Shopaholic books 3 and 4 by Sophie Kinsella

This is my first post of the new year. I got busy around Christmas and didn't mention that I finished Shopaholic and Ties the Knot and Shopaholic and Sister. I think I made it clear in my last post that I didn't love the first two books. The characters annoyed me a little yet the story had me interested, and despite my annoyance with some of her choices I still felt bad for her in lots of instances and want to see where her life leads her.

One of the things that bugged me the most about Becky was her constant lying. She continued this trend in Shopaholic Ties the Knot, and it got her in a lot of trouble. That is one of the things I do like about these books, the fact that she does get herself in some difficult situations. As much as I dislike her attitude, I feel for her as well, and understand that she was only trying to do the right thing and keep everyone happy. She grows as a person as the series continues and she learns her lesson afterwards (for the most part). She does truly try to be a better person and that makes her someone that grows on you. I continue to hope that her life will turn out perfect and she will change for the better.

I have to say Sophie Kinsella is a great writer who keeps me glued to the pages.  I picked up Shopaholic and Sister almost instantly after I finished the previous book. In this book I liked Becky a lot better. She was a little naive to think that as her sister would be just like her, but she was also determined to get along with her and tried everything to forge a relationship. And she did learn and fixed her mistakes like she always does. She made good friends and saw life from the opposite point of view. Her sister was hard on her, but I think that was what she needed considering everyone else in her life seems to coddle her.

She seemed to be trying a lot harder to fix her money problems and although she was a little misguided in her methods she did succeed.

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

I finished Voyager on Friday, and I of course liked it. I understand why some people were not as impressed with it as the previous books. It was a good story that flowed well, and I didn't get bored of the story at any point. The difference I think was that there was nothing pulling you towards the end of the story. In the last book there were questions that drove the reader to continue on, this time Claire and Jamie are together and there is really no fear of them getting split up. 

The search for someone who gets taken, is what drives the story forward. Jamie and Claire travel across the ocean after a ship, and this seems to be where the majority of the story took place. Personally I got a little tired of them being on a boat so much. And as much as I like Jamie he really has to stop chasing after Claire every time she leaves his eye sight. You think he would know by now that she can take care of herself pretty well. The return of an old character is the most interesting thing that happens in the book. It opens some new questions about their family that I hope are addressed in the next book. If it wasn't for this one piece of information I may not be as inclined to continue with the series. I could see the story easily ending at the end of this book.

If I gave Dragonfly in Amber a 5 star rating then this book would get a slightly less rating of 4 stars. A good story but not nearly as exciting as the previous two.

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

I finished Dragonfly in Amber on Tuesday. I was sad it was over and debated for a while if I should read another book before I moved on to the third in the series. I briefly looked online to see if there was anything else I was interested in. Then I remembered that I had the third book; it was on my bookshelf at home. Five minutes later I was curled on the couch already immersed in the first chapter.

After reading that I assume you have guessed that I loved the book. Dragonfly in Amber switched between Jamie and Clair during the time leading up to the battle at Culloden, and Clair in present time Scotland with her daughter. The magority of the book takes place in 1744 -45 as Claire tells her daughter about her time in the past.  In the first chapter you are introduced to older Claire (around her late 40's I assume) and her daughter. Seeing them there you know two things right away. 1. Claire went back to her present day and 2. Brianna has bright red hair so must be Jamie's daughter. When I first read this I was full of questions. Why did Clair go back in the stones? What happened to Jamie? Why doesn't Brianna know who her father is?  My biggest concern was what happened to Jamie, cause I was sure that Claire would not leave him in the past. And it is that question that propels the reader through the book. There were a few boring moments while Jamie and Claire travelled Europe and were living in Paris trying to stop history from repeating.. or happening at all, depending on how you look at it. I am not very good at history, so was confused often with all the names of kings and other historical figures and which country they represented, and who their allegiances were with. (Sadly it took me a while to figure out the Bonny Prince and Charles Stuart were references to the same person) The benefit of this was that I learned a little about a history I previously knew anything about at all. At least now if anyone mentions Jacobites I will have enough knowledge not to sound completely stupid.

What I like most about this series so far is that every little moment, no matter how small, impacts what happens later in the book. The story is very in depth and thought out, you never know what little bit information could be significant chapters later. Alot of difficult desions must be made when you are living in the past with knowledge of the future. I think that is one of the things that make these books such page turners; there are constants twists and revalations, things you were not expecting, that keep you on the edge of your seat.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

This book was recommended to me and at first I wasn't sure if I would like it. I had heard of Diana Gabaldon before (The Scottish Prisoner) but did not know anything about this series. The thing that made me decide to try it out was the time traveling aspect. The little bit of fantasy added interest to what sounded like a boring historical book, and made it into something potentially exciting and mysterious.

When I first started it I wasn't impressed, I liked the main character but I found her husband and their life a bore. She was taking up an interest in plants and herbs and her husband was researching his family tree. Neither which I find very interesting. The minute she stepped into Scotland in 1743 the entire feel of the book changed and I loved it.

Forced into a dangerous time with a war between the British and the Scottish Clans Claire's new life is focused on survival. She has to try and gain the trust of the people while at the same time lying about who she really is and where she is from. There is suspense and mystery everywhere as she slowly begins to learn the complicated relationships between the members of Castle Leoch. Claire becomes friends with a young Scot warrior Jamie Fraser, who takes it upon himself to protect Claire from the danger that she often finds herself in the middle of. Jamie's passion for Claire becomes undeniable and she finds herself torn between him and the husband she left behind.

Even though this book was very long I didn't notice the length while I was reading it. Most of the time the story flowed nicely and was never short on adventure. I liked Claire's strength and no nonsense attitude. Her stubbornness got her in a lot of trouble but it also saved her. This book is classified as a romance, but it was a tame version of one that isn't full of sex and has a great storyline besides their relationship.

Great book, I will read the rest of them.

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

I finished Shadow of Night last night on a train ride from visiting a friend. I was very excited when it was first released. I really liked the first book, although it is about witches, vampires and daemons it is meant for adults and does not read at all like a cheesy teen novel. Although I like those as well sometimes.

For a long book, I believe I finished it in good time. It was easy to read and it didn't drag on, yet I was still disappointed in it. There were very few twists and turns in the plot line. It followed exactly what was laid out at the end of the last book. Diana and Mathew went to Elizabethan Europe so Diana could learn magic and they could try to find Ashmole 782. Not much else happened, the two spent the majority of the book travelling to different parts in Europe, talking to historical figures, and trying not to affected the future too much. Their new marrige was tested and grew as they learned more about each other. 

Harkness clearly did a lot of historical research into this book. Perhaps one of the reasons I did not find the book as great as the first one, is that I don't know a lot about European history. Mathew turns out to have been friends with several important historical figures, including Walter Raleigh and playwright Christopher Marlowe, both who I know nothing about. So I am sure I  missed out on several inside jokes. Whenever a new character was introduced I always wondered if they were in fact a real person, and if Diana and Mathew involvement was a role reserved for an unknown person in today's history books.

Despite my disappointment I will still read the last instalment. The third book will be back in present day, with the fight with the congregation continuing. I expect the ending of this series to be as exciting as the beginning. With everything that has happened and everything we have learned about Mathews history and family, I think this slower second novel is is leading up to a big finale.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

I finished reading Mansfield Park yesterday. I really liked the storyline, and Fanny was the perfect heroine. She was quiet and sweet, and she never complained when her cousins and aunt treated her bad.  After finishing the book I took the time to watch the movie by BBC. I only had a few complaints about the movie. One was that it eliminated Fanny's brother from the story all together and instead had her writing letters to her sister Susan. I also thought it downplayed Edwards attachment to Mary, and made it look like he was pushed towards her and did not have any felling towards her at all. My interpretaion while reading the book was that Edward did in fact genuinely like Mary.

Like most Jane Austen novels the read was slow and took me a while to get through, but when the end comes I forget all the boring parts in the middle. All I can think about is the story itself. This is the fourth novel of hers I have read and I think this one has the best characters of them all. I think everyone dislikes Mrs. Norris, the aunt who is always putting Fanny down, but she makes a wonderfully villian in the story. I  aslo liked Henry Crawford's character as the man after everyones heart.

The Jane Austen Marrige Manual by Kim Izzo

I started reading this book after a friend recommended it. I have a goal of eventually reading all of Jane Austen's novels, and I thought a modern take on her stories could be interesting and funny. I was right :) I really enjoyed this book. It was about a women around the age of 40 who has spent her life in the background working in the shadows of other women who have fullfilled their dream of marrige and kids. When she looses everything, she is offered the opportunity to write an article for the modern girl, on how to land a rich husband. Upset and confused about where her life is going she takes the challange very seriously and sets out to find herself a rich husband. Kate tries to use all that she has learned for reading Austen, and apply it to today's world.

The book is full of women all at different points in their life. There is an older women right out of one of several relationships with rich men, who acts as an advisor to Kate, then there is the young beatuful women who uses her beauty and innocence to attach herself to a rich man, and a married women who has lost all her money, but still has love.

This book focuses alot on the relationship between love and money. Is it acceptable to give up on love in order for the comfort of money? Or is it possible to have both. Kate has to learn this lesson, and the best way to learn it is through experience. So we travel with her from California to Europe, while she risks her friendships, her job, and her savings to find the security that she is blindly searching for.

The Next Always by Nora Roberts

I was excited to start Nora Roberts Boonsboro trilogy. I read a past trilogy of hers called the Key Trilogy and I loved them. They had her regular romance theme but combined a supernatural spin. It made the books even better. So when I heard that this new trilogy also had a slight supernatural twist I was excited.

Unfortunately I was not very impressed with this book. It is about three brothers and their mother who bought an old historic building that had seen better days in the center of a small town. Together they are remolding it to be a romantic Inn. The beginning of the story focused a lot on the remodeling of the building into an Inn. The in depth descriptions of the Inn didst bother me, she did a very good job describing each room and how the decorating progressed. They sounded very romantic and I wouldn't mind staying in a Inn like that myself. The problem was that the story did not go back and forth between a romance and the Inn, for at least the first half of the book it was all she seemed to talk about. What type of tub was in the bathrooms, where the bed was going to go.

The romance between one of the brothers and one of the shop owners in the town did not get serious until very late in the story. Once it got going it was good, but considering I had to wait so long it wasn't an enjoyable read. I was excited about the ghost in the Inn too, but besides some occasional smells and doors opening by themselves, she didn't play much of a role in the book until the very end when everything picked up. I would have liked it if we learned a little bit about her and who she was. I am assuming that it will be discussed later on, but Roberts didn't give us any type of clue that may make the reader want to continue on with the trilogy to find out more.

For the moment I am not planning on reading the second book that just came out a few weeks back, The Last Boyfriend. Maybe later if I'm not interested anything else I might give it another chance.

The Fifty Shades Series by E.L James

I am going to combine my reviews for Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed into one post. I read the three books back to back, so where one ended and the next began is a blur to me.

My review of these two book are similar to what I said for the first. What was different in Darker, was that we learn more about Christians past, which helps a lot in understanding the way he acts. In Freed we get to see them build a life together, and how Ana deals with Christians moods and how Christian learns to take part in a real relationship.

I can say for sure that the third one was my favourite. It went beyond the romance genre and added some action to the story. I stayed up past my bedtime a few times because I couldn't put the book down until I knew everything was going to be okay. A lot of people who liked the first two books didn't like the third as much, but I thought it was good.

Instead of reviewing I would like to address some of the negative complaints the books have generated. I know not everyone is going to like it, and that is okay. I just don't like when people go all out and bash something. It has faults of course, I am not going to deny that. I agree that is was not the best written book I've read, but I choose my favourite books based on the story more then the writing style. I also agree that Ana can be very immature at times, but that is her character, if you changed that she wouldn't be the same person. Also her inner goddess could be really annoying.

In one guy's review I read, he was very disturbed about the contract in the first book. Now this I can see both sides. If any normal guy was to ask for this I would have been very creeped out as well. But considering the extreme things he wanted to do I think I was a good idea to address what was and was not acceptable. So in case any lines were crossed you can go back and prove what you agreed too. As he said it was for her protection as well. Also in the case of being sticking rich I would like to have some guarantee my business is not going to be leaked all over the papers when the girl gets dumped.

I was also very offended when this same person claimed the reason the books were so popular was because Christian is very good looking, and if he was ugly they books wouldn't be as well received.. I would like to remind him that this is a book, and in fact we can not actually see Christian at all, if it was a movie I might agree more. And for his information I picture all main characters in books as very good looking, this book was no exception. I do not read or enjoy books more based on how the physical appearance of the characters is described, that is just stupid.

The next time I hear a guy complain about this book I might be tempted to point out that the really reason he hates them is because he doesn't understand women, and what they want. Loving these books does not mean you secretly want to be spanked, beaten, and controlled. It means you want a man who loves you unconditionally, wants the best for you, puts your happiness first (in and out of bed ), will do anything to protect you, and will change for you. The control freak aspect is disappointing, but everyone has faults and she handles it well.

Please leave me comments and let me know if you love or hate this series.

Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L James

I finished the book last week and am already half way through the second, but only now am I finally writing my review of Fifty Shades of Grey.

No surprise, like lots of women I loved this book. If you have seen or heard talk of this book at all, it is labeled in the stores as for mature readers only. I have also heard it called housewife porn. I wanted to talk about this first to address anyone who is considering reading it but is put off by these labels. It is true that the characters Ana and Christian take advantage of every opportunity to get into bed together. They are extremely attracted to each other and almost very time they make eye contact they want to jump each other right there. I think they mange to get it on almost every chapter. But at the same time, I never found their encounters vulgar. The sex scenes are not dry, or repetitive. Nor are they the kind you just skip past to get on with the story. They explore each other and try new things  In lots of ways the sex is the story, because it is how they learn about each other and test their limits. It is how the make up and fight. 

Ana and Christian are on two very opposite sides of the spectrum. Ana is sweet, innocent and inexperienced, and Christian is intense, controlling, and troubled. They have to learn to meet somewhere in the middle, both stepping outside of what they find comfortable. Their attraction was sudden and strong, but as much sex as they have, and how fulfilling it is to them both, a relationship is more then just what happens in bed, or in their case a large number of places.

This book is about compromise and slowing learning all there is about someone. the good and the bad. When you agree to love someone you have to accept them for who they are. The relationship they have is like a roller coaster ride, one minute they are having crazy sex and the next there is crying and yelling.

I think the reason this book has attracted so much attention is because it has a lifestyle that is not to often displayed in mainstream books, something everyday people may not understand and be afraid of, and introduces it to someone just like the reader. Ana is us, but she is brave enough to try. We all have fantasies about the sexy, rich and dangerous man who will sweep us off our feet. Ana found him, but this takes our fantasy farther and shows us that for all the wonderful times you can have there are also bad ones, and problems that you have to deal with,

This is book was great, It was hot and sexy, and romantic too. Some people can't seem to get past the dark side of Christian, and call it abuse. They seem to forget that Ana is a consenting adult who was amply warned and choose to carry on. If you are easily offended maybe you shouldn't read this, but if you have an open mind and are willing to explore something outside of the norm, I think it is an eye opener that will make you think.

 The book made me fell jealous of her rich and handsome boyfriend, but at the same time sad for all the insecurities that the lifestyle brings to her. Christian has problems and it makes life hard, but she has some as well.  Is great sex enough when there is so much baggage that comes with it?

I don't have a point system, but if I did it would have five hearts, and maybe a whipping sound effect.

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

I bought this book because I read other blogs raving about it, then I saw it on the best books of 2011 list. Now that I finished it I understand why everyone loved it so much. It was a great book. I finished it on the way to and the way back from my parents house for Easter.

When I first started it I was under the impression that it was a mystery novel. A mystery does exist in the story, it is what brings the two main characters together. Paxton and Willa's grandmothers were best friends as children, even as their lives took different paths they continued to be there for each other no matter what. When Paxton restores Willa's old family house which had been in ruins since her grandmothers teen years, a skeleton is uncovered buried under a peach tree. Paxton and Willa's curiosity about what happened many years ago brings them together.

This book is about friendship, and what it means to be a real friend. It also is about being true to yourself and following the path that you want to take, despite what other may want from you. I liked the two relationships that the characters had, they were both very different but had the same underlining problems. The two unlikely friends made a perfect pair.

The most endearing part of the book which made it stand out from other romance novels I've read lately was the touch of magic that was delicacy weaved into the storyline. The way that it was Incorporated was so subtle that most of the time the characters didn't even realize that it existed. It was like a slight whisper from the past. The grandmothers believed in it, and they told their granddaughters of the magic surrounding the traveling salesman, but it was always dismissed as folklore and superstition. The author included it by slight smells in the air and unexplained sounds, in a way that the characters didn't seem to see the significance but the reader did.

I encourage you to pick up this book. Like me you will probably find yourself reading it every chance you get.

The Birth House by Ami McKay

 The Birth House takes place in the small Halifax village Scots Bay. It follows the life of a young girl, Dora, who was born to a family of all boys. There is a legend about her family name Rare. I can not tell the story as well as the book, but a young wife promises to bear her husband all male children. Dora is the first girl born in several generations. Some think she is a witch, and she curses their livestock, while others think she is special and born with the sight to see what others can not. The book follows Dora as a young girl in her family house with all her brothers, to a young adult learning the trade of a mid wife.

The most interesting part of the story was the struggle between mid wiving and modern medicine. Some of the advice the women of the town get from the doctor is crazy. The things he wanted the women to do surprised me. I can't believe how wrong the doctors were back then on the subject. For example when the women were in the last stages of their pregnancy and swollen and having trouble getting around, the doctors said their problem was they were not getting enough exercise and advised them to walk around more. It was Dora who finally spoke up and said that, no she needs to rest and lie down.

The story also brought in elements of the past such as WW1 and the stigmas attached to young men who did not enlist, and the big Halifax explosion. I really like it when stories are built around elements of truth, to me it makes them even more alive and believable. Even though Dora's character was fictional, it made the book more interesting knowing that some of the experiences she had were experienced by real people at one time.

There was a lot of women's rights issued that aroused from the wives of Scots Bay. They ranged from husbands who beat them, feeling they were obligated to please their husbands in bed, and wanting to have a say in having children. I think Dora was a women who had modern ideals but was still able to see the wisdom of the past. She fought for what was best for the women of Scots Bay, regardless of how her views were seen by the men in the town. She was stuck between fighting for women's rights, and holding on to the traditions of the past, which made her disliked by many. She seemed to be either an offense to proper traditional women, or an offence to modern science. The way that Dora was treated resembled the witch trials in many ways. She acted as a scape goat for all the troubles that happened. Yet she was strong and not afraid to stand up for what she thought was right, but also knew when to back down. Of course like anyone she had faults too, and I think that it was her ability to deal with them in her own way that made me respect her character.

I really enjoyed this book and would be happy to read another by Ami McKay.

Broken Wings by Alexandrea Weis

I recently finished reading Broken Wings by Alexandrea Weis. At first I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it, but I'm glad I decided to read it. I very much enjoyed the book and was surprised by how quickly I finished it.

It started as a typical romance. The reluctant woman who has sworn off love, meets a dangerous yet sexy man, and their relationship grows as he is slowly able to break down the barriers preventing her from letting him in. This books carries on from that story and brings a lot more into the picture. There are more characters such as an ex-husband, his new wife, and her best friend. Her ex husband made the perfect villain, I think I hated him as much as she did. Her best friend Carol, made me laugh several times.

I liked how the main character Pamela decided to spend her life taking care of sick and damaged animals. It seemed like a more realistic reaction to a hard divorce then some other books. I have gone back and forth trying to decide whether the sick animals signify Pamela or Daniel, and who healed who. Both of them had been hurt in different ways, and needed someone to care for them. No matter who it is, the animals did a great deal to soothe their problems.

About half way through the book I couldn't stop reading it. There were some unexpected plot turns, that lead to hard choices for Pamela . There were several points where I was unsure how the book was going to end. In most romances it is usually obvious that the book will turn out with a happy ending, but this book kept me guessing and wondering if the happy ending we all want was possible. Even at the end of the book with only a few pages left I was caught up in the story. I had my fingers crossed, hoping everything would turn out ok.
This book is available on Amazon for only 4.99! So if you don't feel like spending ten dollars for a good story, you can grab this great read for half the price.

I would like to thank the author and Bostick Communications for providing me with the e-pub so I could have the chance to read it.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

I finished Sense and Sensibility today and I enjoyed it for what it was, a romantic classic novel. You can't really judge a book written to long ago in the same regard you would a modern book. It was a little bit of a slow book to read, but given the language it was written, that was because I had to pay extra attention to the words to understand what was being said. Like other Jane Austen books there were several characters and at times I was confused who was who, and how they were related.

For an older book I was surprised that I was very interested in the story. The two sisters were very difference people and it was interesting to see how each of them reacted differently to similar situations. Elinor was very calm, sensible,considerate, and kept her feelings to herself. While her sister Marianne was emotional, and felt everything deeply. Perhaps even a little childish.

This book shows the danger of being both too open in love and too closed off.

Elinor was the more mature sister, she was the older of the two, but I don't think it was by much. I felt she was more of a mother figure towards Marianne then their own mother was. She was always putting her own feelings aside in order to comfort her sister and take care of her. She put alot of thought into what others would think and how she was being protrayed. The mother was like Marianne and a little flaky in my opinion, although a positive influence. Marianne did redeem her character in my eyes at the end of the book, when she acknowledged her sister's help and apologized for the focus always being on her problems. 

So far I like how in all of Jane Austen's novels she puts a positve light to all those that marry for love. The people who marry for position or money seem to have more of a negitive light and act as the "villans" of her books. Austen is a true romantic and I will at some point finish reading her collection of stories.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The critics were right when they called The Night Circus a magical, enchanting story.

Reveurs are fans of the circus who are enchanted by its mysteriousness, and follow it around the world so they can experience it over and over, always finding new wonders. While reading the book I felt like a reveur, I loved the magic of the circus and after putting the book down, could not wait to visit it again.

I found the storyline only the secondary appeal of the book. The real wonder is the circus itself. The atmosphere that Morgenstern created is amazing. My favourite chapters were the one written in first person, they do not follow any of the characters, instead you take the place of a patron discovering a new tent. Morgenstern describes it so well that I can picture it, the smell of caramel in the air and the crunch of gravel under your feet. I wish the Cirques des Reves existed for real. I would recommend reading the book just to experience her imagination.

The story line between the main characters was good as well. Celia and Marco are dueling magicians, and the circus is their chessboard. But to the disapointment of their teachers they fall in love. I wouldn't call it a love story, even though the story was focused on how Marco and Celia  fall in love. There were too many other amazing characters for it to be just about them. One of my favourites was Baily. The story of a boy who doesn't quite fit in, falling in love with the circus. His story was one of fate, and reinforces that everyone has a purpose in life.

There were a few moments when I got confused with the timeline. Near the end of the book it jumps between 1901 and 1902. Once you get the hang of it, its not bad, but it took me a while and a little bit of turning back to see what year the chapter I just read took place in.

Great read 5/5

Girls in White Dresses by Emily Close

I'm having trouble deciding if I liked this book or not. It was about three best friends Isabella, Mary and Lauren. Yet it took me about half the book to figure this out. The book is laid out with each chapter focusing on a different person. It opened with Isabella and Mary and I was sure I was going to love the book. Then it switched characters and I was introduced to Lauren, Ellen, and Shannon. Their story was also good and at this point I was still impressed with the book. The next chapter went back to Isabella, but this time focused on her relationship with her boyfriend. (Lauren made guest appearances) This is how the book continued, each chapter switching to a different character focusing on their love lives and careers. Since I neither loved nor hated this book I decided to split this review into two parts: the good and the bad.

The Good:

The good thing about multiple characters in a book is that the book is able to cover many different circumstances, and the reactions of different personalities. I like how none of the characters in this book had perfect lives. They dealt with situations that everyday people face, like hating your friends boyfriend, not being satisfied in your career, and having friends you don't really like. The most refreshing part of this book was that their relationships weren't perfect. They fought with their boyfriends. They broke up with them. They dated people that were bad for them. They had questions about their relationships, they didn't love their partners unconditionally and think they were the most perfect person ever. Their partners had faults, and it annoyed them. I think this book reflected real life more then most books do, and I liked it for that.

The bad:

Too many characters! Every time I started a new chapter I had to go back to remember what happened to that character last. I kept flipping back to remind myself which boyfriend she had before, was hers the political guy or the one who went skiing? A couple times they jumped years ahead and suddenly had new boyfriends or different jobs. I would be confused for a moment trying to realize if this was the first time it was mentioned or if I missed something. I think it would have been better if the story was only told from the perspective of the three main characters only. The others characters could still be in the story just not have chapters dedicated to them. Saying that, I think the chapters on Abby and Cate were unnecessary and perhaps the one on Shannon too.

I think this is a book you have to read twice. Read it again after you are familiar with all the characters, and I think it would be a much easier read. I think then I could appreciate it more.
I think the author should have made this a series of three books. She had so many good stories to tell and I would have enjoyed getting deeper into some of the characters. Although I was often annoyed with the changes I still found the book easy to read and the chapters individually were well written and kept my interest. If you have a good memory and can keep track of all the characters, I would recommend this book to you. If not just read it twice. 3/5

Get it on Amazon
Get it at Chapters/Indigo

Love the One you're With by Emily Giffin

The one thing I like about Emily Giffin, is that her books are realistic. This one appealed to me because when I saw it I thought wow if I was to write a book, this is exactly what I would write about. I always wondered what it would be like to run into my ex. After all the books I've read lately, its nice to have one I can relate to. Like my past reads, I don't have a presumed dead ex who is a military trained assassin and possibly crazy; I don't think its very likely that I will be kidnapped and held in a shed for years; and I'm definably not a witch in love with a vampire.

So when I see a book like this, I pick it up, perhaps because I'm hoping for advice from its pages. From the moment I started to read I understood Ellen. I haven't yet come across the luck in life that she had; the perfect husband, the passion for her work, or the success in her career, but I felt the internal struggle she had when it came to her feelings for her husband and her ex. She had a lot of hard choices, but despite them all, I think she managed to do what made her happy.

There are a lot of questions this book brings up about relationships. It talks about the obsession two people can have about each other. The relationships between sisters and best friends. What happens when feelings are pushed away and not resolved. The difference between love as passion. And what qualifies as cheating.

Ellen has many unique characters to help her in her journey, all with different backgrounds and experiences in life. Each offer her different advice based on their relationships. Each time Ellen came across a choice I thought what would I do in her position. I didn't have to think hard, I know I have a weakness when it come to two particular men in my past. And if I ran into either one of them, I'm afraid I would make the wrong choices. I would drop everything I have now to create what I always wished had happened with them. I picked up this book because I wanted it to tell me that I wasn't alone having these thoughts and regrets, and they don't make me a bad person. The book didn't answer my questions, but it did make me think about whether I want to risk what I have now with my boyfriend, for something that might never work out.

It may have taught me not to sell what I have short, but it wont stop my heart from jumping whenever I see an armored truck or smell that particular brand of cologne. (Just to make that clear my ex used to drive an armored truck, we didn't try to rob one together or anything like that)

I think this book would be great for anyone who has those little unresolved feelings, or the "what ifs" in the back of their mind. I give it a 4/5

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Quinn by Iris Johanson

As you know I started Quinn very excited. The book continues exactly where it left off in Eve. Following the pattern in Eve, Quinn begins by establishing the relationship between Eve and Quinn. This book starts by introduces us to when Quinn and Eve first meet, and we follow them as they get to know each other and become a couple. I'm feeling a lot better about Quinn's character now that I've got to know him better in this book. He still has the character traits that I was uncomfortable with in the last book, but this time I understand him better, and because the majority of the book is in his voice I can see why he makes the decisions he does and what he is thinking during them. He still has the Superman complex, where he must swoop in and save the day, and is always intent on protecting Eve from any harm. I found this annoying and although I still don't like this part of him, he is still a good character.

I read the first half of the book quickly because I just wanted to get through it and into the good present day stuff. Although it was nice to see how Quinn and Eve met, it wasn't very exciting since we already know that they get married. It all took place right after Eve lost  Bonnie, so the backdrop to their relationship was Eve's search for Bonnie's killer. Separately this could be a good story line but didn't hold my interest since I also know that Eve is not going to find the killer.

After the well written, yet un-climactic beginning I finally got to the present day. From here the book picks up and I couldn't put it down. Catherine plays a bigger role in this book then she does the last. This book focuses on two searches, the search for John, and the search for another possible killer.

The book ends in a spooky setting, with gripping action, and high tension. Then it stops, right in the middle of it all. I was even more disappointed then last time. At least in Eve they wrapped up the search for Paul Black, then left us with a new mystery and a new enemy. This time nothing is concluded. And the name of the next installment... Bonnie. Judging by the formats of the previous books, I'm going to assume that this one will start with Bonnie's perspective right before she is taken. I'm going to cross my fingers and hope this is the last one and it wont be followed by another book titled Catherine or Gallo.

Ok, its getting a 5/5 too, because of how much I am anticipating the next one.

Ease of Reading: 4/5
Lasting Effect: 4/5
Amusement: 5/5
Creativity: 4/5
Length: 4/5
Characters: 5/5

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Emma by Jane Austen

I like reading classics once in a while as well as best sellers, and only having read one Jane Austen novel previously thought I should try her once again. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I was quick to assume that the book was going to be long and boring, but this was not the case. The language was not that hard to understand, as long as I didn't have anything to distract me like a TV or loud talking in the background, I could read it just as I would any modern novel.

Speaking of Emma's character at first I did not like her. I thought she was snobby and very concerned with a persons status. I understand that this was written in old England where prestige and birth right was important. But sometimes I was a little put back by her quick judge of character and her strong emphasis on manners.

This book's focus is on marriage and Emma's opinion of it.

I was torn at times as to the message Austen was trying to give in this novel. Emma was often concerned with a persons status in the community and who they should marry based on that. As the book progressed I felt that Emma was learning that perhaps marriage should be based on who you are compatible with, and who makes you happy. Yet all of the characters ended up marring within their rank and when they tried to search above their status were often left disappointed. So then perhaps Austen was trying to say that a person will find happiness only when they search in their own social circles.

Moving on to the book itself, there is one complaint that I have. Especially when starting out I found it very hard to keep track of all the characters and their names in the book. To make it easier for anyone wanting to read it I will explain a few of the main characters.

Firstly there is Mr. Woodhouse and his two daughters Emma and Isabella. Isabella is married to John Knightly. Miss Taylor/Mrs. Weston was their governess before she got married to Mr. Weston and moved out. Mr. Weston's son is Frank Churchill who went to live with his aunt (Mrs. Churchill) after his mother died.
John Knightley's brother Mr.Knightly lives close to the Woodhouse's house and is friends with Emma along with Mr. Elton.
Mrs. Bates and her daughter Miss Bates are friends with Mr. Woodhouse. Their niece/granddaughter (Jane Fairfax)  lives with her deceased fathers good friend from the military Mr. Campbell. She is staying with her aunt for the summer.
Emma's befriends Harriet Smith whose lineage in unknown.

Those are the most important characters that I found confusing at the beginning. Here's what I thought..

Ease of Reading: 3
I had to use a dictionary a few times to understand what was going on, and a few times I lost track who was speaking, but no one can complain that the book is not very well written.

Lasting Effect: 2
I did like the book, but I don't think it will stay with me long after I've finished it. I read one Jane Austen previously and don't remember one thing that happened in it. Yet if this book proves different I promise I will come back and change my opinion.

Amusement: 3
There are several awkward situations between the characters that were amusing. The fact that the characters are so refined though makes it hard to develop any humour that compares with modern stories.

Plot: 4
Austen developed a very integrated story between all the characters, with several twists and unexpected outcomes.

Length: 4
At the beginning I was worried that I would find the book unbearably long, but as I got acquainted and comfortable with the characters the book proved to be the perfect length.

Characters: 4
I base this mostly on Emma's character since the book is all from her point of view. She was a very believable person who grew and learned through the book. Hearing her every thought and opinion you get to know her very well and respect her by the end.

Good book. Like always :) 4/5

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

If you don't like Harry Potter or Twilight it is possible you will not like this book. It is a fantasy story, but written for adults. When I started this novel I was very much into it. I found the "science" behind it very intriguing and creative. To start with I should mention that the book is based on three different types of supernatural beings living among us: witches, vampires, and daemons. (Of course they are separated in society and taught not to interact. Naturally to add tension and danger between the characters.) The book goes in depth about the DNA differences between them, and I found it got very technical and confusing at times. The author does do a great job making the existence of these creatures very believable and explaining the evolution of them over history.

Harkness created a amazing world that is hard not to get drawn into. She created 3 very different species. They are mostly cliches; The dangerous, silent vampire, with the dark past, and the quirky, yet powerful witch. But being so strict in the traits of each species she created a world where it is impossible not to stand out if you are different.
The relationships between the characters grow slowly. At times it reminded me of 1800 England, no touching aloud, and of course the relationship grows stronger as they respect each others minds. But their interaction are also modern, because Diana, a witch and the books main character, is a strong independent woman. Along with the main character Harkness goes in depth with their families as well. Each family has very different identities. As you get to know them you learn to better understand the characters, where they have come from, and how it shaped who they are. Diana's aunts and her childhood house bring light-hearted humour to the book, which is needed to break up the tension and action.

I have to say it, but Diana's family reminds me of the aunts from "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", The TV show with Melissa Joan Hart.Yes, I watched that, and I loved it.

The book focuses on self discovery, accepting who you are and being proud of it, and falling in love and the struggles it involves.

 I must admit that the book is very long. I know you can see that by looking at it, but it was also noticeable long. I have read large books before and am so entangled in them I don't notice the length, but I did notice it in this book. She is a good writer and despite the length there is always something going on. It was just that sometimes I felt all the events were not necessary to the story. A few times it dragged. I eventually got to the point where every time I put it down I caught myself checking how much more was left.

Despite the length and the cliches it was still a great story, and deserves a good mark. 4/5

Lasting Effect: 3
Amusement: 4
Plot: 5
Creativity: 4
Length: 3
Characters: 4

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