tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73015780548092325932024-03-18T04:15:58.228-07:00On books!I read, therefore I am.Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-60851339171827741702018-02-24T12:02:00.000-08:002020-05-09T12:45:36.518-07:00Review: The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Publication date: </b>September 13th, 2016</div>
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<b>Publisher</b>: HarperOne</div>
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28257707-the-subtle-art-of-not-giving-a-f-ck" target="_blank">Goodreads </a>| <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Subtle-Art-Not-Giving/dp/0062641549/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519500552&sr=8-1&keywords=the+subtle+art+of+not+giving+a+fuck&dpID=51zRi5t2YdL&preST=_SY264_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch" target="_blank">Amazon India</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Subtle-Art-Not-Giving-Counterintuitive/dp/0062457713/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519500607&sr=8-1&keywords=the+subtle+art+of+not+giving+a+f---+mark+manson" target="_blank">Amazon US</a></div>
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<b>Stars: </b>5/5</div>
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<b>Source: </b>Purchased</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><span id="freeText4132211334451263034"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be "positive" all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.<br /><br />For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. "F**k positivity," Mark Manson says. "Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it." In his wildly popular Internet blog, Mason doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. </span><em><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k</span></em><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"> is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected American society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.<br /><br />Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—"not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault." Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.<br /><br />There are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, </span><em><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k</span></em><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"> is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"> </span><a data-text-id="4132211334451263034" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28257707-the-subtle-art-of-not-giving-a-f-ck#"></a></span></div>
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This book is addictive, no - it is like that kid in school you wanted to be but would not openly associate with. We're talking about the kid who would bluntly echo all of the things you wanted to say, but were too afraid to even think, out loud. Or that teacher you loved to hate, who didn't bother pretending to be on your side ("you're not special, and no, your problems are never going away"); but who actually <i>was </i>on your side, as she grounded you and cut through, rather than worked around your bullshit.</div>
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I'm wary of self-help literature and its contribution to "pop" psychology. This book though, is a wonderful piece of experiential wisdom. It utilizes the inception of solid psychological (drawing inspiration from the seeds of terror management theory) and philosophical gems, and <i>combats </i>more sensationalized, misinterpreted assumptions emblazoned in self-help literature (like self-esteem being the motivator to great performance (not really, not when all it breeds is entitlement), or "positive thinking" being the end-game, rather than <i>working through </i>the negative to emerge at the positive). It was the fire I needed to quit settling, and remember what excited, and energized me; over what I end up doing to "get by". </div>
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Read it, if you are at the crux of some major life decisions, or you are running out of reasons to keep doing what you are doing. <i>The Subtle Art </i>does not pretend to give you any concrete suggestions, but it is that tequila shot you need to relieve you of the debilitating anxiety that near-cripples you, and get you dancing towards a much larger, much more important purpose.</div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;"><u><b>Rating:</b></u><b> ★★★★</b><b>★</b></span></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-8391090036200698812017-02-14T10:39:00.000-08:002017-02-14T10:39:38.271-08:00Breaking Out of the Reading Slump<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I first started this blog I posted once a week, and then slowly, I got posting every other day. I found other blogs to hop over to, hosted giveaways and started receiving Advanced Review Copies. Blogging became part of my routine, and reading truly felt like breathing.<br />
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"What are you reading?" you could ask me, at any point of the day and during any season of the year. I would have one or two titles at the tip of my tongue. Book boyfriends, quirky protagonists and the fictional plot twists were as much a part of my day as what I was learning at my internship or texts from the guy I was crushing on. As Rainbow Rowell phrased it in <i>Fangirl</i>: "reality was something happening in my [her] peripheral vision."<br />
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<b>The Slump</b><br />
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Then, one day. I got busy with my master's thesis and GRE preparation. I was pouring over journals and the books on my to-read list remained on my to-read list. I went to a book fair, and bought more than I needed. The books piled on top of each other, but I never read them. Much depended on my final project grade, and giving myself fully to that experience.<br />
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I took a year off after my master's. I bought more books: horror, romance, non-fiction, and literary fiction.They sat pretty in my bookshelf, as I worked two part-time jobs. I crossed paths with people who were anything but cardboard cut-outs. As I navigated through real-life plot twists, I started several books. Sometimes, I'd take them with me to places, but I'd lose my bookmark or forget the crux of the plot.<br />
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Then <i>Harry Potter and the Cursed Child </i>came out, and I was hooked for a couple of hours. It was a rush of nostalgia and adrenaline, even if it was not perfect. I appreciated the fresh perspective Albus gave us of the Slytherin dungeons, and was finally convinced by the rationale for love over power.<br />
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I joined grad school for the second time, this time in California. Choosing <i>five</i> of my favorite books of all time to take with me to a whole other continent drove me crazy. My five most treasured paperbacks sat tall in my new university apartment. My first semester was a blur, with zero non-academic books read by the end of it.<br />
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<b>The Slow Burn</b><br />
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In November, I subscribed to the Book of the Month club. I started reading <i>The Sun is Also a Star </i>by Nicola Yoon. It had everything I appreciated about a young adult book: well fleshed-out characters, layers, the pulse of a busy city and the intricacies of the universe. I took the book with me everywhere: to train stations, to my study table, to coffee shops and even to Universal Studios, Hollywood. But I did not make it past two pages at a time - as urgent phone calls, fast-diminishing lines to rollercoasters, deadlines and the lurch of a new life often caused me to snap it back shut.<br />
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The few pages I read though, it integrated with my day. When I drank too much coffee, the protagonist Natasha felt vivider in my head. When Natasha argued for science, I thought about it while reading about the subjectivity of many objective research methods.<br />
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<b>Breaking Out of the Slump</b><br />
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Then, last night, I burned through the last forty pages. It all came together and floored me the way a good book hadn't in a long time. I let it seep into my heart, rooting for people and places and contexts outside of me in a way that always cleansed my soul. Reality was back in my peripheral vision, my hypersensitivity to it and anxiety about it fading into the background.<br />
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I felt closure when I hit the end. It was similar to the satisfaction I felt when I got a good grade, the elevation I felt when I saw something selflessly adorable or the peak I got to when I focused. Only this was something I had always had, until somehow, one day I didn't anymore. <br />
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It felt like coming home.<br />
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-38894112063026541362015-12-13T06:48:00.000-08:002015-12-13T06:48:42.424-08:00Review: When Our Worlds Collide by Aniesha Brahma<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrv1SqjoQpo66xE0MEzuHGMMb5s43sCozWlwVoTbSBLC-GVd_8zsPsqK9tMWXCAh5JJvEGMaggocl0OBe0WwwF4pbw0LoyjCwrc8A8c06sR74wEVGqSZElnwU4EYuBD4daHjYmGMKk1Cb/s1600/27398860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrv1SqjoQpo66xE0MEzuHGMMb5s43sCozWlwVoTbSBLC-GVd_8zsPsqK9tMWXCAh5JJvEGMaggocl0OBe0WwwF4pbw0LoyjCwrc8A8c06sR74wEVGqSZElnwU4EYuBD4daHjYmGMKk1Cb/s320/27398860.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
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<b>Publication date: </b>October 30th, 2015</div>
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<b>Publisher</b>: General Press</div>
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27398860-when-our-worlds-collide" target="_blank">Goodreads </a>| <a href="http://www.amazon.in/When-Worlds-Collide-General-Press-ebook/dp/B017EL0B2E" target="_blank">Amazon India</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-Worlds-Collide-General-Press-ebook/dp/B017EL0B2E" target="_blank">Amazon US</a></div>
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<b>Stars: </b>4/5</div>
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<b>Source: </b>Review copy<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Akriti has led a pretty much sheltered life. <br />
Zayn has been shuttled from city to city when he was growing up. <br />
She is comfortable watching her life from the sidelines. <br />
He wants to feel rooted to a place he can call ‘home’. <br />
They meet each other quite by chance. <br />
And both seize the chance to be someone they both need in their lives: <br />
For Zayn, it’s a 'Partner-In-Crime'. <br />
For Akriti, someone who just knows how to be there for her… <br />
When their worlds collide, <br />
It is not what either of them expected it to be. <br />
Zayn has a steady girlfriend. And Akriti has a crush on him. <br />
What happens when these two become friends? <br />
The biggest adventure of their lives? Or the road to heartbreak? <br />
What happens when two completely different people collide? <br />
Do they become friends? Or, is their friendship doomed from the start? <br />
'When Our Worlds Collide' is the story of two twenty-three-year olds, Who are finally growing up and finding their feet in the world. <br />
A tale of friendship and love, crushes and betrayals, messes and second chances, <br />
Marriage and divorce… and the elusive happily ever after! </span></div>
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I remember reading Aniesha Brahma’s debut. It was a colourful and well written novel, though a little rough around the edges. While reading her latest novella <i>When Our Worlds Collide</i>, I couldn't help but notice how far she’d come along as a writer. The dialogue flowed smoothly and the humour was subtle but made me laugh out loud. I read it without stopping for a break, and cried so much towards the end.</div>
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<i>When Our Worlds Collide</i> is the story of Akriti, a twenty something girl managing her mother’s café in Kolkata. She was a wallflower in school and college, preferring not to let her guard down. Her family situation was complicated, and she preferred having no friends to letting people into her life. Fast forward a few years, and she’s still as much of a misfit. The only person she talks to is her co-worker Ayoub. Then she re-connects with Zayn, a boy she once almost spoke to in school through his girlfriend Nimmi, a girl she’d reluctantly been friends with at one point. Their worlds collide, and Akriti finds herself crushing on someone whom she knows is taken.</div>
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The novella is packed with sweet, teary and some surprisingly real moments. It does not take the easy way out; loose ends aren't tied together with a frilly pink ribbon. Akriti’s at a phase of her life a lot of people in their twenties will be able to relate to. She has dreams, but hasn’t yet realised them. She has hope, but is too scared to pin it on anything. She’s too young to be defined by her past, and yet it isn’t something she can neglect. She’s transitioning, and every step she takes in any direction opens up so many possibilities. There’s freedom and then there’s responsibility weighing in on the consequences of every “free-willed” choice.</div>
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The author does a great job exploring these conflicts. She’s not afraid to have things take a raw turn, allowing the protagonist to grow in a more than superficial way. There’s more than enough quirk in it too. Poetry slams play a huge role in the story, but in a different way compared to Colleen Hoover’s <i>Slammed.</i> I could feel myself rooting for this girl, and I found the not-so-clichéd ending satisfying. <i>When Our Worlds Collide </i>is as much a story about personal responsibility as it is a story about a “hopeless” crush. I found that refreshing, as it was something I could relate to. </div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating:</u> ★★★★☆</b></span></div>
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<br /><b>A post-script on the novella's cover design: </b>If there was one thing that bugged me a little bit, it was the cover. The cover could've been so much more representative of Akriti and Zayn or Akriti's life, or even just...<i>Indian</i>. Hopefully, future editions come up with a design that is more true to the book and the ethnicity of the main characters.</div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-6433646737687807832015-04-06T02:38:00.001-07:002015-04-06T02:38:38.745-07:00Mini Review: Mind Static by Jen Naumann<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Publication date: </b>August, 2013</div>
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<b>Publisher</b>: At or With Me Publishing</div>
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18271567-mind-static" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Static-Jen-Naumann/dp/1491264349" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> </div>
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<b>Stars: </b>3/5</div>
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<b>Source: </b>Review copy<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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Keyanna Sanders is about to get everything she could ever wish for on her 18th birthday: a hot guy who’s really into her, the sports car she’s always dreamed of owning, and the party of a lifetime that no one will forget any time soon.<br />
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But before long, she’ll understand these wishes are more than a coincidence, and that they come at a steep price. Keyanna is more than just an average high school senior, her best friend is more than the innocent boy next door, and her sudden good fortune isn’t just by chance. When her estranged father suddenly re-enters her life, she’ll have to decide who to trust, and whether or not the man she loves has become the enemy. </span></div>
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This has got to be the most bizarre book I've ever read. It starts, well, <i>truly </i>starts, the day Keyanna Sanders turns eighteen and everything she wishes comes true. In the beginning, it's mildly amusing and seems coincidental, but soon, it's clear that something has changed. What follows is this completely crazy sequence of events that feels as rapid as the blink of an eye. Seriously, every time I'd get used to something, there would be a twist and <i>bam</i>- completely different turn of events!</div>
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I loved how unpredictable and fun the characters were: whether it was Lock-the token hot British guy who kept me guessing-, Dallas, Keyanna's mother, her father, her best friend Nora or Dominic, I either loved to hate them or flat out liked them. There's no one I could take completely seriously, as everything we know about them is consistently put to test, but they were so <i>exciting </i>and fun. I was constantly guessing their motives and true intentions!</div>
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This is the kind of book that can be taken only at face value, but is nevertheless so entertaining, I didn't <i>need </i>to dig deeper. </div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating: </u></b>★★★☆☆</span></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-57146290945493063972015-01-27T22:47:00.000-08:002015-01-27T22:55:03.145-08:00Review: Enter the Bluebird by Brendan Halpin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_R_ZeYUQ7uDSzC1P-2fNY2oMnIg6lc8OrbUzG08y9klk4QnkKyJ6eOqoFzDBsDp_vpwh4cSOkkpylmL5wlOONA-rdbtRqnrIDR0JiXEIq9Y8s-5GSOXMfdsCaq0vfQgPN6bmM_ubUocxH/s1600/19206043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_R_ZeYUQ7uDSzC1P-2fNY2oMnIg6lc8OrbUzG08y9klk4QnkKyJ6eOqoFzDBsDp_vpwh4cSOkkpylmL5wlOONA-rdbtRqnrIDR0JiXEIq9Y8s-5GSOXMfdsCaq0vfQgPN6bmM_ubUocxH/s1600/19206043.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a><br />
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<b>Publication date: </b>September 28th, 2013</div>
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<b>Publisher</b>: Peter Parley Publishing</div>
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19206043-enter-the-bluebird" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Enter-Bluebird-Brendan-Halpin-ebook/dp/B00FICFNLG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422364094&sr=8-1&keywords=enter+the+bluebird" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> </div>
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<b>Stars: </b>4/5</div>
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<b>Source: </b>Review copy<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Enter the Bluebird is the story of Julie Rouge, who's nearly 16 and can't wait to join her mother, the masked crimefighter Red Talon, patrolling the crime-ridden streets of New Edinburgh. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Unfortunately, Julie's mom has disappeared, and, while searching for her, Julie is going to discover that the city she calls home is even nastier, more corrupt, and riddled with toxic secrets than she ever knew.</span></span> </div>
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Enter the Bluebird is a noir YA superhero novel about secrets and betrayal and violence and love.</blockquote>
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<b><b>REVIEW</b></b></div>
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<i>Enter the Bluebird </i>tells the story of Julie Rouge, the daughter of meta human Sonia Rouge who is also known as the Red Talon. The Red Talon loses her life fighting street crime in the city of New Edinburgh. Julie is left with a costume for her new avatar: The Bluebird, which kicks off her thirst for justice and revenge. In the process, she confronts the reality of the city she grew up in and the ghosts of her mother's past.</div>
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The only other Brandon Halpin book I've read before this is <i>A Really Awesome Mess</i> but the two books don't have much in common. <i>Enter the Bluebird</i> has no room for cutesy; it's darker and grittier than your average YA book. The world building is crazy amazing: with the Syndicate: the nucleus of corruption, Snake Oil: an addictive drug and agent of evil, the Legion of Freedom, the layout and atmosphere of New Edinburgh and the world outside it. All of my senses were enraptured by this world that could easily double as a comic-bookverse. </div>
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It's a coming of age/origin story that is far more real than any superhero story I've ever seen. Julie has the ability to fly, and in her determination to rid New Edinburgh of corruption there's a fair amount of window-breaking, fires and angsty moments by the cemetery. More than this, though, the book confronts other harsher realities: namely, the people Julie/The Bluebird rescues, who don't necessarily find her superhero stunts amazing; not from where they're standing.</div>
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"Are you kidding me?" Kendra said. "Now I get to spend the rest of the night picking glass slivers off the beds. And then I have to go out to fill a form in triplicate and hope the housing authority fixes the window before winter comes. What happens the next time it rains? What happens if the piece of glass gets in my little brother's eye? Did you think about that?"<br />
"No," The Bluebird said. "I only thought about the person who was screaming and trying to help her. I didn't know she was too stupid to know that she needed help."<br />
"You're the stupid one. You're dumber than your costume. You think you know things, but you don't know anything. You think the solution to every problem is to kick somebody-"<br />
(...)<br />
"Fine," Julie said. She tried to find The Bluebird inside her somewhere, but she could only find little hurt Julie...</blockquote>
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I found Kendra and her little brother refreshing. They made the story all the more gripping, and showed that yes, fighting evil isn't as easy as a well placed punch. In fact, Halpin does not simplify any of the broader issues the world of <i>Enter the Bluebird </i>is filled with. He is unafraid to expose Julie to hurt, heart wrenching grief, people who have more than two dimensions and danger that strikes from more than one direction and never conveniently works in her favour.</div>
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As Julie struggles to pick up the pieces, make sense of her mother's death and gets infatuated with the Mayor's son, The Bluebird carries the weight of the city and<b> </b>falls more than once.<i> Enter The Bluebird </i>is, from start till end, a vividly written YA noir that I couldn't get enough of.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating:</u> ★★★★</span></b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><b>☆</b></span></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-5618925154104444342015-01-18T22:15:00.000-08:002015-01-18T22:25:33.847-08:00Audiobook Review: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hEnbn314Q5sPrIeLQykOwWjJFx4-IcXI_kKNeL9nVnGQS342YHPQSoBEj4PpGRoN-fPaJwUkIul3sskSUY29FviFkgiMdsImJ0yr-j_115QyaLnsgjkUVpBBqAh-2K5ZEWuslj7duzs8/s1600/20448721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hEnbn314Q5sPrIeLQykOwWjJFx4-IcXI_kKNeL9nVnGQS342YHPQSoBEj4PpGRoN-fPaJwUkIul3sskSUY29FviFkgiMdsImJ0yr-j_115QyaLnsgjkUVpBBqAh-2K5ZEWuslj7duzs8/s1600/20448721.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Publication date: </b>August 5th, 2014</div>
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<b>Publisher</b>: Simon & Schuster Audio</div>
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20448721-ugly-love" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.reado.com/colleen-hoover-ugly-love-audiobook~a9f05682a42ec527" target="_blank">Reado</a> | <a href="http://books.simonandschuster.com/Ugly-Love/Colleen-Hoover/9781476753188" target="_blank">Simon & Schuster</a></div>
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<b>Stars: </b>2/5</div>
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<b>Source: </b><a href="http://reado.com/">Reado.com</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Never ask about the past.<br />
Don’t expect a future.<br />
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They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.<br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Promises get broken.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Rules get shattered.</span></span></div>
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Love gets ugly.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>REVIEW</b></span></span></div>
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This is a really difficult review to write because I love<i> </i>Colleen Hoover. I love how butterflying transformative her writing is; how it turns even the most tired cliches into something wholesome. And yet nothing<i> </i>could pretty up <i>Ugly Love</i>. </div>
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<i>Ugly Love </i>is your classic New Adult redemption story: girl, Tate Collins, who's new to San Francisco meets boy, airplane pilot Miles Archer when he's drunk, huddled outside her brother's apartment door. Right from their first meeting, it's clear that something about his past haunts him; making him renounce love. When the chapters alternate with Miles' point of view, to "six years earlier" when he meets a girl called Rachel in high school, there are no doubts about the "who", just the "how" and "what". </div>
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Tate and Miles, who's incidentally Tate's brother's best friend, soon embark on a relationship that's plain sex. But between Miles' smoldering gazes, Tate's fervent hope that it turns into something more and all the boundaries that they set only to break, they're not fooling anyone. The alternating perspectives, which shift from present to past, were a welcome relief as I didn't want to spend all of the time on either time period. There's just a lot of build up, characters that are "technically" well developed but don't mesh and poetic prose that falls flat.</div>
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This was also my first audio book ever, and "listening" to it might've only accentuated everything I disliked about the narrative structure. Miles' perspective, especially, was filled trite repetitions in his unconditional devotion towards Rachel. It felt empty, as there's nothing we actually know about Rachel other than Miles' idealized and rosy-eyed-to-the-point-of-corny account; half of which I felt like skipping. Tates' perspective felt more Miles' perspective of Tate because I cannot for the life of me get a picture of who she is, despite living inside her head for a good part of the book. </div>
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The heart of the story is<span style="color: red;"> </span>every bit of the redemption story you're promised: there's confrontation, tragedy and confrontation of tragedy. And yet, as a whole, it felt dissatisfying. </div>
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This isn't going to stop me from reading <i>Maybe Someday</i>, the only Colleen Hoover book I haven't read, but <i>Ugly Love</i> flat out<i> </i>didn't work for me.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><b><u>Rating:</u> </b>★★☆☆☆</span></span></div>
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<i>This post is sponsored by </i><a href="http://reado.com/">Reado.com</a><i>, India's largest audio book store, where you get one free audio book on sign up. :) All of the opinions expressed in this post are my own.</i></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-83074104393480712552014-11-03T21:48:00.002-08:002015-11-10T18:45:03.968-08:00Novel Publicity Blog Tour Stop; Review: Just Girls by Rachel Gold<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XHRE-IIOT0SeHsjn5-KrCFKoKERS1qgwFZJhRgv1xIcxQrHUYPDIyugrdslt1-WJtH_yLwMbVOzPkRtMCJWeX9hbsqvcYIpyP9ogsy_gWi0rGdGLIjoO7_h5PM-aEhyphenhyphenwjwjtDM3diVfg/s1600/RachelGold-JustGirls-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XHRE-IIOT0SeHsjn5-KrCFKoKERS1qgwFZJhRgv1xIcxQrHUYPDIyugrdslt1-WJtH_yLwMbVOzPkRtMCJWeX9hbsqvcYIpyP9ogsy_gWi0rGdGLIjoO7_h5PM-aEhyphenhyphenwjwjtDM3diVfg/s1600/RachelGold-JustGirls-Cover.jpg" width="208" /></a><b>Publication date: </b>September 23rd, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: Bella Books<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20702890-just-girls" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Just-Girls-Rachel-Gold/dp/1594934193/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415076528&sr=1-1&keywords=just+girls" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.in/Just-Girls-Rachel-Gold/dp/1594934193/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415076537&sr=8-1&keywords=just+girls+rachel+gold" target="_blank">Amazon India</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>4/5<br />
<b>Source: </b>Novel Publicity Blog Tour<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Jess Tucker sticks her neck out for a stranger the buzz is someone in the dorm is a trans girl. So Tucker says it s her, even though it s not, to stop the finger pointing. She was an out lesbian in high school, and she figures she can stare down whatever gets thrown her way in college. It can t be that bad. Ella Ramsey is making new friends at Freytag College, playing with on-campus gamers and enjoying her first year, but she s rocked by the sight of a slur painted on someone else s door. A slur clearly meant for her, if they'd only known. New rules, old prejudices, personal courage, private fear. In this stunning follow-up to the groundbreaking Being Emily, Rachel Gold explores the brave, changing landscape where young women try to be <i>Just Girls</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><b>REVIEW</b></b></span></span></div>
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I read <i>Just Girls </i>by Rachel Gold a month ago, and the earnestness with which it dealt with issues of identity, gender and sexual orientation instantly sucked me in. <br />
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<i>Just Girls</i> tells us the story of Jess Tucker, who sticks up for a transwoman on campus; she doesn’t know who this woman is, just that it’s someone in the dorm. On encountering a bunch of girls who have already started making ignorant remarks about, speculating about the identity of and judging this girl, Tucker says it’s her (“You have anything to say to my face?”). Being an out-of-the-closet lesbian since high school, she figures she can handle it. <br />
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“I know I don’t understand viscerally what it means to have gender dysphoria or to have people always questioning who you are, but I do know what it’s like to have people be assholes to you just because of who you are. And I just got really pissed and really afraid for this girl and so I said it was me. That way they’ll direct their bullshit at me and I know I can take it.” (p. 39)</blockquote>
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Meanwhile, Ella Ramsey, realizing what had happened and what Tucker did for her, much before they are even acquainted… is shocked and moved.<br />
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What I liked most about <i>Just Girls</i> is that this is by no means where the story begins and ends. Instead, we are introduced to a diverse and wonderfully fleshed out cast of characters. While it would be easy to tag them as “transwoman Ella”, “genderqueer Nico”, “the transphobic Women & Gender Studies Teaching Assistant”, “codependent Lindy”, and so on, there’s much more to them than that. No one is a token member of any community, and their story transcends labels and stereotypes. <br />
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Getting to know Ella, who was born a boy but was on hormone blockers to prevent male characteristics from kicking in during puberty, widened my understanding of what it feels like to be born a gender you do not identify yourself as. It was refreshing how her parents were supportive of the transitioning process and embraced her for who she was. As we get to know Ella as<i> Ella</i> – girly, funny, intelligent and loyal-, the premise of the novel felt stronger and its message truly hit home. <br />
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The issues tackled, whether thinly veiled sexism, transphobia outside and within the LGBTQIA community, where transgenders factor in same sex restrooms, and more, never feel like too much. We are trained to even pay attention to the voices and views of characters whom the others are eager to dismiss as intolerant and prejudicial; as they, too, come from somewhere and it is essential to get to the root of that somewhere.<br />
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Rachel Gold has this amazing ability to integrate feminist theory and debates into the story in a way that feels natural; never feels obscure or out of one’s depth even to beginners. She also does a great job demonstrating that no subculture is free from prejudice, abuse and hatred. At the same time, love, friendship, trust and protection can be garnered from just about anywhere. The foundations of Ella and Tucker’s friendship, and their unconditional acceptance of each other left the deepest impact.<br />
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<i>Just Girls</i> was a funny, thoughtful and honest exploration into what it means to be a girl; exclusive of one’s assigned-at-birth gender and heteronormativity.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u><span style="color: #666666;">Rating:</span></u><span style="color: #990000;"> ★★★★☆</span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGnLaLI5eqPgtlfWyjppR7iXMKJt9CtTjG5M0f1fKE39QKcbRJRyMynXtiQndD9_Wdj2aVgYzUORR-2s67LNnKVUHphRQ76Eiu-elBXmoQ-Wj9RqFNn1Hk0U4bu2R-HcPeviqz1vDdzLu/s1600/justgirls.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGnLaLI5eqPgtlfWyjppR7iXMKJt9CtTjG5M0f1fKE39QKcbRJRyMynXtiQndD9_Wdj2aVgYzUORR-2s67LNnKVUHphRQ76Eiu-elBXmoQ-Wj9RqFNn1Hk0U4bu2R-HcPeviqz1vDdzLu/s1600/justgirls.png" width="270" /></a><br />
<strong>About the prizes:</strong><br />
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Who doesn't love prizes? You could win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards or an autographed copy of <i>Just Girls</i>! Here's what you need to do...<br />
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<li><strong><em>Enter the Rafflecopter contest</em></strong></li>
<li><strong><em>Leave a comment on my blog</em></strong></li>
</ol>
That's it! One random commenter during this tour will win the first gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win--the full list of participating bloggers can be found <a href="http://www.novelpublicity.com/just-girls/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. The other two prizes will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on <a href="http://www.novelpublicity.com/just-girls/" target="_blank">the official <em>Just Girls</em> tour page</a> via Novel Publicity. Good luck!<br />
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<strong><strong>About the book: </strong></strong><br />
<br />
Jess Tucker sticks her neck out for a stranger—the buzz is someone in the dorm is a trans girl. So Tucker says it’s her, even though it’s not, to stop the finger pointing. She was an out lesbian in high school, and she figures she can stare down whatever gets thrown her way in college. It can’t be that bad.<br />
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Ella Ramsey is making new friends at Freytag College, playing with on-campus gamers and enjoying her first year, but she’s rocked by the sight of a slur painted on someone else’s door. A slur clearly meant for her, if they’d only known.<br />
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New rules, old prejudices, personal courage, private fear. In this stunning follow-up to the groundbreaking Being Emily, Rachel Gold explores the brave, changing landscape where young women try to be Just Girls.<strong><em>Get Just Girls through <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Just-Girls-Rachel-Gold/dp/1594934193" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/just-girls-rachel-gold/1118593805" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a>.</em></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcDYLjiFx6vXptopbmF_vI_fJDd4e3SJ6XcD6YjOhY6pmWMNpN2MI8k3ao6YvatE8xv4iIucuPACr5QPyRJ9-t2hkHzSBPr5vgsQ6LdvZpTHB0cl3i7BRh0RaWmE4l-83ls_cRokvn3vi/s1600/Rachel001AuthorPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcDYLjiFx6vXptopbmF_vI_fJDd4e3SJ6XcD6YjOhY6pmWMNpN2MI8k3ao6YvatE8xv4iIucuPACr5QPyRJ9-t2hkHzSBPr5vgsQ6LdvZpTHB0cl3i7BRh0RaWmE4l-83ls_cRokvn3vi/s1600/Rachel001AuthorPhoto.jpg" width="245" /></a><strong>About the author: </strong><br />
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An award-winning marketing strategist and author, Rachel Gold also spent a decade as a reporter in the LGBT community where she learned many of her most important lessons about being a woman from the transgender community. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English and Religious Studies from Macalester College, and a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Hamline University. When she’s not “translating English for English-speaking people” or working on her novels, you can find Rachel online checking out the latest games.<br />
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<em><strong>Connect with Rachel on her <a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.rachelgold.com" target="_blank">website</a>, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.facebook.com/BeingEmily" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/RachelGold" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,or <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/RachelGold" target="_blank">GoodReads</a>.</strong></em>.<br />
<br />
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c17c24a9122/" id="rc-c17c24a9122" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-18758862737464738182014-09-30T21:36:00.000-07:002014-09-30T22:55:28.599-07:00Review: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss, #3)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1I9UXhCLvCzJruU4sMYUvFVoo4LejyvyIwtiSnbgtSVfdzZAOzAffheKLGr1MQioedzpoFLBjueitE0RHetQ3lFLJewjfEnmb1tKbAq0aZuvp5KXjLXNRHWcdT76AZ-xCGxeCFhFgzBg/s1600/9627755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1I9UXhCLvCzJruU4sMYUvFVoo4LejyvyIwtiSnbgtSVfdzZAOzAffheKLGr1MQioedzpoFLBjueitE0RHetQ3lFLJewjfEnmb1tKbAq0aZuvp5KXjLXNRHWcdT76AZ-xCGxeCFhFgzBg/s1600/9627755.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<b>Publication date: </b>August 14th, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: Dutton<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9627755-isla-and-the-happily-ever-after?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads </a>| <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Isla-Happily-After-Stephanie-Perkins/dp/0525425632" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.in/Isla-Happily-After-Stephanie-Perkins/dp/0525425632" target="_blank">Amazon India</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>3.5/5<br />
<b>Source: </b>Bought<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last? </b><br />
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Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart. <br />
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Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.</span></blockquote>
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I don't think I've waited for anything as long as I waited for <i>Isla and The Happily Ever After</i> to release. With the release date being pushed back by a year and everything, I thought I'd never get to read it. In a nutshell it's about:</div>
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- Isla <span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Martin (the redhead who has about maybe two minutes worth of screen (scene?) time in <i>Anna and the French Kiss</i>)</span></div>
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- who has a brief albeit completely loopy encounter with Josh (the other half of Joshua and Rashmi as well as St. Clair's best friend in <i>Anna and the French Kiss</i>)</div>
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- It's an encounter that might just be her "in" with him (she's been crushing on him since Freshman year) and a possible Happily Ever After</div>
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It's an extremely simple and sweet story, really; much like Perkins' previous books, <i>Anna and the French Kiss</i> and <i>Lola and the Boy Next Door. </i>I liked how most of the conflict was self-created. You do not need a love triangle or love unrequited to turn a relationship upside down. You just need the insecurities that eat you up inside your head all day long. I think Perkins brought that out beautifully in these two wonderfully vulnerable characters.</div>
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The secondary characters, from the best friend, little sister to the ex best friend, have their quirks and flaws and an equal impact on the course of events. Much of<i> Isla </i>takes place in Paris, though there's a good bit of Manhattan and Barcelona. While there's the magic of Paris we experienced in <i>Anna, </i>there's less of the excitement and freshness to it since it's Isla's senior year and Paris practically feels like her second home. The story culminates at a much-awaited-reunion of favorites from <i>Anna... </i>AND <i>Lola... </i>with a surprise follow-up to an old story that will have you swooning!</div>
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">If you are yet to read any of Stephanie Perkins' books, I suggest you start with </span><i style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">Anna and the French Kiss. </i><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">I</span>f you liked Perkins' previous books: <i>Isla and the Happily Ever After, </i>while lacking a little of the pep and quirk that made <i>Anna... </i>tick, definitely completes the series. Whether you had an unstomachable crush on Etienne St. Clair (!!) or want to know where Cricket and Lola are right now... whether you wanted to know more about Josh or that soft spoken redhead, <i>Isla and the Happily Ever After </i>gives you all of it!</div>
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating:</u> ★★★1/2</span></b></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-91083355016260112352014-08-01T05:04:00.000-07:002014-08-01T05:04:04.641-07:00Review: The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqXYOOJrqF-KP2Hn-4qifECis4FEvRJ0P7FtKt1-vXzPOdZg1z6Jc0el0onAcg1R5MAA8qYxq_nMfJO2xf1TJDZGiJdapWPt-jodhOLqxxOaPlSp-wOJ_VgQFvkAnEqpAMUiODUAJiEJq/s1600/16068341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqXYOOJrqF-KP2Hn-4qifECis4FEvRJ0P7FtKt1-vXzPOdZg1z6Jc0el0onAcg1R5MAA8qYxq_nMfJO2xf1TJDZGiJdapWPt-jodhOLqxxOaPlSp-wOJ_VgQFvkAnEqpAMUiODUAJiEJq/s1600/16068341.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<b>Publication date: </b>June 3rd, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: Roaring Book Press<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16068341-the-truth-about-alice?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads </a>| <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596439092/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1596439092&linkCode=as2&tag=onbook-20&linkId=QGTG5SVYMWG2QBTU" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.in/Truth-About-Alice-Jennifer-Mathieu/dp/1596439092" target="_blank">Amazon India</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>3.5/5<br />
<b>Source: </b>Bought<br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Everyone has a lot to say about Alice Franklin, and it’s stopped mattering whether it’s true. The rumors started at a party when Alice supposedly had sex with two guys in one night. When school starts everyone almost forgets about Alice until one of those guys, super-popular Brandon, dies in a car wreck that was allegedly all Alice’s fault. Now the only friend she has is a boy who may be the only other person who knows the truth, but is too afraid to admit it. Told from the perspectives of popular girl Elaine, football star Josh, former outcast Kelsie, and shy genius Kurt, we see how everyone has a motive to bring – and keep – Alice down.</span></blockquote>
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The rumours about Alice started much before super-popular Brandon died in a car wreck; allegedly while sexting Alice:<br />
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Alice Franklin is a slut.</div>
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Alice slept with two guys at the same party.</div>
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Brandon's death is Alice's fault.</div>
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There is a "slut stall" full of graffiti'd hate over Alice. </div>
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Is it true? Nobody seems to care. And after delving into the perspectives of Alice's supposed BFF Kelsie, the ever popular Elaine, Brandon's best friend and football star Josh, genius boy Kurt and last but not the least, the infamous Alice herself-- you wonder if it even matters in the first place. </div>
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The judgments, pent-up angst and guilt felt by nearly all of the main players runs deeper. Is Alice nothing but a scapegoat for it all?</div>
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I really can't handle talking about this for too long because it hurts too much, but I do want to say that there is one thing I've learned about people: they don't get that mean and nasty overnight. It's not human nature.<br />
If you give people enough time, eventually they'll do the most heartbreaking stuff in the world.</blockquote>
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<i>The Truth About Alice </i>is a sensitively written, clean and short read that gives you enough insight into how the scandal-mill works. It's gratifying to see how even in the darkest of times, Alice does have someone to lean on. It gave me the chills to think about how it might've turned out if class-genius Kurt <i>hadn't </i>stepped in and decided to be her friend when she needed one the most. It's this big what-if that bothered me more than the actual turn of events.<br />
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Like most Young Adult novels, there's a romantic twist that it would've done better without. All it does is overshadow the point of the novel. The book, perhaps a bit <i>too</i> deftly, sweeps the remnants of the scandal under the rug. It gives us an ending that is as positive, realistic and sensible as resolution of real-life, petty, small town scandals can get.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"><b>Rating: ★★★1/2</b></span></div>
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I read this book along with Hilda @ <a href="http://catchthelune.blogspot.in/" target="_blank">Catch The Lune</a>, which was a ton of fun!! Check out her review <a href="http://catchthelune.blogspot.in/2014/07/review-truth-about-alice-by-jennifer.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> :)</div>
Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-68711618551526935152014-06-29T05:44:00.000-07:002014-06-29T05:51:35.851-07:00Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIetTfhZS0sfk3-F5Mjvd2BBIIOO2UnjwGaXyYKX1W4gNYiLfknCfb9nNaM9pkFWW36X6y1_7hBn_xK79mdA5fg-JEaichwQ4T8TAg-bhJBqFn53a1wGhKmNrV1UdOZE2QiTf4xr0aqNm/s1600/wewereliars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIetTfhZS0sfk3-F5Mjvd2BBIIOO2UnjwGaXyYKX1W4gNYiLfknCfb9nNaM9pkFWW36X6y1_7hBn_xK79mdA5fg-JEaichwQ4T8TAg-bhJBqFn53a1wGhKmNrV1UdOZE2QiTf4xr0aqNm/s1600/wewereliars.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
<b>Publication date: </b>May 13th, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: Delacorte Press<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16143347-we-were-liars?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads </a>| <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/038574126X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=038574126X&linkCode=as2&tag=onbook-20&linkId=SEBPJ6THJKBV7KHH" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.in/We-Were-Liars-E-Lockhart/dp/147140398X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403977659&sr=8-1&keywords=we+were+liars" target="_blank">Amazon India</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>4/5<br />
<b>Source: </b>Bought<br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">A beautiful and distinguished family.<br />
A private island.<br />
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.<br />
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.<br />
A revolution. An accident. A secret.<br />
Lies upon lies.<br />
True love.<br />
The truth.<br />
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We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. <br />
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Read it.<br />
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I'm going to copy-paste what's in the blurb, in case you're not the kind of person who reads the blurb first. Because, of the plot, this is all you need to know: </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"A beautiful and distinguished family.<br />
A private island.<br />
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.<br />
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.<br />
A revolution. An accident. A secret.<br />
Lies upon lies.<br />
True love.<br />
The truth."<br />
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No, its not just the blurb that's deliberately elusive. <i>We Are Liars</i> is as fragmented, as vividly illusionary, suspenseful and pseudo poetic as what you just read. The characters pop out of the page, demanding every bit of your attention span. They say pretentious things, everything they want or need is just <i>there- </i>on a literal platter, share a superficial, seasonal friendship amidst raging hormones and the salt of the sea water. And you'll listen to them. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Because in their perfection and pretention and destruction, they remain glamorous. It's the sheen this kind of inherited privilege has given them.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Liars were perfect. Until something happened and now, Cady, "the beautiful and damaged girl" has constant and prolonged migraines. A huge chunk of her memory, of "the accident" and what happened before, is missing. </span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Gat, the Indian American boy she loved, who made her "weak", becomes inconsistent. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Her friends, the Liars, seem to be crumbling with her. Her parents and aunties are drinking and shopping more than usual and their fake smiles are waning. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What happened to these beautiful, beautiful people?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>We Were Liars </i>recounts the scenic, the surreal and the lies the Liars and their parents lived through in startling purple prose. Eventually, and without warning, it plunges into the truth which NOTHING can prepare you for and can never quite set you free. I was crying into the early morning hours. I remain stunned. I would never read this book again, because of how it messed with my head; branded it with images that will never leave me. But you should read it that once. BECAUSE it will mess with your head and grip you until you get to the bottom of it. Because it made me mull over the nature of "ownership" and things that are fickle and pretentious.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It goes without saying that if you dislike fragmented, purple prose and tales about "them poor-little-rich-kids", you will probably not like this book.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating:</u> ★★★★</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">☆</span></span></b></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-30620977457542784002014-06-17T11:05:00.000-07:002014-06-17T11:05:19.939-07:00Review: One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaYG0nxcHRntpMcUfyZpcjyQw-kLydxfOCtyHAM7KSl1_dL9bupo3xtwpGrnmyidFbZkZ-OgXigP_ccUu4WkHDNfkSJS95FGJ4FWar6sVjhQeF7vwuz16Nu75SXy3KAl_a_K5o4iQkkZK/s1600/100names.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaYG0nxcHRntpMcUfyZpcjyQw-kLydxfOCtyHAM7KSl1_dL9bupo3xtwpGrnmyidFbZkZ-OgXigP_ccUu4WkHDNfkSJS95FGJ4FWar6sVjhQeF7vwuz16Nu75SXy3KAl_a_K5o4iQkkZK/s1600/100names.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<b>Publication date: </b>May 6th, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: William Morrow Paperbacks<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18505788-one-hundred-names" target="_blank">Goodreads </a>| <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062248634/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062248634&linkCode=as2&tag=onbook-20&linkId=JEZFFJPBFSLQPXDI" target="_blank">Amazon </a>| <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/One-Hundred-Names-Cecelia-Ahern/9780007350469" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>5/5<br />
<b>Source: </b>Review copy (Thank you, William Morrow!)<br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i>Internationally bestselling author Cecelia Ahern delivers her biggest and most compelling book yet—a tale of secrets, second chances, and the hidden connections that unite our lives</i><br />
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Scandal has derailed journalist Kitty Logan's career, a setback that is soon compounded by an even more devastating loss. Constance, the woman who taught Kitty everything she knew, is dying. At her mentor's bedside, Kitty asks her, "What is the one story you always wanted to write?"<br />
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The answer lies in a single sheet of paper buried in Constance's office—a list of one hundred names—with no notes or explanation. But before Kitty can ask her friend, it is too late.<br />
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Determined to unlock the mystery and rebuild her own shaky confidence, Kitty throws herself into the investigation, tracking down each of the names on the list and uncovering their connection. Meeting these ordinary people and learning their stories, Kitty begins to piece together an unexpected portrait of Constance's life... and starts to understand her own.</span></blockquote>
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I give this book five, very subjective stars. I'm not quite sure if I would've given it five stars if I'd read it way back in January, when I received it for review... or even a bit later, when in the midst of finals. But then again, <i>is</i> there any such thing as an objective rating? That being said, I read <i>One Hundred Names </i>when I needed to read it the most.</div>
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<i>One Hundred Names</i> opens in a hospital, where Kitty Logan asks her dying mentor, Constance Dubois, about the one story she's always wished to write. It's a difficult time for Kitty as well. She made an error in one of her stories, the scandalous kind, that caused her a suspension from her job as a TV-journalist and set her network back big time. It's a mistake that may forever ruin her career. She's hanging on to her other job at <i>Etcetera </i>magazine, however unrelated to the TV scandal, by a thread.</div>
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Constance asks her to retrieve a list of one hundred names-- a list that had something to do with the story she had in mind. Before Kitty can get back with the list, Constance passes away. As a part of her tribute issue, Kitty needs to find out what connects these people; the very nature of the story Constance wanted to write. There isn't much time to piece it all together... it's ONE HUNDRED different people, and lives, she'll have to delve into... and her job might just depend on it.</div>
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I can definitely picture this book being made into a movie. It would be one of those romcoms with a slightly quirkier twist, and dialogues that are meaningful and sometimes even funny. The plot might seem a bit contrived: the way most plots involving a large cast are. It features six very different, very dreamy, "ordinary" but interesting people... people who, like in most books that have several subplots, gradually find their stories intermingling when they are thrown in a common setting.</div>
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Reading <i>One Hundred Names</i>, however, felt far from contrived. I've always admired the earnestness in Cecelia Ahern's writing. I'm glad she doesn't stick to the same formula. Instead, she always tells us different kinds of stories that take on different perspectives; retaining the freshness in her narration. In this book, it's the earnestness of the main players that gets to you. It's easy to picture them living their lives, one day at a time. </div>
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Kitty attempts to uncover what Constance could've possibly wanted to write about them- practically drilling various angles into their lives... and as the arc finally dawns on her- it humbles her, and the reader. It's not something you couldn't have guessed several chapters before. In fact, I think it was pretty clear from the beginning. Still, it's beautiful because it's something all of us take for granted but is very very true.</div>
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<i>One Hundred Names</i>, through wonderful characterization, several humorous and WTF moments, is one heck of a journey! Before you know it, you are a part of their lives: laughing, groaning, whooping and cheering them on! Their energy is your energy. It reminds you of the value of a genuine and positive story; how wasteful it is that we are <span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">constantly </span>on the lookout for superficiality, drama, a "dark" past and conflict instead. It encourages you to look beyond the surface, at what is already around and within you. </div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating:</u> ★★★★★</span></b></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-31168292599098452712014-05-22T06:35:00.000-07:002014-05-22T06:54:17.144-07:00Review: Right Click (Click, #3) by Lisa Becker<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQgYWnfvc7oSNQeC6oTqrnuCKo39CzeUjVQkWF_SY6qCwnhygrlUSdq66MohrQ1xjIfpvNegfMLB2CYrYIuNZJLhcms8AMJm9ehD0x8gaLNmZon9WiJ-Otno4i_fKnRJPDkd9uNawZMxS/s1600/22033176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQgYWnfvc7oSNQeC6oTqrnuCKo39CzeUjVQkWF_SY6qCwnhygrlUSdq66MohrQ1xjIfpvNegfMLB2CYrYIuNZJLhcms8AMJm9ehD0x8gaLNmZon9WiJ-Otno4i_fKnRJPDkd9uNawZMxS/s1600/22033176.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></div>
<b>Publication date: </b>May 19th, 2014<br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: CreateSpace<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22033176-right-click" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Right-Click-Lisa-Becker-ebook/dp/B00KE6H90O/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=onbook-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004UI6IJ0" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>3.5/5<br />
<b>Source: </b>Review copy<br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Love. Marriage. Infidelity. Parenthood. Crises of identity. Death. Cupcakes. The themes in Right Click, the third and final installment in the Click series, couldn’t be more pressing for this group of friends as they navigate through their 30′s. Another six months have passed since we last eavesdropped on the hilarious, poignant and often times inappropriate email adventures of Renee and friends. As the light-hearted, slice of life story continues to unfold, relationships are tested and some need to be set “right” before everyone can find their “happily ever after.”</span><br />
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<b>REVIEW</b></div>
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<i>Right Click </i>takes us back to the CC'd and BCC'd adventures of Renee, Ethan, Shelley, Mark and the rest! With moving away, relationship-hiccups, break-ups, baby-troubles, Vegas trips, celebrity-run-ins, funerals and a wedding-in-planning, we're in for quite a ride; peppered with Billy-Joel-offs, pun-offs and plenty of surprises along the way.</div>
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In the final part of one of my favourite email-trilogies ever, Becker maintains the zippy-and-cheery pace set in <i>Click</i> and <i>Double Click</i>. Email plays an even bigger role in the characters staying connected to each other; especially in context of specific situations where no other medium works as well. </div>
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The likability of the main players, however stuck-up and relatively annoying some of them may appear to be, instantly won me over. They have grown over the span of three books-- but at the same time, their voices are easily recognisable. Some of them make less-than-ideal comebacks and others, you continue to love to hate. While the story is centered around Renee, who has her share of ups and downs, Shelley continued to make me involuntarily "LOL" and Ashley's struggles were realistic and made my respect for her grow. Mark, who I've always found adorable, also gets his happily ever after!</div>
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I'm not going to deny that, like all chic lit novels, <i>Right Click, </i>too, did have that point when it got a bit <i>too </i>fluffy and even the ha-larity felt like an overkill. Thankfully, that's exactly when Becker chose to infuse grit and a surprising dose of tough love! Reading the last few email (!) exchanges between what has, over time, evolved into Renee's pretty tight-knit group, even left me a little teary-eyed! </div>
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<i>Click </i>started out as a breezy and hilarious novel chronicling the online-dating (mis)adventures of Renee and Mark. Over time, over new and renewed friendships, heartbreak, funerals, PR-events, therapeutic pun-tertainment and hilariously tacky cat videos, it's clear that through chemistry, witty and light-hearted banter, forwards and mis-forwards, this series has morphed into so much more. And <i>Right Click, </i>over several plot arcs and important character milestones, provided a heartwarming and balanced finale to what has been a fabulous e-journey!</div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating:</u> ★★★1/2</span></b></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-53582657599693238512014-04-26T22:42:00.001-07:002014-04-28T07:42:31.978-07:00Review: The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy by Kate Hattemer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvs28g2UPHPDGNz4oW6w_VATAy6ZymQgFWOttqWIYY9SPS4o-Fktp-VEaDfHr7It38H-19yERQ-p64qntiQuwybDqDl9eDaiOgrlt5LBEp3xHvgsr7uk20UvplwL7FxB584e18we2oqXsa/s1600/18209360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvs28g2UPHPDGNz4oW6w_VATAy6ZymQgFWOttqWIYY9SPS4o-Fktp-VEaDfHr7It38H-19yERQ-p64qntiQuwybDqDl9eDaiOgrlt5LBEp3xHvgsr7uk20UvplwL7FxB584e18we2oqXsa/s1600/18209360.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b>Publication date: </b>April 8th, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: Knopf Books for Young Readers<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18209360-the-vigilante-poets-of-selwyn-academy" target="_blank">Goodreads </a>| <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Vigilante-Poets-Selwyn-Academy/dp/0385753780" target="_blank">Amazon </a>| <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Vigilante-Poets-Selwyn-Academy-Kate-Hattemer/9780385753784" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>5/5<br />
<b>Source: </b><a href="http://netgalley.com/" target="_blank">NetGalley</a><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Witty, sarcastic Ethan and his three friends decide to take down the reality TV show, <i>For Art's Sake</i>, that is being filmed at their high school, the esteemed Selwyn Arts Academy, where each student is more talented than the next. While studying Ezra Pound in English class, the friends are inspired to write a vigilante long poem and distribute it to the student body, detailing the evils of <i>For Art's Sake</i>. But then Luke—the creative force behind the poem and leader of the anti-show movement—becomes a contestant on the nefarious show. It's up to Ethan, his two remaining best friends, and a heroic gerbil named Baconnaise to save their school. Along the way, they'll discover a web of secrets and corruption involving the principal, vice principal, and even their favorite teacher.</span><br />
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<i>The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy </i>has got to be the most enjoyable Young Adult book I've read in a while! I read this book way back in January, and if I hadn't been on an unofficial-hiatus I would've reviewed it right away. A lot of "reality show" based books end up wearing thin, but not this one.</div>
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<i>The Vigilante Poets...</i>(don't you love the title?) is about Ethan Andrezejczak who is witty, sarcastic, perfectly likable and hung up on ballerina Maura, the poster girl for Unattainable. Throw in a reality show their artsy unconventional school is the center of, an inspiring English teacher who introduces them to Ezra Pound's Cantos, the realisation that the show is ruining everything their school stands for and a creative rebellion is underway. There's plenty of genuine wit, solid characters, betrayals, a gerbil you will dote on and anti-climatic romantic twists to make this story epic and memorable. </div>
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The best part? The ride is smooth. The writing is both charming and intelligent; and at no point does the plot pause. At no point are there Reflections or a pointless elaboration of angst. What we get of the show and the anti-show-movement are mere commercial-break-infused snippets. What we get of the characters, whether it's Ethan and his friends, his adorable twin sisters or even the elusive Maura, is brilliant. They grow on you, they fill you in on insights about themselves that surprise you just as much; but they never pause on it!</div>
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This book is a smart, snappy, insightful and colourful laugh-riot that reminds you of, but surpasses by a landslide, TV shows like <i>Glee. </i>A work of art by itself that gets the fun-insightful ratio just right, I highly recommend giving this book a shot.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating:</u> ★★★★★</span></b></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-80337426168040143622014-03-20T10:24:00.000-07:002014-03-20T10:24:24.254-07:00Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirIq3lvY-JDOdt_zt43mvqidPhs_5Gq5BpQEULm0Q6oRnbfTpsucybg2zslxA7jIl3GURHN_gIZhEn43c-lRqvxWJRFrGdlc3lFuYddvKxHA7vsjSjv9SxkIwyirVmeXooL2fae4maMZjs/s1600/7824322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirIq3lvY-JDOdt_zt43mvqidPhs_5Gq5BpQEULm0Q6oRnbfTpsucybg2zslxA7jIl3GURHN_gIZhEn43c-lRqvxWJRFrGdlc3lFuYddvKxHA7vsjSjv9SxkIwyirVmeXooL2fae4maMZjs/s1600/7824322.jpg" height="320" width="221" /></a><br />
<b>Publication date: </b>April 1st, 2011<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: Puffin Books<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7824322-between-shades-of-gray" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Between-Shades-Gray-Ruta-Sepetys-ebook/dp/B004PYDBLW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395268490&sr=8-1&keywords=between+shades+of+gray" target="_blank">Amazon </a>| <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Between-Shades-Gray-Ruta-Sepetys/9780142420591" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>4.5/5<br />
<b>Source: </b>Two lovely people (<i><a href="http://me24x7.blogspot.in/" target="_blank">Thanks</a> <a href="http://peekintomehead.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">a ton</a> xD)</i><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.<br />
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Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. <i>Between Shades of Gray</i> is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.<br />
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I have seen this book around but never thought to pick it up. I figured it would be<br />
too intense<br />
a difficult read<br />
so involving, I'd get lost in it<br />
and given the current Semester's workload, I've been seeking refuge in "easy" and predictable books with the kind of wit, banter and plot arcs that I've grown so comfortable with, the repetitiveness ceases to bother me.<br />
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But when two really good bookie friends of mine gifted <i>Between Shades</i> to me for my birthday, it felt like the choice had been made for me! And I'm glad.</div>
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<i>Between Shades of Gray was </i>too intense. There were parts where I had to blink away tears or worse, felt too numb to react. It was not an easy read but it was an <i>important </i>one; capturing a part of history, of Lithuanians forcibly deported to Siberian work camps by the NKVD during World War II, that I wasn't aware of. It was a story that needed to be told and couldn't have been put across in a better way.</div>
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The book also got so involving, it broke through my reluctance- <strike>completely</strike> quite possibly stemming out of nothing short of indolence- to read something that grabbed every bit of my attention and made me <i>feel </i>for real. It dares to infuse beauty and meaning into the period when the darkest and most cruel side of human nature was exposed. It crushes you with the enormity of the hardships these people had to shoulder and how even then, many refuse to crumble. </div>
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The protagonist, Lina, is just fifteen years old at the time when she, along with her mother and brother are deported in a train labeled "Thieves and Prostitutes". Her perspective holds both innocence and incredible strength. It's heartbreaking how she is forced to grow up in a work camp; in such brutal, unforgivable conditions. And yet, she does. Despite being reduced to a state of near-starvation and constant worry for the people around her, she still has spirit. </div>
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Lina's a gifted artist, and despite Soviet rules barring them to do so, she never stops drawing about the injustices they are forced to undergo. She never stops trying to get messages to her father, who is separated from them. She never stops hoping and fighting and loving. Her journey, with flashbacks to life before the deportation that are seamlessly integrated, is heartbreaking. The kind of bonds formed and the togetherness that exists among the deportees; the fabric of strength maintained by the adults for their children and their individuality despite the NKVD grouping them as "cattle" was astounding. </div>
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Wonderfully written in a sharp, almost cinematic manner, with well-fleshed out, memorable characters, this book will, indeed, as the blurb says, "steal your breath and capture your heart." </div>
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<b><span style="color: #76a5af; font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating:</u> ★★★★1/2</span></b></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-32328583290273665662014-03-19T15:20:00.001-07:002014-03-19T15:25:24.410-07:00Cover Feature: Right Click by Lisa Becker<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I really liked <i><a href="http://aandhowareyou.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-click-online-love-story-by-lisa.html" target="_blank">Click: An Online Love Story</a></i> as it was incredibly fun and light!<br />
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The sequel, <i><a href="http://aandhowareyou.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-double-click-by-lisa-becker.html" target="_blank">Double Click</a>, </i>was even more of an entertainer.<br />
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And now it's time to unveil the cover of:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9zbdRzpS5RKJS4upA9Yko_tcWbQ83PSt3aV_1MCsYm3_c6iyuHygPMjNuycR2u2pGlBBIYrMmFGgU-FYqG-OZMvSxFUmkcKeM-9J593LLI6oby6L2zluX34ZLEUF7FiTLthLAi9iQnC7O/s1600/front+cover+final+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9zbdRzpS5RKJS4upA9Yko_tcWbQ83PSt3aV_1MCsYm3_c6iyuHygPMjNuycR2u2pGlBBIYrMmFGgU-FYqG-OZMvSxFUmkcKeM-9J593LLI6oby6L2zluX34ZLEUF7FiTLthLAi9iQnC7O/s1600/front+cover+final+copy.jpg" height="320" width="217" /></a><b>Release date: </b>May, 2014<br />
<b>Links:</b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClickAnOnlineLoveStory?ref=hl" target="_blank"> Facebook</a> | <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IkehsEZxbs" target="_blank"><i>Click </i>Book Trailer</a><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Love. Marriage. Infidelity. Parenthood. Crises of identity. Death. Cupcakes. The themes in Right Click, the third and final installment in the Click series, couldn't be more pressing for this group of friends as they navigate through their 30's. Another six months have passed since we last eavesdropped on the hilarious, poignant and often times inappropriate email adventures of Renee and friends. As the light-hearted, slice of life story continues to unfold, relationships are tested and some need to be set "right" before everyone can find their "happily ever after."</span></blockquote>
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Sad as I am to have to part with this series, I can't wait to see how the loose ends are tied up! And I <i>love </i>the heart-shaped mouse in the cover.<br />
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<b><i>Right Click </i>is due for release in mid-May. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClickAnOnlineLoveStory?ref=hl" target="_blank">Check out the Facebook Page for further updates!</a></b></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-54760731572036466802014-02-08T10:18:00.000-08:002014-02-09T03:08:20.756-08:00Review: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Publication date: </b>January 28th, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: HarlequinTEEN<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17258743-heartbeat?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads </a>| <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heartbeat-Elizabeth-Scott-ebook/dp/B00GMNZ0FE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1391827917&sr=8-2&keywords=heartbeat" target="_blank">Amazon </a>| <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Heartbeat-Elizabeth-Scott/9780373210961" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>3/5<br />
<b>Source: </b><a href="http://netgalley.com/" target="_blank">NetGalley</a><br />
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Life. Death. And...Love?<br />
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Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.<br />
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But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.<br />
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Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.<br />
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Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?<br />
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What do you do when you're losing the person who matters the most and suddenly, everything else loses meaning? When all that's left is anger, grief and guilt? Elizabeth Scott explores this in <i>Heartbeat</i> where Emma's senior year is far from what she imagined it would be like. Her mother is brain-dead, still pregnant, kept alive by machines until her baby brother can be born. She's angry that her step-father chose this for her mother... chose to have her kept alive as a vegetable as she believes her mother never wanted the baby in the first place. Her grades have gone out of the window but still, she finds love and support in unexpected places.</div>
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<i>Heartbeat </i>was a very difficult book to read and I cannot imagine what it would've been like to write. It reverberates sadness and leaves you at a loss for words. Emma keeps going back and forth, from anger to grief to anger to guilt, and it's frustrating, sometimes monotonous, but also realistic... when she takes her time to waver towards acceptance. I think this was the strongest point of the point... how <i>ongoing</i> the cycle of grief and hopelessness was until the breakthrough.</div>
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While the relationship between Emma and Caleb was this ray of light in the otherwise dark place she was in... it didn't convince me. It felt like Caleb just happened to be there and that he had experienced loss at a similar scale helped. I was more gripped by Emma's relationship with her stepfather, the baby, the lingering presence of her mother and her perspective on school and life. How these things were challenged in the face of regrets and blame, and how she came to terms with them.</div>
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It took time to get into <i>Heartbeat</i><i> </i>but at its core, it is a well-written, perspective-changing and poignant read about love, loss and how you never really move on from the latter.</div>
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<b><b><span style="color: #20124d; font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating:</u> ★★★☆☆</span></b></b></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-45824973417412165092014-02-03T13:55:00.003-08:002014-02-03T14:04:34.513-08:00Featuring: Mohini by Ramendra Kumar [Guest Post]<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>I'm happy to feature Ramendra Kumar on the blog today! Ramendra Kumar is the author of</b><i> Mohini<b>,</b></i><b> which delves deep into the world of Bollywood. Scroll down to read about his take on movies, the kind of books he writes and more :)</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwyGm4P_wfEQN73iSMxQWU3hDuIKsRZM1-dE5FFPRxl11XT9pl3LtS_vOHC903cbepluTlJb-YrKqwlNzo-CoyJgfg78FQ-nimJF1uL7-9Id3QtALM1XcWu0Qfx6jZ851JBlQAUQlhFjx/s1600/Mohini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwyGm4P_wfEQN73iSMxQWU3hDuIKsRZM1-dE5FFPRxl11XT9pl3LtS_vOHC903cbepluTlJb-YrKqwlNzo-CoyJgfg78FQ-nimJF1uL7-9Id3QtALM1XcWu0Qfx6jZ851JBlQAUQlhFjx/s1600/Mohini.jpg" height="142" width="200" /></a><i>A beautiful and charismatic actress, a sensitive and immensely gifted director, a scheming, wily but brilliant manager - Mohini is the pulsating saga of three individuals - each driven by an obsession. Set in the backdrop of the bold and brazen world of Bollywood, it is a tale of passion, intrigue and suspense. The narrative moves at a roller coaster speed and captures love in its myriad shades: infatuation, romance, commitment, lust and obsession...</i><br />
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</i> <i>A young girl growing up in the backwaters of Bollywood nurses a burning desire to become the number one star in the industry. In her ruthless, and sometimes reckless, pursuit she uses and is used by many individuals. However, there are two men in her life who love her to absolute distraction. Each in his own way helps her reach the zenith of fame and success. One she betrays and the other she rejects. Both unleash vengeance and in a strange quirk of serendipity are pitted against each other as the novel hurtles to a throbbing, thrilling climax…</i><br />
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</i> <i>Mohini is not merely a saga of romance - the tale offers an insight into the biggest film industry on Planet Earth - the murky manipulations, the dirty deals, the shameless shenanigans, the tears behind the glycerin, the pain behind the paint and the suffering beyond the celluloid.</i><br />
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<b style="text-align: center;">Publication month:</b><span style="text-align: center;"> January 2014</span></div>
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<b>Publisher</b>: Bluejay Books Pvt. Ltd</div>
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="http://read.ebay.in/ci/Mohini-/12131609" target="_blank">Ebay</a>|<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20569044-mohini" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>|<a href="https://sapnaonline.com/mohini-of-bollywood-dreams-obsession-9113863" target="_blank">SapnaOnline</a>|<a href="http://www.homeshop18.com/mohini/author:ramendra-kumar/isbn:9789382891116/books/fiction/product:31226501/cid:12141/" target="_blank">Homeshop18</a>|<a href="http://www.amazon.in/Mohini-Bollywood-Dreams-Obsession-Ramendra/dp/9382891110" target="_blank">Amazon.in</a> </div>
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<i><b>A SPOT OF JOY, A SLICE OF VALUE</b></i></div>
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Over the years there have been several debates regarding a particular tag to be attached to a movie : parallel or popular cinema, art or commercial cinema or realistic or escapist cinema. I loved what Shyam Benegal once famously said, “There are only two kinds of cinema – good cinema and bad cinema.”</div>
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I have always been a huge film buff and enjoyed the entire range - action, comedy, drama, pathos et al. I have admired Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor, Kundan Shah, Shyam Benegal, Sai Paranjpe, Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra and many others. But if were asked to choose the entire oeuvre of a director and then pick the best I would select Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Rajkumar Hirani. And if I were to pick one movie from repertoire of each of these master craftsmen it would be ‘Anand’ and ‘3 Idiots’. I have a few reasons for zeroing in on these two directors and these two movies which I would like to share.</div>
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I have so far written 24 books for children. In every book of mine I have tried to tell a story which is racy and has a reasonably high EQ (Entertainment Quotient). I believe that today a young reader has too many choices. Hence if she is not hooked from the first word to the last she would simply switch over to the some other medium. But then I also feel that only entertainment is not enough, providing escapist fare alone will not do. There should be a take away in the form of at least a hint of a whisper of value. It should not be thrust like the anti-tobacco messages on the idiot box or a Rajashree Production melodrama but rather it should be subtle tucked somewhere in the narrative so that the young one internalizes it without even realizing.</div>
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Both Anand and 3 Idiots offer dollops of entertainment. Rajesh Khanna, in his most memorable role, keeps you in splits almost throughout. Yet, even as the movie moves to a predictable denouement the value is clear : “<i>Babumushai, zindagi lambi nahin badi honi chahiye</i>.” In 3 Idiots Amir and his friends blunder their way through the movie. And at the end what remains is Amir’s brilliant performance and the message: ‘Strive for excellence, not success. Once you achieve excellence, success would automatically follow.’</div>
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In my first book for adults, Mohini too I have stuck to my credo. It has been called a gripping, racy, un-putdownable narrative that takes a behind the scenes look at the ‘the murky manipulations, the dirty deals, the shameless shenanigans, the tears behind the glycerin, the pain behind the paint and the suffering beyond the celluloid.’ However, it goes beyond the grim reality and the sordid drama to offer more than a dash of hope. It reiterates that it is not unbridled manipulation, naked ambition or overpowering obsession that can bring happiness. Joy and contentment can come from a simple, yet all powerful four letter word called Love. </div>
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As I sign off let me humbly appeal to the marquee names of tinsel town and the czars and czarinas of the literary planet. Beyond the esoteric and the abstract, beyond the hype and the hoopla, there is a little space ‘rented out’ by the child in each of us. Reach out to that space with a bit of humour and a ripple of hope, a spot of joy and a slice of value.</div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b> ~ <i>RAMENDRA KUMAR</i></b> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qCkL1GdNouvHOTkhLNJmrTtWwYeSgFOZAfihXbAgdO8_FdzHHNKYz2Qc_nD2apImA7Zhf2zCqFajL1AFScfhBZ1oH3BjFv61_kftMGRvBlf49t_5TbVldf9-tvKB3ZelCTIYs3smxPgl/s1600/foto+Ramendra+Kumar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qCkL1GdNouvHOTkhLNJmrTtWwYeSgFOZAfihXbAgdO8_FdzHHNKYz2Qc_nD2apImA7Zhf2zCqFajL1AFScfhBZ1oH3BjFv61_kftMGRvBlf49t_5TbVldf9-tvKB3ZelCTIYs3smxPgl/s1600/foto+Ramendra+Kumar.JPG" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
<b><u><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #783f04; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent6;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR: <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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Ramendra Kumar (Ramen) is ‘A Writer by Passion’. An award winning author with 23 books to his credit, he spins yarns mainly for the young and the young at heart. He also dabbles in satire, poetry, fiction and travelogues. His work has been published by some of the best names in the business and translated into several Indian and foreign languages. His stories have found a place in text books and anthologies published across the world. Ramen, an inspirational speaker and storyteller, is a regular at leading seminars and literary festivals both in India and abroad. Mohini, his first novel for adults was launched on 1/12014. Its publishers Bluejay/Shristi had to go in for the second impression, because of the demand based on pre-orders, almost immediately after its first edition. <i>Mohini </i>has also been maintaining its position close to the top on Amazon's 'Hot New Releases' list.</div>
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To know more about Ramen you can visit his website or his page on Wikipedia. </div>
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He is working as Chief of Communications, Rourkela Steel Plant, Odisha.</div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-1315047049376774992014-01-17T08:32:00.001-08:002014-01-20T09:11:59.945-08:00Review: Stir Me Up by Sabrina Elkins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1H_bYM5PiXhHaKSGesg0NTE1gOddzS6rnx501MJ_lQv-nAtrRh7Kixzv43SVTzSemS_6rdDbRo80bs5wrVSkdYj66FBU96UGwAfeEUZvXZiNNGt8uQxdXRbdlk53R5sXS9IGwnVy7nqd5/s1600/18333827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1H_bYM5PiXhHaKSGesg0NTE1gOddzS6rnx501MJ_lQv-nAtrRh7Kixzv43SVTzSemS_6rdDbRo80bs5wrVSkdYj66FBU96UGwAfeEUZvXZiNNGt8uQxdXRbdlk53R5sXS9IGwnVy7nqd5/s1600/18333827.jpg" height="320" width="202" /></a></div>
<b>Publication date: </b>1st October, 2013<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: HarlequinTEEN<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18333827-stir-me-up?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stir-Me-Up-Sabrina-Elkins-ebook/dp/B00G4CDBC2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389966126&sr=8-1&keywords=stir+me+up" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stir-me-up-sabrina-elkins/1116055670?ean=9781459254732" target="_blank">B&N</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>3.5/5<br />
<b>Source: </b><a href="http://netgalley.com/" target="_blank">NetGalley</a><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Cami Broussard has her future all figured out. She'll finish her senior year of high school, then go to work full-time as an apprentice chef in her father's French restaurant, alongside her boyfriend, Luke. But then twenty-year-old ex-Marine Julian Wyatt comes to live with Cami's family while recovering from serious injuries. And suddenly Cami finds herself questioning everything she thought she wanted.<br />
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Julian's all attitude, challenges and intense green-brown eyes. But beneath that abrasive exterior is a man who just might be as lost as Cami's starting to feel. And Cami can't stop thinking about him. Talking to him. Wanting to kiss him. He's got her seriously stirred up. Her senior year has just gotten a lot more complicated…</span></blockquote>
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<b>REVIEW</b></div>
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Keywords from the blurb that made me decide to read <i>Stir Me Up</i> despite my ambivalence towards New Adult fiction:</div>
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apprentice chef</div>
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ex-Marine</div>
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all attitude, challenges, intense-green eyes</div>
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stirred up</div>
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Quite simply, the concoction to die for! Sabrina Elkins' writing only strengthens the surface-level awesomeness of the premise. She thickens it with characters you can think around rather than cardboard cut-outs with default-pasts and actual, in-depth conversations between the characters at crossroads anyone can relate to.</div>
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Cami's senior year was supposed to be clear-cut: with classes ending by afternoon, her part-time job as an apprentice chef and time with her boyfriend. Her future is just within reach; she's going to work full-time at her father's restaurant. Then the worst of circumstances brings Julian, her stepmother's nephew and ex-Marine to Cami's home and from that point on, the year is nothing like what she thought it would be. Everything Cami thought she had figured out is put to test and there's verbal spars, reluctant truces, attraction, confusion, self-doubt and worries about her future.</div>
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There's also plenty of unbelievable hotness, mouthwatering food and an<span style="color: white;"> idealistic</span> <b>(highlight to read possibly spoiler-y adjective)</b> resolution of things... as suggested by the blurb and cover! And honestly, anything less and I would've been disappointed.</div>
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Whether it's Cami's stubborn but doting father, her theater-loving best friend who's there at a moment's notice or even Luke, the boy she thought she would be with forever... <i>Stir Me Up</i> is filled with characters you will come to care about, if not instantly like. It may not be a game changer in its genre, but it never promises to be anything but an engagingly romantic read in the first place. It's well written, thought provoking, extremely fun to read and in Julian, you might just find a potential book boyfriend!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #a64d79;"><u>Rating:</u> ★★★1/2</span></b></span></div>
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<b>~</b></div>
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<b>Also, if you have been following my blog/ are reading this:</b></div>
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<b><i>On Books!</i> has been shortlisted for the BlogAdda Blog Awards (category: Entertainment) and it would be awesome if you could vote for my blog by clicking on the below graphic and hitting Like/tweet:</b></div>
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<b><br />
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<a href="http://win.blogadda.com/view-blogs-voting/entertainment/of_books_intense_fluff_and_fluff_that_s_intense-meyesme/" target="_blank" title="BlogAdda #WIN14"> <img alt="Make My Blog WIN for BlogAdda Awards" border="0" src="http://win.blogadda.com/images/widget-img.jpg" height="115" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><br />
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<b>Thanks and hope you have a great weekend! :)</b></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-23739400082600075742014-01-07T11:30:00.000-08:002014-01-07T11:35:01.873-08:00Review: The Secret Proposal by Aniesha Brahma<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVscKFUJ3xrTBHFU4BcmtufHvqOcWQqdJ66UXCSNy-K1Fsf-_QK9O97UTnJRoNNKiVsWuthUZdmf4eeTb1ETdn6pvwAu6Q8V5uRa2OHgh4mYPc-aN9vzRZXW_B6gXGfsqzs4rM9YXMi5T/s1600/the-secret-proposal-life-begins-from-here-400x400-imadcy7ncgvmgyea.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVscKFUJ3xrTBHFU4BcmtufHvqOcWQqdJ66UXCSNy-K1Fsf-_QK9O97UTnJRoNNKiVsWuthUZdmf4eeTb1ETdn6pvwAu6Q8V5uRa2OHgh4mYPc-aN9vzRZXW_B6gXGfsqzs4rM9YXMi5T/s1600/the-secret-proposal-life-begins-from-here-400x400-imadcy7ncgvmgyea.jpeg" height="320" width="219" /></a><br />
<b>Publication year: </b>2012<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: General Press<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16132603-the-secret-proposal?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.flipkart.com/secret-proposal-life-begins-here/p/itmdbzvbzqfyathj" target="_blank">Flipkart India</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>3/5<br />
<b>Source: </b>Review copy<br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Eight years ago, she was the teenager he would use to get out of boring parties. But now, he is stunned to see her grown up.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">He decides to delay his marriage by getting into a false engagement with her. Then he falls in love with someone else and she forces herself to move on. He comes back to her, but she's determined not to take him back. Will she ever get over her unrequited love for him?</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Would a grand gesture from him make her believe otherwise?</span></div>
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</span> <span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">And how do you know that your knight in shining armour has been standing right next to you?</span></div>
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</span> <span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Join Tanveer 'Veer' Bhattacharya and Larissa 'Jasmine' Chakroborty as they embark on a journey which questions relationships, friendships and makes one wonder...</span></div>
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</span> <span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i> how long would it take for love to eventually find a way?</i></span></div>
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<b>REVIEW</b><br />
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I started reading <i>The Secret Proposal</i> a little before my December break and it felt amazing to sink into this... fluffy, dreamy haven. <i>The Secret Proposal </i>is a story of unrequited love, a fake engagement that gets out of hand and a <i>lot</i> of ups and downs, highs and lows, red, green and mixed signals in between.<br />
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If I had to describe the protagonist, Larissa "Jasmine" Chakroborty in one word, I'd go with "likable". She's someone you'd easily be friends with and that made it easier to slip into her predicament and feel a part of this insane chapter of her life. Tanveer "Veer" Bhattacharya is the kind of guy you would fall for and probably idealise a bit too much... so I could see what Jasmine saw in him. And then there's Neeraj, who comes out of nowhere and there's no second guessing his role in the story.<br />
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As you may have guessed from the title and the cover, <i>The Secret Proposal </i>feels like something out of a fairy-tale. Sure, there's no prince and princess and magical kingdom but there's Veer who could double for Prince Charming in Jasmine's eyes, even if he gets on her last nerve... and Jasmine herself, who is waiting to be swept off her feet, even if it is through a <i>fake </i>engagement to the boy she's secretly been in love with since forever.<br />
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<i>The Secret Proposal</i> is at the same time a bit more grounded than most fairy-tales. For instance, the media threatens to ruin everything. We are given more than a taste of Kolkata: with a full, blown-up picture of the city during Durga Puja; the mouth-watering sweets, colours, <i>diyas </i>and dancing. The Happily Ever After isn't instantaneous. The pangs of misery, loneliness and confusion <i>before </i>the Ever After feel real. More than anything, the Prince Charming here messes up a <i>lot</i> and needs timely help from a good friend to make his Grand Sweeping Gesture that was staring at him in the face all along!<br />
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There are times when the ups and downs of Veer and Jasmine's relationship get a little too much and the description of Veer's "chocolate brown eyes" during their every encounter feels like too much of an overkill... but overall, <i>The Secret Proposal </i>is a light and breezy read. It's just the book you'd pick up if you were in the mood for something girly and romantic... if you don't mind a few cliches (and a lot of swooning) here and there. Especially when they are <i>well-written </i>cliches and there's enough banter to keep you entertained!<br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating:</u> ★★★</b></span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">☆☆</span></b></span></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-17987195289054567842013-12-31T15:00:00.000-08:002013-12-31T15:15:32.897-08:00Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books I Read in 2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xsThBFtt8-bANrNy9ZwqOKja8R69-uZynej93nc1ptCrVoTi-H0pcUSS67SwrAzlB_qqg5FX2CSOQc73N1sdJDQhZ7djiA1IArVCCDb19GemoqDhsRd9v466iQHSaYubskY1q9sSRXZT/s1600/toptentuesday2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xsThBFtt8-bANrNy9ZwqOKja8R69-uZynej93nc1ptCrVoTi-H0pcUSS67SwrAzlB_qqg5FX2CSOQc73N1sdJDQhZ7djiA1IArVCCDb19GemoqDhsRd9v466iQHSaYubskY1q9sSRXZT/s200/toptentuesday2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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hosted by <i><a href="http://www.brokeandbookish.com/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a></i></div>
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I must confess, I feel a little underwhelmed this year.<br />
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I didn't read as much as I had in 2012. I fell short of my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal by 29 books (71/100 books). My reviews and posts were sporadic and off schedule. I guess real life got in the way.<br />
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Nevertheless, just scrolling through the list of books I <i>did</i> read in 2013 brought back a lot of memories: from characters that popped out of the page, the most intense book moments ever to real-life events intimately tied to the book I was reading at that time. I had a really hard time narrowing it down to the <strike>top ten</strike> <i>best </i>ten books I read in 2013 because there were so many books that impacted me in so many different ways!<br />
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<i>THE BEST TEN BOOKS I READ IN 2013</i></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWmkxmUUs2HQrJt3fKF8EqEiXVqWFN8HJ4XwAd5pzFpqQP8U4I6SvSJWcjsAaFPDF8IQ4gp12LDhwYPG9CW2rPnJw0rF96VdKjja1xaoY182Y6gkIpuxrfqgLkfBCe_QNUL1qs78nL0LV/s1600/8909152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWmkxmUUs2HQrJt3fKF8EqEiXVqWFN8HJ4XwAd5pzFpqQP8U4I6SvSJWcjsAaFPDF8IQ4gp12LDhwYPG9CW2rPnJw0rF96VdKjja1xaoY182Y6gkIpuxrfqgLkfBCe_QNUL1qs78nL0LV/s200/8909152.jpg" width="133" /></a><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8909152-attachments?ac=1" target="_blank">Attachments</a> </b>by Rainbow Rowell [<a href="http://aandhowareyou.blogspot.in/2013/06/summer-readin-pick-one-attachments-by.html" target="_blank">REVIEW</a>]<br />
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I cannot believe this book has been around for so long and I almost didn't read it. Rainbow Rowell is an incredible writer and you will know this if you read <i>Attachments </i>as it has this amazing setting (the Y2K speculation), characters I could relate to, fun movie references and hilarity in every second page. I read this book twice this year and both times, it bowled me over with its depth and warmth!<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15507958-me-before-you" target="_blank">Me Before You</a> </b>by Jojo Moyes<br />
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I never got around to reviewing <i>Me Before You</i> because by the time I was done with it, there. were. no. words. left.<br />
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<i>Me Before You</i> was poignant... so much so that I ditched everything I had going on at that moment to root for these characters... engrossed in their struggles and triumphs. It tackles some difficult issues but above everything, it is a love story; one that is earnest and tearful and one that matters.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsp7xFwMcTMGzBWFLkGJ3QK2Q2y8rNRLcNGG2Ic9RPTDQGsIwk7f8MfzBMwB9vroym7OKKF90nELtmPBL8EIYZTx8_vFMWDC4ZyfMfy1Nbnl1WbPpLWJIhxivT-BxKMOjV8qC5X-gniKol/s1600/15715618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsp7xFwMcTMGzBWFLkGJ3QK2Q2y8rNRLcNGG2Ic9RPTDQGsIwk7f8MfzBMwB9vroym7OKKF90nELtmPBL8EIYZTx8_vFMWDC4ZyfMfy1Nbnl1WbPpLWJIhxivT-BxKMOjV8qC5X-gniKol/s200/15715618.jpg" width="137" /></a><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15715618-maybe-i-will" target="_blank">Maybe I Will</a> </b>by Laurie Gray [<a href="http://aandhowareyou.blogspot.in/2013/09/novel-publicity-blog-tour-review-maybe.html" target="_blank">REVIEW</a>]<br />
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A game-changing narrative that breaks barriers related to perception of sexual assault and its consequences. This book felt real, raw and eye-opening. I cannot forget the day I read it and how I was left quieter, kind of awestruck... with a lump in my throat.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15742858-confessions-of-an-almost-girlfriend" target="_blank">Confessions of an Almost Girlfriend</a> (Confessions, #2) </b>by Louise Rozett [<a href="http://aandhowareyou.blogspot.in/2013/05/arc-review-confessions-of-almost.html" target="_blank">REVIEW</a>]<br />
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<i>Confessions of an Almost Girlfriend </i>is book #2 in the <i>Confessions </i>series that renewed my faith in series set in high school that were defined by... well, ordinary high school stuff. A mix of happy, sad, angry, relevant and interesting is what this book was.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11988046-pivot-point" target="_blank">Pivot Point</a> (Pivot Point, #1) </b>by Kasie West<br />
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This one was high school with <strike>a supernatural </strike>an evolutionary (?) twist. Who would've thought one choice, a pivot point, could potentially change everything? I loved how the mind powers in this book weren't as <i>easy</i> or straight-up-cool as most superpowers. The plot was engrossing and threatened to wreck my heart at every turn. .__.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16160797-the-cuckoo-s-calling?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Cuckoo's Calling</a> (Cormoran Strike, #1) </b>by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling) [<a href="http://aandhowareyou.blogspot.in/2013/10/mini-reviews-cuckoos-calling-by-robert.html" target="_blank">MINI-REVIEW</a>]<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8ve9oEyTfrwpCKtMrZm7lmYag288fBx8NZQqf4Y2kSJo4OKzAee8Bxvj3iKRAJ1h0_adYiprJCWrT0xZHhBs9sYPYkEHuhY8bJaS_z27BZBu4vw4km7NfZ4AQkVw6YFR4MrzIBOwbhTt/s1600/16160797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8ve9oEyTfrwpCKtMrZm7lmYag288fBx8NZQqf4Y2kSJo4OKzAee8Bxvj3iKRAJ1h0_adYiprJCWrT0xZHhBs9sYPYkEHuhY8bJaS_z27BZBu4vw4km7NfZ4AQkVw6YFR4MrzIBOwbhTt/s200/16160797.jpg" width="128" /></a>I might be a little biased since I don't think I would've read this book if it weren't written by Rowling but... <i>it felt so good to have Rowling back!</i> The quirky and well etched-out muggle characters, the well grounded Cormoran Strike, old fashioned detection, passages wrought with charm... I cannot wait for more of this series!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEj87fd86_mgxcml5BeEvVo_XzHeQ8sEJJ_5v_-3e-z50Hyc7g9SXTnOvF-yAwxT9B7ZlrEMeWIGtINHh7YK61eR6f1lZiUr-8w97E1Kv4WQ2HqjjZKZ1IAr8Pe-dO9TW-8EaYkDrkrzK/s1600/16068905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEj87fd86_mgxcml5BeEvVo_XzHeQ8sEJJ_5v_-3e-z50Hyc7g9SXTnOvF-yAwxT9B7ZlrEMeWIGtINHh7YK61eR6f1lZiUr-8w97E1Kv4WQ2HqjjZKZ1IAr8Pe-dO9TW-8EaYkDrkrzK/s200/16068905.jpg" width="134" /></a><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16068905-fangirl" target="_blank">Fangirl</a> </b>by Rainbow Rowell [<a href="http://aandhowareyou.blogspot.in/2013/12/review-fangirl-by-rainbow-rowell.html" target="_blank">REVIEW</a>]<br />
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Another Rainbow Rowell novel... and this one is set in college! From fangirling, fanfiction, writing fiction that <i>isn't </i>fanfiction, being a social recluse, making those first friends to charming, polite, <i>smiling </i>Levi, <i>Fangirl </i>will slowly steal your heart and bring back any fandom-related nostalgia!<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13555924-the-angry-woman-suite?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Angry Woman Suite</a> </b>by Lee Fullbright [<a href="http://aandhowareyou.blogspot.in/2013/10/review-angry-woman-suite-by-lee.html" target="_blank">REVIEW</a>]<br />
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Vivid, thorough and mind-numbingly heartwrenching. While <i>The Angry Woman Suite</i> can get really heavy... definitely not something you can read at <i>any</i> time... it is because of the intricacy of the narratives as a result of which the characters stay with you. A surprise favourite that blew me away!<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18593175-finding-cinderella" target="_blank">Finding Cinderella (Hopeless #2.5) </a></b>by Colleen Hoover<br />
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A novella that was... spunky, I guess.<br />
Fresh.<br />
NOT your average love story where the Boy and Girl play way too many mind games and create issues out of nothing.<br />
Has a twist that comes out of nowhere and that will definitely shock you... even more if you've read <i>Hopeless. </i><br />
Contains straight-up brazenness... so much of it... that saves so much time and makes the main characters your heroes in every way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6aFgTkx4Ota9Ywuuc4mSqPjy7DbDcg5KfWwr1kTkLw4QPc7cfD869hG_0xzH9JA_jlqG7sG9q84aTst5gmw_tO8CjyAPJdi9xHpLA95ymtHkgIYPfi6QmA2GOYgMATLi3KbvPYRtRS6I/s1600/hompigeons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6aFgTkx4Ota9Ywuuc4mSqPjy7DbDcg5KfWwr1kTkLw4QPc7cfD869hG_0xzH9JA_jlqG7sG9q84aTst5gmw_tO8CjyAPJdi9xHpLA95ymtHkgIYPfi6QmA2GOYgMATLi3KbvPYRtRS6I/s200/hompigeons.jpg" width="145" /></a><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17562907-the-homing-pigeons" target="_blank">The Homing Pigeons</a> </b>by Sid Bahri [<a href="http://aandhowareyou.blogspot.in/2013/07/review-homing-pigeons-by-sid-bahri.html" target="_blank">REVIEW</a>]<br />
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A beautifully written love story set during the 2008 recession. More than the love story itself, it's the writing and characterisation that makes this Indian contemporary novel shine.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>OTHER STAND-OUTS</u></span><br />
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<b>1. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9361589-the-night-circus" target="_blank">The Night Circus</a> </b>by Erin Morgenstern<br />
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Utterly. Captivating. And dreamy.<br />
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<b>2. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13628178-the-tragedy-paper" target="_blank">The Tragedy Paper</a> </b>by Elizabeth LaBan<br />
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Neat. Well written. Layered. A pretty awesome addition to the Young Adult boarding-school genre with enough suspense, intrigue and drama to keep it engaging.<br />
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<b>3. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17623975-just-one-day" target="_blank">Just One Day (Just One Day, #1)</a> </b>by Gayle Forman<br />
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The one fateful encounter and that one magical day that sets this story rolling captured enough of my imagination that the succeeding detatchment and misery felt real... and the changes that followed in the protagonist's character inevitable. I still haven't stopped wondering about the cliffhanger ending.<br />
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<b>4. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9777374-you-deserve-nothing" target="_blank">You Deserve Nothing</a> </b>by Alexander Maksik<br />
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Despite the controversy surrounding the author and book, the prose was stunning... haunting, almost.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Happy new year, everybody! :)</span></b></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-63580818121000501272013-12-21T08:36:00.000-08:002013-12-21T19:07:15.607-08:00Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuq8Tl_VzJV4fV4shfSjHJ4GI2vrP_si6RFSAktdJS0oZmb_QzMs8lLiQ84OumBM97xCGgDiHzUifqj8e9fwEEKfIRYVzsKdbcsxFGGM_ZI1DT0bdTGWM4eXxKSGB649Ta5FPeCBvGnrcB/s1600/16068905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuq8Tl_VzJV4fV4shfSjHJ4GI2vrP_si6RFSAktdJS0oZmb_QzMs8lLiQ84OumBM97xCGgDiHzUifqj8e9fwEEKfIRYVzsKdbcsxFGGM_ZI1DT0bdTGWM4eXxKSGB649Ta5FPeCBvGnrcB/s320/16068905.jpg" width="215" /></a><br />
<b>Publication date:</b> September 10th, 2013<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: St. Martin's Press<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16068905-fangirl" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fangirl-Rainbow-Rowell-ebook/dp/B00EVRHE8E/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387637973&sr=1-1&keywords=fangirl" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Fangirl-Rainbow-Rowell/9781250030955" target="_blank">T</a><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Fangirl-Rainbow-Rowell/9781250030955" target="_blank">he Book Depository</a> | <a href="http://www.infibeam.com/Books/fangirl-rainbow-rowell/9781250030955.html#variantId=P-M-B-9781250030955" target="_blank">Infibeam (India)</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>4.5/5<br />
<b>Source: </b>Bought<br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">From the author of the New York Times bestseller <i>Eleanor & Park</i>.<br />
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A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love</i></b>. <br />
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Cath is a Simon Snow fan.<br />
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Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .<br />
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But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.<br />
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Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.<br />
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Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.<br />
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Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.<br />
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For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?<br />
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Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?<br />
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And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?</span></blockquote>
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Okay, so. This book!</div>
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I don't even know where to start with it. I don't know whether to gush about it incessantly... that would come <i>naturally</i> because I am definitely containing myself from gushing along various incoherent tangents right now... or I could collect my thoughts and write something that resembles coherence.</div>
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But. Really. <i>Fangirl </i>demands squealing. *points to the title* It embodies awesomeness in a way that's inarticulate, gushworthy <i>and</i> epic.</div>
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It's about Cather, this girl, who's a devout <strike>Harry Po</strike> Simon Snow fan. Like in a my-life-depends-on-it-and-it-sucks-that-I-can't-attend-<strike>Hogwarts</strike>-Watford-School-for-Magicks way. She writes Simon Snow fanfiction... really <i>good </i>slash fan fiction that's read by millions of fans over the world. And yeah, she's going to a college a few hours away with her twin Wren, who does not want to be roommates because they "need to meet other people".<br />
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<i style="text-align: left;">Real life was something happening in her peripheral vision.</i></div>
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What follows is a girl-meets-roommate's-"boyfriend", girl-writes-a-story-that's-not-fan-fiction and girl-sorts-out-family-stuff plot in a way that's most layered, complex and non-cliched. It reads like your favourite fantasy novel minus the fantasy with the warmth and once-upon-a-time-storybook-like comfort it brings. It begs you to highlight almost every line and scream "ME TOO!" because if you picked up this book, you are a fangirl in some way, aren't you? Rowell does a brilliant job integrating Simon Snow snippets as well, which makes you truly feel the way you felt when you were hooked on to something... when it began, when it was happening and when it ended and then never truly ended! </div>
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Rowell also gives us a way more holistic picture of college than most books of this genre do. She does not forget the roommate, the initial cluelessness/social awkwardness and the people you leave behind. What more, she gives us LEVI, who shaped up to be perfect... not Gary Sue perfect, but quirky perfect! There were passages about him that made me smile so much and others that had me swoony and teary eyed. He's so good natured and charming, there's this part where Cath describes his face as the "smilingest" and it does not sound wrong at all!</div>
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While it's not without occasional lapses in momentum, <i>Fangirl </i>is what Rainbow Rowell's <i>Attachments</i> was to romcom novels and the Y2K era and what<i> Eleanor & Park</i> was to coming-of-age: a pretty darn amazing addition to its genre! It's wholesome in its depiction of college life (whether it's Cath's or Wren's side of the coin) with sensitively etched out characters and if you've ever geeked out about something or read/written fan fiction, pays rightful homage to that phase!</div>
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<i>“Happily ever after, or even just together ever after, is not cheesy,” Wren said. “It’s the noblest, like, the most courageous thing two people can shoot for.”</i></div>
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<i>"Okay." She turned around and unlocked the door. "You can come in. I'm not sure yet about all the other stuff."<br /><br />"Okay," Levi said. She heard the very beginning of a smile in his voice -a fetal smile- and it very nearly killed her.</i></div>
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<i>-</i>Fangirl<i>, Rainbow Rowell</i></div>
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating:</u> ★★★★1/2</b></span></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-61169509718205836562013-12-16T08:00:00.000-08:002013-12-16T08:35:29.178-08:00Kismet Book Touring & Harlequin TEEN Promo Blitz: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmb4c79GNxinZ64FgnSFSCKuT_SjZj81d29mw7CgFtLZDzB-M_CfR-nt4EI1PC8dyc8qzzkp8dNpVmf23zkgQSeJ5JvNo970dzniEG9JrFj4bn9TzE18CjLt9uCOJrR0nY9MjXDoN6SHd/s1600/Heartbeat_Elizabeth-Scott_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmb4c79GNxinZ64FgnSFSCKuT_SjZj81d29mw7CgFtLZDzB-M_CfR-nt4EI1PC8dyc8qzzkp8dNpVmf23zkgQSeJ5JvNo970dzniEG9JrFj4bn9TzE18CjLt9uCOJrR0nY9MjXDoN6SHd/s320/Heartbeat_Elizabeth-Scott_cover.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b></b></span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Heartbeat</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>by Elizabeth Scott</b><br />
<b>Release Date: 01/28/14</b><br />
<b>Publisher: Harlequin Teen</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><i>Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with. <br />
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But Emma can’t tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.<br />
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Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn’t have interested Old Emma. But New Emma—the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia—New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge. Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death—and maybe, for love?</i></b></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17258743-heartbeat" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png" border="0" src="http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u367/nereyda1003/new/addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heartbeat-Harlequin-Teen-Elizabeth-Scott/dp/0373210965" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpg" border="0" src="http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u367/nereyda1003/new/B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heartbeat-elizabeth-scott/1114668458" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 111AD205-AA04-4F9E-A0F4-C1264C4E9F30-1855-000001A1E8CEB6D7_zps9b730b94.jpg" border="0" src="http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u367/nereyda1003/new/111AD205-AA04-4F9E-A0F4-C1264C4E9F30-1855-000001A1E8CEB6D7_zps9b730b94.jpg" /></a> </div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u style="background-color: yellow;">THOUGHTS</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I love Elizabeth Scott and the title and cover both make my heart quicken. While the blurb of <i>Heartbeat</i> makes it sound like a more intense read than I'd expect it to be, Scott's characters are usually so well-fleshed out that it's bound to be worth it! :) Can't wait to read this one!</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #bf9000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>PRAISE FOR </b><i>HEARTBEAT</i></span></div>
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“An intense examination of a family coping with grief, this absorbing character study easily keeps pages turning.”<br />
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— Kirkus on <i>Heartbeat</i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #f1c232;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOortq0fU262ri8uxxbT_2XXZAcO52aPhNRodE0wFmZ8YXeYiuYalExCta4W7PjoUqx9PPp9mte9u1j3mjKbg2m6ItI_tZbaWO9mM-EjSegkJnMX9tYWH6UMATIKlCIzSVLJLwgg6z60G/s1600/ElizabethScottAuthorPhoto_credit-Matt-Mendelsohn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOortq0fU262ri8uxxbT_2XXZAcO52aPhNRodE0wFmZ8YXeYiuYalExCta4W7PjoUqx9PPp9mte9u1j3mjKbg2m6ItI_tZbaWO9mM-EjSegkJnMX9tYWH6UMATIKlCIzSVLJLwgg6z60G/s200/ElizabethScottAuthorPhoto_credit-Matt-Mendelsohn.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">ELIZABETH SCOTT grew up in a town so small it didn’t even have a post office, though it did boast an impressive cattle population. She’s sold hardware and panty hose and had a memorable three-day stint in the dot-com industry, where she learned that she really didn’t want a career burning CDs. She lives just outside Washington, D.C., with her husband, and firmly believes you can never own too many books<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></blockquote>
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<b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.elizabethwrites.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>│<a href="https://twitter.com/escottwrites" target="_blank">Twitter</a>│<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/363405.Elizabeth_Scott" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>│<a href="http://www.facebook.com/elizabethwrites" target="_blank">Facebook</a>│<a href="http://elizabethwrites.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a></span></b></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #f1c232;">(AAND) GIVEAWAY!</span></b></div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/207d1c456/" id="rc-207d1c456" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script><br />
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-40995891158493923892013-12-12T23:57:00.000-08:002013-12-13T10:57:17.257-08:00Feature and Follow Friday #14: The One Involving Hardsell<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;">Feature and Follow is a weekly blog hop hosted by </span><a href="http://www.parajunkee.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Parajunkee</a><span style="text-align: left;"> and </span><a href="http://alisoncanread.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Alison Can Read</a><span style="text-align: left;">!</span><br />
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Bookselling Time: Go to your biggest bookcases. Go to the second shelf from the top and pick out the sixth book from the left. Hardsell that book to us – even if you haven’t read it or if you hated it. (if you don’t have bookcases, don’t have six books on one shelf, etc, pick a book at random)</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmnuQtvG26JeAsA4B3I6F3InY571QuvwEuaP-kLJCDyElooSHIRRwyIcHl2i85vnBbTvoJ7ka2OfuvNz6oRAaaeD73YH5LjLJ6hq_RoqCIbQ2-sFaSq2kYDWp1Lgt3n9vcbPe9BZaR_Bt/s1600/DSC_0469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmnuQtvG26JeAsA4B3I6F3InY571QuvwEuaP-kLJCDyElooSHIRRwyIcHl2i85vnBbTvoJ7ka2OfuvNz6oRAaaeD73YH5LjLJ6hq_RoqCIbQ2-sFaSq2kYDWp1Lgt3n9vcbPe9BZaR_Bt/s200/DSC_0469.jpg" height="200" width="112" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRS027dHZMFvpkd5ZvJQCl7mkj6KUeDQjGQNthCmhVkV8IifEDmlpEs0PAMiwY9fznWN6ITWiNL9GsFDQ0FScMIRrIa8LXQEdT847XGqdpQ0LXXk3JfOAXabP9SOGIgxG06bg1UP3bwgYW/s1600/13232892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRS027dHZMFvpkd5ZvJQCl7mkj6KUeDQjGQNthCmhVkV8IifEDmlpEs0PAMiwY9fznWN6ITWiNL9GsFDQ0FScMIRrIa8LXQEdT847XGqdpQ0LXXk3JfOAXabP9SOGIgxG06bg1UP3bwgYW/s200/13232892.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a>The sixth book from the second (and bottom) shelf of my bookcase is <i>Cat Girl's Day Off </i>by Kimberly Pauley. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13232892-cat-girl-s-day-off?ac=1" target="_blank">C</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13232892-cat-girl-s-day-off?ac=1" target="_blank">HECK IT OUT ON GOODREADS HERE</a></div>
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For movie buffs, it's <i>Ferris Bueller's Day Off</i> meets quirky cat person with superpowers! </div>
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If you're a cat person, it has the most kickass protagonist ever who can talk to cats! These cats aren't just signposts for the main character to solve the mystery, or whatever. No! They have <i>personality</i>! Some of them are snobby to the point of seeming royal, some cheeky while the others are plain adorable. And at one point, there's a whole army of cats! </div>
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If you love pop culture, you'll like Nat's celeb-obsessed friends and Easton West, a celeb blogger who reminded me a little of Perez Hilton in the beginning!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRS027dHZMFvpkd5ZvJQCl7mkj6KUeDQjGQNthCmhVkV8IifEDmlpEs0PAMiwY9fznWN6ITWiNL9GsFDQ0FScMIRrIa8LXQEdT847XGqdpQ0LXXk3JfOAXabP9SOGIgxG06bg1UP3bwgYW/s1600/13232892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
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If you have a soft spot for the underdog, you'll love how Natalie (that's the protagonist) shows the world that it's not just invisibility or lie detection that are the *major* superpowers that count. </div>
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If you feel minority characters aren't given enough importance in books or just exist as token characters, once again... meet Natalie! And her friend Oscar!</div>
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If you like a good crazy, how-did-they-get-even-here?!, barely-takes-place-in-a-day, movie-within-a-book story with the best characters and the <i>best </i>cat quotes, <i>Cat Girl's Day Off</i> will feel like it's written for you! :)</div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-80912390040410333152013-12-04T06:28:00.001-08:002013-12-04T07:56:51.563-08:00Waiting on Wednesday: Isla and The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_jurR6hWe9CfwjWbvoVCzb5nHkmja-MYQP1KE82bSQ-PMlRU_xsaaZIYQwaZ2ADyyosLTvFNrUf8x5Odn9tUiKblS5MllssHl6dWuz9hROM9TCmDQdYfrpZ30_PvakshWnx6YQ0t-THw/s1600/New+WoW.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_jurR6hWe9CfwjWbvoVCzb5nHkmja-MYQP1KE82bSQ-PMlRU_xsaaZIYQwaZ2ADyyosLTvFNrUf8x5Odn9tUiKblS5MllssHl6dWuz9hROM9TCmDQdYfrpZ30_PvakshWnx6YQ0t-THw/s1600/New+WoW.JPG" /></a></div>
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<i>Waiting on Wednesday</i> is a meme hosted by <i><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.in/" target="_blank">Breaking The Spine</a></i> that spotlights upcoming releases!</div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>This book has probably been over-featured but I feel like I've been waiting for its release since forever<i>:</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpRagKjxxl-lULSndYc3TpXcrhDOHaB3V-yETN1zW0egSf5pHdcw4yNDsoaoH1EwjV8k2rghfTvlWYTaspuHKh1MDQFqBQi6ckfFmIk6bKo7b4_kP8x06BoargG5yjT63d3WLkPX5tRbc/s1600/9627755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpRagKjxxl-lULSndYc3TpXcrhDOHaB3V-yETN1zW0egSf5pHdcw4yNDsoaoH1EwjV8k2rghfTvlWYTaspuHKh1MDQFqBQi6ckfFmIk6bKo7b4_kP8x06BoargG5yjT63d3WLkPX5tRbc/s320/9627755.jpg" width="212" /></a><i><br />
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From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.<br />
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Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9627755-isla-and-the-happily-ever-after?ac=1" target="_blank">ADD <i>ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER</i> TO YOUR WANT-TO-READ LIST</a></div>
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<i>Anna and the French Kiss</i> has spoiled me for life. I guess it was a combination of Etienne St. Clair, <i>Paris</i> and boarding school awesomeness that left me starry eyed and weak-in-the-knees. I didn't even like the second book, <i>Lola</i>, as much. It's so cool that <i>Isla and the Happily Ever After</i> takes place, once again, in Paris and is about Isla and Josh, both of whom I loved in <i>Anna</i>! <i>And </i>that the couples from the previous books make appearances.<br />
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The release year was pushed back to 2014 which is<i> finally</i> just.around.the.corner. so I cannot wait!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And um, this may not be a book release but it still has me psyched for 2014 so I could not help myself (again, FINALLY!):</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OwtFb10K9QKLJU6CqbVrM7IByHKW8SgN7gf4PVxTUeQn2tzOCigayYhBQWUBxne4dqfz3cCiCgSgZNwAU8LMR78ZthJOsO5d6IzBMxYmMNhJwYyRJkyD_PfoVQtAD_l-iPPA3kagMWTj/s1600/Lives1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OwtFb10K9QKLJU6CqbVrM7IByHKW8SgN7gf4PVxTUeQn2tzOCigayYhBQWUBxne4dqfz3cCiCgSgZNwAU8LMR78ZthJOsO5d6IzBMxYmMNhJwYyRJkyD_PfoVQtAD_l-iPPA3kagMWTj/s1600/Lives1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301578054809232593.post-73805608922721138912013-12-03T06:23:00.001-08:002013-12-03T06:23:12.370-08:00Review: Imaginable by J. Meyers (Intangible, #2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KoJrJlH4K6l68-KJY2rSVV1Fx_3uLEzm_TidJxj_sAf-GCMWaMXV8YSVM3xbvqQPX1UTEu77inl8xt6N1kH-9Wqu8pcdLmKqX5Mg8_d4T5CvkPH0_5bCnUvTzp0wyfuzSxB2QnmEhZXz/s1600/17411119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KoJrJlH4K6l68-KJY2rSVV1Fx_3uLEzm_TidJxj_sAf-GCMWaMXV8YSVM3xbvqQPX1UTEu77inl8xt6N1kH-9Wqu8pcdLmKqX5Mg8_d4T5CvkPH0_5bCnUvTzp0wyfuzSxB2QnmEhZXz/s320/17411119.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
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<b>Publication date:</b> April 1st, 2013<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: Self-pub<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17411119-imaginable?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>|<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Imaginable-Intangible-J-Meyers-ebook/dp/B00CD3MIGQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386020614&sr=8-1&keywords=imaginable" target="_blank">Amazon</a>|<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/imaginable-j-meyers/1115118552" target="_blank">B&N</a><br />
<b>Stars: </b>4/5<br />
<b>Source: </b>Review copy<br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Twins Sera and Luke Raine’s unusual abilities are growing. Sera is healing vampires now, making them human again. And, at times, Luke can actually change the future he Sees.<br />
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But Sera’s healing has dangerous consequences, and though Luke is altering the outcome of more visions, he can’t control them yet.<br />
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Now Sera is in danger as the dark creatures of the Realm seek to use her. As Luke struggles to master his gift in order to save his sister, he discovers even more about his powers. <br />
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And what he learns just may put him in greater danger than Sera has ever been.</span></blockquote>
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<i>Imaginable</i> is <a href="http://aandhowareyou.blogspot.in/2012/05/intangible-by-j-meyers-review-author.html" target="_blank">the sequel to <i>Intangible</i></a>, where we first met Luke and Sera: twins with supernatural abilities. <span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">In</span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"> </span><i style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Imaginable, </i><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Sera's healing powers make her the target of various dark creatures. Much of the book takes place in the Realm, where Sera is alternatively held captive by vampires and the Shadows, while her friends seek to locate and rescue her. </span></div>
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Most sophomore efforts tend to be a bit of a muddle... probably because they usually function as bridge books between the first and later parts. In many ways, <i>Imaginable </i>was no exception. While there's a lot of action, even hints of something brewing and you do get into the skin of these characters, you also cannot quite grasp where this is all ultimately headed. Is there a big picture to all of the little plots and developments?</div>
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Also, many of the back story details were fuzzy in my head. I couldn't recall what had happened to Luke and Sera's parents because it had been a while since I'd read the first book. But you know what? Most of the time, all of these things didn't matter. Mainly because I love the world and the characters of J.Meyers' Intangible series. The main players are all so colourful and unique, so <i>balanced </i>somehow, that most of them are in no way defined by their Giftedness/origin. They are who they are <i>despite </i>their origins, and that's something I found refreshing.</div>
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Luke, Sera, Quinn, Rachel and the lot once again seem a lot younger and innocent, somehow, than the average Young Adult character. Their friendships are genuine -they actually make you <i>feel </i>something- and the romance, subtle but no-less-powerful, takes its time to develop (and when it does, you cannot.stop.squealing.)! The action was solidly described, making the climax extremely engrossing. </div>
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All in all, I enjoyed reexperiencing the richness of the world J. Meyers has crafted and the warm, steady and admirable cast of characters! Not sure what's in store for them in the future parts but I'll definitely be reading them!<br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating:</u> ★★★★☆</b></span></div>
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Pooja. Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156279672026185014noreply@blogger.com2