Just Like Heaven

Book: Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn 

Synopsis: Honoria Smythe-Smith is:
A) a really bad violinist 
B) still miffed at being nicknamed "Bug" as a child
C) not in love with her older brother's best friend
D) all of the above

Marcus Holroyd is:

A) the Earl of Chatteris
B) regrettably prone to sprained ankles
C) not in love with his best friend's younger sister
D) all of the above

Together they:

A) eat quite a bit of chocolate cake
B) survive a deadly fever and the world's worst musical performance
C) fall quite desperately in love

It's Julia Quinn at her best, so you know the answer is . . .

D) all of the above

[via Amazon]

Book Notes:

Now I understand why I'm loyal to my Kindle (which I finally found thank heavens!) and why I'm still old fashioned and enjoy purchasing actual books. It's just a far more enjoyable process in totality. I think I would've enjoyed this book so much more if my eReader was not lagging. It was rather irritating reading faster than the pages were loading... it was such a waste of my time! I was so vexed that I had to slow down my pace, and I had to stare at pages of text that I was so ready to move on from. 

As far as regency romances go, I think this was rather cute although I expected a little bit more quirk. The synopsis from Amazon made me believe it was going to be a love story with so much more spunky and charm, but it unfortunately didn't live up to my expectations. I expected it to have a little more dynamic interactions, a little more dessert and well a little more pizzazz. 

Overall though, its cute, easy to read and maybe something you can pick up at your local library or borrow from a friend.

Book Quotes: 

"It had been a feeling she hadn't even realised she'd been missing- of belonging, of place, of being with someone who utterly and completely and still thought you were worth laughing with."

"It is better to marry a good man than rush into a disaster..."

Rating: 2.5/5

Reading Map:

Mozart Symphony No. 1 in E Flat Major

Outrageously Yours: Her Majesty's Secret Servants by Allison Chase

Duke and I by Julia Quinn

*I didnt enjoy this book, but other's might... it did get glowing reviews on Amazon!

Bared to You

Book: Bared to You by Slyvia Day 

Synopsis: Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness... 

He was beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily... 

Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other's most private worlds...and desires.

The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart... [via Amazon]

Book Notes:

I thought i was rather mad to have gotten myself back into this pickle. another book like this again! i shamelessly joined the band wagon of 50 shades readers, and guilty enjoyed losing myself in the horrid writing and senselessness of the entire story... but to go at it again. hmm... definitely. shame on me.

Although i must commend that this was a notch up in writing style as compared to 50 shades, i realized the story was just not as gripping. It did have all those sexy scenes, but when the book ended i didnt have that crazed feeling of having to purchase and read book two immediately. In fact, i kind of don't really care how those two really f-ed up characters end up. I must say though that the leading man had such a gorgeous name (Gideon Cross... damn)

As much as 50 Shades and the Crossfire series have a lot in common, the author also makes quite a few distinctions. Maybe for those you can get as far as book two (and perhaps to the soon-to-be-released third installment), maybe the differences in the stories would slowly unfold and you can really appreciate their own unique story. 

Definitely a book for those who were still looking for a 50 Shades fix. 

On a more personal side note, I think i realized why I am so fascinated with these kind of leading characters. Take all that crazy sex aside, its just so Thomas Crown. Yes people, way before Grey and Cross became the center of attention this 21st Century there was a guy named Thomas Crown. And I remember back in the 90s when i first caught the screening of The Thomas Crown Affair, I was immediately smitten with his character. Just his smooth, suave and aloof exterior has left a pre-teen girl extremely fascinated. And these new debonair male leads in mass market literature exemplify exactly that kind of guy. So maybe this is just my way of reasoning with myself why I am so attracted to these kinds of stories. From the get-go, that was apparently always my type of guy. (and we haven't even gotten around to my Austen fantasies yet. but then I am starting to sound really kooky at this point.)

Book Quotes:

"B.O.B. and I have a longtime understanding-when we're done with each other, we know exactly which one of us has been used and it isn't me. Good night, Gideon."

"Whats your definition of dating? A frown marred the space between his brows. 'Lengthly social time spent with a which we're not actively f-ing."

"If anyone knows what its like to be involved with people who hurt you, it's me. You love him. You want to save him. But who's going to save you, Eva?"

Rating: 2/5

What I Did for a Duke

Book: What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long 

Synopsis: For years, he's been an object of fear, fascination . . . and fantasy. But of all the wicked rumors that shadow the formidable Alexander Moncrieffe, Duke of Falconbridge, the ton knows one thing for certain: only fools dare cross him. And when Ian Eversea does just that, Moncrieffe knows the perfect revenge: he'll seduce Ian's innocent sister, Genevieve—the only Eversea as yet untouched by scandal. First he'll capture her heart . . . and then he'll break it.

But everything about Genevieve is unexpected: the passion simmering beneath her cool control, the sharp wit tempered by gentleness . . . And though Genevieve has heard the whispers about the duke's dark past, and knows she trifles with him at her peril, one incendiary kiss tempts her deeper into a world of extraordinary sensuality. Until Genevieve is faced with a fateful choice . . . is there anything she won't do for a duke? [via Amazon]

Book Notes: I really dont understand why romance novels have to have such ridiculous covers. Then again, i guess its just all part of that sort of genre. I stumbled across this book when i was reading through the book list of one of my favourite book bloggers, and i was rather bored at home in need of some trashy read to pass the evening.

at first impression i was quite taken by the authors writing, it had a surprisingly wicked sense of humor which i dont often come across when reading this genre. It was sarcastic, and entertaining. Although i quite disliked the mental side notes her characters would sometimes utter to themselves. It got kind of dragging for a while, especially since the entire book took place in one scene, and it seemed like they were playing cards and embroidering for most of the time, i still think this was definitely one of the more entertaining reads. 

Book Quotes: 

"What was love if not a certain pleasantly deluded familiarity built up over years?"

"Funny how his obliviousness had lost his charm."

"I suppose we all tend to want the impossible. And sometimes in attempting it we achieve something near enough to the impossible to elicit satisfaction."

"He didn't dislike kittens. But life was too short to continue this conversation."

"What are your pleasures and pursuits, Lord Moncrieffe? Well I'm partial to whores. Whor...whores...? She choked. I beg your pardon- horses. Honestly Miss Eversea, I do wonder what you think of me if thats what you heard. Horses. Those hooved beasts a man can race, wager upon, ploy a field with, harness to a phaeton, and drive at deliciously reckless speeds. And one cannot do any of that with whores?"

"Some paintings are considered heretical, she said irritably. Ah, but that isnt the fault of the painting. It's the prejudice of the viewer."

"When one is satisfied with how the world appears, there is no need to look any deeper or father. Peeking below the surface of things, one often discovers things one would rather not see, wheter it is worms tilled up by the ploy or wads of dust beneath a bed."

"he'd very little patience for poety or fiction, as real life, he found, was vivid enough when lived properly and was best confronted directly, rather than obliquely approached through words strung together by dreams and fancies a la Byron."

"Everyone needed a reminder to simply look at things and enjoy them, without labeling them."

"They found forgetfulness together. Passion had its uses."

"He would ask nothing else from like if he would be allowed to protect and cherish her for the rest of his."

"This was farewell, Genevieve. Couldn't you tell? And with that he was gone, as quickly as he did most things."

"She'd dreamed of this day her entire life. Or perhaps it was just the rest of her life had just chosen her, as she'd once told the duke. Love chooses you."

Rating: 3.5/5

Duke and I

Book: Duke and I (Bridgerton Series) by Julia Quinn

Synopsis: Simon Basset, the irresistible Duke of Hastings, has hatched a plan to keep himself free from the town′s marriage-minded society mothers. He pretends to be engaged to the lovely Daphne Bridgerton. After all, it isn′t as if the brooding rogue has any real plans to marry - though there is something about the alluring Miss Bridgerton that sets Simon′s heart beating a bit faster. And as for Daphne, surely the clever debutante will attract some very worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable. But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, she soon forgets that their courtship is a complete sham. And now she has to do the impossible and keep herself from losing her heart and soul completely to the handsome hell-raiser who has sworn off marriage forever! [via Amazon]

Book Notes: I wish i could have said that i was held with a pistol on my back until i had to purchase this book, but unfortunately i dont even have that reason as my alibi. For a book with stellar reviews on Amazon, i was amazingly surprised by the lack of story. Her three brothers sounded and acted like pre-historic cave men and the whole point of their ploy... it was even properly expounded upon. This whole book felt like everything was happening because they were all held at gun point- which i might add was essentially the only story of this book. The lines were completely redundant, and there was no proper flow or timing. It really had potential, but it was just so loosely tied together and extremely predictable. 


Rating: 1/5

When Beauty Tamed the Beast

Book: When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James


"If she decides to be very wicked indeed, what price that she have to pay for taming his wild heart?"


Synopsis: After Prince Augustus Frederick reneges on his promise to marry her, Linnet Thrynne faces social ruin since everyone—based partly on her mother’s scandalous past and partly on Linnet’s ill-fated decision to wear a ball gown that gives the impression she is pregnant—now believes Linnet is a hussy of the first degree. Fortunately, Linnet’s aunt, Lady Etheridge, comes up with a solution. Rumor has it that Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, is in the market for a wife. The irascible nobleman’s only requirement is that his bride-to-be be a woman “more beautiful than the sun and the moon,” a condition Linnet easily meets. Linnet is certain once the beastly Piers meets her, he will fall under her spell. But immediately after encountering the cranky doctor, Linnet realizes the intractable, intelligent, and altogether intriguing Piers is not exactly the husband for whom she bargained. With equal measures of superbly nuanced characters, sexy passion, and scintillating wit, James deftly fashions a fairy-tale-perfect romance. [via Amazon]


Book Notes: such a guilty pleasure to get so involved and immersed in this unreal world of historical fiction. dukes that must be tamed, heroines as beautiful as goddesses, rippling muscles, ample bossoms, and the underlying theme of loathe and passion creating one highly dramatic and dysfunctional relationship. its the ultimate cliche and its everything you expect it to be. its a romance novel.


although it was a far cry from anything beauty and the beast related... like don't go there. thats my favourite fairy tale... although as my friend pointed out months back, that its actually the original gold digger tale, but that is a story for another time. 


Just get past the first few chapters because it was quite agonizing having to read pages and pages of silly descriptions about Linnet,  but once the two finally meet the chemistry flowed quite naturally. although not one of the most memorable reads, its still definitely one of the better set of historical romance novels out there.

Book Quotes: 


"Don't tell me you're going to try for virgin birth, my love. I can't imagine that it worked very well back in Jerusalem. Every time the bishop talks about it at Christmastime, I can't help thinking that the poor girl must have had a miserable time trying to get people to believer her."

"To hope was to put himself at risk. In all likelihood, his hopes would turn to dust, to rejection and pain. He hadn't dared such a foolish emotion in years. But hope billowed from some secret place in his heart all the same."

"She's like my other half." Piers said savagely, keeping his head down. "My other bloody half, like some sort of joke that Plato made up. Like nothing I ever wanted, and then, there she was."

Once and Always

Book: Once and Always by Judith McNaught

Synopsis: Suddenly finding themselves orphans in America, Victoria and her sister return to England to stay with their remaining living relatives. Victoria was sent to live with an elderly cousin, the Duke and his son, Jason. Their love story embarks with the Duke trying to match Victoria and Jason, much to the horror of the two. Victoria is keen that her childhood sweetheart, Andrew, would find her, marry her and take her home to America. But when Victoria believes Andrew has married another, the Duke pushes for a quick engagement. Suddenly Andrew calls on Victoria only to find it was too late for she was already a married woman.

Book Notes: I felt like the character Andrew could have played a much bigger role in this book. His sudden appearance and disappearance was absolutely senseless especially since I quite honestly rooted for him because I didn't like Jason's character. He merited sympathy for having a horrible childhood, and he deserved recognition for his self-made wealth, but this was a classic tale that money cannot buy manners. Try as he might to be a gentleman but he raped her twice in the book. Not only that, he treated her like a common whore, giving her jewellery after every deed. There came a point when I couldn't understand how and why they fell in love with each other.

There could have been so much more to this story and so much less of the other stuff. It had the makings of a good plot, gone terribly wrong with a cruel, self-loathing, leading man.

Whitney, My Love

Book: Whitney, My Love by Judith Mc Naught

Synopsis: Whitney is a strong-headed country girl with a fixed obsession that she would one day marry her childhood crush, Paul Sevarin. Tired of her antics, her father sends her to Paris to live with relatives and learn the proper ladylike manners. Suddenly, Whitney was no longer an awkward infatuated juvenile—Paris has transformed her into a charming rare jewel. From the town joke, she was the toast of Paris with suitors falling all over themselves to win her over. But with her heart was still back in England, anxious to finally win Paul's affection. But unknowing to Whitney, the Duke of Claymore has taken a fancy with her and with the sudden financial difficulties of her father, she is suddenly betrothed to him. Posing as her neighbour, the Duke sets out to court Whitney although she wants nothing to do with him.

Book Notes:With their love-hate relationship, it was poised to be a very interesting love story. It constantly pulled on my heartstrings, and I felt butterflies in my tummy the entire time I was reading the book. But upon further scrutiny, I realized how dysfunctional her main characters are. They were highly emotionally abusive and often too proud and stubborn to communicate properly with one another. There was also a scene in the book during one of the blind rage black outs of the Duke that I felt was so horrid and emotionally wrenching. If you decide to read this, be the judge of this scene.

But that aside, truth be told I enjoyed this book because I happen to like complicated, dysfunctional and passionate characters. Bottom line: I just want to point out that this is a work of fiction, and although this book has some violent scenes, any woman who finds herself in an abusive relationship should not be blinded by a false kind of love.


***edit: January 07, 2013***
At this point i have lost count on how many times i have reread this book! in the three years since ive read this i always seem to find myself running back to it just to relive some fond memories. Its come to a point that sometimes i feel like these characters are real, like as if i know them.

Sometimes it even scares me a little that i have placed Clayton at a pedestal, as if yearning that his likeness would come to life some how. (clearly, i still do have a penchant for the dysfunctional for that seems to be the only normal i know of) there is just something about him, from his physical attributes to his character flaws, i cant help by keep falling in love with him.

I reread my earlier review and it sounded very constricted to how i imagined internet readers to judge it by but screw it... i bloody love this book! there is something about this book that i cant seem to get enough of, and must continue to relive every moment and all 700 pages of it!