Book Review: Twice Upon a Time by Kate Forster

Goodreads Discription:

Ludo introduces Cinda to the heady world of the super-rich, taking her to parties on yachts and villas all over Europe. Sparks start to fly as Ludo and Cinda spend more and more time together, and even cautious Cinda wonders if there might be something real between them. Then Gus, Ludo's twin brother and heir to the Sardinian throne, arrives to ruin everyone's fun. Gus is obsessed with duty, and having a commoner like Cinda around just isn't part of his plan. But when fate throws Cinda and Gus together, he's astounded to discover that he and Cinda get along well. So well, in fact, that he might be prepared to throw away everything to be with her...

Title: Twice Upon a Time
Author: Kate Forster
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Chick Lit, NA, Mature YA
Format: Paperback

Pages: 377
Source: Purchased from Target Australia

Get ready for some royal love, drama and adventure! 

Flirty, Fun, enchanting fairy tale romance with an interesting twist, I flew trough this book like there's no tomorrow.

I love Cinda from the start! Back packing trough Europe with her best friend Jonas, she meet's Ludo a handsome, charming local who turned out to be a crowned Prince of Sardinia and is pulled into the world of luxury... Royal style! Though she is suddenly place in a too good to be true situation where she's showered with wealth and luxury, having that she comes from humble life in Sydney, she stays down to earth as well as true to herself. Strong and independent but also a very complex character having that Cinda has been abandoned by her mother (yet again) who married a man that she have yet to meet and moves to New Zealand to start her new life with her new husband. 

Gus and Ludo, the good looking and swoon worthy twins and Princes of Sardinia, opposite in so many ways.

Ludo, though the kinder fun loving twin I like him but didn't love him and I was holding the book for my dear life expecting him to screw up in someway. Though he's your typical 'playboy' who came out a bit too free spirit and happy-go-lucky, he's passionate and respect others.

Gus the older by three minutes twin who is also the future heir to the throne, my first impression of him was a snobby, arrogant jerk who looked down on the lower class and made me want to chuck the book across the room the way he treats Cinda and Jonas (and at times his own brother) at first. Groomed to be the future king, he came out as very uptight and plays by the rules, putting honor and duty above pleasure. However after he meet Cinda he changed being lay back, compassionate and a loveable charming guy that dare I say it made me fall head-over-heals for Gus. Of all the characters in this book he certainly changed and had the most character development.

His relationship with Cinda was one of the things that made the book for me where they started out as a love-hate relationship turned friendship turned romance.

Also I freaking enjoyed Jonas! He's THE Best Friend that anyone to be friends with hits the jackpot! A budding fashion designer, he's confident, smart, hilariously sarcastic and sassy yet caring and loyal especially to Cinda. Of all the side characters I've read he is definitely my favorite! Also Alex was another great side character. The only character I didn't like was a certain Parrot (read the book and you'll get the reference though try not to throw the book across the room because of the Parrot)

While the main story line is the tension and romance between Cinda and the twins, it also talks about duty, wealth as well as family love and true love. It was very fast pace, light, flirty and addictive ( I can't put it down! need to know which guy Cinda ends up with!). It also have that modern fairy tale feel which made the book feel enchanting (lol Taylor Swift song reference).

My only complain was the ending. While I liked the mind blowing ending since it made sense with the story as it was kinda the ONLY way it can end in a happy tone, in reality and to my satisfaction it was not how I liked the story to end.

Overall another great Smitten romance story! Keep them coming as I am addicted to this cute happy swoon worthy reads!

Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss #2) by Stephanie Perkins

Goodreads Description: 

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss #2)
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Chick Lit,
Format: Paperback

Pages: 338
Source: Purchased from the bookdepository

I love Anna and the French Kiss and that took me a while to pick up... This I was saving till after finals to devour it and tough it was worth the wait I am currently slapping myself silly wondering why the heck didn't I pick this up sooner!!!

Firstly while the story does have some parallel with Anna where two people want to be with each other but one of them is dating someone else. While the main story is Lola working out her feelings for her rocker (and much older) boyfriend and the fact her childhood crush Cricket who's family has moved back next door, it also has family drama, old enemies and being yourself without overdoing it. This basically your boy-next-door story with a good twist which made the story more unique

If you have not noticed I like a character centered book and the cast of characters were amazing!!!

Lola Nolan... I can only describe her in one word... unique! She's talented and artsy, daring and not afraid to stand out in the costumes (not outfits but costumes), fun loving, smart and mature though she tend not to make some of the best choices and is really really witty! I love reading from her head as she go trough some tough decisions including being honest with herself with who she love and who she really is. I love her development especially at the end though it was not a smooth ride.

Cricket... okay firstly WHO NAMES THEIR KID CRICKET?!?! Apart from the Odd name aside I freaking love him!! He is the adorable nerdy boy-next door and is super sweet especially with Lola. Some of the smallest/simplest gestures he makes makes me go 'aawww' and smile like a freak! I feel really bad for him living in the spotlight of his twin at times that his family tend to overlook his talent in inventing, but I love how he is still very supportive and proud of his sister.

Max.. at first I was okay with him thinking of him as the mysterious 'bad boy' rocker but when Cricket appear back in Lola's life I was like 'FORGET HIM!!' and hated trough the rest of the book. Though the way Lola treated him was not right I hated how he was trough out the book. Long story short he's a jerk!

Andy and Nathan who are Lola's strict and protective parents at first when it was mentioned 'other dad' I was like 'Rotan confuse' as I didn't expect Lola to be raised by two dads. I actually liked the ideal of the two dad's raising her and we rarely see same sex parents in YA . I love how Lola get along with her dads and that they play a bigger role than most book parents do. I especially love Andy trying to play cupid with Lola and Cricket! Freaking cute!

Side Characters... I liked Lindsay and that fact the author added another diverse character (she's Korean) but I felt like her character is very vague. We only get a glimpse of her every now and then. I was on the love hate side for Calliope was on the love hate side as most of the time I wanted to hate her but at the end of the book I neither love or hate her but I understand where she's coming from being the over protective twin of Cricket. Same goes for Norah, though her character eventually became better in the end I still was on the love hate section with her. My favorite side character were Anna and St Clair! Yes Anna and St Clare have a bit of involvement in this book which was a freaking surprise as I though it will just be a Cameo but it was more! Its great to see their relationship grow and mature from the previous book and their is seriously the sweetest!

I feel that Anna has changed slightly... I can't put my finger on it but when I reading her it feels different.. she's more... mature? Also my favorite line 'Anna confuse' makes an appearance!!! As for St Clare... boy is he freaking cheeky and witty and gosh do I love him even more in this book (point me to the direction where they sell St Clare!! Not Eclairs but St Clare's lol) ! He also has a more major role of helping Lola being honest with herself (technically her voice of reasons) where he makes references from his experience in the previous book since he was in the same position as Lola back then. 

While the story was predictable, I feel like this was really different from the other YA romances that I've read so far and is a huge improvement from Anna and the French Kiss.

The cast of characters was great and the story line though simple and fluffy but filled twist and turns making this not your average romance/ boy next door story. Stephenie Perkins writing is freaking fun, cute and unique! Now all I need is Isla and the Happily Ever After and my life will be complete! 

If you've read Anna and the French Kiss READ THIS!! If you have not read Anna and the French Kiss than pick it up before you read this so that you won't be all 'Anna confuse' as there are references to the previous book. Check it out also if you love Contemporary romance that are sweet and quirky!

I LOVE THIS BOOK TO PIECES and now have a new favorite book on my favorite bookshelve! Long story short JUST READ THIS! You won't regret it! And prepare to smile and giggle and swoon!

Book Review : To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1) by Jenny Han

Goodreads Description : 

Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control in this heartfelt novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series.

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them... all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1)
Author: Jenny Han
Genre: Contemporary, YA, Chick Lit, Romance
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 355
Source: Purchased from the Bookdepository

I heard so many good things about Jenny Han with her 'Summer I turn pretty' trilogy and the 'Burn for Burn' which I have yet to pick up (IDK why) but the moment I heard the concept of this book I had to pick it up!

The book focuses on  Lara Jean who writes 'good bye' love letters to her crushes, keeps them in a hat box and moves on with life. One day those letters gets send out to the guys she wrote the letters to and has to deal with the fact this boys all know how she used to feel of them. Though it sounds like a haywire situation, she actually gotten to know some of the guys better especially Peter. 

I like Lara Jean from the start. I like watching her grow trough the book having she started out as not so confident and living in the shadows of the older sister Margot to becoming more confident and independent as well as capable of looking after their little sister Kitty, their dad as well as around the house. In a way both her and Kitty did become better with Margot leaving for college as Margot was the head of the house, being an example to her sisters and keeping everything in order.

Margot is a love-hate character. Me being the eldest I could relate to her in some ways like putting siblings before myself and worrying what's gonna happen to the family when I'm off to college but I feel she has a problem of letting go and letting her sister and dad look after themselves. Though she has her good intention of being strict and protective over her family, she really just need to let go and let them learn for themself. I feel like I will have enjoyed Margot more if we gotten to know her better. In fact I think it will be cool if there were a spin-off story on her.

Kitty... gosh I love her to bits! She's wise beyond her years making me sometimes forget she's only Nine. She know's how to wrap you around her fingers as well as is very particular with who she warms up to. However don't mess with this firecracker as she'll mess with you big time! . Basically I though she was gonna be my least favorite character turned to be my most favorite (beside Lara Jean and Peter). 

Lara Jean is my most favorite character in the book! Cute, witty, free spirit and dreamy! I seriously want to be friends with her where we can hang out and bake cookies and cupcakes all day! As mentioned her character development was one of the few things that made the book for me. Yes like most main character I've read she has some flaws like the fact that she was kinda innocent and naive as well as some of the ways she handle her problems were not ideal. Though she still have some room for improvement and growing up to do she matured at the end of the book as well as learn a lesson or two about love (both family and boy wise) which made me smile.

Josh who is one of the boys that Lara wrote the letter to as well as Margot's ex-boyfriend (dun dun dun...) not to mention their neighbor so even after Margot broke up with him they still do see a lot of him. He is obviously close to Lara Jean since they are friends for a long time. Like Margot he is protective over her and Kitty. Though I like him I find him as the 'typical boy next door' aka kinda bland.

Peter... gosh he was a hate-love-hate-love-I-am-so-thorn-with-my-feelings-but-love-you-in-the-end-but-but- character. He started out as a freaking jerk who was using Lara Jean to get back at his ex (*cringe* *cringe* cringe*... okay so Lara Jean 'was' using him to hide her feelings from Josh) with going into a fake relationship (contract and all the works lol that was cute!). Peter surprised me having that he started out as the 'bad boy jock' sorta guy with a very screwy and manipulative ex but once you get to know him he can be as complex as complex gets. Yes he was a jerk in so many parts of the book I literally threw my book across the room out of frustration but he managed to redeemed himself to be quiet a good sweet guy who actually does care for Lara Jean. He show's his sweet, caring compassionate side... swoon... I need a guy like him in my life... lol. In fact most of my favorite LOL and cute moments in the book were the Lara Jean/Peter relationship. And tough I am freaking annoyed with his character, I am at the moment Team Peter! ( Now all we gotta do is kill off the jealous ex-girlfriend... any ideas?? lol)

While the book does have some high school romance and drama, I feel there was a larger focus on family love and drama which I like especially the sisterly love and father daughter love. There were some parts of the book that was emotional and heart warming. I expect this to have some cute and fluffy moments but the book turned out to be more complex than expected.

Random like but any Potter Heads will be happy with the Harry Potter reference xD 

Also in case you don't already notice from this blog (wink wink nudge nudge, check out my other book reviews) I like book with diversity, from the book characters, the place the book is set in or even the authors and this book is an example of that. The author, Jenny Han American Korean. The book talks a lot about Lara Jean's Korean culture and even though their mum (who is Korean) have passed away their dad still try to incorporate their Korean roots into their lives. 

I purposely saved this book so that I could devour after my exams and the wait was worth it! This was a real page turner and there were a couple of times where I shouted "WHAT" out of shock or frustration especially at a particular boom drop at the end where I did kinda predicted not not in the way it happened (I also threw the book at the sofa at one point and got a bit teary eye at another). The ending I was not that happy about... I literally scream 'WHY?!?! WHERE ARE THE LAST LIKE 20 PAGES OF THE BOOK (ala Augustus freaking out on an Imperial Affliction style for you TFIOS fans :P) but hey... they need to leave use hanging for the squeal for a reason since this will be a duology. 

Other than that I enjoyed this book! Sweet, heartwarming but complex reads that's filled with touching emotions (kinda got teary at one part). This is definitely more on the character/relationship driven side than the story. Check this out for likable characters that feels realistic and that you could relate to, a good family and sisterly dynamic relationship as well as unique story line concept. 

NOW GIMME THE NEXT BOOK!! NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!?! WHY 2015!?!?

Who will you write a love letter to??? 

Also Team Josh or Team Peter?? 

*cough *cough *Peter ^^ 

Book Review : Counterfeit Love by Julie Fison

Description:

Lucy Yang is loving her first television job in Hong Kong. She works hard and plays hard, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship if she wants to become a TV news anchor by the time she’s twenty-one. Besides, what man could live up to her impossibly high standards?

Then she meets Byron, and her world is turned upside-down. Funny, clever and impossibly gorgeous, Byron might just satisfy all of Lucy’s criteria. Sure, he’s a little cagey about his job, but what businessman in Hong Kong doesn’t want to protect trade secrets?

But as Lucy desperately tries to get to the bottom of a potentially huge news story, Byron keeps popping up in the most unlikely places. Is it just a coincidence? Or is Lucy’s perfect man not so perfect after all?

Title: Counterfeit Love

Author: Julie Fison
Genre: Contemporary, YA, NA, Romance, Chick Lit, Mature YA
Pages: 234 pages
Source: Received from publisher via Smitten Romance Book Club

Cute, mysterious and happy reads!

So I recently read Julie Fison's 'Lust and Found' and a couple of days later they announced a new Smitten Romance book written by the same author and luckily I managed to snag another Smitten Romance novel for the Book Club!

This was really different from Lust and Found (in a good way) and the only similarity is that its once again sat in Asia, this time in Hong Kong. Once again the author managed to capture the setting and atmosphere of Hong Kong spot on! I love the details in the book including some of the landmarks and street names that were added in the book. Also the book is briefly set in Singapore and my home country Malaysia is mentioned several times trough out the book (I kinda got excited whenever I see the word Malaysia :P).

Lucy Yang, an Australian born Chinese, freshly graduated and recently moved to Hong Kong to peruse a career in journalism. Ambitious, hard working, career driven, Lucy is determined to be a TV news anchor by the age of Twenty One . I love her character the moment I opened the book! Sweet,fun loving, funny, ambitious, independent as well as super smart and quick thinking she is definitely my favorite character in the book!

Byron, super swoon worthy, flirty, smart, super lol funny and charming with a hint of mysteriousness that will keep you guessing more and more about him and when you do find out... keep all eyes in your sockets and your jaws off the floor as you're in for a plot twist! I enjoyed every moment guessing more and more about him and probably contributed to one of the biggest plot twist in the book! He's described to be a good looking Eurasian I'm guessing Chinese/American since he has an American accent... never really cleared on his ethnicity.

I liked how the relationship played out between them. The book talks a lot about trust in a relationship. While it took a while for Byron, since he was all secretive and mysterious about his life/job to be trusted by Lucy, I'm glad how he managed to redeemed himself in the end.

I love how the book follows the behind-the-scene of journalism/ TV reporting as well as Lucy on the job for a good chunk of the book. I also love how even though Lucy is determine to meet her goals, she does it in a fair/honest way.

Lucy's friend Charlotte was fun to read! Her job at a concierge service sounds really interesting. I wish there will be a book about Charlotte as it will be great to read more about her. Her friendship with Lucy is another thing I enjoyed!

The characters and plot were what made the book for me! They were likeable and had a great character development! Also the plot has an air of mystery that will keep you guessing as well as the plot twist, while a couple were predictable, most of them I seriously didn't see coming. Also Lucy's growth, career wise was nice and refreshing as well as something that a lot of girls/readers can take from reading the book. We need more strong and determine characters in books to give readers an example of hard work and determination pays off.

I overall enjoyed this and have a new book to place on my favorite shelve! A real page turner that I could not put down and I read it in less than a day! Also did I mentioned that this was super cute that I literally had a big smile on my face when was done with the book?!?! Good, Happy and Satisfying read!

Also its refreshing to read a casts of Asian characters as main characters that are different from stereotype 'Asian kid = super smart/nerdy sidekick etc' that are usually seen in books.

Check this out if you are up for a lighthearted, fluffy romance with a hint of mystery with strong, independent and well developed characters and an escape to Hong Kong. Also check it out if you are planning to travel to Hong Kong or even Asia in the new future as well as if you are planning to go into journalism

Speaking of which, reading this made me want to go to Hong Kong since its been years since I've been there :P 

Overall a goodreads and a new favorite smitten romance!

 What was the last romance you've read?

Book Review : Lust and Found (Smitten) by Julie Fison

Goodreads Description:

Cambodia is the last place in the world Sienna wants to visit. She likes five- star hotels and exercising her credit card in air-conditioned malls – not flea- ridden hostels and trekking through the jungle.

But when her brother Eddie starts sending strange messages from Cambodia, Sienna’s mum convinces her to go check on him. Thankfully, her boyfriend agrees to go along.

When they arrive, they discover that Eddie has disappeared. Sienna just wants to find him and get the hell out of there. Everything in Cambodia
is getting to her – the language barrier, the unrelenting humidity, the mosquitos. But mostly it’s Eddie’s maddeningly hot French friend, Guillaume, who couldn’t be more unhelpful if he tried..

 

Title: Lust and Found (Smitten)

Author: Julie Fison
Genre: Contemporary, YA, NA, Romance, Chick Lit, Mature YA
Pages: 234 pages
Source: Purchased at Dymocks 

So I mentioned in my review for Love Is The New Black by Chrissie Keighery that the Smitten Romance series is one of my favorite romance series and owe most of the books in the series.

I was recently at Dymocks and saw more Smitten books and decided to pick one that the synopsis caught my attention more.

The main reason why I picked this up was cause it's set in Cambodia and not many books I've read is set in Asia so I thought why not? It will be fun to read a book set in a sorta a familiar setting ( I'm from Asia btw :P)

Reading trough the story though I love the author's description of Cambodia. In fact she is spot on on describing the setting and atmosphere especially the humidity and trust me considering I was born and bred in Asia that is one thing I never appriciate... the weather (prefer Melb cooling Autumn/winter weather... sorry to the humidity in Asia??? lol)

 The characters were probably my least favorite of the book. While Sienna started out as a self-centered, dependent, spoil-brat, gold-digger (yes I said it!) that seriously made me cringe, she eventually learned to be independent, think for herself, care for others,and most importantly change for the better.

As for Daniel, the more I read about him the more I cringe as first off he is 10 years older than Sienna. I am okay with age but his characteristic just made me cringe more and more I read about him (eventually I almost chuck the book across the room). He does online poker for a living. He comes out as a very manipulative and self centered boyfriend and what I hated about him the most is the way he treats Sienna! Literally the more he talks and say 'she's mine', 'she belong to me' the more I just want to strangle the guy and say 'she is not an object! she is a person! and stop doubting her! etc'. Seriously that's no way to treat a girl/lady! I seriously think he's better off with a puppy than a girlfriend!
(okay rant over! in otherwords i hate his character with passion! lol)

Guillaume... well he started off as an okay character with a hint of mystery in him. Not the most swoon worthy guy but as you get to know more and more about him you can't help but smile at his silliness and cuteness. 

This book is fun and adventurous! Reading it reminds me a bit of home! Also the Angkor Wat is one of the few places I hope to visit in the next few years. While I was not a big of a fan of the cast of characters in the book, as the story developed I enjoyed development of  Sienna and Guillaume characters. Also the plot twist I didn't see coming till that very second the bomb drops! The way they found Sienna's brother Eddie was a mixture of 'THAT MAKES SENSE!" and "WTH OMGASDFJKL; NO WAY" and "Wait what?! O.o?!".
 

While Sianna's journey trough Cambodia was rough and the book have its highs and lows, the pacing is never dull and the ending is happy and satisfying. 

Anyway I like the book. A nice exotic adventure romance novel that I definitely recommend. In fact you can never go wrong with a Smitten Romance novel. Pick this up if you want to find a book set in Asia, a light quick read that you can definitely brows trough on your holidays with cute, funny and flirty romance that will make you happy.

I'll be reviewing more of the other Smitten Romance books that I so far owe in the next couple of weeks so subscribe for more reviews and stay tune!

 

 

Book Review : That Boy (That Boy #1) by Jillian Dodd

Goodreads Description :

That Boy is a contemporary romance about falling in love with the boys next door.

You know, being friends with two cute boys does have its benefits.

There's Danny. Danny is a golden boy in every way. He has dreamy blue eyes and blonde hair that always looks perfect, even when it’s windblown or been stuck under a football helmet. He’s the boy every girl crushes on. The boy I get into trouble with, the boy I fight with, the hot quarterback no girl can resist, not even me. Being with Danny is like being on an adventure. He has a bright, contagious smile and abs to die for. He’s pretty much irresistible.

Equally crush worthy is Phillip. Adorable, sweet Phillip, who I have known since birth.  Phillip has dark hair, a perfect smile, brown eyes, and the sexiest voice I have ever heard. He’s the boy I talk to every night before I go to sleep. The boy who rescues me, the boy who can read my mind, the boy who is always there for me, the boy who tries to keep me out of trouble, the boy who irritatingly keeps getting hotter, and whose strong arms always seem to find their way around me.  And when he gives me that grin, I can never say no.

One boy will give me my very first kiss.
One boy will teach me to make out.
One boy will take me to prom.
And finally, one boy will ask me to marry him.
They will both be my best friends.
But only one of them will be the boy I fall in love with.
Only one of them is That Boy.

Title: That Boy (That Boy #1)
Author: Jillian Dodd
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Chick Lit, NA , Mature YA
Mature YAFormat: eBook
Pages:-
Source: Free off iBooks

Where do I begin.... ?!?!

Okay so I'm a fan of Jillian Dodd's The Keatyn Chronicles which I've read all the books that are so far publish so when I saw 'That Boy' on iBooks for free I had to download it!

The book is written in a diary style with cute doodles/illustrarion following JJ (Jadyn James) Reynolds from childhood till early adulthood along with her two best friend Phillip and Danny, both described as the "hot boys next door". 

We follow JJ's life is filled with fun happy times that brings a smile to your face as well as sad tragic times which could literally pull your heart strings. I like reading her monologue which is  a bit dramatic its mostly laugh out loud funny and at times adorable!

I love the characters especially our main trio. JJ's strong, tough, sarcastic, happy-go-lucky, competitive, down-to-earth and witty characteristic made me love her from page one. Yes she tends to not make some bad choices trough the book but she eventually resolves them. I also love how she has many characteristics! One moment she is just one of the guys playing football (or should I say strip football *wink *wink) and the next she's just one of the girls though she hates shopping and at times need's a girlfriends advice on what to wear for a date. I could relate with her in a lot of aspect and at the end of the book I literally want to jump into the book to ask her to be my best friend!

Phillip and Danny are total opposite guys but are equally swoon worthy! Heck even I had a tough time choosing which guy is THAT BOY!

Danny's the golden boy, quarterback on the football team, the jock that all the girls swoon over! He's fun-loving. loyal, freaking hilarious, flirty, sexy and gahhhhh just freaking amazing! Though he has the playboy sorta lifestyle he treats girls with respect (which he better since JJ did teach him a painful lesson about girls when they were kids). Although they didn't click well when they first meet, its nice to see them grow closer trough as they grow older and that they are both really similar.

Phillip is just down right preciously adorable and a freaking sweet heart!!! where can I get one??? 

Though he can be a 'bit' bossy, strict, conservative, and uptight. he's freaking sweet, sensible, always-there-for-you Prince Charming, who knows and understand JJ better than anyone since they have been friends since birth! He's been there trough every moment of JJ's life and is there to rescue, help, support, protect and be there for JJ no matter what. I literally melt the more I read about him as even as friends he is super protective on JJ and they just have this bond that they can't see but others can! 

The friendship between the trio is realistic and its heart warming watching them grow from childhood till adult hood. Also the parents and friends in the book were amazing to read as well! My favorite supporting characters are JJ's Dad which some of the more tender moments are between JJ and her Dad, Lori who is JJ's sorority sister and best friend from college as well as Phillips  mum!

The story got me hook from page one as I want to know who is 'That Boy'! Trough the book you'll go trough a roller coaster of snap shots of JJ's life of first dates, a heart wrenching tragedy, kissing 101, college life, friendship and most importantly finding 'That Boy'.

This book is ridiculously sweet and adorable and though there were times I was grinning like crazy there were some times where I felt overwhelming feels thanks to a freaking plot twist that I seriously didn't see coming! Also this book may have a 'love triangle' element but its love triangle in a diffrent way which is nice and refreshing and most importantly NOT ANNOYING! As for the romance aspect of finding out who is 'That Boy' when you do you'll be one of those who jumps in the air and screams FINAL-FLIPPING-LY and promise you that you'll be satisfied with 'THAT BOY'. 

Also the line 'That Boy' is mentioned quiet a number of times and while reading I highlighted ever single time the word 'That Boy' was mentioned and there is a variety of ways its mention (just checked iBook search and found its mentioned atleast 36 times :P) like 'I give that boy a mad face', 'I hate that boy' and my personal favorite ' WHERE THE *&%# IS THAT BOY?' which literlly made me laugh for a good 10 minute straight!

Gosh I say 'THAT BOY" so much in this post that if Riley from the Keatyn Chronicles was here I would have taking shots every time i see the word 'That Boy' trough out the book! lolz:P

 I can't believe this was Jillian Dodd's debut novel! I always thought it was the Keatyn Chronicles that came first. Anyways I love this book to pieces and was super happy and satisfied with the ending! Happy, fun, emotional goodreads with an amazing cast of characters that I grew to love and care for and a realistic storyline! Definitely give this book a go if you like contemporary romance/ chick lit and also check out Jillian Dodd's other series Keatyn Chronicles.

Also check out the author's website

I just finish the sequel 'The Wedding' which a review should be up really soon. Till then SOMEONE HAND ME THE NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES!!!

  

Which team are you on? Team Danny or Team Phillip?

*Team Phillip ALL THE WAY!!! (But I also like Danny ;P)

Book Review : A French Girl in New York (The French Girl series #1) by Anna Adams

Goodreads Description:

Maude Laurent is a spirited sixteen-year-old orphan who grew up in a small, provincial town in the north of France with a passion for piano and a beautiful voice. One day in Paris, she is discovered by an American music producer who takes her to New York to live with him and his close-knit family while producing her first album, with help from teen pop star, Matt. Maude will dive into a new fascinating world discovering New York City, music, family, love and the truth about her past.

Title: A French Girl in New York (The French Girl series #1)
Author: Anna Adams
Genre: Contemporary, YA, Romance, Chick Lit
Format: eBook, Wattpad Book
Pages: -
Source: Read from Wattpad, Free on iBooks.

So I found this randomly on Wattpad which started my addiction to 'The French Girl Series' by Anna Adams. 

Maude, a talented pianist who dreams to be an opera singer lives in rural France with her terrible foster family where they mistreat her, forcing her to work from dusk to dawn like a slave. One day while out on a school excursion in Paris, she stumble upon a cafe where she plays a couple of songs and gets discovered by James Baldwin, music mogul and owner of Soulville Records who gives her a chance to escape France to go to New York to make a record.

I had a couple of issue with the book:

Firstly the narrative was not what I expect since its from first person point of view as I felt like the book would have been better if it was from Maude's POV.

Also the song lyrics... usually in books where the author 'compose' song lyrics are a hit or a miss. This case it is a miss as I found it really cheesy... like overly cheesy...

Maude's character and personality got me hooked from page one! Talented, hard working,Sassy, strong, caring, determine driven and passionate made her a really likeable character. She makes you want to cheer for her to succeed and have a happy ending. Yes like all characters she does some flaws

thanks to her innocent/naive she tend to not make wise decisions at times and sometimes a bit too stubborn for her own good. Her character development in the book is a good setting stone for the idk how many books the author plans to write in the series (she just announced the forth book a few days ago) but seeing her grow personally and professionally is what's gonna make me want to continue reading the series.

Matt. a pop heartthrob who happens to be Maude's song writing mentor is super cocky, witty and most importantly Maude's love interest. While his first meeting with Maude didn't exactly hit off well (literally one of the best moments in the book!), his character grew from the egoistic pop star to a likable, cute, dorky guy that you just can't help but love! 

Ms Tragent, Maude's singing coach is one of those mentors who pushes her to bring out the best in Maude. She reminded me of my piano teacher who was super freaking strict but for a good reason that made me thankful for later. 

 

The Baldwin family who took Maude in with open arms were all amazing! James is a great mentor and 'father figure' for Maude where luck and faith was with him when he discovered Maude. Jasmine who is the same age as Maude but with an opposite personality to her which balance out their friendship. Her confident, enthusiastic personal made her stand out! Also Cynthia, the oldest sister surprise me with her law skills at one point of the book (btw I have a decent background knowledge of law so for me it was a breeze to follow not to mention another favorite part of the book)! I also love the Baldwin's family tradition that incorporate music. 

Overall, the storyline while predicable was a page turner where you want to know what happens to Maude in the end. There were some cliche elements but was nicely balance out with the struggles, love hate relationship between Matt and Maude, the family dynamic with the Baldwin as well as the freaking 'I DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING' plot twist really made the book or me!

Also check it out if you are a music lover and is a fan of 'musical' theme books since the story incorporate classical music and pop music well as the fact that the main character plays the piano which for me motivated me to play the piano more when I was reading this.

  

 A great addictive read that got me hooked onto my ipad/iphone when reading it! A Modern Cinderella retelling with its own unique spin. Great starter to a series! Best part? Its free on iTunes,Amazon, Smaswords and Wattpad so if you want to test out the series definitely pick this up!

Check out the author on her blog Strolling in Storyland for more info in The French Girl series.

 

Book Review : Love is the New Black by Chrissie Keighery

Goodreads Description:

Piper Bancroft has been thrown a lifeline : her godmother has set her up with a job at a top fashion magazine in Melbourne. Having ruined her chances of getting into uni, Piper is ready to grasp this opportunity with both hands.

But when Piper starts her new job, she's as out of place as her fake Marc Jacobs handbag. Piper's determined to do a great job and prove she's got what it takes to make it. But there's one very large distraction getting in her way : her completely gorgeous and completely off-limits boss. He's be the perfect man - if only they'd met in another lifetime.

Title: Love is the New Black
Author:Chrissie Keighery
Genre: Chick Lit, YA, NA, Contemporary, Mature YA
Format: Paperback
Pages: 252
Source: Book Provided from the Publisher via Smitten Romance Book Club

 I love Smitten Romance books and own (at the moment) 5 of them so when the opportunity so read a new smitten book came along, I jumped on the opportunity.

Piper grew trough the book. She is really smart and talented at her job and though I felt the development a bit too fast pace. Also some of her decision made me cringe although *phew* they were resolved. I'm glad that she ended up with a happy ending in finding her passion in journalism and the right guy.

Mason... one word... swoon! Smart, charming, good looks not to mention CEO (okay acting CEO) of the top fashion magazines, Mason is more than just that! He is also caring and loyal not to mention trough out the book looks out for both Piper and Kara.

I love how this book took us to the 'behind the scenes' of the magazine making it not a picture perfect experience for Piper. You meet some nice characters and some nasty ones.

What's also interesting is that the book touch on the LGBT topic having that one of the characters, Kara is Gay and is forced to stay in the closet in order to keep her job and image as a well known model.

While the storyline was predictable and cliche still enjoyed how it played out as well as the development of the three main characters. It reminds me of Devil Wears Prada and Ugly Betty.

Definitely check this out if you want a quick light happy reads that is cute and fluffy and will leave you smitten. Also check it out if you are a fan of fashion and romance.  

 

 Have you read anything lately that has leaved you smitten? 

 

Book Review: Adorkrable by Sarra Manning

Goodreads Description:

Welcome to the dorkside. It's going to be a bumpy ride...

Jeane Smith's a blogger, a dreamer, a dare-to-dreamer, a jumble sale queen, CEO of her own lifestyle brand and has half a million followers on twitter.

Michael Lee's a star of school, stage and playing field. A golden boy in a Jack Wills hoodie.

They have nothing in common but a pair of cheating exes. So why can't they stop snogging

Title: Adorkrable

Author: Sarra Manning

Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Chick Lit, Mature YA

Format: Paperback

Pages: 384

Source: Purchased from The Book Depository

I admit i bought this book cause it was freaking cheap on bookdepository and that it has the word 'dork' on it.

Love hate relationship with opposite attract sort of story! Also what's great is that it's set in the UK!
THIS IS FREAKING AMAZING READS!!!

This reminded me a bit of 'the duff' and was like a breath of fresh air!

Jeane is this a blogger superstar and a teen entrepreneur. She reminds me of XiaXue a well known Singapore blogger who loves dying her hair in crazy colors, 'bitch' blogging, tweeting and all those fun internet stuff. Her character really grew on me as the book progresses. Yes I admit there were times i hated her as she was a over thinking, control freak, mega bitch especially when you read it from Michael POV but when you read her POV of the story and her past you start to understand her and feel bad/sorry for her. Trough the book she finds the truth to herself and learn her influence to her peers and how powerful it is. She also learns that its alright to stand out and be unique/different as well as have an independent mind.

Michael Lee, all rounded golden boy who always follow the rules. I freaking love that he is Asian or half Asian as not many YA BOOKs have an Asian main character! What I love was that they didn't throw all the stereotypical Asian stuff... okay the author did put in some 'stereotypes' but its only about food or his features. But is nice seeing the Asian kid being the 'golden boy' who is not only good in academics but also good in sports and arts. As the book progress he too change as a person. He didn't like Jeane at first cause of the way she act,dress,personality etc, but he learns to accept her for who she is and is one of the biggest influence towards Jeane accepting herself.

Their relationship really made this book for me! They both are from two different worlds, live, dress and act different and when their world crash together their chemistry with each other was the best! 

They are always fighting and bickering on their different views and opinions. But when tension heats up it leads them to becoming kissing buddies = more *wink wink ;P

The book have its cute fluffy sweet moments, LOL moments and heart warming moments (especially when Jeane spends time with Micheal's family). Also there was one part about Gen Y that really just left me staring at the ceiling as it got me pondering my thoughts.

I love how realistic the author wrote the teenagers here. I could relate to both Jeane and Michael in so many ways! Jeane cause like her i am quiet outspoken in real life and might have once or twice challenged a lazy bitchy college professor (no regrets there! not paying him $2700 per class per semester to have him sleepily mumbling read off the super small lecture slide that even my perfect 20-20 vision can't see).

Also it helps that when i do have the time to sit down I love to blog and vlog (which is obvious on what you all are reading this piece of ramble on )  

Like Michael I kinda understand the type of parents he has as they are the strict parents who want to raise their kids to be the perfect all rounded kids to go off to prestigious university even thought the kids have no clue what the heck they are doing.

Overall I love this story! 

 

Its refreshing unique reads and one of the best books I've read so far this year! Check it out for an awesome story with diverse character that has some really good themes and meaning which is on the lighter side of contemporary. Also check it out if you are a fan of cute 'dorky' reads.

NOW... NEED TO READ MORE OF SARRA MANNINGS BOOKS WHEN MY TBR ALLOWS :p   

Have you picked up Adorkrable?? What do you think??