P. S. I Love You - Jo Noelle

Date of Reading: 25/04/2018

Author: Jo Noelle

From: The author through I am a Reader in lieu of an honest review

My Rating: 3.5/5

About the book:

Cora Rey wanted a fresh start in life, but being thrown back in time to 1850 isn’t how she expected to do that. She discovers that Victorian England isn’t the pleasant social whirl Jane Austen led her to believe, but when in Rome—or in this case Twickenham . . . She’s determined to have the vacation of a lifetime, especially in the company of a certain duke.

Simon Tuttle never expected to become the Duke of Hertfordshire, never wanted it, but now he is, and eligible women seeking a title consider him the next trophy to be taken in the marriage mart. A union of convenience is the most he hopes for due to the shame-filled secret he bears—until he meets Cora. Now, he imagines that a love match could be possible after all. Hiding his secret from society has been easy—hiding it from Cora proves impossible. Can Cora love a man like him despite learning the truth?

My Review:

        I love time travels. Not that I have done any, but a girl can always dream. Just imagine meeting Jane Austen or Gregor Mendel for that matter (poor chap!) and telling them they are going to be quite famous after death. Awesome! Obviously, on the dark side, we could end up in a realm like that of the 'Outlander' which I am not so looking forward to.

        So if you are like me, then this a definite pick to have in your TBR shelf. A kick-ass heroine (quite literally), a beautiful romance, a lot of fun and a bit of adventure -- that is what Jo Noelle offers. We will love Cora from the start. I was quite envious of her self-defense tactics; a damsel not in need of a man to protect her is quite rare even in our times.

        On the other hand, some things could have been better. The story lacks a powerful villain capricious enough to make a crack in the relationship. Crossing over time periods is taken rather lightly (which is relaxing considering the agony I used to undergo on watching 'Flash'), but shouldn't there be a counter reaction to every action? But apart from this tiny weeny problem, we have a bunch of lovable characters and a stress-free reading.

Meet the author:

Jo Noelle grew up in Colorado and Utah but also spent time in Idaho and California. She has two adult children and three small kids. She teaches teachers and students about reading and writing, grows freakishly large tomatoes, enjoys cooking especially for desserts, builds furniture, sews beautiful dresses, and likes to go hiking in the nearby mountains. 

Oh, and by the way, she's two people--Canda Mortensen and Deanna Henderson, a mother/daughter writing team. We write sweet romance stories with contemporary, paranormal, fantasy or time-travel twists. (Courtesy: Goodreads)

It Ends with Us - Colleen Hoover

Date of Reading: 08/04/2018

Author: Colleen Hoover

Publisher: Atria

Place: New York

Year: 2016

Rating: 4.5/5





About the book:

Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up — she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan — her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

My Review:

        I am not that much into triangle love stories. If the heroine makes a decision that I don't approve, I know that I am going to hate her forever. But this is not about triangle love even though we get that impression from the description. No . . . this is far more than a simple love story.

         The love triangle is not going to trouble you the least here (that was something new for me 😊). It doesn't matter who Lily chooses to be with because we feel a complete kinship with her to trust her enough in this. She is strong, dependable and admirable. Trust me, it takes a lot of courage to do what she has done in the end.

        There were times I felt this can't be real. Surely this should not be happening in real lives. But I have witnessed how two of my friends have gone through abusive relationships and how hard it can be. And the author's note at the end just proves how autobiographical it is.

       If you are a married couple or in a relationship, this is a must-read for you. If you are neither, then read to get a profound insight into human behaviour. Nothing is ever simple as we think from the outside. 

        And don't forget to reserve some free time before starting. This will blow you out thoroughly and so expect to get fired from work for lack of focus. Mull over it for some time. You are hereby warned, readers. And I strongly suggest you to not read the summary below unless you need to know the story beforehand for any research/project works.

Summary:

       Lily Bloom met Ryle Kincaid on one of the rooftop terraces in Boston. She had just buried her father, gave the worst eulogy ever and needed a quiet place to think and relax. Ryle reached there for a similar reason -- to escape a bad day in the hospital. They shared naked truths about each other since both never believed to meet each other again. Lily hated her father who used to beat her mother. But his apologies after the fights made her stay. Her first love was a homeless guy named Atlas who was beaten up by her father. She works in a company but what she would like to do is open a floral shop.
        Ryle is studying to be a neurosurgeon and lives with his sister and her wealthy husband. He hates relationships but indulges in one night stands. He would like one night with Lily but sadly she in the quest for her true love.

        With the inheritance of her father, Lily starts a flower shop. Her path crosses with Ryle's again when his sister Allysa joins as an assistant as she is bored to be at home all the time. She soon becomes Lily's best friend and Ryle can't stop thinking about her. He finally chucks his fear of relationships and starts dating her.
       On one of her dinners with her mother, she meets Atlas in the new restaurant. She mistakes him for a waiter, though he was the owner. Seeing her happy with Ryle, he tells that he too is dating someone. Lily had always loved Atlas. She even came to Boston because it was their dream city. He had promised to come back to her once he returned from military service. But now that chapter is closed and she begins to think of a life with Ryle.

        Ryle is quite passionate about his career, but he also cares for Lily deeply. But there are times when he is consumed by anger and on one such occasion he pushed Lily hard, hurting her. He immediately apologises claiming it as an accident. Lily is taken back to the memories of her father but Ryle's efforts comfort her. But Atlas warns her against being like her mother and gives her his number in case of an emergency.
       Ryle and Lily get married in Vegas, and Allyssa is found pregnant bringing in more happiness. Ryle accidentally finds the number of Atlas hidden inside the mobile cover and suspects an affair. His anger goes out of hand and Lily is pushed down the stairs. With Allysa's persuasion, Ryle explains the reason behind his sudden bouts of temper. He had accidentally shot his elder brother at the age of five. After that, it was never easy for him to control his emotions. He promises to keep away from her when such scenarios arise and Lily's heart surges with compassion.
        Her shop is nominated for the best new shops in Boston. Atlas' restaurant - Bib's - also makes to the list and newspaper article explains how the name which is short for 'Best in Boston' is inspired by a girl. Ryle notices that Lily has attached to the fridge a magnet which says the same thing. Suspicious again, he reads Lily's old journals and finds that it has been given by Atlas.
       He unleashes his anger and tries to rape her this time. In between, he regains his normal behaviour but Lily was hurt. She calls Atlas in secret and escapes to his house. To give her some space to think Ryle goes to England for three months and she returns to their apartment. She finds herself pregnant and Allysa supports her decision to be away from Ryle.
        Upon his return, Ryle tries to get back her affections but Lily was firm. After the birth of their girl child, she asks for a divorce. She doesn't want her daughter to hate her father as Lily did. She meets Atlas again to begin her life anew.

Something to ponder . . .

"There is no such thing as bad people. We're all just people who sometimes do bad things".  - 14

"Maybe love isn't something that comes full circle. It just ebbs and flows, in and out, just like the people in our lives." - 191

"When you experience it firsthand, it isn't so easy to hate the person who mistreats you when most of the time they're your godsend." - 293

Colleen Hoover

"Cycles exist because they are excruciating to break. It takes an astronomical amount of pain and courage to disrupt a familiar pattern. Sometimes it seems easier to just keep running in the same familiar circles, rather than facing the fear of jumping and possibly not landing on your feet." - 309

The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman

Date of Reading: 02/04/2018

Author: Neil Gaiman

Publisher: Harper Collins

Year: 2008
Rating: 5/5

About the Book:

After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family... 

My Review: 

       This is my first book by Gaiman and I have already become a devoted fan eagerly devouring his other works. I loved it so much that it is hard to put down the feeling in words. The life in the graveyard envelops us the moment we open this novel and trust me . . . you will never want it to end!!! If this is what happens after death I don't mind dying that much. Of course, I need to make sure to have a family grave of my own!!!

        The premise of the story gives some leads for an adventure. I was expecting a Froddo Baggins type journey from Bod anytime and was really relieved that it didn't follow any of the popular plot lines. Then there is Silas, a Dumbledore mode character, who is just as constant, dependable and aloof in a way that is endearing. I was afraid to be fond of him remembering what happened with Dumbledore. We won't want to risk our hearts twice over someone who may or may not die, would we?

         Apart from the characters, what attracted me most was the originality by which the idea was conceived. Sure there are parallels, but Gaiman successfully manoeuvres the horrors of the graveyard to something protective and homely. If you liked the movie 'Coco', then this won't disappoint you in the least.

Summary:

       The man Jack reached that big storeyed house to kill the whole family. He had slain the parents and the eldest daughter and that leaves only the toddler. But the kid is nowhere to be found. He follows his scent to the graveyard on the hilltop.
       The little kid is found by Mrs. Owens, a ghost who has been living there with her husband for hundreds of years now after their burial here. The Owenses are warned by a pale ghost (the boy's mother who is going to be buried in another graveyard) that the man rattling the graveyard gates has come to kill her son. Mrs. Owens who died without children takes the boy to her plump bosom promising to be his parent.
      The man Jack is persuaded to leave the graveyard by Silas, a being who is neither dead nor living. He agrees to be the boy's guardian and other ghosts are persuaded to give the boy the Freedom of the Graveyard. That means he will be able to see the ghosts, see in the dark, can enter the graves and will also be taught to fade in and out. They name him Nobody Owens as he resembles nobody but himself. Everyone call him Bod. 
       

The boy Bod grows up as an obedient child. He knows that it is not safe for him to go out of the graveyard. The killer is lurking around waiting for him to make an appearance. He is taught his letters and Silas brings him books, food and clothes. At the age of five, he becomes friends with Scarlett Amber Perkins who takes him to be an imaginary friend. Together they find a tomb buried inside the hill. The treasure there - an old brooch, a cup and a little stone knife - is guarded by the Sleer, a snake with three heads. The encounter terrifies Scarlett and later her family moves to Scotland when her father gets a teaching position there.
        Once when Silas needed to be away from the graveyard, he puts Bod under the care for Miss Lupescu. She was a Hound of God or a Werewolf. Bod hates her disciplined teachings and goes with the ghouls to their country. On the way, he realises his mistake as ghouls are creatures who feed on dead things. He tries to escape by calling out to the Night Gaunts as taught by Miss Lupescu. It fails but the message is passed and Lupescu comes to the rescue. They get along well after this.
        Bod is advised to keep away from the grave of a witch who is buried at the far end of the graveyard. But on closer acquaintance, he feels an attachment to the witch, Liza Hempstock. He decides to bring her a headstone as she is buried without one. That needs money and he steals the brooch from the Sleer. But selling it proves tricky. Abanazar Bolger with whom he has tried to make a bargain locks him in a room to know the source of the treasure. Liza comes to help and aid him in his endeavour to fade and disappear. Bolger fights with his henchman Tom Hustings that leaves them both unconscious. Bod returns the brooch to the Sleer and places the big paperweight he has taken from Bolger's place as Liza's headstone.
       After eleven years of being in the graveyard, Bod is sent outside to attend school. Though he was quite brilliant he manages to go unnoticed until he helps a boy to resist bullying. The bullies corner him and he punishes them through dreams. He stops going to school after that.
       Scarlett returns with her divorced mother and this time she realises that Bod is real. She also makes friends with Mr. Frost who does some research in the graveyard. Silas is away again and this time Bod is worried about his guardian. Scarlett searches the local library for the details of the murder case of Bod's family and finds that Mr. Frost is living there at present. He invites them both telling that he has unearthed some clues as to the murder. Frost isolates Bod and attacks him. He was Jack Frost, the very man who killed his parents.
        Bod escapes through fading and finds that four other Jacks are waiting in front of the house. They are part of an organisation called Jacks of All Trades and they had foreseen that the end their group will be brought by a child who will walk the borderland between the living and the dead. So they sent their best Jack to kill him. Now they are only ones left since Silas and his comrades have destroyed the others.
        Bod traps one to a pit and others to the ghoul gate. Jack Frost is lured to the place of the Sleer. Bod informs the Sleer that Jack is their master and Sleer catch hold of him to protect him forever from the dangers of the outside world. He is forever trapped in that grave. Scarlett gets angry thinking that Bod is just like his killers. Silas intervenes suddenly and takes her memories regarding these incidents. She goes back to Glasgow with her mother. We come to know that Miss Lupescu died in the battle against Jacks.

Neil Gaiman

        By the time he turned fifteen, things start changing. He is no longer able to see in the dark or fade. Time has come for him to move to the outside world. Silas too is about to leave as he has finished his duty as a guardian. He is part of the Honour Guard who protect the borderlands. Bod bids farewell to Mrs. Owens and comes out of the graveyard.
       

My Sister's Intended - Rachael Anderson (Blog Tour and Giveaway)

Date of Reading: 29/03/2018

Author: Rachael Anderson

Publisher: HEA Publishing

Year: 2018
Format: E-book
Rating: 4/5

From: I Am A Reader as part of the blog tour

About the Book:

For as long as Prudence can remember, it has been understood that her sister will one day wed the eldest son of their nearest neighbour. Such an alliance will benefit both families and bring a great deal of joy to all parents involved.

Unfortunately, Prudence has never been able to feel as joyful. She believes her sister is mad to consider marrying a man she hardly knows, even if he will one day make her a countess. Titles and wealth shouldn’t factor into matters of the heart, and as an aspiring romance novelist, Prudence cannot fathom how anyone could even think of settling for less than love. She certainly wouldn’t, and she doesn’t want her sister to either.

Unable to stand by and do nothing, Prudence sets out to help the awkward couple discover the best in each other with the hope that they will eventually find love. What she neglected to foresee, however, was the possibility that she might fall in love with Lord Knave herself.

My Review:
         The moment I set eyes on this cover page, I knew I am going to love this cute love story. Delightfully crafted with endearing characters this is an ongoing tale of fun, love and some hard decisions. I really liked the way Rachael chose their names -- Prudence and Knave -- both of them forced to bear names which do not accurately represent their personalities. No one can resist loving Prudence and her quirky ways (Knave was a goner from the beginning itself) and every page make us crave for more.
        The story doesn't showcase any smooth talker villains which I found lacking. The only hindrance to a happily ever after was family pressure and that in a way makes this a modern love story set in the Regency period. As always, love conquers ... all.
       I can't wait to read the next instalment in the series. More than Sophia (Prudence's sister), I am curious about the twins. Dear Rachael, I do really hope you have planned something for them 😉

Meet the Author:

A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Code or $25 in Paypal Cash

Ends on 22/04/2018

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. The giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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