The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks (Book #7)

The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

Link: Good Reads

Synopsis:

When U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman half-buried in the dirt during his third tour of duty in Iraq, his first instinct is to toss it aside. Instead, he brings it back to the base for someone to claim, but when no one does, he finds himself always carrying the photo in his pocket. Soon Thibault experiences a sudden streak of luck—winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat that kills two of his closest buddies. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph—his lucky charm.
Back home in Colorado, Thibault can’t seem to get the photo—and the woman in it—out of his mind. Believing that she somehow holds the key to his destiny, he sets out on a journey across the country to find her, never expecting the strong but vulnerable woman he encounters in Hampton, North Carolina—Elizabeth, a divorced mother with a young son—to be the girl he’s been waiting his whole life to meet. Caught off guard by the attraction he feels, Thibault keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate and all-consuming love affair, the secret he is keeping will soon threaten to tear them apart—destroying not only their love, but also their lives.
Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, The Lucky One is Nicholas Sparks at his best—an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love.

Review:

The Lucky One was an entertaining, semi-predictable love story. I've read a few of Nicholas Sparks' novels and (honestly) always wound up sort of disappointed, I unfortunately find the stories to be predictable and I've yet to just fall in love with a story that I can't put it down. I feel like in all of Nicholas Sparks novels, he has characters that are one-dimensional and on the extreme side of the spectrum and The Lucky One is hardly any different. However, one thing that I can point out is that I actually really liked both Thibault & Elizabeth and was happy that they found each other.

Nicholas Sparks' can write incredibly loveable "perfect" men that you just easily fall in love with. It's the one thing I would say he can consistently do well because often I find that his female leading ladies are all waiting to be rescued and can be frustrating. This book was a quick, easy read, I flew through it, not because I could hardly put it down, but more because it was short and not complicated.

What type of read is it (one word!) LoveStory

Who would enjoy reading this book?  Anyone who enjoys a non-complicated love story a-la-Nicholas Sparks

Will I read it again? No.

Do you sacrifice other developments for the one "core" story (for Sparks: the love story)? When a novel does this, I just feel like it's unnecessary. The Time Traveler's Wife (one of my favourite novel) is also a love story but it has so much more to the story and characters, that they all felt like real people.

Overall review: 3.2/5

Questions:

1. Did you read The Lucky One? What about did you like? Didn't like?
2. Are you a fan of Nicholas Sparks' Love stories? What is your favourite one? Which should I give a shot?

Do you have any recommendations for me to read next? Please send me a message if you do, I'm open to all suggestions.

Heart Of The Matter by Emily Giffin (Book #6)

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

Links: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Tessa Russo is a stay-at-home mother of two young children and the wife of a renowned pediatric surgeon. Valerie Anderson is an attorney and single mother to six-year-old Charlie—a boy who has never known his father. Although both women live in the same Boston suburb, they are strangers to one another and have little in common, aside from a fierce love for their children. But one night, a tragic accident causes their lives to converge in ways no one could have imagined.

This is the moving, luminous story of good people caught in untenable circumstances. Each being tested in ways they never thought possible. Each questioning everything they once believed. And each ultimately discovering what truly matters most.

Review:

I was completely conflicted while reading this book. The book is told by two women's points of view and I just found each one extremely likeable so it wasn't clear who I wanted be rooting for more. This book was really a testament to what real life is like, how no one's life is perfect, and how everybody has problems and issues and just wants what's best for the ones they care about most. And, like in life, I wanted everyone to get what they wanted, but when one person will clearly win and one will clearly lose, unfortunately, you can't have it both ways. 

Although I wasn't as "addicted" to this book as other ones I've read, this definitely had some of the most developed characters I've encountered in Emily Giffin's novels (and you get to re-visit some old favourite characters!), this book's subject matter was a bit more serious and a bit less, for lack of a better word, 'obvious'. Sometimes when you're reading books, you can see the end a hundred pages out, while with this book, I had no idea how it was going to end and I just wanted to spend more time with the characters. 

What type of read is it (one word!) Developed

Who would enjoy reading this book?  Everyone! 

Will I read it again? Absolutely! I could see myself re-reading this in a year or two.

(Book club question) Why do you think women judge each other so much when it comes to personal decisions about work, motherhood, relationships? I think women constantly judge each other because we are incredible competitive, when we judge each other, we are able to decide that we are the winner. 

Overall review: 4.5/5

Questions:

1. Did you read Heart of the Matter? What about did you like? Didn't like?

Do you have any recommendations for me to read next? Please send me a message if you do, I'm open to all suggestions.

Love The One You're With by Emily Giffin (Book #5)

Love The One You're With by Emily Griffin

Link: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Ellen and Andy's first year of marriage doesn't just seem perfect, it is perfect. There is no question how deep their devotion is, and how naturally they bring out the best in each other. But one fateful afternoon, Ellen runs into Leo for the first time in eight years. Leo, the one who brought out the worst in her. Leo, the one who left her heartbroken with no explanation. Leo, the one she could never quite forget. When his reappearance ignites long-dormant emotions, Ellen begins to question whether the life she's living is the one she's meant to live. 
Love the One You're With is a powerful story about one woman at the crossroads of true love and real life.

Review:

This book had me hot and cold towards the main character, at first, I just couldn't sympathize with her acting like an ex-boyfriend was more important than her husband (even though she was obviously conflicted), especially considering how nice and sweet her husband really was. So when I first started reading it, it just seemed like she was restless and I didn't appreciate what she had.

As the book goes on, I did start to provide more sympathy to her and the story became more and more interesting. If there's one thing Emily Giffin can do, it's write an amazing story that you just can't put down. I finished this book over a weekend and I became so absorbed in the story, that I just couldn't put it down. I finally finished it one morning by staying in bed and flying through the last 50 pages.

The ending of this book really redeemed itself from I felt about it at the beginning, and if there's one thing I have to say, it's that you should give this book a shot if you want to put it down after the first few chapters.

What Type of Read Was It (One Word)? Obsessive

Who would Enjoy this book? If someone enjoys reading and is out of things to read, they'd probably like this book.

Will I read it again? Probably not.

Overall Review: 3.5 out of 5.

Questions:

1. Have you read Love The One You're With? What about did you like/ didn't like?
2. Can you persist through a book if you're frustrated with the main character or do you give up?

Last Comment: Are all of Emily Giffn's novels about people cheating??

Quick Update

Hello everyone! I realize that I seem to have neglected this blog, but just to let you know that I did keep reading. I read a few business development books and I wasn't quite sure how/if I wanted to blog a review on them....

But, to provide you some comfort, I have read/will write a review on the following:

1. The Heart of The Matter by Emily Giffin
2. Love The One You're With by Emily Giffin
3. The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

In addition to these, I read two business development books.

Thanks everyone, 

xoxo

Gossip Reader

Insurgent by Veronica Roth (Book #4)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Links: Good Reads

Synopsis:

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Review:
I downloaded this book to my tablet immediately after finishing Divergent, I wanted more of the story and I couldn't wait to read this one. My overall review was that it was entertaining and there were great dimensional characters but it didn't have the intrigue that the first one did and I predicted some of the plot movements fairly ahead of schedule. You do get to learn more about the other factors, which was appreciated. Veronica Roth also continued her story-telling ability that you can't even put down the book it's so good and you can't wait for the next novel.


If there's one thing Veronica Roth does well it's creating dimensional characters and adhering to the belief that nobody is "all good" or "all bad" - even the main character and her love interest have faults. So although I enjoyed Insurgent and the characters were dimensional, I was left wanting more from fleshing out the world and making it more believable. The novel didn't truly explain how divergents exist and what causes them, which I feel would have provided some satisfaction. I'm only going to give this novel a 4 out of 5 because I had such high hopes of the world exploding into detail in this novel and I just felt unsatisfied and like there weren't clever enough explanations.

What type of read is it (one word!) Entertaining

Who would enjoy reading this book?  If you enjoyed Divergent, then definitely pick up this novel as it continues the story 

Will I read it again? Possibly, I might re-read both novels before the third and final in the series comes out. This novel was a quick read.

Which dimensional character was I rooting for most? Peter 

Overall review: 4/5


Questions:

1. Have you read Insurgent? What about it did you like and/or didn't like?
2. Do you love characters that are neither "all good" or "all bad" or do you prefer easier characters to identify which you like and which you hate?

Do you have any recommendations for me to read next? Please send me a message if you do, I'm open to all suggestions.

Divergent by Veronica Roth (Book #3)

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Links: Amazon.com, Chapters.ca, Good Reads

Synopsis:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

Review:


I picked up this book on the fact that any time I heard someone read it, they finished it either the same day or within two days. It took me two days, but I definitely enjoyed it. The entire plot is fast moving and except for a few items that I half-predicted, the rest is extremely interesting with turns around every corner. I think the reason I loved reading this book so much was because it never got boring, there was never a lull in the storytelling, everything was always happening fast. The story is fascinating and I just lapped it all up and couldn't wait to find out what would happen next.


Although I loved this book and it was great...it had some flaws in it, like that I wished they had gone into more detail about the other factions, or explained more why the society was the way it was. Tris is extremely developed but some of the other characters seem fairly one-dimensional in the story telling. A part of me thinks though that this world could be like Harry Potter, that the first book is fairly short and simple but then as it becomes popular, the author becomes less edited and the world just explodes with more details, I hope that's the case because I'm going to download Insurgent today!  


Overall, this book probably had one of the best storytelling fast-moving books I've read, which is why I'll give it a 5.


What type of read is it (one word!) Fastmoving


Who would enjoy reading this book? Any body who enjoyed The Hunger Games / Dystopian style novels would probably also love this book.


Will I read it again? Maybe, I'm in the middle of the fence on that. Although it's interesting, I think this book would always be best the first time you read it.


What Faction would I be in? I don't think I could be in Dauntless (I'm not confrontational enough) or Amity (I'd get bored!), I think I would be between Candor (sometimes I'm too honest and can't hold my tongue) and Euridite (I love learning), I'd like to think that I have a lot of Abegnation in me, but I honestly think I'm too selfish.


Review (in related to my reading style): This book moved so quickly, I wanted to keep learning more about the story, there weren't that many characters that I truly grew attached to, but the story was so good and interesting, it didn't really matter.


Overall review: 5/5


Questions:

1. Have you read Divergent? What about it did you like and/or didn't like?
2. Do you like a book that's plot is so fast moving you can never tell what's coming up next? Or would you prefer if the book had taken it's time and provided more detail to the background?

Do you have any recommendations for me to read next? Please send me a message if you do, I'm open to all suggestions.

The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad (Archive #1)

The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad

Amazon.com, Chapters.ca, Good Reads

Synopsis: 

In Hollywood, fame can be found on every corner and behind any door. You just have to know where to look for it. Nineteen-year-old Madison Parker made a name for herself as best frenemy of nice-girl-next-door Jane Roberts on the hot reality show L.A. Candy. Now Madison's ready for her turn in the spotlight and she'll stop at nothing to get it. Sure, she's the star of a new show, but with backstabbing friends and suspicious family members trying to bring her down, Madison has her work cut out for her. Plus, there's a new nice girl in "reality" town—aspiring actress Carmen Price, the daughter of Hollywood royalty—and she's a lot more experienced at playing the fame game... When the camera's start rolling, whose star will shine brighter?

Filled with characters both familiar and new, Lauren Conrad's series about the highs and lows of being famous delivers Hollywood gossip and drama at every turn.

Review:

I picked this book up because I’d read all three LA Candy books and I thought there might be something interesting about it. I read LA Candy because I’ve never been on a reality show and I wanted to see what the behind-the-scenes would be like, that’s the same reason why I read A Model Summer by Paulina Porizkova two summers ago, I didn’t know what it was like in that world and I was curious. If you’ve read LA Candy, and unless you’re obsessed with Lauren Conrad and want to gobble up anything she makes, you can skip this one. If you haven’t read LA Candy, you can give this one a shot.

The book has familiar characters from the old series (Madison Parker & Gaby Iforgetherlastname) and some new ones but I just couldn’t find myself interested in any of the characters. You could see the next plot point eight chapters ahead and, because I’d read LA Candy, I didn’t have any sympathy/surprise for the characters when things happened that you knew were going to happen anyway! I found Madison more likable in this book but not what I wanted, I would have preferred if she was a true villain who was still calling magazines to get covers and was more obsessed with the tabloid/ “real” world than the reality show, Lauren Conrad covered reality shows in LA Candy and this book didn’t really add anything to the game.

What I didn’t like about this book: It was predictable, characters were one-dimensional, but maybe, maybe, one could be considered two-dimensional by the end.

What I liked about this book: It was an easy read, the plot was semi-interesting (hey, I finished it!)

Who would enjoy this book? Anyone who is obsessed with Lauren Conrad and will gobble up anything she touches. Or, if you haven’t read LA Candy, you might get more excitement out of this book than I did.

What type of read is it (one word!)? Easy

Would I recommend this book? It’s easy, holds your attention, but you don’t think that much about it after. If you haven’t read LA Candy and , you might get more out of this. I wouldn’t give it a ringing endorsement though.

Which character was my favourite? Madison was the most interesting, but she was a 3/5 when every one else hovered around 1 or 2.

Will I read it again? Nope.

Review (in related to my reading style): I think this proves that if I read a book about something I want to know more about once, I don’t need to read the same style of book again, unless I really care about the plot.

Overall Review: 2/5