Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Title: 

Fangirl

Author:

Rainbow Rowell

Rating:

4/5

Twins. Cath and Wren. Close as knit until Wren decided to go on without her twin when she enters freshman year. Cath initially had a hard time getting used to new life without Wren. She felt too lost that even their love for Simon Snow could not help her. 

Wren is on her own planet, Cath struggled with studies, boys and herself. She was just not used to being without Wren and not used to have to open up to other people around her. Confused. Frustrated. Scared. 

While she struggled, she could not write. She just can’t find the juice to write. She managed to get a class under the guidance of a well known writer but she almost threw that away too.

The peak in this story happens when things went wrong. Incidents that almost took away Wren’s and her father’s life. Cath almost gave away her studies. However, it all ends well with everything around her fall into its place. 

p/s: It feels like forever since I last wrote any book reviews. Am putting the blame on Mr.Work! Can’t give this book 5 stars; I prefer a more extensive ending. A more definite happy ending. :p

Brought this book along during my trip to Medan, Indonesia recently. Started reading when the plane took off. My husband complained the book is too thick so it is heavy. C’mon honey, it is only 438 pages including acknowledgement. And it is paperback. I carried my backpack most of the time. :p Occasionally brought the book to dinner and breakfast. I just couldn't put it down for too long. On the flight back, I sat next to my mom. She said “Next time if you really need to bring a book to travel, bring a small and thin book. Why do you have to bring such a thick book?” Seriously? :| She must have teamed up with Mr.Husband. When the flight was descending to land, she said “You are not supposed to read when there are people around. You need to chat. What’s the point of meeting if you don’t talk to people?” Errr….Sorry ma, Rainbow Rowell had me at hello. As always. Now I can’t wait til her next book!

2014 Challenge

Hola! This post is about 3months late but hey! It is still 2014 :)

 

Another year of reading challenge. Looks like my goal is getting lesser. From 100 to 50 and now to 30. Well, goals have to be feasible. ;)

 

How did I do last year?

Sadly, didn't meet the goal set...but only by 13 books. That's not too bad right?

 

 

This year, it will be just 30.

Guess I am reading lesser as I get more into stitching. From my POV, this number is still reasonable.

 

For those on Goodreads, feel free to buzz me.

https://www.goodreads.com/ruz_911

 

Back To Reality by Danielle Allen

Title
Back To Reality
Author
Danielle Allen
Rating
5/5

Sahara is on the run again. Being torn between two guys, she decided to leave them both and start a new life (again). This time, she maintains the connection with her bestfriend Emily. She has decided to go through therapy. She also learned to make friends. She found out she is missing a mother's love. Odd to her but it is a refreshing change. She avoided Tyree but there is no way she can avoid Emmanuel and she doesn't want to runaway from Emily ever again. 

Emily moved on with her life and business. Since Sahara promised to not runaway again and make up for the lost time with her bestfriend, she deciced to be there for Emily's major life events. With that, she has to be where Emmanuel is. Emmanual is going through a rough time in his life as well.

Sahara eventually decided to be brave and face her fears. She confronted both guys and worked from there on who to be with. She has finally learned to let go and move on. She knows deep down she can't continue keeping things hidden and live a lie. No way she can run from her true love.

My take on this book:
Love love loveeee Danielle Allen's writing. :) I am happy with the ending though I would prefer if she ended up with the other guy. ;) Guess that is the twist of the story. 

This is the sequel to the book Back to Life. If you have missed this review, please click here to have an overview. Danielle Allen can also be found on Goodreads. 

p/s: Thank you sooo much Carver's Book Cravings for hosting this! It is awesome to be reading great books! Looking forward to more. :)

Black Friday @ MPHonline

Not sure when Black Friday entered Malaysia but I am glad!!!! :)

This is the first for Malaysia I believe! Go MPH!!!!

http://www.mphonline.com/help/black_friday.aspx

This sale is only applicable on MPHonline. Therefore, valid only for online purchases. 

Date: 25th November 2013 - 1st December 2013

T&C: Only valid for books which are available for delivery within 3-5day. 

(I believe this is for books which are currently in stock only. So no discount on pre-orders and etc.)

If this is not enough, check out the followings!

Both with its own T&C. :)

For more information, please go to MPHonline official Black Friday.
Never bought from MPHonline? Fret not, here is a guide.

Back To Reality by Danielle Allen (Cover Reveal)

Release Day December 1st, 2013 

  

~ Synopsis ~

Love brought her back to life. Life brought her back to reality.

Her past: Emanuel Mills was her first love. The guitar playing, adventure seeking, IT whiz was everything she ever wanted.

Her present: Tyree Barker was her last love. The cultured, educated, successful entrepreneur was everything she needed.

But when Sahara Lee’s past and present collided, a series of events occurred that changed her life forever, leaving her future up in the air. As a college freshman, a tragic accident changed the course of Sahara’s life. Ten years later, just when she started putting her life back together, Sahara’s world was rocked again due to a similar accident. Heartbroken and guilt ridden, Sahara fell into old, familiar habits before quickly realizing that she wasn’t the same Sahara Lee anymore. Unable to live a lonely, loveless, isolated life anymore, Sahara decided that the way she coped before wasn’t going to work this time around. Time didn’t heal her wounds, but forgiveness might.

~ Back To Life (Book 1) ~

Sahara Lee has spent the last ten years living with the guilt of a tragic accident and its aftermath. That night irrevocably changed the outgoing, fun-loving college freshman into an introverted, workaholic with no social life. Sahara isolates herself from everyone and everything that reminds her of home in an effort to forget what happened. Using art as a substitute for love, Sahara throws herself into music and art as a way to feel something other than the guilt that haunts her. She accepts her lonely existence as penance for the role she played in the accident. That is, until she meets Tyree Barker, the good looking entrepreneur with baggage of his own. Blindsided by a legal loophole, Sahara is suddenly forced to confront the past she’s been running from. Juggling the guilty feelings of her past and the unexpected feelings of her present, Sahara’s future becomes complicated as she heads down a path of forgiveness, love, and heartbreak…and not in that particular order. Back to Life reminds you that living and existing are two completely different ways to go through life. Grief will break you but guilt, guilt will destroy you. And once that happens, what can bring you back to life?

 p/s: Covered a review on this book here.

~ Author Bio ~ 

I am a married event planner and life coach. My awesome friends and family and my amazing husband make my life sweet. I love to have fun and enjoy the life I’ve been blessed with. I love shopping and football with equal fervor. I’m an amateur movie critic (i.e. my husband and I watch and critique a lot of movies for fun). I love to read and I enjoy sharing my love of books with anyone who will listen. I love music. A good lyric with a good melody can paint a vivid picture and invoke such a range of emotions. I have a soft spot for most mediums of creative, artistic expression.

With degrees in psychology, human services, and marriage and family counseling, I have a unique perspective on life, love and the pursuit of happiness. As an author, I combine an active imagination and life experiences to create stories that are easily relatable and intentionally intriguing. I want to offer you a peek into someone else’s life and for you to get lost in their story, their trials, their triumphs. My ultimate goal is to create a character or a story that stays with you long after you’ve put the book down.

So in a nutshell: I plan. I teach. I read. I write. I watch. I critique. I shop. I play. I love.

To know me is to love me.

~ Author Links ~

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6523680.Danielle_Allen

Webpage: http://www.authordanielleallen.com/

Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDanielleAllen

Back to Life Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BacktoLifeSeries

Twitter: https://twitter.com/XOXO_DAllen

p/s: Sooooo can't wait for this book! 

Book Fair @ Paradigm Mall, Kelana Jaya‏

So, You Think You're A Celebrity...Chef? by Caroline James

Title

So, You Think You're A Celebrity...Chef?
Author
Caroline James
Publisher
ThornBerry Publishing

Rating
4/5

Hilary is a media agent, the main character in this book is an interesting character. She is all-business kind of woman. With her can-do attitude, she expects no less from here employees and celebrities (in this case chefs). What others do not know about her is her love life. Though she has buried it all in the past, the feelings suddenly revived when Lenny came into the picture with Long Tom Hendry and her last fling Mickey.

When she spent some time in Ireland to check out what Lenny is all about, she did not know the ingredients of her life is about to be placed in a pot! 

Apart from these characters, her other employees and other supporting celebrities in the book makes it all interesting and very realistic. This is my first time reading her book and I would say it is a fun read! Especially if you are into reality shows. ;) Lauren Conrad book fans, you should give this a shot.

Mix together…

 A tough-cookie media agent who’s clawed her way to the top, and a con-man who wants to open a cookery school.

Add in a washed-up celebrity chef whose career needs re-building…

Flavour with…

An aging rock star fresh from rehab, and a Sloane Ranger food writer who gets her own TV show…

Bring to the boil:

 At a Gourmet Food Festival, in Ireland, where anything goes!

When media agent Hilary Hargreaves travels to Ireland to look at a campaign for a new cookery school, she meets a blast from her past – the romantic but feckless chef Mickey Lloyd, who is hell-bent on resurrecting his flagging career. Her tough demeanour is rocked as it becomes apparent Mickey’s intentions involve more than a stint behind a stove in his quest to pursue her. But as plans for the school gain momentum, she realises that she’s developing more than a passing interest in reformed alcoholic Long Tom Hendry, who owns the crumbling old mansion where the school will be homed. Hilary has many ingredients to juggle with her demanding client list – which looks set to boil over if she doesn’t keep control. From London’s bustling Soho, to Southern Ireland and the sunny shores of the Caribbean, has Hilary got too much on her plate and is she really prepared to risk it all for love?

Want more? *wink wink* 
This blog tour comes with a giveaway. You stand a chance no matter where you are.
Interested? Click A Rafflecopter Giveaway Thank you Caroline!!! :)

Chocolate Brownies (UK only)

In the book, gorgeous Gary from Bon Appetite! makes sublime melt-in-your-mouth brownies. We’ve commisioned award winning Brownie Queen, Justine Forrest to supply her amazing brownies, individually boxed as a giveaway treat!

Bespoke Book Bags (UK and International)

The perfect little bag to pop your book or kindle in – don’t forget your glasses and a bar of chocolate! Individually designed for this tour by Leanda Peters Designs.

Signed Paperback copy of So You Think You’re a Celebrity … Chef?(UK)

Kindle Gift Copy of So You Think You’re a Celebrity … Chef?(International)

Getting To Know Caroline James

Caroline James was born in Cheshire and wanted to be a writer from an early age. She trained, however, in the catering trade and worked and travelled both at home and abroad.  Caroline has owned and run many related businesses and cookery is a passion alongside her writing, combining the two with her love of the hospitality industry and romantic fiction.

Caroline can generally be found with her nose in a book and her hand in a box of chocolates and when not doing either, she likes to write, climb mountains and contemplate life.

She writes fun, romantic fiction and is a member of the RNA and The Society of Authors. She has had numerous short stories published and writes a regular column for a lifestyle magazine.

Caroline’s debut novel, Coffee, Tea, The Gypsy & Me went straight to #3 on Amazon and was E-book of the Week in The Sun newspaper. Her second book, So You Think You’re A Celebrity… Chef? is published on October 4th 2013 by Thornberry Publishing.

Web:               http://www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

Twitter:           @CarolineJames12

Facebook:      https://www.facebook.com/carolinejamesauthor

Blog:                www.carolinejamesauthor.blogspot.co.uk

Goodreads:    http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/550084.Caroline_James