Sarina's Book Palace.

Read this in one sitting.
This felt like an even more beautiful book than the second one(which I read first). Courtney Milan is surprising me more and more with her heart-stoppingly-awesome-writings.

The heroine was wittier than most(maybe all :D) heroines I've ever found in literature. The main male protagonist was sweeter and simpler than any man I've ever read about. Their story was a real treat.
True, it couldn't match the second book in the series humor-wise, or plot-wise, but something about "The Duchess War" was just...unique. I can't remember the last time I've felt so happy after finishing a book...Well, like all other "Brothers Sinister" books I've read, I wished this one didn't end, or was a bit longer... but, the epilogue was perfect.

I'm determined to read all the books by this author more than ever.
I won't be surprised if one day she delivers us an epic novel from a genre other than historical romance; I hope she does, I really do. Her writing reminds me of my favourite authors, and someday, I believe, one of her books will surely make her one of my treasured authors... :D

Actually, I forgot to mention what makes her books so great. The way she writes,...it makes me feel the characters; they become dear to me without my knowledge or will, even the evil ones...I grow to understand why the characters do what they do,.... and that's no little thing.

I thought the reader in me had died long ago. This series has proved my worst fears wrong. The reader has awoken again.

I can't describe what I'm feeling right now, after I've just finished the book. One thing is certain though---I wish it never ended.....

I kept thinking who was gonna become my favourite character by the end........now I can't choose. If I had to pick up between the main characters, I'd say...the hero at first, then the heroine, now cannot say, because the crux of the heroine's character, her strong persona was "revealed" to me in the very end(she never stopped and was never ashamed to be herself), but the hero had a marvellous character growth(he stopped hiding behind his fears and conquered it all!) in the end too. So they are equally matched in gaining my affection.

The romance was real good, but what I loved most about the book were those other cute things, witty things, outrageous things, sad things..... Perhaps it's my first time reading a book focused mainly on romance which I enjoyed more for these other things(especially the humour and the dialogue deliveries) , than for the romance, even though the romance was so well-developed that I can't stop feeling happy even now....

This doesn't have insta-attraction, but it doesn't start with enmity either. It's devoid of cliche things, the characters are brilliantly fleshed out, and there's not even one dull or unnecessary moment.

Also, I adored aunt Freddy. I want to know more about Free, she's just AWESOME! I liked how annoying Oliver's father was. :D

Now follows some MAJOR SPOILERS. Please don't read this part until you've completed the book, it may ruin your fun in several aspects.
the author managed to surprise me with the two sisters Geraldine and Genevieve... they surprised(more like, dumbfounded me) and I, along with Jane, was glad to see a different side to them. It was a special treat and something that's rarely seen in other books I've read. I was overwhelmed by that part and fell deeper in love with this book because of it. And Freddy, I guess I had a notion of what was coming, and yet, I got a bit emotional at her death. Then her secret.....I did not see it coming, and it struck my heart. And it soothed the pain of losing her somewhat. In a sense, she lived on...

I don't think I've ever read or will ever some across a historical romance this much good. I admired it, then grew fond of it, at last loved it; I'm gonna try and read all books by this author, as her writing has captivated and stolen my heart, completely ....

Shallow attempt of a book. What do I look for in a book? Character growth, at least a fair plot, attractive writing style... NONE OF THEM! Total waste of my time. There are better stories focusing on only romance, or only erotica, or both, and this story didn't add anything to those genres. The main characters tried to come off as charming, naughty, etc etc; the story wanted to emerge as humor-filled; but I'm sorry to say I found none. It came off as trying too hard.
The start was promising, but it couldn't deliver in the middle and in the end.

The best biography I've ever read!

This book was emotionally haunting. Everyone did something wrong, everyone suffered, everyone couldn't have their happy ending. In the end, when the suffering of two had ended at least a bit, I couldn't be happy knowing one was in agony...
It was twisting, the way Cathy's mind worked. But it was real. This book just not makes the readers feel real, it IS REAL.
I didn't like this book. Because of the theme(cheating), because of Cathy's inability to stop making everyone around her suffer and her unwillingness to start talking to Ben, get it all out so she could deal with life, because of the way neither Ben nor Arsen deserved THIS MUCH PAIN... [I also didn't like all the gory details of the sexual activities, maybe because it felt like she was cheating them both? But it's a personal observation.]
But this book is a 5-star because of the writing. The writing made the characters alive, and I commend the author for such beautiful writing. It's every reader's dream, to be made vulnerable to the same mess of emotions the characters in a book went through; and Mia Asher turned the dream into reality.
This author has raised the bar. TRULY. I'd expect a sophistication or beauty of this scale in every other book from now on, I think.
Overall, "Arsen" was an experience I'll have a hard time forgetting.

The heroine was AWESOME! But...the hero kinda fell short near the ending...
This book was full of funny dialogues and moments, and the kids were adorable!
But the climax point...didn't like it; plus the hero said exactly what I didn't want him to say, his character needed more growth....yes, he mended his ways, still....I couldn't like him in the end..(that's the reason for the 2 stars) [Up until that part, he was a very likable character, and I appreciated his understanding of right and wrong(even though he ended up doing the wrong thing and hurting others all the time! ;) ]
But as a sweet, fluffy read, with a caring, strong-willed, great heroine who can speak her mind without being oppressed...it was worth a try. (Only because of such a unique heroine & the hilariously comical parts, I think I'm gonna try other books by this author. :D )

Review? I don't care about reviews! All I care about right now is to find and devour the 3rd book, so that I don't go completely crazy! Maybe, after many days, when I calm down(IF THAT IS EVEN POSSIBLE), I might pull off a review....
If you still wanna get a review, I'd tell you---I just finished this book, it's 2.30 am now, and .....This book has blown out my mind!

I'm infected with deliria, deliria for the series. And I can't be cured...EVER!

Bloody monday: a thrilling manga Full of thrill, suspense and dread of bombing-massacre filled, this manga will give you a ride beyond anything you can imagine. The start is pretty nice-looking, but then...you get to meet Falcon. And that is where the real fun(or dread) starts.Personally, I can't shake the feeling of awe & admiration for the manga and its authors when I found out about Christmas Day. That's when I got sucked into the manga for real. If you haven't read the manga yet, you are missing out on one of life's greatest mystery plus thriller plus blood-pounding stuff. My advice: Don't miss it. Just read it. You'll see then.

It's short of amazing only because it had such a slow start; I won't hesitate to say I hated how the story started. The main protagonist, Lena seemed a little too scared of everything, stuck-up, insecure over her looks and actions and very jealous of her friend Hana....But mostly, I was disturbed and annoyed by the concept: Love...even mother's love....a disease? Come on. It all seemed too unrealistic and unbelievable.

Then Alex came. No, he didn't change my view of the plot, at least not before I saw him for the fifth time...:D

SPOILER-ish element here: (Please don't read unless you're in Chapter 15.)...
...
...
The story slowly turned around, when Lena suddenly decided to be a bit brave and go to warn Hana...(Can't tell about 'what' without spoiling things!) Then....with the words "Let me show you", Lena's whole world turned upside-down, and I began to fall with Lena
...
....
END of Spoiler-ish element.

The story seemed to race after that, and I came to forgive the author for the slow pace at the beginning of the book...as I understood I HAD to give it time to let the story slowly sink me in...by chapter eleven, I had come to believe that love of couples really should be a disease..from Lena's perspective. By chapter seventeen, I began to see the change in Lena...no, not change, see her become as she really was inside...and I couldn't dislike her anymore.

The real story began at the end of chapter 20, or actually, depending on different expectations of readers, chapter 22, which shouldn't have come as a shock , but it did.... and the society's deformed face began to make itself fully clear to Lena, and to me, the reader.

[I know my review isn't making any sense to those unfamiliar with the book, but trust me, you wouldn't want a single spoiler if you are about to like this story after frowning at it earlier, like me.]

During chapter twenty five, one climax point came which left me breathless...I'd have died, I think, if I didn't get to know what happened after that, but luckily, I did. (This is really killing me, not being able to pour my heart out without revealing any important aspect of the story....but I have to do it this way.)

The last few pages in the last chapter(27) in the book, (but certainly not the end of the second climax point), I saw Lena transform from a scared, insecure moth into a full-fledged butterfly with a purpose and a somewhat strong layer of self-confidence, and I realized, I'd been waiting for THIS the whole time and there was no other way this book could end without making me content....not happy, not agitated, not mad, not ecstatic, but content.

After chapter 14, Lena began to go in one direction, ahead, on and on, only looking back once in chapter 19, but never wavering (after the turning point in chapter 22) from the path she set herself....

[Here ends the review. I'll talk about my feelings now, so you can leave without reading the rest, or can hear me pour my heart out. It's your choice. ]

There are so many things I adore about this book....:D

1.>>>> This story has made me fall in love with books again, hand-held books especially, has made me feel again how it feels to be so immersed in a book for successive days; lately, for the past 2 years, I've hesitated a lot before taking up a book with so many pages because I knew I wouldn't have time to finish it and I would feel guilty about it...I tried with some good books, got through "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel barely, with long intervals, couldn't get through so many other good books 'borrowed from the library' or 'downloaded from the internet'.... but SOMETHING about THIS book nagged me on(not in the "annoy" sense, but it "urged" me, "probed" me) to delve in the world of "delirium"...

I just HAD to read this book on the bus to campus or on the trip home everyday(after I got really interested), for a chapter or just a few pages JUST to know how Hana was doing, what new experiences she was having, what more was getting revealed about the society she lived in...
And yesterday, on my way home on the bus in the evening, as the sun had set, and I was trying to read just a few more words in the dim, pale, small rays of the moonlight, at that moment, I knew "delirium" had once again burst open my passion for reading, making me want to read books in one go...like the old times.
So, in between my chores this morning, noon, afternoon and evening, whenever I could make time, I devoured "delirium", literally; at one point even hiding it from a friend who had come over for studies.(Just as I used to hide "important" books in odd places in my childhood whenever someone were about to come to my room, to check whether I was studying at exam prep time and I was afraid they'd seize the book; or to visit me and I was afraid they'd try to take the book away and read it themselves).

I was glued to the table most of the time after my friend left, and for the first time in many years(not really, but it feels like that), it was not because I was watching a very good movie, tv series or anime or even viewing a manga, but it was because I was reading a book, not a short ebook, not a short fanfiction,not a short web-story, just a long book with promises of mysteries to unfold....and I'm glad of the day Samia, this book-loving friend of mine, decided to lend me the first book in a series, which I had never heard of, the theme of which I was sure to laugh at....on her own accord; and despite knowing fully well that I shouldn't read the book because I was never gonna be able finish the series, haven't been in a long time, I accepted her request to take the book for a few days....NOW I'm here.

2.>>>> I really loved the character of Grace...she's perfect for this story. I'd really like to read her point of view, and read her story....which might not be possible (sigh)

3.>>>> I've decided to see what the second book is about...can't make promises, but I think I want to see how far Lena goes. And I still am not convinced about the main theme the whole story is based on...as to "why the Government would feel the need to cure love, what exactly is the conspiracy, and don't they have better things to do with their time?..." All these questions keep nagging at me(This time, in the "annoy" sense) and I need answers. I need to know whether I'll have wasted my time with the series, if I do read all the other books and find out all of it was for nothing or for some lame reason I can't put my head around, which I hope is not the case.

4.>>>> I've never been a fan of poetry, at least not since my sunshine-filled days(that's childhood).....seeing the poems/poetry/verses at the start of every chapter or so in this book, especially the one in chapter 8 ("H is for hydrogen,a weight of one...", the ones in chapter 10 & 13 and the ones recited by Alex in chapter 18, just flipped some parts in me, awoke some things long thought to be dead, and I think...I think...I might...get to like or even feel poetry someday.

There are so many feelings and notions I'd like to share about this book, but... I'm ending my talk here, or I won't have time left to do other things.

One final word, "This book does have a unique world, which will seem implausible and disturbing at first, but it will draw you in if you just hold on a little longer."

I read it a long ago. After knowing it was not written by J.K. Rowling, I was a bit unhappy. A writing of this caliber should not go unnoticed. Truly, it almost fooled me into believing that I was indeed reading the last book in the Harry Potter series. Then the real 7th HP book came and I forgot all about this fanfic. Recently, I remembered and searched for it again. (I've found it! :) )I will definitely re-read it and try to give a review.
You can find the fanfiction here: (And such a great fanfiction, too. :D )

This novel beats all the other romance plots I've known and beats all the ways I know how a romance can develop between the main characters. I have seen Pretty Woman, and The Wedding Date, but THIS(this heart-wrenchingly beautiful love story) was what I've been missing.Lori is a woman who can change a person for the best, so that he can find his inner self and triumph over the hardships he faced. I respect and admire her for that.

 

SPOILER(Read at your own risk)

And Ander..."the envelopes" moment at the very end was what did it for me.I loved him for it. Without that revelation, the story would've felt incomplete.

END OF SPOILER

 

But I loved Lori more, for her patience, for her goodness, for her sense of value of people, for her...being her. This may be the very first romance novel where I liked the girl more than the guy. And that's something.

I liked the physical intimacy scenes, don't get me wrong, but I craved the emotional intimacies so much more and felt breathless when I was given them! They took the relationship slow,(once they started realizing their importance to each other) step by step, like real people do, and I admire the author Claire Kent(or, should I say, Noelle Adams?) for breathing life into her characters. I really,really wanna meet the author someday and hold her hand with my both hands tightly, just once, to show her what her novels make me feel, how her writing makes me feel. She is a...talented writer, who knows how to make the reading experience special.

 

Oh, I can't go on any more or I'll spoil all the fun for you, the other readers! Enjoy Claire Kent's novels, readers, however short they may be!:D

I've never had a book boyfriend before. Now I know why. I was waiting for Michael Conte. This story connected with me on so many levels. Leaving out one star as I feel they needed to talk more. But the way the growth of the main characters was shown...it is truly amazing. I personally like this book. A lot. And I'm officially Ms. Probst's fan. She knows how to write romances!Not saying anything about the story as I feel a reader should explore it herself/himself.

The book gave more insights into the hearts of our main characters, than the movie could.It was a nice read, and I could easily connect to the turmoils the couple went through. There should have been more fights...and they should have been more open to each other. But then, we wouldn't get the movie or the book, would we? There were many questions still left unanswered, but I like it that way. I think I'm gonna turn to fanfictions for the unfulfilled wants. (Chuckles)Thanks to the production team and scriptwriters and Dubowski, of course, for making me happy, if only, for a day.

1 word to sum up what an story it was..."Beautiful".

Dear author,I loved "Beauty" when I read it many months ago; I thought nothing could ever take its place in my heart. Now, after reading "Rose Daughter", I can't decide which one is dearer to me. Robin McKinley, can you decide for me? Which one I like better? Which one I have to love less? Clearly, I have to choose; everything comes with a choice. And how, and why, do your stories have the power to hold the earth in me and move it so fiercely?-A reader in awe of your magical and beautiful books.P.S: Your "Sunshine" slowly tortured me, the first time I read it, and the second time I read it, and the third, and more times to come, I believe.. How much will your other books torture me, I wonder.....

This collection of stills from wartime of 1971 brings black & white memories to life. Every battle, every suffering, every letter, every support becomes vivid. Truly a masterpiece.