Book review- I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

I've Got Your number is a brand new book by chick-lit author Sophie Kinsella.

I’ve lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day! Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive :) !!


Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life. (from randomhouse)

Style wise, this book is similar to Kinsella's other books with a good dose of humour and a clumsy female lead. Poppy is a very interesting character who never gets annyoing or whiny. Even despite losing the ring, she seems to be in control of her life (mostly).

Sam is a very interesting male lead. His personality is very distinct from usual male leads. He is high-flying and has no time for anything except his job. The texts Sam and Poppy send each other are very interesting and the realtionship is built very realistically. They encounters are always humorous and I wanted to see them together more often. The scene in which Sam takes Poppy to get a fake engagement ring to replace the one she's lost is funny.

This book is a great book and I would definitrly recommend it to both Sophie Kinsella fans and people who are reading her for the first time.

Ratings
Plot-7/10
Style-10/10
Humour-9/10
Dialogue-10/10

Pros
Interesting characters
Funny

Cons
Real interaction of the main characters could have been increased
There were some parts of the story that seemed a bit over the top

NOTE- Pictures do not belong to me and have been taken from Google image search.

Best Romance Novels (I read in the past months)

Okay, so I'm still feeling lazy to start making a lot of different posts, so I am going to condense it all into one post and write an article on the best romances.  The books are not in order of preference.

1. Gypsy Lord by Kat Martin- After reading formulaic romances about dukes, this one's like a breath of fresh hair. The hero is dark and brooding (like romance heroes usually are) and also a gypsy. There are plenty of tension and interesting scenes in the book and it will keep you reading. The heroine is quite strong too, but the book tends to stretch at the end, even though there is no real dispute left to be resolved.

Good if you are looking for something unique or different within the genre.

Rating- 4/5

2. Until You by judith McNaught- Another book by one of my favorite romance writers. However, that will not stop me for saying honestly that this was one of her most disappointing works. Everything was as expected; there were no unexpected twists or plot devices. The romance was standard, it became harder and harder to believe as the pages went by, that there was anything genuine about the love. There seemed to be so special bond between the characters and the predictable protagonists took the fun out of this work, which could have been great, since the idea was good.

rating-2.5/5

3. Paradise by Judith McNaught- This one's a brilliant work. The beginning seemed to be a bit boring, but by the sixtieth page or so, the story was starting to shape up pretty well. The relationship is one of the best and most believable ones. There were misunderstandings, since it is one of Judith McNaught's most favorite plot devices, but everything seemed to hold together. Their romance as youngsters was a particularly nice way of starting the story, without being too sugary.

A classic work by one of the best writers in the genre.

Rating-4.5/5

4. Remember When- It's story was much like paradise, about a high-born,rich girl falling in love with a boy who is not-so rich, but twenty years later becomes a CEO of a huge multinational firm....you know the rest. But this kind of plot works like a charm. It never gets boring. This novel seemed like an attempt to recreate the magic of Paradise, but fell short. Probably because the characters weren't so three-dimensional, and the book didn't have enough tension to keep it going. No misunderstandings, either. But it's a decent read, especially if you don't compare it with Paradise.

Rating-4/5

5. Manhunting by Jennifer Laurens- This is the first book that I've read by Jennifer Laurens. She has a different style than other writers. Her stories are light-hearted and funny, not intense. It falls a little short of my expectations, but neverthless, you could enjoy it if you like romantic comedies. The premise is catchy enough: A woman in her thirties wants to settle down and find the perfect guy who is driven, ambitious and will build a business empire with her. She vacations in a place where rich people seem to gather but ends up falling in love with a guy who's just the opposite of her Mr. Perfect. The guy was really a different sort of romantic interest- he's not insanely rich, powerful or a larger than life alpha male.

Different, but good. Better than Bet Me by the same author. I don't know, it never really sucked me in.

Rating-3.7/5

6. Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas- First contemporary novel by Lisa that I've read and she doesn't disappoint (at least not completely). The premise is a mish-mash of cliched and original- a woman stuck with the newborn child of her sister-has no idea who the father is-based on questionable evidence decides it is multi-millionaire Jack Travis- a hare-brained scheme to make him accept responsibility lands her in the arms of the male lead. If you like these kind of novels, you will enjoy smooth talking stranger, but the heroine is a little insipid and the book lacks the depth and intensity of her historicals.

Rating-4/5

7. The Handmaiden's Necklace by Kat Martin-  Five years ago Rafael, Duke of the Sheffield, believed he was betrayed by the woman he loved and the pain haunts him still. When Rafe discovers that he was cruelly tricked, and that Danielle Duval was never unfaithful, he's desperate to win her back. But Dani is already on a steamer bound for America to marry another man. Impulsively, Rafe follows her and, trapping her in a compromising situation, quickly makes her his wife. (Taken from author website)

I think it's easy to get used to Kat Martin's writing style. I find her historicals to be pretty good. This one is part of a trilogy about a necklace that can bring extreme happiness or extreme sorrow. The secondary romance between Danielle's maid (well, she wasn't exactly a maid, but I forgot the correct term) and a guy they meet in America is as well developed as the main storyline. In fact it snatches away the spotlight from the main story, because the characters take too long to decide what they want.

Rating-4/5

8. It Had to be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips- The Windy City definitely isn't ready for Phoebe Somerville, the outrageous York knockout who’s taking over their home town team. And Phoebe is definitely not prepared for the Stars' head coach Dan Calebow, a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind. The Chicago Stars are about to take the field...and they’re not the only ones playing for keeps. (Taken from author website)



Good book, better than many of its contemporaries out there. I liked Nobody's baby but mine better because it had unique characters and a good secondary romance, too. It was also quite touching. This one's good too, just more of the expected variety.

9. A Season of Eden by JM Warwick- I don't know whether it is alright to be featuring a YA novel on this list, but Season of Eden is an interesting book, even though it didn't develop quite the way I imaxgined it to.
The author could have done wonderful things with a plot like this, but it seemed to fall short. I am just a little bit disappointed.

Rating-3.5/5

10. Practice makes Perfect bu Julie James- A lighthearted battle of the sexes kind of novel. The setting is a legal firm, which adds a lot of tension. Both the protagonists are trying to make partner but only one can. Their rivalry is funny to read. Well-written. Enjoyed this book.

Rating-4.5/5

So there you have it. Ten books reviewed in one post.

Book review- Six Frames by Edward De Bono

Six thinking frames (I am going to refer to it as that. It's name is Six Frames:For thinking about information) is a non-fiction, self-help kind of book by Edward De Bono- a very famous writer in his niche. It is something along the lines of Six Thinking Hats (reviewed earlier) and Six Thinking Medals.

Six thinking frames aims to organize thoughts, which admittedly, is a difficult task. Edward urges people in organizations, homes etc. to think of a particular idea or thing in certain ways. What I could gather was, that the writer wants us to see everything in six different ways using the six different frames. They are- Square, Triangle, Circle, Diamond, Heart and Rectangle.

Each frame has certain qualities associated with it, which you must use when you think about something using that frame. The author probably things of frames like thinking caps of different shapes. 'Put on your triangle thinking cap/frame' is what he means.

The book aims to create efficiet thoughts and promote thinking differently among people, which is the major theme in many of his books.

While all the principles were nice, it is very difficult and time consuming to apply them to real life. It is best left as a theory of thinking.

Style-2.4

Pros- If used, the thinking frames can really help in thinking well

Cons- The writing style is too boring/dry.

Book review- Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

These days, I'm really into books by Lisa Kleypas, and romances, in general.

Dreaming of You is a wonderful book by her about novelist Sara Fielding, who wants to research about casinos (or whatever they were called in historical England) for her new book. She has already written a controversial bestseller, which is the talk among the ton. During her vvisit to London, she saves a mysterious man- Derek Craven, who turns out to be the owner of the most fashionable club in London- Craven's. She manages to get his permission to research his club. Slowly, a relationship develops between them....

In Lisa's usual style, it is highly passionate with a tortured, troubled alpha hero (I'd really like to see some beta heroes in this genre) and the stereotypical strong-willed, high-class working woman.

The heroes, are much like many of the tortured alpha heroes/spunky heroines in many romance novels, especially Lisa Kleypas'.

It is a great read if you are the fan of this genre, or a good place to start reading historical romance. But for me, who has read so many of them, it was a repetitive book. That doesn't mean it wasn't good, though. The scenes were almost perfect, but I already knew what was going to happen before even getting to that part.

But I guess, that happens when you overread a genre so much. I am really going to try getting into contemporary romances from now on. Any good authors that you can suggest me?


Story- 4.1
Plot-3.2
Style-4.2
Characters-3

Pros- The hero is not a duke/marquis/earl/viscount, so you can get a glimpse into the life of someone who is not from the nobility in historical England.
Independent female lead

Cons- Despite having intriguing characters, it plays out exactly like Lisa's other novels with less engaging characters (Ex. Scandal in Spring)
Not groundbreaking, in fact is like a repetition of some of her other works. Now, I know that this novel was written before many of her other works, but I read them all before this, so this is my viewpoint.

I would recommend this book more to those starting to read this genre rather than experienced fans. But for Kleypas fans, it is as entertaining as any of her other books. It is by no means, a mediocre or bad book, though.

Book Review- Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

Rich dad, Poor dad is a book on financial literacy by multimillionaire Robert T. Kiyosaki. The book contrasts the thinking style of the Rich and the poor (this term is used throughout the book to actually refer to the middle class). The middle class tell their kids to study, get good grades and get a good job but even after having well-paying, secure jobs, they are stuck in a web of debts, taxes, mortgages and other liabilities. The rich, on the other hand, accumulate assets which will continue to produce income.

The author describes his own childhood expreience in the first few chapters where his father (a PhD) wanted him to study, get good grades etc. However, his father was always short of money and struggled financially. He contrasts this with his friend's father, who dropped out in eighth grade and died a billionaire.

The book is about all the lessons he learnt from this man.

It first criticizes the education system for teaching kids nothing about money or how to manage it (which is very true). Then he explains what assets and liabilities are and how to accumulate assets.

The book is on the whole, very useful in learning about money and how to accumulate wealth. I would anyone struggling with financial difficulties to read it.

Ratings
Content- 4
Style-4.5

Pros

It is very easy to understand
The author uses personal examples which make things clearer
Not too many technical words.

Cons
The concept of assets and liabilities is repeated in virtually every single chapter.
Towards the end, it gets a bit boring.

Book review- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

This book is a timeless classic by motivational writer Napoleon Hill. It has sold more than 10 million copies to date. I came across this book on a site which helps entrepreneurs. It was voted as one of the book all entrepreneurs should read. I am not an entrepreneur but a title like Think and Grow Rich has the potential to trap anyone into reading the book.

I had expected the book to be of a technical nature, describing stock markets, how to invest in shares, what exactly venture capitalists are (I still don't know) and such things. But the book is on a completely different plane. It is mainly spiritual and motivational in nature with occult added in for a good measure.

The closest comparisons to this book are the Monk who Sold his Ferrari and The Alchemist. But those two books focus on finding one's spiritual side and applying it mainly in context of personal life, relationships, self-discovery etc.

Think and Grow Rich teaches principles which can also be applied to love, relationships, generall happiness but in the book the author describes how to use them to accumulate wealth. I was hooked into the book once I started reading it, but the latter part of the book was not as splendid as its start. Nevertheless, I still found valuable advice in this book.

Many of the principles explained in this book might sound like esoteric nonsense to those not accustomed to reading such books. I agree that the book does not really talk about things like shares, how to start you own business and such thinsg in an easy, practical way. In fact, it has no such information. It is also difficult to agree with all the principles in the book.

One of the most annoying part about the book was that it has more history than a high school History textbook. The Independence of America, the Great Depression of 1930 etc. are described in great detail. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Andrew Carnegie are given as real-life examples for every principle that the author describes.

The book has thirteen principles which if applied properly can make you rich. It is a very good book if you need a motivational push to start your dream business or have an 'etrepreneurial state of mind'. One of the biggest drawbacks of this book is that Hill's writing style is not as interesting and easily understood as Linda Goodman's. For a book so complex, good writing is a must to be able to convey the message properly to the readers.

The thing that struck me the most about this book was its startling similarity to the Secret by Rhonda Bryne. the philosophy of both is the same- Your thoughts should be positive and whatever you earnestly want, the universe will give it to you.

Rating
Style-4.2


Pros

Makes you feel good and gives you confidence
Many examples and short stories about real people add fun
Many of these principles can be applied in other spheres of life, too.

Cons

Too much history and too many boring facts
Has no practical information on how to go about starting a business

Book review- Seduce me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas

Seduce Me at Sunrise is the second book in the Hathways series. It potrays the romance of Winnifred- the frailest of the Hathway sisters who suffers from lung problems and Kev Merripen- a gypsy who was adopted by the Hathway family.

The story begins with Winnifred leaving home and going to France to seek medical help for her problem. Kev has always been in love with Win, but he is afriad of hurting her because he was raised as a fighter in his tribe and is afraid that he still harbours violent tendencies. He thinks their relationship cannot work out. Win loves him and pleads him to admit that he loves her, if he wants to stop her from going to France, but he doesn't. She leaves.

The rest of the story shows how their relationship sparks off again when Win comes back from France. Kev is unable to reject her for long. The book also throws light on Kev's mysterious past. Cam is actually is brother! (Sorry for spoiling the fun but I am sure many of you already suspected it). I was surprised that Kev was the ELDER brother and Cam was the YOUNGER brother. Cam alwasy seemed more reasonable and logical, and I had expected him to be older.

More revealations are in store at the end of the book, too. Reading Seduce me at Sunrise after Mine Till Midnight wasn't a great idea because of how similar they are. Still, Cam's character is much better than Kev's. Kev tries to hard to deny his feelings which got on my nerves after a while.

There is also a villian in this story (not too hard to guess who it is once you start reading the book). Still the book was above average. If I was giving stars, I would give it three.

Ratings
Story-4
Plot-4
Style-4.3
Characters-4.2

Pros

Interesting facts about the past of Cam and Kev are revealed.
Win is a strong heroine who is not afraid to get what she wants
Happy ending

Cons

Kev's brooding

Book Review- Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas

I have wanted to read this book for a long time and I finally did. As I said in my review of Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas, I had grown to like Cam's character a lot.

Mine Till Midnight is the first book in the Hathaways series and centres around the romance of Amelia- the eldest girl in the Hathway family which has suddenly come into the possession of a viscountancy (i hope this word is right). Her brother Leo lost his fiancee Laura to the scarlet fever a few months ago and tries to drown his sorrows by drinking, gambling and frequenting taverns. Being the eldest sister, she is worried about his safety and tries to get him back.

During her search, she meets Cam Rohan- a half gypsy who works at a gambling house. He helps her in looking for her brother and then kisses her goodbye. She continues to meet him even after she moves to the Ramsay estate in Hampshire which has been inherited by Leo.

Their romance develops here. Cam is very possessive, calm, exotic, passionate and helpful. Amelia is responsible, sensible and not afraid to take risks.

The best thing about this book was the absence of prudish parents or relatives. Leo is very open minded and doesn't even oppose much to Amelia marrying a gypsy and also lets Cam take care of his estate.

The book was overall well written and since the main character was a gypsy, it added an element of exoticism and a little taboo to the book which worked to its advantage, aking it stand out and not appear like other historical romances.

Ratings
Characters- 4.5
Story-4
Plot-4
Style-4.3

Pros

A 'taboo' element which adds to the books uniqueness
Good male lead
Interesting characters

Cons

Amelia is a bit boring for a main character and very 'two-dimensional' She seems like a paper cutout, not like a real person.
The use of Christopher Frost (Amelia's ex lover) as a villian was very predictable and detracted from the plot.

The Time Traveller's Decision by Kelvin O Ralph

Today, I want to tell everyone about a new book- The Time Traveller's Decision by Kelvin O Ralph. I had originally intended to review this book, but couldn't find time, so I hope that any one of you who decides to read it reviews it on your blog/goodreads page etc.

Why follow the heart, when it leads you to a dead end?

Lucas Taylor is an undergraduate at the University of Wolverhampton, UK.
Although, he's studying Computer Science, he has a profound passion for writing and reading, and hopes to beome an author one day. On his eighteenth birthday, Lucas is given a priceless gift - the ability to time travel. However, his journeys to the future interferes with his social life, causing him to misinterpret their meanings.

While aspiring to become an author, Lucas has an unknown emotional feeling towards his ex-schoolmate, Carla Benton. He believes he's in love, even though he hardly sees her.

While aspiring to be an author, he meets Trisha Harris Bartlett, and his life takes a U turn.

REVIEWS

“For a short story, it flowed really well, and I felt the characters come alive. The romance got hotter as it went along. I enjoyed it.” - Freda's Voice

2. "Your words flow beautifully. I really do feel like I can feel what Lucas is going through. You did a nice job" - Ariwriter [inkpop]

3. "I think it flowed nicely, especially since you've got quite a unique writing style where you've got a simple, yet good structure to the story." M.D Karmel [inkpop]



Where to find it:
Smashwords - Amazon Kindle - Undergoing Publishing Process
Freado -

Book review- Lisa Kleypas Love in the Afternoon

It's been a long time since I reviewed a book. But I am back to reviewing now. Love in the Afternoon, like most other novels reviewed is a historical romance by New York Times bestselling writer Lisa Kleypas. It is the last book in her Hathaways series. I haven't read any of the other books, but I do plan to read them.

Captain Christopher Phelan has been corresponding with the beautiful golden-haired Prudence Mercer while he was away fighting in the Crimean War. What he doesn't know, however, is that the woman who wrote to him is actually Prudence's best friend, Beatrix Hathaway.

Upon his return home to Hampshire, it becomes clear that Christopher's experiences in war have changed him. In this scene, Beatrix and Christopher argue over the dog he brought back with him, a regimental mascot named Albert . . .

The book starts out very interesting. It is not like usual romances where the hero and heroine meet each other, fall in love at first sight etc... The exchange of letters helps build a relationship. Betrix is an intellectual which I liked very much and she comes from an unconventional family. She loves and takes care of abandoned animals. It is her passion.

Captian Phelan is however, not so likeable. He seems very dominating, rude and harsh (not to mention anti-feminist who expects Beatrix to behave conventionally). The Phelan of the letters seems weaker and somehow nicer than the person he becomes after the end of the war when he comes back home. The excuse that he is used to seeing blood and is feeling guilty about the people he killed seems a poor excuse for his behaviour.

Overall, a new type of historical romance for me. I suggest that you try it, but don't expect anything spectacular. It has its good points, but is overall an average book. The Hathaways seem very interesting (especially Cam and Leo) so I think I will be reading more of this series.

Story-3
Plot-3.2
Characters-3.9
Style-4.5

Pros
Nice cover (at least the version I read had a nice one, which is pictured above)
Strong female lead character
Exchange of letters is intriguing

Cons
Un-likeable male lead
A bit stereotypical

Book review- Fess Up, Jessup by KP Wee

Fess Up, Jessup and other stories is a an ebook by KP Wee. It consists of three short stories- Fess Up, Jessup, Mission at the J and Catching Eva.

The first one describes the romantic relationship between English teacher Jessup and his twenty one-year old Korean student Hye Yeong. Jessup is not your idealistic romance novel hero, but a cunning and realistic man. The ending was very surprising and unexpected. Jessup is kicked out of the public school system because he gets a tenth grade girl pregnant.

The love between Jessup and Hye Yeong is very shallow and superficial but this is integral to the plot. He has his eyes on her family's hotel and money while she is fascinated by him, being so young. Many other characters come into the story. This one was more of a thriller with a great surprise element. It deceived me into believing that it was romance story. It suddenly changed colors in the final pages. This is a very different kind of story, one that you should give a try.

Catching Eva is the shortest and most interesting story in this book. It is also a thriller with romance elements, but it has significantly more thriller elements than Fess Up, Jess Up. It is about misunderstandings that kill people and the love of a call centre supervisor with a girl named Eva. Like the other stories, it manages to catch the reader by surprise the reader at the end.

Mission at the J was a reasonably good story, but I felt not as good as the other two.

Overall, Fess Up Jessup, is for those of you who enjoy thrillers. All of these stories start out as romances, but they are not typically romances. If you like unexpcted endings, hidden plots and surprises, Fess Up, Jess Up and other stories is a great book to read.

On thing about this book that I felt was a bit negative was its name. Fess Up, Jess Up hardly sounds like the title of a thriller novel. Catching Eva and other stories would have been a much, much better title. It sounds more intriguing.

Also, the cover art could have been better. The pencils and pencil holder don't really relate to the book so well. More aesthetics could have been used. The use of an interplay of red and black would have been especially good, since it is a thriller novel.

But the content of the book is very good and something that is very unique and one would not come across so often.

Ratings (out of 5)
Story-4.3
Characters-4
Plot-4.5
Style-3
Cover-1

Book review- Lady Sophia's Lover by Lisa Kleypas

It's been a long time since the last book was reviewed on Review Carnival. I have recently started reading more of Lisa Kleypas. I already read and reviewed her book Someone to Watch over me which is the first book in the Bow Street Runner series. Lady Sophia's Lover is the next book of the series. It depicts the love relationship between Sir Ross- the chief majistrate of Bow Street and Sophia- a viscount's daughter who is poor and comes to work for him.

Their attraction is apparent from the very first page. This book was even better than Someone to Watch over me. The love is more well-rounded. There are also many thriller elements in this book like the previous one and it gets very intersting towards the end. Sir Ross is more like a conventional romance novel hero- rich, good looks, aristocratic family, noble blood, macho than Morgan Grant from Someone to Watch Over Me which made this more generic. But apart from that, this was another wonderful novel in the Bow Street Runner series. I already started reading the last book Worth Any Price and it looks interesting.

Rating

Plot-4.2
Characters-3.9
Story-4
Style- 4.5

Judith McNaught- Once and Always review

Judith McNaught is one of my favorite writers of historical romances. I don't like her contemporary romances all that much (I have read Paradise and Double Standards).

Once and Always is a historical romance- one genre where she is at her best.

Across the vast ocean sailed Victoria Seaton, a free-spirited American beauty left suddenly orphaned and alone. Eager to claim her long-lost heritage, she was amazed at the formal elegance of Wakefield, the sumptuous English estate of her distant cousin...the notorious Lord Jason Fielding. Sought after at plays, operas, and balls by London's most fashionable ladies, Jason remained a mystery to Victoria. Bewildered by his arrogant demeanor, yet drawn to his panther-like grace, she came to sense the searingly painful memories that smoldered in the depths of his jade-green eyes.
Unable to resist her spitfire charm, Jason gathered her at last into his powerful arms, ravishing her lips with his kisses, arousing in her a sweet, insistent hunger. Wed in desire, they were enfolded in a fierce, consuming joy, free at last from the past's cruel grasp. Then, in a moment of blinding anguish, Victoria discovered the shocking treachery that lay at the heart of their love...a love she had dreamed would triumph...Once And Always. (taken from mcnaughtized.com)

Victoria is the classic Judith McNaught historical heroine- she has spirit, vitality, energy and is innocent. Jason Fielding is the typical historical romance hero- dashing, playboy, a bad past, cold on the outside, rich with good title. I am unable to understand why every one of Judith McNaught's heroes are so perfect (rich with good looks and good title).

Neverthless, the book is quite good. It resembles her book Something Wonderful which I read just recently. Both the heroes are somewhat similar.

Overal, the book had almost all the ingredients of a successful romance novel- good characters, interesting plot and lots and lots of emotion. Definitely wroth reading. It is sad that Judith McNaught writes novels so slowly. We never have enough to read!

Ratings-

Characters-4.5
Story-4
Style-4.6
Plot-4

Overall- 4.3

Lisa Kleypas- Someone to watch over me review

I decided to read this book by Lisa Kleypas after reading good reviews of her other books. It is a historical romance- a genre that I seem to read a lot these days.

She couldn't remember who she was...
A temptingly beautiful woman awakens in a stranger's bed, rescued from the icy waters of the Thames, her memory gone. Told that she is Vivien Rose Duvall, one of London's most scandalous beauties, she finds herself under the protection of enigmatic, charming Grant Morgan. Her life is in his hands. Deep in her heart, she knows he has mistaken her for someone else...
He was the only man she could trust.
As one of London's most eligible and unattainable catches, Grant Morgan is a man who has known every kind of woman. And the one in his arms now seems so innocent, so vulnerable, that he can't help but be enchanted. And as his love for this mysterious beauty grows, he's determined to unravel the secrets of her past and discover the truth -- no matter what.  (Taken from official website)

The more historical romances I read, the more convinced I become that they are similar to each other. Lisa Kleypas is just as good as other historical romance writers, in fact if I judge her on the basis of this book, she is very good.

The characters are good and much like stereotypical historical romance characters. the hero is strong and mysterious with a bad past, the heroine is naive. But Lisa gives it a twist through the amnesia plot. The explanation is quite good and real and even unexpected (you can read and find out).
One more thing that was unique was that the hero was not a duke, viscount or marquess or in fact any titled person. Historical romances are usually populated by rich and titled heroes. This book is unconventional in that respect because the hero is a Bow Street Runner (which, according to what I gathered was something like a government detective)

This book is part of the Bow Runner series. I am in the process of reading the second book in this series. I have been reading a lot of series these days (Malory Family by Johanna Lindsey and Once and Always by Judith McNaught which I don't exactly know is part of which series. I will review those books also.)


Overall, the book was not long so it was a quick read. She didn't bore, either and I would definitely recommend you to read this book, especially if you have not read any other book by her like me.

Ratings
Story-4
Plot-4.3
Characters-3.2
Style-3.9

Overall- 4

Book Review- Barbara Cartland- Hungry for Love

Just as the title suggests 'Hungry for Love' is a romance novel by Barbara Cartland that focuses on food. It is not something expected of Barbara Cartland.

The story follows Araminta (a strange but cute name), a poor girl who is a great. After her parents die, she is forced to cook to earn a living because she has not got any other skills. Her influential uncle helps here by placing a bet worth a lot on money on her. She is hired by a Marquis who is willing to pay lavishly to hire her. She amazes everyone including the royalty with her delicious and exotic food. She however, does not get to see the Marquis during their initial meeting. Someone who attends the party takes her to a restaurant and tries to take advantage when the Marquis rescues her. They eventually fall in love and strive towards one of Barbara Cartland's specialities- a happy ending.

The 'gourmet' twist to the novel made it interesting. Romantic development was slow but satisfactory. The name of the protagonist is unusual. The names of many exotic dishes are mentioned during the novel which sometimes make your mouth water.
The story has a complex plot for a novel of that length. The romance was great as expected from Barbara Cartland.

The cover was good with a nice colour scheme and apt title.

Overall, an above average-average book from Barbara Cartland which is a good way to pass time.

Pros

Cover
Idea
Story

Cons

Weak female lead
Typical male lead

Book Review- Barbara Cartland- Who can deny love?

Who Can Deny Love? is one of the seven hundred+ books written by the 'True Queen of Romance', Barbara Cartland.

The story is a unique one for Barbara Cartland who experiments with a woman of higher family rank falling in lvoe with a man of lower family rank.
The heroine of the story forges paintings for a living. Her mother, a duchess married a painter because she loved him. They found it hard to pay for her mother's needs after she fell ill due to which she later died. Now, the heroine forges paintings to make a living.
The hero, a marquis comes across one of her forged paintings of herself when he meets his friend, the prince who loves to invest in paintings. On coming to know that the painting is a fake, he demands the address of the forger from the company that sold the painting and hence lands up in the hreoine's house. She is a dead ringer of the woman in the painting. The marquis begans visiting her frequently and they fall in love. Towards the end, she goes back to her father (a duke) without informing the Marquis. He accidentally discovers her and pleads her father to give him permission to marry his daughter. He refuses because the Marquis' reputation as a flirt preceeds him. In the end, he gains the Duke's trust and they marry.

The painting/art angle to the story was unsual. The heroine was shy and introverted while the hero was frank and open. Characterisation was not all that great but she filled a lot of stuff into a 160 page story. The story has more twists than any of her other novels I have read. It has two parts- one before her disappearance and the second after the Marquis finds her. In case all these titles seem alien to you, you can google it. A Duke is the highest rank that can be obtained by a commoner.

The story's flow was good. It was boring initially but the end covered up for it.

Overall, one of Barbara Cartlands's better novels. She has experimented a bit here with great results. The title like most of her book titles contains the word 'love'.

Pros

Story
Characters

Cons

Cover
Boring initially

Book Review- Judith Mcnaught- A Kingdom of Dreams

A Kingdom of Dreams is a prequel or sequel (it is supposed to be first in the series but was written after Whitney, my love) to her smash hit Whitney, my love. It narrates the love story of the first Duke of Clarymore who is referred to many times during Whitney, my love.

The story is a little different from other novels of Judith Mcnaught. It is set in the fourteenth or fifteenth century unlike her other novels which are set in eighteenth and nineteenth century.
It narrates the story of a proud scottish girl, Jenny Merrick who is the daughter of her tribe's leader. Her town is going to be attacked by 'The Wolf' a dreaded english commander of troops. Jenny and her sister are captured by The Wolf's (Royce Westmoreland) troops and imprisoned. It is in the camp of the english army that Jenny falls in love with the Wolf (who later becomes the Duke of Claymore). Later, she is forced to marry him and reluctantly agrees. They evetually fall deeper in love and conquer their differences.

The story has a dark atmosphere because it is set is medieval times. The male character was a little unconventional (even though he was a Duke) because he wasn't spending his time courting ladies at high end parties. He was rotting in camps trying to conquer lands. Jenny is a little bit stronger than other heroines of Judith Mcnaught because she is stronger physically than mentally and is famous for her troublesome nature. She is sent to be a nun at the church but later comes back.

There is some humour in the story which diverts attention from the dark atmosphere. There is war going on all the time and most of Jenny's love happens in the camp so, the atmosphere tends to be a little depressing. The love is quite slow. The book begins well with Jenny complaining of the hostile atmosphere before her marriage but later slows down (and is a bit boring) as Jenny narrates her adventures before the marriage.

I felt the end was a little abrupt. Their love could have been given more time to develop after they arrive at Royce's house. While there was all the romantic development that was needed, the story could've dragged a little more. It felt a little incomplete (even with the happy ending).

The hero and heroine were equally strong in the book unlike many of her other books where the heroines try to show they're smart by showing intellect with no success.

Overall, this books was not as great as her classics but is one of the good romance novels written by Judith Mcnaught. My only complaints were the abrupt ending and depressing atmosphere. There are no balls or social gatherings- only wars. The story is set in medieval times with more of knights and wars than balls and parties.

Overall rating- 4.1/5

Pros

Hero
Heroine
Strong side characters
Title
Cover

Cons

Abrupt ending
Dark tone

Book Review- Judith Mcnaught- Something Wonderful

Judith Mcnaught is a multi million selling writer of a string of romance novels. I have reviewed two of her books earlier. I started reading her because a friend recommended her books and I got addicted immediately. I read her historical novel Something Wonderful last week. It is a 'historical romance'- the genre Judith Mcnaught is famous for.

It revolves around the life of Alexandra, a seventeen year old girl whose father dies. Her father was accused of bigamy and her mother spends her life depressed over marrying someone like Alexandra's father. Alexandra is very smart with a great interest in philosophy. Her grandfather teaches her about various philosiphical writers and texts. While going to visit her friend one day, Alexandra saves a man from bandits. He takes her to an inn. When he takes her back home, there are rumours that the two are in love because they were seen together. Concerned about Alexandra's reputation, her mother forces the man to marry her. The man turns out to be the Duke of Hawthorne who is a famous lady killer. He plans to leave Alexandra to rot in his country house. But they eventually fall in love. A few days after marriage, Jordan (the duke) drowns in the sea. Alexandra goes into mourning. After a year, he returns and tells he was imrpisoned, not killed. However, now Alexandra knows of his way with women and wants to run from him because he is a reckless flirt. The story progresses furthur with twists and turns and as expected of Judith Mcnaught, has a happy ending.

This book was a step down from the last book I read- Whitney, my love. With every consequent book, I feel Judith Mcnaught's style is getting repetitive (Law of diminishing marginal utility). A repetitive feature I noticed was that all her heros are Dukes (with the exception of Until you's hero who is an Earl).

After reading four books by her, I now know every move she is going to make. All her heroines are similar but not identical like heros.

The book was quite long but not as long as Whitney, my love. I found Almost Heaven her best so far. The after marriage plot was unusual.

If it is your first or second book by Judith Mcnaught, you'd probably like it.
The romance is great, as usual. That's where Judith Mcnaught gets ahead of her contemporaries. Her books are full of spontaneous feelings of love.

Overall, an average historical romance. It is a little above average because it comes from Judith Mcnaught.

Overall rating- 3.8/5

Pros

Romance
Cover

Cons

Predictable

Book review- Edward de Bono- Six Thinking Hats

Edward de Bono is a famous thinker, author and physician who is credited with inventing the tern 'Lateral thinking'. His books mostly revolve around thinking processes, patterns and methods. He developed the six hats thinking method which has been very successful. It is used in board meetings and schools to promote fruitful thinking and get maximum results in minimum time.

This is the first time I read a book of this nature (non fiction and thinking). Other non-fiction books I read were all the books by Linda Goodman. This is quite different from those. The review might be a little biased because I am not used to reading such books.

The six thinking hats are six ways of thinking about the same thing. They prevent argument and save time. Edaward de Bono explains in the beginning how the six hats method has helped reduced time alloted to board meetings and solve problems quickly with effective results. Here is a summary of the six hats.

White hat- It is a way of thinking objectively- merely stating facts without bringing in emotions.
Red hat- Considered a pair with white hat. It is thinking on basis of feelings.
Black hat- It is counting the cons and negetive aspects of things. It is used for caution. This hat is often overused.
Yellow hat- The opposite of black hat. It is seeing the brighter side of things- counting pros. However, it can sometimes be unrealistic.
Green hat- Green means fertile land. It signifies the growth of ideas.
Blue hat- Like the blue sky that covers us all below it, a blue hat thinker is mostly the manager or the head of the meeting who triggers all kinds of thinking.

The books is factual and theoritical in nature. CEOs and other managers and office employees might find it useful. Though these methods of thinking are interesting, the book focuses more on applying these in board room meetings, schools etc. rather than encouraging individuals to use these hats in appropriate situations. Like a white hat view, the book states facts- the qualities of each of the hats. It doesn't bias the reader or help in using these in daily life. Even the examples in the book are taken from board room meetings.
It is a little disappionting that the book endorses this method only for CEOs. Common people can benefit a lot by using these hats. The book however doesn't speak about the micro level.

The book also talks about how ego gets in the way of parallel thinking, another concept brought out by Edward de Bono.

While the six hats thinking method was interesting, it really didn't help much. As an individual, I found no use of reading the book. It is focused on boardroom meetings and gatherings where decision making is required. Though it is a nice way of decision making, the author could not tell what use it has for an ordinary person who doesn't atttend board meetings.

Overall, a rather theoritical book. It states facts objectively. It is about Edward de Bono's new method- something like a textbook with examples. It is rather short- around 180 pages with lots of spacing and big print. I really don't know how to give a score to this book because I usually read fiction and the non fiction I read is completely different from this book. I'll leave the score upto you.

Pros

Creative idea
Cover
Detailed explanation

Cons

Of no use to an individual
Theoritical
Does not teach to use principles in real life situations-impractical
Contains references to previous books

Book review- Sophie Kinsella Dreamworld of a Shopaholic

The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic is the first book in the acclaimed Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. It is about a financial journalist, rebecca Bloomwood who is a shopaholic. She is obsessed about buying clothes, makeup and shoes the point that she lands in financial troubles when her Switch card is frozen and her VISA ooverdraft is long due. She is in a sea of debts but still cannot her urges to shop. She ends up lying to others and making excuses to herself.

The book is written in the witty and humorous style of Kinsella. The character of Rebecca is quite unrealistic. I have never seen anyone so obsessed with shopping and spending money despite the knowledge of debts. The fact that she is twenty-five makes it harder to believe her complete lack of sense. She behaves like a child (running away from an interview when she doesn't understand Finnish, saying things she doesn't want to say on impulse, making up completely fictional and often fantastic-sounding diseases to avoid meetings with her bank manager)

Her attempts to cut back or make more money are also futile. She tries to woo a millionarire bachelor despite having nothing in common.

I am a very frugal person and I found it impossible to relate to the character of Rebecca. I didn't enjoy this book as much as her previous book The Undomestic Goddess. The letters before each chapter are good jokes in thelselves. One thing that is not lacking in this book is hilarity. It is an easy read but unnecessarily long. Some of the events could have been easily cut without making a difference to the overall quality of the book.

Pros- Original idea
Humorous writing style

Cons- Main character is hard to relate to
A bit too shallow in the love department
Unnecessarily long

Hope that the future installments of the series are better.