[Book Review] Love Interest #9

 

Love Interest #9

by Mia Summers

Contemporary Fiction; Romance; Chick-Lit

Goodreads / Amazon

Disclaimer: I got a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

I usually love slow-burns, but this one, not so much. Don't get me wrong, the main character and the love interest are likable, but the storyline had much to be desired. 

I actually found the relationship build-up between Rachel and Lucas enjoyable, because I love patiently waiting for when things start to heat up, but ultimately, the storyline went downhill at the end. 

[Book Review] Conning for Keeps

Conning for Keeps
by Seleste DeLaney

Contemporary Fiction, Romance,
Novella

Links:

Goodreads / Amazon

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the story is pretty simple. Marissa, our dynamite-damsel heroine, is an undercover agent with questionable morals, who was forced to do an assignment with Trevor, our serious and stoic love interest. They have to pretend as an engaged couple in a mission involving a mafia don and a notorious painting. The hi-jinks in the story happen during their mission as they are caught at a crossroads between their personal and professional interests.

[Book Review] Baby Doll

Baby Doll

by Hollie Overton

Psychological Thriller, Suspense,
Contemporary Fiction

Links:
Amazon / Goodreads

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review a few years back, and it's only now that I've gotten around to reading it. 

The beginning of the story made me feel like I was dropped in the middle of something important happening, so I was initially confused about everything. However, once the story progressed, everything quickly made sense, and I'm absorbed into the nightmare that Lily, the protagonist, had to go through. 

Unlike most psychological thrillers, this one happens after the victim escapes the clutches of her abductor, and explores the grim effects of the victim's disappearance on the people around her, especially her family.

[Book Review] Bridges: A Daphne White Novel

Bridges: A Daphne White Novel

Maria Murnane

Chick-Lit, Contemporary Fiction

Rating:

★★★★★

The tipping point in why I’ve decided to review this book is because the main protagonist is a writer. I’ve always found it fascinating when the main character is a writer because it’s interesting to see the character’s writing dilemmas being fleshed out as the story progresses. This is exactly what I got with Daphne in Bridges.

The story is reminiscent of the TV series Sex and the City, complete with fun girlfriends, hijinks along the way, misunderstandings, and love between friends.

I like Daphne, but the way the story began made it feel like she was just going along with everything, even her relationship with Derek, and she had no real endgame in mind. Of course, this is except for her writing, which she embraced like a fish in the water.

Truth be told, as I got to read the montage of her rejection letters one after the other, it was disheartening. The only glimmer of light that kept me going was the thought of vindication in the end. I was rooting for a happy ending that’s why I stuck to the story.

While reading, I briefly wondered if my friends and I could experience the same things that Daphne and her posse went through. I hope we do.

[Book Review] 33 Ermine Street

33 Ermine Street

Harvey Lincoln

Young-Adult, Contemporary Fiction

Rating:

★★★★★

33 Ermine Street is an ordinary account of an extraordinary courage of a British immigrant of Chinese descent. 

Story-wise, the beginning was somewhat dull. Shen, the protagonist, is as every bit as ordinary. I didn't find myself connecting with him within the first few chapters of the story because he seemed a little too sheltered. Sure, he's had brushes with unpleasant people, but he was mostly raised within the confines of the protective bubble of his parents. 

When the traumatic experience happened, it was only then that I understood why Shen was portrayed as a sheltered young man. Had the incident happened to a more experienced young man, he would not have been affected as much as Shen was. I think it would be safe to say that the incident at the bus was a catalyst for Shen's growth.

Character-wise, I really liked Sandeep and Alfred, because I thought they were the most distinct ones even though they were merely side characters. Malik comes close because of his developed background. 

It was also interesting to read a Filipino character being portrayed in a novel by a foreign writer. The names are too much though, in my opinion. The name Amihan is classically Filipino, but I draw the line at the name Bayani. 

If you ever meet immigrants of Filipino descent, or any Filipino for that matter, you'll know that they don't usually name their children obvious Filipino names. The most common male names in the Philippines, quite surprisingly, include John and Michael (which are not very Filipino-sounding).

The writing is raw at best, but for a debut novel, it's a decent one. The thought that kept occurring to me while reading this story is this: "Show. Don't tell." (May I suggest checking out this LINK to better understand what I mean.) 

My problem with the way the narrative is written is that everything was 'told' by the omniscient speaker. And if isn't given away by the narrator, it is conveyed through dialogue, which somehow, seems blocky and unnatural. The narrative also sounded too formal, and with very little distinction from the different characters.

All in all, I think this is a decent debut novel. I give it 3 stars because of Sandeep's wisdom, Alfred's change of heart, and Shen's courage.

LINKS:

Goodreads // Amazon

[Book Review] Broken Beauty

Broken Beauty

By Chloe Adams (Lizzy Ford)

September 22, 2013

Published by Indie Inked

New Adult, Contemporary

Links:

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

**Contains graphic content and the sensitive topic of rape and its aftermath. Not intended for teens under the age of 18.** 

Sometimes bad things happen to beautiful people. 

When socialite party girl Mia Abbott-Renou wakes up in a garden she has little recall of the previous night -- except that she is naked...hurt...terrified. Not only has she been raped, but she knows one of her assailants: the son of a wealthy politician who happens to be her own father’s political ally. 

Mia wants and needs justice. Except this privileged boy has an alibi and her father forbids her from going to the police. It’s a critical election year, one that his party might lose if his image as a doting father is soured due to Mia being labeled a lush or worse, promiscuous. 

Devastated at not having the support of her family, Mia finds herself in a tug-of-war with her conscience over what to do, especially since she can’t remember exactly what happened that night. Worse, the men who attacked her have hurt several other girls, and Mia may be the key to stopping them.
Mia tries to forget, until the unthinkable happens, and she’s left reeling once again, faced with a new challenge that will force her to take more control of her life. 

Originally published in October 2012 as "No Way Back" by Chloe Adams

[Book Review] Man vs. Child

Man vs Child

by Dominic Knight

October 1, 2013

Random House Australia

Contemporary Fiction, Humor

Links:

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

A witty, insightful romantic comedy, which draws on the author's experience of both the comedy world, working in radio, and being immature and childless! For fans of David Nicholls, Ben Elton and Nick Hornby. 

Dan McIntyre isn't ready to settle down. As a stand-up comedian with a career that's taking off, it was easy to walk away from his girlfriend's ultimatum: comedy or kids. 

But now he's starting to feel like he's the last man standing while all his friends are switching socialising for baby wipes. Sure, his mates are still wide awake at 3am with a bottle in their hand - but now it's for a very different reason. 

Dan reckons he spends enough time with spoiled brats in his day job wrangling a breakfast radio duo known as Bry Dynamite and Silly Sally. He can't understand why everyone's giving up their social lives for creatures who express themselves through loud, irritating noises and bodily fluids. But at least it's giving him material for a new comedy show, Man vs Child. 

Then Penny, the woman who broke his heart in high school, walks back into his life. She's newly single, and wants to reconnect with her old pal from French class - except now she has a one-year-old son...

[Book Review] Sugar Babies

Sugar Babies

by Mickey Corrigan

November 4, 2013

Champagne Books

Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

Links:

Goodreads // Amazon

A sugar daddy can make your money woes disappear overnight. But for sugar babies, life is like a chocolate covered time bomb: sweet on the outside, deadly on the inside. 

Young, beautiful, and hungry, Maire, Esme and Niki want what every woman wants: love, work, safe shelter, the bills paid off, a diamond-studded Rolex, and a two-bedroom condo with an ocean view. Working as sugar babies seems to be the only way to make this happen. But the sugar life is more dangerous than they thought. 

Maire O’Rourke is too hot to handle herself properly. She tends to wear too tight clothes and too much make-up, but she’s got more than sex on her mind. She’s already landed one of the richest sugar daddies in Coconut City, a tropical paradise boasting more lonely men per multimillion dollar estate than just about anywhere else. 

Sweet Esme Grant is a buxom blonde with a rough and tumble lover she’s left behind somewhere in hill country. She’s come to Coconut City in order to find herself a sugar daddy, a rich older man willing to fund her, along with her hometown boyfriend and their Mayberry-gone-bad dreams. 

Niki Stephanopoulos, a dark, iconoclastic artist enrolled in a teaching certification program at Coconut College, struggles with depression fueled by guilt. She is embarrassed by her dependence on her family for the money she needs to survive. But she feels even worse after sleeping with her sexy, much older landlord when she’s short the rent. 

Welcome to the secret lives of sugar babies. On the first day of the month, Maire, Esme and Niki struggle with overdue bills and sexy beaus. Readers can join them as they figure out ways to pay the rent, make decent love to indecent men, and stay upright on the rough road to happiness. Sugar Babies is a modern-day romance, a blue martini with a nasty twist. An intoxicating mystery steeped in social satire, the story of Esme, Niki and Maire is an all-American morality tale. 

Three beautiful young women: place your order now.

[Book Review] Hikikomori and the Rental Sister

Title: Hikikomori and the Rental Sister
Author: Jeff Backhaus
Date Published: January 8, 2013
Source: ARC
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: ★★★★★


Links:

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

About the Book:

Inspired by the real-life Japanese social phenomenon called hikikomori and the professional rental sisters hired to help, Hikikomori and the Rental Sister is about an erotic relationship between Thomas, an American hikikomori, and Megumi, a young Japanese immigrant hiding from her own past. The strange, insular world they create together in a New York City bedroom and with the tacit acknowledgment of Thomas s wife reveals three human hearts in crisis, but leaves us with a profound faith in the human capacity to find beauty and meaning in life, even after great sorrow. Mirroring both East and West in its search for healing, Hikikomori and the Rental Sister pierces the emotional walls of grief and delves into the power of human connection to break through to the world waiting outside.

Review:

A poignant tale of loss, depression, dedication, faith, healing and love. 

The Japanese term "Hikikomori" means acute social withdrawal. It refers to the phenomenon of reclusive adolescents or young adults who withdraw from social life, often seeking extreme degrees of isolation and confinement. (source: Wikipedia)

In Japan, this is a common enough phenomenon, but in other countries, it has yet to be identified and addressed. Since I have a fascination with the Japanese culture, I requested to read and review this book. Thankfully, I was approved.

In Jeff Backhaus' Hikikomori and the Rental Sister, we meet Thomas, an American hikikomori who has lived in isolation in his room for three years. Even his wife, Silke, couldn't get him to come out, so she engaged the help of Megumi, a Japanese immigrant who once had a brother who was also a hikikomori.

First off, I love how Thomas' mind worked. His different level of thinking was poetically depicted in the novel and I really liked it. There was also contrast as to Thomas' trail of thoughts at the beginning of the book and at the end, which really showed just how much change he went through.

The thing is, different people have different ways of coping with grief. It just so happened that Thomas dealt with his grief through isolation. Or perhaps, in creating his own world outside the norms of society. And this was thoroughly depicted in this novel, which I found really unique.

As for the relationship between Megumi and Thomas, while I disapprove of the intimate relationship they share (cheating is cheating no matter how much you justify it), I understand why it happened. It was like they were two broken people who found solace in each other. They didn't need to be fixed, they needed to be understood and cared for. 

Another interesting comparison I found was between Megumi and Thomas. Yes, I found that they were two broken people with lots of issues, but while Thomas stayed isolated, Megumi remained active in society. The novel showed the contrasting coping mechanisms they used to deal with their problems. Thomas escaped by isolation, Megumi escaped entirely to a new country.

I also appreciate Silke, Thomas' wife, for her dedication and patience, even when Thomas hardly ever responded to her. She loved him deeply and stuck it out for him even in the worst of circumstances, that's why I felt vindicated by the end of the story.

For me, the most beautiful part of the story would be the end. It wasn't as grand as most happy endings were, but it was bittersweet. It made me feel like looking back at everything that happened, I would just smile despite the tragedy and loss.