cup of tea.
This is a very difficult book to rate for me.
I love the concept and the characters. Nyx and Ignifex are awesome, both as individuals and as a couple. I like their developments. The castle is amazing. The book has beautiful, creepy, and beautifully creepy moments.
On the other hand, the world-building can be rather vague. The way the Greek gods blend with the hedge-gods isn't exactly smooth, so it feels surreal—though it's definitely a matter of preference. As much as I love the writing, I feel that it kind of fell apart towards the end.
I especially didn't like the twist with Astraia. I love how said character turned out to be in the end though, so probably I'm just not fond of how they handled that situation.
It's still a great book though, and I enjoyed it for the most part.
Branded by Fire is amazing in the sense that it has a lot of character development, main plot involving the Human Alliance, and also new twists—both for characters from previous and next books. Mainly Lucas / Sascha and Hawke / Sienna.
Riley and Mercy have interesting dynamics. Unlike the previous couples, their relationship gets physical really early into the book—in the first chapter. Unfortunately, their game of chase isn't exactly my cup of tea. Their hesitation, especially Mercy's, is understandable, but I didn't really like how their tug-of-war goes on and on until near the end.
Still a good read though.
I'm really sad to say that I don't really like this book, especially since I really loved the prequel — [b:Eyes Like Stars 3817859 Eyes Like Stars (Théâtre Illuminata, #1) Lisa Mantchev http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266953162s/3817859.jpg 3862155]. Perchance to Dream had an excellent start with Bertie and company travelling around the lands, encountering many magical and funny situations on their way to rescue Nate. However, somehow the book then started being unclear and transitions are just getting more and more confusing. I didn't realize whenever the scene was changing, and it makes it really hard to follow what the characters are going through.Speaking of characters, Bertie transformed into a heroine I don't like in this book. I really love her wits and guts in the first book, and I said before that I'd love to have a best friend like her. But in Perchance to Dream, all those traits that I liked from Bertie was replaced by unreasonable obstinacy. Why? Because I don't see any particular reason why she must be THAT hostile towards Ariel. Especially since in the end we get to know how she really feels towards him, and to me it just doesn't make any sense.Ariel is such a charming character in the first book. He had this mysterious and enchanting aura that makes me interested in him more than Nate. But in this book? It's gone. I still like him, but he just seems so plain and weird now that those traits are gone. I also feel that Nate's description and appearance in this book wasn't enough to make him a solid character. So at this point, I don't really have any opinions regarding the love triangle since they're not deep enough to make me care about them.Despite all the minuses in this book, I will still get the third installment when it comes out next year. I'm not expecting anything good since I was really disappointed in Perchance to Dream, but hopefully it would be better than this.
Beatrice Shakespeare Smith spent her entire life in Théâtre Illuminata, a magical theatre where characters from every single play ever written stay and play their parts. Her friends are the four fairies from A Midsummer's Night Dream, and they do various mischief together. Since Bertie is not a player (and because of her mischievous way), eventually the Theatre Manager asked her to leave. Unless she can prove herself valuable by making a contribution to the theatre.
As Bertie tries to direct her own play for the theatre, disasters involving Ariel — the air spirit from The Tempest — happen one after another. Bertie knows that if she doesn't do something, she will lose her only home. That's when pieces of Bertie's unknown past start to surface.. and a surprising secret is waiting to be revealed.
This is a great book with a very charming story and characters. I have to admit that I bought the book because of the pretty cover, but the magical world inside is even better. The plot is pretty straightforward and the keep-changing scenes could be confusing at times, but Lisa Mantchev manages to write a fun and enchanting story. The overall feel of the book is absolutely lovely.
Bertie is a great heroine. She's the type that I'd love to be best friends with: spunky and fun with a mischievous streak. It's really fun reading a book with a very likeable heroine like Bertie. Near her are Ariel and Nate, a pirate from The Little Mermaid. Both have strong characters and distinctive style. Bertie's fairies give a lot of fun elements into the book too, and their obsession towards cupcakes and pies is adorable.
Overall, Eyes Like Stars is a fantastic book. I have the sequel here in my hands and can't hardly wait to start reading. Oh, and don't worry if you don't know much about Shakespeare. You'll still be able to enjoy it as much as I do. :)
The amazing final book of the Percy Jackson series.
The final battle between the Titans and the Olympians is starting. Typhon has awakened and is now wreaking havoc everywhere. With the Gods busy battling them, and Poseidon defending his own undersea kingdom, it's up to Percy and his friends to defend New York from the assaults led by their former friend — Luke Castellan.
While the Great Prophecy doesn't sound too good, Percy has a lot of other things he needs to worry about. Hades won't help the Olympians, just like how the Ares cabin refuses to help their friends, and there is still a spy among them. When he meets Luke's mother in person, Percy knows that there are still many mysteries left unsolved.
Follow Percy's last adventure as he eventually makes the ultimate decision, fulfilling his role as it was described in the Great Prophecy. The fate of Olympus is indeed in his hands.. though what will happen next isn't exactly what he expected.
I love Rick Riordan's writing style as well as the amount of action is his books. The Last Olympian is fast-paced and full of action, just like the other books in the series. Because they're not on a “mission” this time, for me this book doesn't feel as adventurous as the prequels. However, the descriptive battle scenes and unpredictable twists makes up for it.
Since I love almost all of the major characters, it's really relieving that none of them died in the book. A lot of people might not share the same opinion, but I might not be able to enjoy the ending if someone important dies.
Overall, this is a great finale for the Percy Jackson series. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys fantasy and adventure, mixed with Greek mythology. :)
The Hunger Games takes place in the nation of Panem, formerly known as North America. The Capitol is surrounded by twelve districts, each providing supplies for it. As a result of a rebellion in the past, each year the Capitol selects a boy and a girl from each district to participate in their reality show: The Hunger Games. All of the participants would kill each other off until one winner remains, while the people in the Capitol watch with excitement.Katniss Everdeen is a 16 years old girl living in District 12, one of the poorest mining district that often faces starvation. When her sister's name was drawn, Katniss immediately takes her place. Being an experienced hunter in the woods, she has a better chance of surviving. Chosen as the male tribute is Peeta Mellark, the gentle son of the baker. Together, they are sent to the Capitol to participate in the show.Soon, the Hunger Games begins. Twenty four participants, and only one of them will survive.This book is fast-paced and full of actions. While the description of the bloody scenes are not detailed, the level of violence shown is quite high. Our heroine, Katniss, faces some highly-skilled participants in the arena. With her strong and determined personality, Katniss draws the reader to root for her up until the end of the book. She also has a rebellious streak, which makes her character very interesting and likeable. I wish there are more heroines like her. :)The winner of the Hunger Games seems predictable, since it's not likely for the main character to be killed. But winning the game doesn't mean the end for our characters. This book ends so abruptly in a cliffhanger, leaving us impatient to read the sequel.Sadly, the translation for the Indonesian version is very disappointing. Word choices seem inappropriate, making sentences weird due to the use of misplaced slangs. Very uncomfortable to read. It's really too bad, since this is a really nice book. Hopefully the translator of [b:Catching Fire 6148028 Catching Fire (Hunger Games, #2) Suzanne Collins http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1268805322s/6148028.jpg 6171458] is doing a better job.
The final book in the Mistborn trilogy. This review contains spoilers for those who haven't read the first two books.
The Hero of Ages takes place about one year after Vin reached the Well of Ascension. The world is slowly ending. The ashfall becomes so heavy that it covers the entire land in black, and the mist still lingers during the day — making people sick and killing some of them. All over the land, people are desperate for food and safety from the koloss attacks.
Vin and Elend travel around the Final Empire, following the clues that the Lord Ruler left. The secret storage caches. Each cache holds a clue that might be necessary to defeat the force Vin released from the well: Ruin. A powerful force which is able to alter spoken and written words, or even corrupt people's minds through a certain way.
The truth about the inquisitors, the koloss and the kandra are starting to reveal... and the final pieces are falling into place. Is Vin really the Hero of Ages? And would she be able to stop the destruction? You'll find the answer at the very end of the book.
For some reason, this book was a bit hard to get into. Maybe because the pace is so slow in the beginning. Or maybe because the points of view keep changing. With the world on the brink of destruction, almost all the characters are depressed or desperate. This gives off a rather dark feeling to the book, but it's still as intriguing as the prequels.
The events near the end of the book is rather shocking, and I was worried that the ending might be disappointing, but that is not the case. The peaceful and bittersweet ending fits the whole book perfectly. It brings hope after pages of depressing darkness. A very satisfying conclusion to this epic trilogy.
I love the Mistborn trilogy a LOT. It gives all the things I wanted from a fantasy book. Highly recommended for those who enjoys fantasy and adventure.
The second book in the Mistborn trilogy. I find this book to be as impressive as the first one. This review might contain spoilers if you haven't read the first book.
A year has passed after Lord Ruler's death. Elend Venture is now the king of the Central Dominance, doing his best to build a great government for his people. Unfortunately, they are facing a dire situation as they find two kings with their armies camping out the city walls — ready to attack Luthadel. One of them is Straff Venture, Elend's father. He left before Lord Ruler fell, and now he comes back to take Luthadel from his son.
The concept of ‘The Deepness' comes under a new light as disaster starts to spread throughout the empire. Mist appears during the day, killing unfortunate people who happen to be outside. It was then when Vin starts sensing a mysterious figure in the mist, giving her bad feelings which only adds to her insecurities welling up inside. When a third army — filled with terrifying beasts known as the koloss — comes to join the siege, Vin knows that Luthadel is facing an impending doom.
As she encounters more and more strange occurrences, Vin comes to the conclusion that she is the Hero of Ages from the ancient prophecies — and the Well of Ascension is calling her. Its power might bring hope for the upcoming battle, and so Vin decides to seek it. Even if she doesn't know where the Well of Ascension is... or what power does it have.
Some people might find this book less exciting than the first one, since the idea of building an empire is often viewed as ‘less exciting' than overthrowing one. The Well of Ascension starts out slow, focusing on the events one after another. The war itself didn't occur until near the end of the book, and politics dominated the beginning of the book. Still, I think Brandon Sanderson did a good job building up the plot and events, as I don't feel bored at all even though I generally dislike politics.
Characters are amazing, one of the aspects I love the most from the trilogy. Developments are made without making them seem unrealistic. My favorite in this book would be how Elend's personality developed through the help of Tindwyl. Minor characters are also fleshed out a bit more, giving more shine to their already enchanting personalities.
The twist in the end of the book is really good, making all the things we've learned so far turns upside down. The ending also left me curious, wanting to read the next book as soon as possible. A brilliant sequel for The Final Empire.
This book is epic. One of the best fantasy books I've ever read.
The story of Mistborn takes place in a land where ash falls from the sky. Lord Ruler reigns powerfully, spreading terror and misery — especially towards the descendants of people who opposed his ascension, known as skaa. They are enslaved throughout the land and the nobles often beat them to death.
The main protagonist is Vin, a half-skaa street urchin. Living her life underground is harsh, and Vin grew up to become a very untrusting girl, expecting that everyone will betray her. When the sole survivor of the deadly Pits of Hathsin, Kelsier, notices her among the thieving crew, Vin learns that she's a rare Mistborn — an allomancer who is able to draw power from all metals. She is taken into a world she has never known before as she joins Kelsier and his crews in their plan to overthrow the empire.
People in the final empire view Lord Ruler as a god. Would Kelsier and his crew be able to overthrow him? Vin doesn't believe so. But one would never know...
First, character development is really good. Especially our main protagonist. Vin initially joins Kelsier to learn more about allomancy — to find out what makes Kelsier so strong. As she spends her time with the crew though, she learns to trust people and values friendship more than she ever had. Her little romance with Elend is really cute. I have to read the next book for more.
Next, the concept of allomancy is very enjoyable to read. The detailed descriptions make it easy to imagine the actions whenever allomancy is used. The battle scenes are a bit too violent and bloody for my taste, but still good nonetheless. The ones at the end of the book are surprisingly addictive, making it hard to stop reading until the end.
Mistborn: The Final Empire gives everything I could ask for from a fantasy book — fast-paced story, charming characters, thrilling actions, a unique concept of ‘magic'... and of course, the romance. A must-read for any fantasy lover. For some strange reason, it also reminds my of my all-time favorite RPG series: Gensou Suikoden.
This is definitely a can't-put-down book.
Tiel McCoy is on her way to a relaxing vacation in New Mexico when she hears that the teenage daughter of Russel Dendy, Fort Worth's tycoon is kidnapped. Tiel immediately cancels her vacation plans to chase the big scoop, being a hardworking reporter that she is. That night she makes a stop at a convenience store in Rojo Flats to ask her boss for directions, when suddenly a young boy and his pregnant girlfrield enter the store and hold the people there hostages at gunpoint.
It doesn't take long for Tiel to realize that they are Ronnie Davison and Sabra Dendy, who are actually eloping because of her father's threats to separate them — from each other and from their child — forever. What she doesn't expect, is that Sabra is on the verge of delivering their child. Things doesn't look good for her, and it definitely isn't the right time and place.
The suspenseful drama unfolds as Tiel assists the mysterious Doc in helping Sabra, while also helping Ronnie communicate with the FBI agents outside. Will Ronnie and Sabra get their conditions fulfilled by Russel Dendy? And will Tiel get her big scoop? It's for you to find out.
Despite the short span of time, the characters are very well-developed. At first Tiel's thoughts of making a big news out of her discovery strikes me as more than just a bit selfish, but perfectly understandable — that's what reporters do. I'm just glad she does the right thing at the end of the story. The most intriguing thing though, is the problem Ronnie and Sabra had to face. Fathers like Russell Dendy would often goes to extreme length to get what he wants, and it's ironically realistic.
Standoff has a great story and a good amount of action. It focuses a lot more on Ronnie and Sabra rather than Tiel's own romance, which only starts in the last few chapters. But overall it's a quick and enjoyable read. Thanks a lot to Sandra for sending this nice book to me through the Goodreads giveaway! :)
First of all, thanks to Sandra Brown who sent me this nice book through the Goodreads giveaway. :)
Ten years ago Sayre Lynch escaped Destiny, her small Louisiana hometown. She was determined not to come back at any cost, even refusing to receive calls from her family. But when her brother Danny died, Sayre has to return to Destiny to attend his funeral. She planned to leave right after the funeral ends, but things are more complicated that she thought it would be.
When investigators hint that Danny might have been murdered, Sayre extends her stay to find out how her brother died. She has to face her tyrannical father, Huff Hoyle, along with her equally devious brother, Chris. The existence of their brilliant and canny attorney, Beck Merchant, complicates her effort in finding out the truth.
Despite her ill opinion on Beck, Sayre finds herself strangely drawn to him. Their loyalties is on the different sides, weaving a complicated love/hate relationship between them. The more she wants him, the more she realize that Beck would do practically anything to cover for her family.
Sayre doesn't know that when she set foot in her father's steel mill, she will soon discover a complex strings of events that eventually lead her to the past. Hatred, revenge and crimes buried a long time ago are about to resurface...
I especially love the characters and how they got developed throughout the story. Sayre is a fantastic heroine who can stand on her own feet, and her chemistry with Beck is really interesting. Huff is the perfect tyrannical father with a painful past, which explains why he became who he is now. Minor characters have clear personalities and didn't easily blend into the background. Oh, and Frito is really adorable!
The plot is full with intriguing twists and turns, though some of them are predictable. Love the plot twist at the end of the story though, which really caught me off guard. While it's a little slow in solving Danny's murder, overall it has a nicely built plot. The ending is tragic, but is ironically perfect.
This is a really good and fun read, filled with a great deal of suspense and drama. I should read more of Sandra Brown's books when I have the time and resource. :)
The last book that completes Ilana Tan's seasons tetralogy. While it takes place in London, the characters are by no means Londoners.
Danny Jo (or Jo In-Ho) doesn't understand why Naomi Ishida keeps avoiding him. He's a good-looking popular model in Korea with a charming smile, and is a nice person who's friendly to anyone. They will be working together for a music video, but Naomi keeps a safe distance away from him.
Why Naomi doesn't want to deal with Danny is a mystery, and while it might be hard to find out, that doesn't mean they couldn't be friends. Danny's curiosity on the mysterious Naomi eventually brings them closer. As Naomi's cold attitude melts away, both of them realizes that love is budding in their hearts.
But there is a reason behind everything.
There is a reason why Danny keeps seeing glints of fear in her eyes. Naomi doesn't want to tell the reason to anyone, but eventually she has to face her dark past after an unexpected attack during a party. Danny has to face the reason he's been trying to find out. The reason that actually links Naomi with him — and his family.
I'm actually amazed by the strength of Naomi Ishida's character in this book. Her character feels so real that you can feel her emotions: her fear, jealousy, sadness, and happiness. Danny Jo is a really charming character with dark emotions during the right time, which makes him realistic as well. After all, we all know that a ‘perfect' person doesn't exist in the real world. :)
Story-wise I'd say Spring in London brings a more mature content compared to the previous books. The process of falling in love between Naomi and Danny feels so natural and sweet, and the jealousy they had is very interesting to read. The only thing I find strange is that the conflict with Miho seems unfinished. But it ends in a happy ending, so I won't complain.
Without any doubt, this is my favourite Ilana Tan book so far. Just like what the title says, it takes place in Tokyo, which makes me love it even more.
Ishida Keiko is a half-Indonesian girl who lives alone in Tokyo. She works at a local library in Shinjuku, and has a broad imagination thanks to her love for books. For the last 13 years, Keiko is still obsessed with her first love Kitano Akira — even though she barely remembered his face.
Nishimura Kazuto has just moved to Tokyo. He left New York to refresh his mind... and to forget someone he loved. His new neighbour in Tokyo, Ishida Keiko, brings happiness whenever they're together. And before he knew it, he falls in love with her. Deep in his heart he's waiting for Keiko to forget her first love and start looking his way.
From the beginning of Winter until Christmas, Keiko and Kazuto has been spending their time together. But before the love between them has the chance to grow any further, Kazuto has an accident that causes him to lose his memories. He couldn't remember anything that has happened since he came to Tokyo. Including his days together with Keiko.
Even if he lost his memories, his heart is still longing for her. Without knowing why, Kazuto feels that something is missing in his life...
In Winter in Tokyo, the characters are strongly built and developed. Both protagonists have strong personalities, and the sub-characters are not flat. Kazuto is my favourite character in this book. He's gentle, sweet, funny and also realistic. What I like from him is that he's actually thinking of doing something to win Keiko's heart. :)
The story is simple and nice, with some little twists that make things more interesting. It's like watching a Japanese drama, and I couldn't stop reading because I really wanted to know what would happen next. Highly recommended for people who enjoy a sweet, first love story.
This book is such a tearjerker. If you're weak towards sad love stories, then be prepared and bring a box of tissue while you're reading this.Tara Dupont is a cheerful half-French half-Indonesian girl living in Paris. She enjoys her job as a radio presenter, loves Autumn and is happy with her life in Paris. Her meeting with a Japanese architect, Tatsuya Fujisawa, somehow makes her curious about him. And the more she knows about him, the more she likes him.Tatsuya Fujisawa hates both Paris and Autumn. He has a specific reason for staying in Paris. He's looking for a certain someone, and he has mixed feelings about that. But he finds peace at mind whenever he's with Tara Dupont. Because of her, he starts seeing Paris in a new light.As Tara and Tatsuya spend time together in Paris, their feelings bloom into a deeper one. They fall deeply in love with each other. However, they are not aware that a thread of fate is connecting them — and not in a pleasant way. How come that the person they love the most, turns out to be the only person they are not allowed to love?The truth feels so painful, yet both Tara and Tatsuya are unable to stop their feelings. There's no other way but to get out of each other's life. Someday when this painful memory fades away, they can see each other again... can't they?Honestly, I'm at a loss for words. Autumn in Paris feels more mature compared to [b:Summer in Seoul 1488157 Summer in Seoul Ilana Tan http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1184139438s/1488157.jpg 1479373], and is also more romantic. I can clearly feel the love between Tara and Tatsuya as it gets deeper and deeper. There are scenes which didn't quite really sway my emotions, but the last scene is really powerful. A powerful tearjerker.The characters have strong personalities, so it's easy to understand they way they're thinking. My favorite is definitely Tatsuya. Realizing how strong his love for Tara in the last part of the book, combined with the ending after that, actually made me cry.I'm not sure if I really like this book, since it's so sad.. and I'm your typical happy ending person. But it's really good. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a good love story.
One of the very few Indonesian books that I own. Indonesian writers rarely meet my expectations, since usually I don't really dig the themes of their books. The reason I bought this book along with the other three is because of the season-themed titles, and I think I made the right decision.
Sandy or Han Soon-Hee is a Korean-Indonesian girl living in Seoul. She meets a famous singer, Jung Tae-Woo, through a coincidence when his manager accidentally takes her cellphone instead of his. When she returns the phone to Tae-Woo's house, he asked her to pretend to be his girlfriend and have their picture taken for the media.
This is an attempt to clear the rumors about Tae-Woo being a gay, which brings negative effects for Tae-Woo's comeback after being absent from the entertainment world for four years. Sandy agrees to help as long as her face is not shown in the pictures, even though she's not a Tae-Woo fan. And so her summer days as Jung Tae-Woo's mystery ‘girlfriend' begins. Sandy has to keep her identity unknown by the public, which means that she can't tell anyone about her relationship with Tae-Woo.
While both Sandy and Tae-Woo never thought that they would really fall in love with each other, it does happen eventually. As they start to realize their own feelings, the painful truth of what happened four years ago starts to reveal. The truth that made Tae-Woo left the entertainment world for four years. The reason behind Sandy's initial reactions towards him.
Summer in Seoul is Ilana Tan's debut novel, and it's a pretty nice read. The characterization isn't very strong, which makes it a little hard to understand Sandy's thoughts. While some people may think that Jung Tae-Woo is rather boring, I think he's really sweet! ♥ If someone like him exists in the real world, I think he would be an ideal boyfriend.
As many people have said before, reading this book feels like watching a Korean drama. It's sweet and romantic — perfect for a nice, relaxing read. The overall storyline might be predictable, but the turn of events? Not at all. Highly recommended for those who enjoy light books that don't make your brains work too hard. :)
This book almost made me cry. There are many sad and touching books, but I rarely cry reading them. But there's just something different about this one, and that's why it's so special.
Lara Lington is shocked when her great aunt, Sadie Lancester, suddenly appeared in front of her in the shape of a ghost. It was in Sadie's funeral, attended only by a few family members who think that it's just a waste of time. Sadie is making a fuss about her missing necklace, and through Lara, managed to stop the funeral.
Sadie is nowhere near your typical ghost. She wears lovely 1920s dresses, loves Charleston, and likes the idea of having cocktails in nightclubs. Her bossy attitude and comments seem to make Lara's life worse than it already is.
Work hasn't been great for Lara, as her partner — and also best friend — deserted her for a ‘true love' in Goa. Her love life? Not so great. Lara's still obsessed with her ex, Josh, who left her without giving a clear reason. Not to mention her uncle's rich family is overshadowing her own. And now she's got her great aunt's ghost pestering her to find the necklace.
Everyone thinks Lara is a bloody lunatic for talking to thin air. It couldn't get any worse when Sadie forces Lara to go on a date with a guy she choosed, wearing the clothes she wants, and doing things her way.
As Lara tries to figure out the necklace's whereabouts, the truth about Sadie's life starts to reveal. What happened to her in her youth, what kind of life she's been living, and why is the necklace so important to her.
Honestly, Lara isn't exactly a great main character. She's rather pathetic and could be downright annoying at times, especially when it comes to her obsession towards Josh. Sadie is no saint either, but somehow I find her character likeable. Despite her bossy i-don't-care attitude, she really does care about Lara.
The story about Sadie's life is a really sad love story. I find it more touching than any other aspects in the book. Second to that, is definitely the ending. It's not wrapped up in the usual happily ever after with a ribbon on top, and that's why I almost cried reading it.
Twenties Girl is a good reminder on how people should treasure their families. My favourite of all Kinsella's book.
This is my second Sophie Kinsella book.
Samantha Sweeting is a stressed, workaholic lawyer who comes from a family of hard-working lawyers. She works at the top law firm in London, and finds out that she's going to make partner. It's her dream. All that she ever wanted in life. That day the decision would be officially made, and she's really excited.
That is until she finds an expired legal document on her messy desk. Everything turned upside down as Samantha realizes that she made a HUGE mistake which costs the client 50 millions. In a rush of panic, she jumps on a train and ends up in a small village.
Samantha approaches a big, beautiful house to ask for some aspirins, yet she's mistaken for an interviewee applying as a housekeeper. In order to spend the night, she applies and gets the job. The problem is, Samantha isn't exactly a domestic person. Her cooking is disastrous, she fails at cleaning, and has no idea on how to sew a button. She doesn't even know that vaccuum cleaners have bags.
When her boss calls up and informs her that she's fired, Samantha has no choice but to continue her current life — as a housekeeper. There, she finds many things she had never realize before. She starts to cope with her job and finds love with the gardener, Nathaniel.
But then, what if one day she finds out that she never made that mistake to begin with? What if she was set up in the first place? She wants to clear her name, but does she want her old job back?
I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed Can You Keep a Secret?. It's funny and light, perfect for a nice read when you want to relax. It's fun to see how Samantha tackles the household chores, and ends up buying food and new clothes to cover her failed attempts. Her employers — Eddie and Trish Geiger — are very peculiar people, but they really care about Samantha.
At times I find Samantha thinks too much for her own good. Because of her old job she's way too tense when facing everything, and that's why I couldn't help but root for her. As for the other characters, personally I love Nathaniel as much as I want to punch Guy in the jaw like Samantha did. But my favourite character is probably Iris, Nathaniel's mother. It'd be nice to have a mother like her. :)
The Undomestic Goddess delivers a very important message to the readers, that happiness worth a lot more than money.
Not as fun as I expected it to be, but still nice.
It was a really bad day for Lexi Smart. She didn't get a bonus because she missed the qualifications by one week, her loser boyfriend stood her up, tomorrow is her dad's funeral, and she was standing in the rain waiting for a taxi. Desperate to get home, she chased after a taxi and fell down the steps. It was her last memory in 2004.
Lexi woke up in a hospital, and soon found out that it's now 2007! Her doctor informs that she got into a car accident five days ago, and now she's suffering from amnesia. Lexi's memories are blank for the past three years.
Apparently, many things has changed in Lexi's life during those years. She stares in disbelief at the mirror to see that she has supermodel-like, perfect appearance. Soon she finds out all the other things: she has an LV bag, drives a Mercedes, she's now the director in her office, and she is married to a handsome multimillionaire. They're living in a gorgeous house, and Lexi has a room just for her huge wardrobe. At first she thought it was her dream life. That is, until Lexi realizes that her ‘new' life is not as perfect as she thinks it is.
All that she wants to do is to hang out with her old friends, so she tries to talk to them — only to find out that they hate her. To them, Lexi is an ambitious bitch-boss-from-hell who doesn't give a damn about her subordinates. There's also Jon Blythe, her husband's lead architect, who's hinting that he knows her more than anyone else do.
With her memory gone, Lexi can't possibly keep up with her important job at work, and her ex-boss is eyeing her position. How is she going to get everything right? Her friends, her job, her marriage — it's all starting to crumble apart before her eyes. All this time, Lexi tries to figure out who she really is... and where her heart truly belongs.
The idea of amnesia never fails to grow into an interesting story. This one is light and fun, with likeable characters — just as expected from Sophie Kinsella. Lexi is a realistic main character. Just like her, I couldn't stop turning the pages, wanting to find out what actually happened in those missing years.
Because of the theme, Remember Me? feels more serious and less wacky compared to Can You Keep a Secret? or The Undomestic Goddess. Still, it has its fun moments. It ended rather too abruptly for me, but it's a good ending, so it's all good. :)