REVIEW AND INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY: Head Over Heels (#3, Lucky Harbor) by Jill Shalvis

INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY DETAILS AFTER THE REVIEW

5 + Stars!!!

HEAD OVER HEELS?? HECK, I’M OVER THE MOON!!!

I loved this book so much that I read it twice in a row, since I wasn't ready to let Lucky Harbor go.

I've been thinking about this book a lot... about Chloe "The Wild One", who has trouble saying "I love you", and about Sawyer, the sexy, stoic and badass Sheriff, who is falling... Big. Time. I've also been listening to a lot of Ed Sheeran - Amazing Album! - and this song has become my Chloe and Sawyer song:

In the third Lucky Harbor book, Head Over Heels, Chloe “The Wild One”, the youngest of the three half-sisters and daughters of the free-spirited Phoebe Traeger, and the only one raised by their nomadic mother, has a “Home” for the first time. She’s making a go at helping her sisters run the beachside inn at Lucky Harbor that their mother left them upon her death. But Chloe has never felt truly settled and she is frustrated with her sisters for telling her that she needs to “settle down”.

Chloe "The Wild One" needs to run wild and free and dance
...and wants to have sex without needing an inhaler

 

Chloe rides a Vespa and has a "See ya later, Authorities!"-attitude

‘She understood that, from the outside looking in, it might seem like she had a death wish, but she didn’t. It was just that when she was in the midst of an asthma attack, she often felt so close to death that she, well, dared it. But she just wanted to run or dance or laugh hard, or have sex without needing an inhaler and possibly an ambulance.

Not exactly a common problem, but one that often had her straddling a fine line between socially acceptable behavior and the wild yearnings her mother had always encouraged. Her sisters wanted her to stop pushing those boundaries and settle down a little. And it was that which bothered Chloe more than anything. The message was simple: If she wanted to be accepted, she’d need to change. But dammit, she wanted to be accepted just as she was, imperfections and all.’

I really connected with Chloe, even though I was known to be a “goodie-two-shoes”, not a “wild one”. Because all of us yearn to be loved for who we are, imperfections and all, and Chloe is no different. But Chloe’s thoughts reminded me of a time when I had had a discussion with an ex-boyfriend about his materialistic attitude and snobbery towards certain people, and when I questioned him on it, he said, “Hey, this is just me. People should accept that.” Suffice it to say that he wasn’t “The One”, and I remember saying to him, once, “Yes, we all deserve to be loved for who we are, but we should NEVER use that as an excuse to be rude to people, to not seek to change, and to avoid growing and becoming the best “you” that you can be”.

So while Jill Shalvis’ books have been a great source of sexy fun for me, this book, in particular, was so much more. Through this theme in Chloe’s life, it had me thinking, again:  Do we need to change to be loved? How does one balance being true to one’s self against the expectations of others? On the flipside, when is being “true to self” just really an excuse to not deal… to not grow? When is being “true to self” actually a prison rather than the freedom we think it is?

Hmm…it’s getting a bit too “deep” in here…Let’s move on to some man-candy! LOL

Aaahh…Sheriff Sawyer Thompson, the ruggedly gorgeous, big, badass, brooding and oh-so-serious Sheriff, with the implacable calm, tough exterior, melting chocolate eyes, and who moves with a fluid grace. I BLAME THANK Tammy (Ms Tom Selleck) from Goodreads for putting the image of the delectable Timothy Olyphant, in my head, as my Sawyer, through our discussions yesterday unrelated to this book. This made for EXTRA DELICIOUS reading!! He was the PERFECT image of Sawyer, for me. ^_^

Timothy Olyphant can’t be BIG as well as badass, you say? Hmm…^_^

But he's so gosh-darned HAWT, no? ^_^

Chloe puts this Sheriff through the wringer... LOL

Chloe drives this dedicated Sheriff up the wall… and drives him to some wild thoughts, too. She pushes Sawyer’s buttons, as she brings out his wild side that he’s fought so long to subdue. They shared a passionate kiss…kisses… that both tried to forget, but couldn’t.    

 ‘He looked down into her eyes. “What are you up to?”

“No good.”

He shook his head and ran a finger along her temple and down her jaw. A little startled by the power of his touch, she covered his hand with hers and held it in place against her. Something flashed in his eyes, an aching hunger that held her captive.

Because it matched hers. She was shocked at the strength of it, at how difficult it suddenly was to breathe. But she wasn’t shocked when he nudged her backward until she bumped against the door. His mouth skimmed her jaw, then her throat, his teeth grazing her skin as he pressed a thigh between hers.

Heat skittered along her belly, then directly south.

“Sawyer.”

In answer, he brought his head up and kissed her. Deep, hungry, tasting her in a purposely slow, thorough manner before pulling back to once again look into her eyes.

Oh, God. “Sawyer, what are we doing?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “No fucking clue.”

She let out a low laugh. "Maybe we should do it some more."'

OMG, THAT KISS!!!!
(Thank you to Buggy for reminding me of it! ^_^) 

SAWYER AND CHLOE BURN UP THE PAGES TOGETHER!!!

I LOVE Sawyer! I mean, all the Lucky Harbor heroes are delicious, but Sawyer truly stole my heart. As well as my panties. ^_^  Sawyer is a caring and creative lover, as he and Chloe find ways to deal with her asthma issues during their lovemaking. *SHIVERS*

Sawyer puts a huge smile on Chloe's face...and MINE!!! LOL

I LOVED how Jill Shalvis developed Sawyer and Chloe’s relationship! Yes, they were HOT for each other, despite themselves, but what I loved most about them was how SWEET and CUTE they were together. Sawyer would totally hate me describing him, and them, as “sweet” or "cute" *LOL*... but they were! HE was! I loved their conversations as they got to know each other, loved their cuddling and playing (the paint scene *giggles*), and loved the scenes when they were “there” for each other... Just…AWWW!!!

‘Chloe sat, too, and slipped her arm around him, resting her head on his shoulder. She didn’t speak, she just gave him a moment. Which was another surprise. She was always in such perpetual motion, always working so hard at driving him up the wall. Or hell, maybe it wasn’t hard work at all, maybe it came easy to her.

But now, right this very minute, she was here. For him. Soft and warm and caring. What the hell was she doing here anyway? And why did it feel so damn right?’

 *SIGHS*

I LOVE spending time at Lucky Harbor. Jill Shalvis makes the beautiful, small beachside setting of Lucky Harbor come alive and I loved seeing Maddie and Jax, and Tara and Ford settled into their relationships, and the ever developing relationships between the three sisters. I also loved Lance, Chloe’s best friend, who has Cystic Fibrosis. *sniffles*

THIS WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL READ! JUST AWESOME! I LOVED IT!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, JILL SHALVIS!!! NO WONDER IT’S NOW ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS LIST!!!

Wait… wait up! MORE sexy Sawyer images, you say???ALRIGHT THEN!!! LOL

*GULP*

*SWOONS* Sawyer… I can’t breathe when you look at me that way!

‘“Chloe?”

“Yeah?”

“I’d be worth the inhaler,” he said, then forced himself to walk away into the night.’

VERY EXCITED FOR MORE LUCKY HARBOR BOOKS NEXT YEAR!!!  (See below)

The Lucky Harbor Series:

1.Simply Irresistible – My Review Here
2. The Sweetest Thing - My Review Here
3. Head Over Heels

4. Lucky in Love – Release May 22, 2012
5. At Last - Release July 2012
6. Forever and a Day – Release August 2012

eBooks:
Anthology: “Kissing Santa Claus” in the anthology A Small Town Christmas (Logan, Tara’s ex-husband’s story)
Heating Up the Kitchen: Recipes With Love from Lucky Harbor (Recipes by Tara)

Credits: 
My Chloe - Rachelle Lefevre
My Sawyer - Timothy Olyphant 

 

I’m having another “Season For Giving Giveaway”!

Christmas is a time for giving, and what better gift to give my members than a book by one of my other favourite authors, Jill Shalvis. And Head Over Heels is one my favourite new releases this year! 

If you haven't read Jill Shalvis then I'll also give the Lucky Winner a paperback copy of the first two Lucky Harbor books, Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing. If the Lucky Winner already has these books, then depending on the cost (the "Wilder Brothers" books are more expensive), I'll throw in one/two of Jill Shalvis other books.

Sounds good? Spread the word!

Entries close on 16 December 2011 and randomly drawn Lucky Winner will be announced on 17 December 2011 here at Lady Jayne's Reading Den and will also be advised via email.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Share about this Giveaway and about Head Over Heels and the Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shalvis on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads or your Blogs.

2. Leave a comment here to let me know how you shared this (and so I know who has entered), and also please share about your favourite Jill Shalvis book, or if you haven't read her (what are you waiting for?! ^_^), your favourite Contemporary Romance book.

3. If you are not comfortable to share your email details here, please email me those details so that I can let you know when the winner is announced. 

My email is: ladyjaynesreadingden@yahoo.com 

CONDITIONS:

1. Must be a member of Lady Jayne's Reading Den.

2. Must be from one of the ~100 countries that The Book Depository ships free to. See list of eligible countries here:

Eligible Countries

 GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY UPCOMING HOLIDAYS!!!! 

PRIVACY: Your privacy is very important to me. When you enter a giveaway and give your personal information, be assured that this information is not shared with anyone else and will not be used to contact you in any other way than to notify you if you win or to deliver your prize. 

INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY: SURRENDER BY PAMELA CLARE RE-RELEASED TODAY!!!

One of my FAVOURITE authors, Pamela Clare, has re-released her sought after Historical Romance TODAY! SURRENDER has been out-of-print, but now, thanks to Berkley Publishers, has been re-released with some edits, allowing Pamela Clare the opportunity to add some improvements to an already very much beloved novel.

SURRENDER also has a brand spankin' (Mmm...I'd spank that! LOL) New Cover!

If you've never read any of Pamela Clare's books - What are you waiting for??? She's AWESOME!!! ^_^ - and you are a fan of The Last of the Mohicans, like me, you'll LOVE this book!

To read about the improvements Pamela Clare made in "Surrender 2.0", here's a link to her blog post at At Home With Pamela Clare 

From Publishers Weekly

Clare's lush historical romance takes readers to 1750s New York, where the three MacKinnon brothers, Jacobites sworn to free Scotland from British rule, have settled in exile. Iain MacKinnon and his two brothers, powerful Highland warriors trained in native American warfare, are falsely accused of murder and forced to take up the banner of their enemy King George in the French and Indian War. While on patrol, Iain rescues a Scots woman who calls herself Annie Burns from the French and Abenaki soldiers who raided her home. Annie, who hides a tragic past of family betrayal and indentured servitude, struggles with her newfound freedom and the mixed feelings she has for her saviors—so much like the Jacobite warriors who cut down her Loyalist father and brothers in battle. As Annie's ambivalence gives way to love, Clare (Ride the Fire) explores 18th-century religious and political conflict on both a personal and international scale. While her prose sports a hint of purple, believable characters, scorching chemistry and a convincing setting make this a worthy read. (Mar.)

To celebrate this re-release, I'm giving away a paperback copy of SURRENDER here at
Lady Jayne's Reading Den!!!

Christmas is a time of giving, and what better gift to give my members than a book by one of my favourite authors.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Share about this Giveaway and the Re-Release of SURRENDER by Pamela Clare on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads or your Blogs.

2. Leave a comment here to let me know how you shared this, (and so I know who has entered ^_^) and please email me those details, too, at: ladyjaynesreadingden@yahoo.com 

CONDITIONS:

1. Must be a member of Lady Jayne's Reading Den.

2. Must be from one of the ~100 countries that The Book Depository ships free to. See list of eligible countries here:

Eligible Countries

Entries close on 13 December 2011. The lucky Winner (randomly drawn) will be announced on 14 December 2011 here at Lady Jayne's Reading Den and will also be advised via email (and so that I can contact you to get your postal details for the Giveaway). 

GOOD LUCK!!!

**NOTE: This Giveaway has now CLOSED. Winners Announced Here

And if you want to know just how much I LOVE Pamela Clare's writing, please see my reviews for her AMAZING I-Team books. Pamela Clare ROCKS!!!

1. Extreme Exposure Review

2. Hard Evidence Review

3. Unlawful Contact Review

4. Naked Edge Review

5. Breaking Point Review

PRIVACY: Your privacy is very important to me. When you enter a giveaway and give your personal information, be assured that this information is not shared with anyone else and will not be used to contact you in any other way than to notify you if you win or to deliver your prize.

REVIEW: Amethyst Heat by Laura Hunsaker (FREE Short Story)

 4 of 5 Stars

What a beautiful short story by Laurie Hunsaker!

It’s strange to say that I knew Laurie “The Highland Hussy” on Goodreads before she became a published author. I even ordered a copy of her book, Highland Destiny, all the way from Australia, not just to support her writing endeavours, but because I was truly curious to read something penned by such a lovely and fun person. I haven’t as yet read Highland Destiny, but I have now read this short story, Amethyst Heat, and I was so pleasantly surprised about how much I enjoyed it! I’m not one who enjoys being critical, as anyone who has read my reviews would know, so, I was truly hoping (shivering in my knickers) that I really would appreciate Laurie’s writing. I need not have worried, because if her novel is anything like this short story, I’ll like it very much!

Amethyst Heat will only take you a few minutes to read, but it will take you a lot longer to forget or stop imagining more about it. Within those few minutes, I was captivated and drawn into Meg’s and Kade’s story and wanted to read more! I love the cover art for Amethyst Heat!! Kade… Mmmm… sexy, green-eyed kilt wearer! *fans self*

Amethyst Heat is a story about an amethyst ring, sexy men in kilts (should have led with that, right? LOL), time travel, and a fated love. Can we have more please, Laurie???

The reason I'm giving it 4-Stars is because it was much too short. ^_^

You can read Amethyst Heat for FREE here at New Concepts Publishing:
http://newconceptspublishing.com/laura-hunsaker/amethyst-heat/

Disclosure and Disclaimer: I have disclosed any potential conflict of interest in relation to my acquaintance with Laura Hunsaker and swear that I have not been coerced in any way or received any enticements, remunerations etc. to write this review. This is merely my honest opinion.

And because I needed to look at Kade all enlarged...*coughs* ^_^

I really wish this was a paperback cover so I could lick admire it better!

REVIEW: The Sweetest Thing (#2 Lucky Harbor) by Jill Shalvis

(Read in April 2011 - FINALLY wrote my review for this!)

5 of 5 Stars

Jill Shalvis’ first book in the Lucky Harbor series was certainly Simply Irresistible and was my first introduction to her work. This one was only my second “date” with Ms Shalvis but it was The Sweetest Thing, and she better be careful, or very soon, I’ll be Head Over Heels. Ooookay…enough with the puns! Haha!

In the first installment of the series, I loved meeting Maddie “The Mouse”, and her two sisters, Tara and Chloe. In fact, I really adored Maddie and Jax together! Jax Cullen is just SMOKIN' in his sexy tool belt!

In The Sweetest Thing, Tara Daniels, the Southern Belle and “The Steel Magnolia”, is settling into helping her half-sisters get started with their newly renovated inn, which they inherited from their free-spirited, eccentric mother. Tara has found a new love for cooking and her adorably named muffin range had me smiling. A "Life's-a-Peach Muffin", anyone? ^_^

Tara Daniels, The Steel Magnolia

She's a talent in the kitchen

In Simply Irresistible, the normally cool and collected Tara is flustered when she runs into Jax’s best friend and co-owner of the local bar, The Love Shack. He’s the sexy, green-eyed, world class sailor, Ford Walker. Clearly, the two have some history together. Some pretty deep history together. Tara is determined not to let Ford bother her. 

Ford Walker, the sexy green-eyed sailor

But Ford is just soooo….YUMMY. Almost as yummy as Jax in his tool belt! So how could Tara NOT get all hot and bothered by him, right?

One scene that’s etched in my mind was the following one where Ford drops by at the inn, all hot and sweaty, in search of a cool drink, after working on a boat docked in the marina next to the inn. Tara was a wee bit bothered by Ford’s unexpected drop-in… in a state of undress. He was just wearing shorts. Sweaty, glistening…no shirt…. And, of course, being his usual teasing, laid-back, antagonistic self, seeking to rile Tara up. 

‘ “We are not doing this now, Ford.”  

“Fine. Later then.” 

“Never.”  

“Never is a long time,” he said evenly, calmly, and since she couldn’t find her even or her calm to save her life, it pissed her off. That he could be so relaxed through this conversation made her fingers itch to pour the tea right over his damn sexy head. Two things stopped her. One, he’d be half-naked and wet, and watching the iced tea drip down that bronze chest, with its barely there spattering of sun-kissed hair and six-pack abs, might just be too much for her to bear. And that was just his upper half. Lord almighty, if his basketball shorts got wet, they’d cling to all his glory.  

And there was a lot of glory.’ 

*GULP!!!*

It’s clear that these two can’t help but want each other, but do they really want to dredge up the past? How will they move forward from such a past, when the reminder of it is there in front of them?

I loved going on this journey with Tara and Ford. I love Jill Shalvis’ writing and her humour. She makes me grin and laugh-out-loud, makes me tingle with her brand of sizzling chemistry, makes me ache, and root for Tara and Ford to work it all out…to have their happily-ever-after. Tara and Ford aren’t only incredibly HOT together, they are “meant-to-be” together. Ford’s fun approach to life is just what Tara needs.

And if you aren’t into “love triangles”, don’t let the book blurb about Tara’s ex-husband (Logan Perrish) showing up turn you off. It’s never really an issue, except to add to some humorous moments. Tara knows who she wants. She just doesn’t WANT to want Ford.

I’m looking forward to reading Logan’s story in Kissing Santa Claus in the anthology A Small Town Christmas which came out on 1 November 2011 in e-book format.

If you haven’t read anything by Jill Shalvis before, well… YOU. SHOULD. After only a of couple books, Jill Shalvis has become one of my favourite humorous Contemporary Romance authors.

The third book in the series, Head Over Heels, about the youngest sister, Chloe “The Wild One”, was just recently released on 22 November 2011. And my book just arrived in the mail…. TODAY!!! *SQUEEE!!!* Sorry, The Night Circus, I’ll have to enter your world now only AFTER I spend some quality time at Lucky Harbor again!!!

I leave you with this lovely scene with Chloe in it from The Sweetest Thing…

‘“Yeah,” Chloe said. “Stop sidetracking, or I’ll ask you about Ford and his amazing ass again. By the way, were you going to stir him up and fry him next?

“Oh my God, please stop talking about flour, tonsils, and especially Ford’s amazing ass!” Tara said – okay, yelled – just as Ford – naturally – walked back into the kitchen.”’

Ford has an AMAZING ass...Not sure about these jeans though! LOL

And WOW… Jill Shalvis is BUSY! She has THREE more Lucky Harbor stories with expected release dates next year *YEAH!* Thank you, Ms Shalvis!!! - See list of Lucky Harbor books below ^_^:

The Lucky Harbor Series:

1.Simply Irresistible – My Review Here
2. The Sweetest Thing
3. Head Over Heels – Can’t wait!!! *bounces* - (Edited to add: My Review Here)
4. Lucky in Love – Release May 22, 2012
5. At Last - Release July 2012
6. Forever and a Day – Release August 2012

eBooks:
Anthology: “Kissing Santa Claus” in the anthology A Small Town Christmas (Logan, Tara’s ex-husband’s story)
Heating Up the Kitchen: Recipes With Love from Lucky Harbor (Recipes by Tara)

Credits: 
My Tara - Ashley Judd
My Ford - Josh Kloss
 

SNEAK PEAK OF LISA KLEYPAS' RAINSHADOW ROAD!!!

I'm a HUGE fan of Lisa Kleypas - she's one of my absolute favourite authors - and am very excited for her new Friday Harbor series book coming out in February 2012, RAINSHADOW ROAD!!!

LOVE the cover!  I love butterflies, and they have been a symbol of growth and hope to me for many years. I love the symbolism of how out of something ugly, with walls around it, something can be broken and out of it comes something beautiful. Reading the blurb for Rainshadow Road, especially the part below, I think this cover is symbolic:

“Questions about love, loyalty, old patterns, mistakes, and new beginnings are explored as Lucy learns that some things in life—even after being broken—can be made into something new and beautiful.”

I also love blue/aqua and the ocean and so this cover is extra special to me...besides the fact that it's a new Lisa Kleypas book! *SQUEEEE!!!*

Please click on this link for a SNEAK PEAK of RAINSHADOW ROAD!!! http://www.lisakleypas.com/bookRainshadowRoad.asp 

I consider myself one of "Lisa's Divas" ...even though the official one, "a group of select fans who share info & content related to Lisa's novels and get sneak peeks & swag in return",  is unfortunately only open to US residents. :-( That won't stop me from spreading the word! :-)

To view my review for the first story in Lisa Kleypas' Friday Harbor series, a Christmas novella titled Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor, please see here:

http://ladyjaynesreadingden.blogspot.com/2011/04/christmas-eve-at-friday-harbor-by-lisa.html

REVIEW: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

5 of 5 Stars

A Super Thank You to my dear friend Jennifer from San Francisco for bringing me this book on her trip to Australia!!! How appropriate that this book is set in San Francisco. ^_^ I loved the setting! Having been to San Fran 2 years ago, I liked that I had images of some of the places mentioned in the book, from experience, not just from seeing it on TV.

Oh. My. Anna and the French Kiss (Anna) was such a wonderful read – one of my favourites of this year – so I thought it highly probable that I would also enjoy Lola and the Boy Next Door (Lola). I was wrong. I freakin’ LOVED it!!!

What started off as an engaging and enjoyable enough read – I’ll be honest, I was thinking it was more of a 4-Star read for about the first half – had me up until after 2am, on a worknight, as I just HAD TO finish it . I was literally grinning from ear to ear and feeling elated and giddy as I drifted off to sleep. Dare I say it that I think I may even love it more than Anna? Hmm…Though I may change my mind again when I re-read Anna. Because I was certainly grinning silly after finishing Anna, too!

Lola is a sort of “sequel” to Anna. In Lola, we get to see Anna and Etienne, as secondary characters, in San Francisco attending college. Anna works with Lola at a movie theatre and Etienne St. Clair is, of course, wherever Anna is. These two are so cute together. I really wish the author didn’t have to keep reminding us readers, though, that St. Clair is short. We get it. He’s super cute and charming, with his adorable British accent…and short. Being someone short, myself, I just felt, is mentioning his height so often really relevant? Or maybe that’s just my own height issues coming out…Hmm… ^_^

Anyway, back to Lola…Lola is into costumes, in a big way. Every day is an opportunity to be different and she dresses in colourful outfits and wigs. Her dream is to one day win an award for Costume design for films. Her best friend, Lindsey Lim, is a Nancy Drew aficionado and wannabe. I liked how Lola and Lindsey were not your usual high school girls. They were different and interesting characters, but still relatable in their teen confusions and fears about love and relationships. Lola, attempting to assert her independence by going out with a twenty two year old rocker that her gay dads do not approve of. And Lindsey, determined not to get involved in relationships as it would distract her from her goals.

The story begins with Lola’s neighbours, the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, moving back into the neighbourhood. Lola and Cricket have history and their unresolved feelings shake things up for Lola.

I LOVED Cricket Bell … well, except for his name. ^_^ He is sweet, smart, adorable, caring and just so NICE....and not in a boring "he's nice" way but in a "how-can-you-not-love-him?!" nice way. He’s an inventor. It’s in his genes, being a descendant of the famous Alexander Graham Bell, who is credited with inventing the telephone. I really liked finding out some interesting alternate history in relation to Bell.

Cricket is 6’4’ (without taking into account his high hair) and lanky, though he’s filled out somewhat since Lola saw him 2 years ago. And we were told many times that Cricket is “tall”. Strangely, this didn’t bother me as much the mentions of Etienne being “short”. Hmm…It really MUST BE my own “short issues”, then, rising to the fore! :-P

I loved seeing Cricket come out from the shadow of his Olympic hopeful figure skater sister, Calliope. I liked how deftly Ms. Perkins enabled me, as a reader, to go from really disliking Calliope to actually sympathising with her.

Cricket is so romantic, in an unintentional way. He is so “there” for Lola and understands her and loves her for the colourful and creative person she is. There are some scenes about the moon and stars in here that some may find cheesy but had me positively sighing and swooning.

I loved how Lola understood Cricket, too, and how they both helped each other see that what they saw as inadequacies in themselves were the things that made them special and was what they loved about each other.

I loved how Ms. Perkins portrayed Lola’s and Cricket’s friendship, and their physical attraction and emotional connection to each other. I loved their dialogue and all their conversations across the space between their bedroom windows. Stephanie Perkins is adept at building the tension and longing between Cricket and Lola and she electrifies a scene with the significant looks and little touches between Lola and Cricket.

"And then...I'm aware of another presence.

Cricket stands behind me. The faintest touch of a finger against the back of my silk kimono. I close my eyes. I understand his compulsion, his need to touch. As my parents burst into congratulating Calliope, I slide one hand behind my back. I feel him jerk away in surprise, but I find his hand, and I take it into mine. And I stroke the tender skin down the center of his palm. Just once.

He doesn't make a sound. But he is still, so still.

I let go, and suddenly my hand is in his. He repeats the action back. One finger, slowly, down the center of my palm.

I cannot stay silent. I gasp."

Like Anna and the French Kiss, Ms Stephenie Perkins penned yet another sweet romance with likable characters.

I must say, though, that I do wish that YA book writers and/or publishers would stop with the “love triangles” already. It seems like it’s a “must” in YA books now and I really wish it wasn’t. Lola’s boyfriend, Max, starts out as a nice enough guy but turns into a real jerk in this book (which was a bit too easy), so there was no competition and no “teams” to take in this one. My main issue is that I don’t like having one of the characters being in a relationship with someone else when they are in love, or falling in love, with another. It takes away from my full enjoyment of the story as I don’t like reading about cheating. While there is no overt physical cheating going on in this story, there are emotions involved. And even if one of the characters in the relationship is a total jerk, it doesn’t make me feel any better about the situation.

I did, however, appreciate how Stephanie Perkins dealt with this from the point-of-view of having Lola realise she had done wrong by Max (and herself and Cricket) by being in denial of her feelings for Cricket and hiding her friendship with Cricket from Max. I loved how Cricket was such a gentleman, but he really struggled to keep away from Lola and wanted to be her friend, even though it killed him.

One other part in the story that I really appreciated, and which showed Lola's growth, was how Lola realised that she wanted to be "whole"/"full" before she could be in a relationship with Cricket, and I loved how understanding and patient Cricket was. I just love Lola and Cricket together!

Anyway...I suspect “love triangles” may be around for some time yet in YA, but I do hope it won’t be in Isla and the Happily Ever After! Pretty please, Ms. Perkins!! With Belgian chocolate on top? ^_^

That being said, did I mention that I LOVED this? Now I just hope I haven’t hyped it up!! This may not be a perfect book but it was a perfectly splendid book for me, right now.

Hmm… I better get to finally writing my review for Anna and the French Kiss now, hadn’t I?

On a more serious note, this particular scene below made me so teary and was scary because it is so true:

"Because that’s the thing about depression. When I feel it deeply, I don’t want to let it go. It becomes a comfort. I want to cloak myself under its heavy weight and breathe it into my lungs. I want to nurture it, grow it, cultivate it. It’s mine. I want to check out with it, drift asleep wrapped in its arms and not wake up for a long, long time.”

I know this feeling all too well.

P.S. I love the message in the Acknowledgements to the author's husband, and how he was her real life inspiration for a scene in this book in relation to Cricket and also Lindsey and her red Chucks. So cute! ^_^

My Lola (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) And 

My Cricket (Arthur Sales)

 

Lola, Costumer Extraordinaire.

Cricket, the cute, sexy inventor, and childhood sweetheart.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lola is disconcerted when Cricket returns to the neighbourhood.

Lola's heart lurched the very first time she saw Cricket in pants. In nice pants. (She's also partial to his "difficult equation face" ^_^)

It hurts to look at Cricket looking so good in pants. ^_^

When she isn't wearing a wig, Lola is a brunette.

Cricket, he's sweet, reliable and his hair defies gravity.

And, boy, does he look good sleepy and disoriented, when Lola wakes him in the early hours by chucking bobby pins at his bedroom window.

"OHMYGOD. HE'S ONLY WEARING BOXER BRIEFS. DON'T STARE AT HIS BODY. DO NOT STARE AT HIS BODY."

 

REVIEW: A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James

2.5-3 of 5 Stars

Did Not Finish

*WARNING: This review contains a SPOILER of a particular scene in the book which I had an issue with.*

This is a Cinderella re-telling.

I still haven’t finished this, after putting it aside for several months, and I’ve finally accepted that I don’t think I feel like finishing it. *sad sigh* :-(

I'm sorry, friends, I have tried to pick it back up a few times but just can't seem to keep reading.

I don’t know what happened. I think I just didn’t CONNECT with the characters in this book. I know a lot of my GRs friends really enjoyed this, though, and I’m going against the grain here… and not to detract from others’ love of the book… but I struggled with it.

I'm sorry, friends, I have tried to pick it back up a few times but just can't seem to keep reading. 

It was enjoyable enough to start off with; was pretty cute, in fact, but at the same time was all too easy for me to put down. And then… Well…I didn’t like that the prince was going to seduce, and had the heroine waiting in his room, while he had to go and entertain his betrothed princess at the ball. It made me incredibly uncomfortable.

I have forgiven cheating in books, before, because I had truly connected with the characters, felt really strongly for them, and was able to forgive them a grave mistake. But with this? I really don’t know…I just really didn’t like the thought of the prince actually having the woman he had fallen for waiting for him, in his bath, while he went off to meet and dance with another woman; the woman he was going to marry, out of duty. It did not sit right with me. I just didn't feel it fair to any of them. And I hadn’t really realised, at the time that I set it aside, how much this actually bothered me. But now when I think of this book, it's all I can think about, so I find that just can’t bring myself to continue reading to get to the actual love scene between Prince Gabriel and Kate.

This is MY issue and I feel bad for giving up on this book, but with all the books out there I want to read – there are SO MANY! - I just can’t bring myself to continue.

I also feel bad for giving it 2.5-3 Stars, but my rating is based not on an assessment of the author’s writing abilities, but rather on my own level of enjoyment of the book.

I’m sorry, Eloisa James. I will give your other books a go, though.

If you are a reader who hasn’t read this book, as I said, many loved/liked it, so you may, too.

I did, however, love these quotes (below) that Quinn had shared in her status updates On Goodreads and which enticed me to read this. There were some tingly moments between the hero and heroine, but just not enough interaction between them, for my liking, for me to connect with them and care about seeing their Happily-Ever-After.

‘"Do tell," Gabriel said. "Were they kissing the way we do?"

He had pulled off his cravat, and his shirt revealed a triangle of chest. It was vastly improper. Kate pulled her gaze away. "We don't kiss in any particular way," she corrected him. "We may have exchanged a few kisses in the past, but --"

"We kiss as if the bloody room had burst on fire," he interrupted. "We kiss as if making love didn't exist and kissing was all there was.”’
…
‘He took the word from her lips. Their kiss was as untamed as the garden they stood in. It was the kind of kiss that skirted the edge of propriety even though his hands stayed at her back, and hers around his neck.

It skirted propriety because they both knew the kiss was like making love, that there was an exchange, a possession and a submission, a giving and a taking, a forbidden intimacy.’

Great quotes.

P.S. The “bosom friends” were funny. ^_^

P.P.S. Maybe one day I’ll go back and finish this, and maybe I’ll feel differently about it.

My Poetry: I Must Hide This Pain Away...

I Must Hide This Pain Away…

You told me the news,

I felt like I couldn’t breathe,

This sorrow buried inside,

Had its trigger to seethe;

This news should bring joy,

But I feel such immense sadness,

“Their having another baby”,

Was news that should have brought gladness;

It shouldn’t make me burst into tears,

But when we were pregnant first,

And lost our little one…

The day just felt,

Like my world had lost its sun;

Now, every single time,

News like this comes,

I hear a roar in my ears,

And my heart beating like from a distant drum;

It’s like my body is in shock,

It misses you, our sweet little Hope…

After almost three years now,

I should be able to cope;

But the tears can’t help but fall…

I remember when we were so excited to see,

Your little shape like a lentil,

Then, from such heart-filling joy,

It plummeted to a pain with a force so elemental;

 “I’m sorry, there’s no heartbeat.”

“It’s not a viable pregnancy.”

“Not. A. Viable. Pregnancy.”

“NOT. Viable….”

My heart just stopped in that moment,

And in this present moment, I keep wondering, “When???”

When can I feel the happiness I want to feel for others?

When can I react normally once again?

Instead of feeling like I can’t breathe,

I hate feeling this way!

I’m so sorry to my joyous family and friends,

So I must hide this pain away…

~ By Jayne Michellane a.k.a Lady Jayne, 25 November 2011

Lest We Forget...Remembrance Day a.k.a. Poppy Day 2011

"Lest We Forget...

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old, 

Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn, 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, 

We shall remember them."

~ The "Ode of Remembrance" is an ode taken

from Laurence Binyon's poem "For the Fallen"

Today, on Remembrance Day a.k.a. Poppy Day, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (and the 11th year of the 2nd millennium) we remember all those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the official end of World War I on that date in 1918; hostilities formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.

I've always wondered why Remembrance Day is also called Poppy Day and decided to find out. 

In Australia, the red remembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem "In Flanders Fields". These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour an appropriate symbol for the blood spilled in the war. 

Below are some very poignant and beautiful images I found for Poppy Day. I see the first image of the lone red poppy against a grayscale field as representing the stark aloneness that the fallen soldier must have felt on the field of battle. The second is our War Memorial in our capital, Canberra, with the names of the brave soldiers and the poppies left by the future generations to remember them for their blood spilled.  And the third is a field of poppies with the beautiful sun rays, to me, symbolising all these fallen soldiers in beauty of the Afterlife. 

The poppy has become a truly powerful image of the sacrifice for freedom to me now.

We will remember them...

 

Inspiration of the Moment - Risks

Hi All,

I'm sorry that I've been MIA for a while. Been super busy - Had my parents visiting from overseas, and have also been busy planning for a trip to Melbourne and then along the Great Ocean Road back to Adelaide with some lovely friends from overseas, who I'm very excited to see, soon. I can't believe I didn't post at all for the whole month of October! Where has time gone? Anyway, I'm so behind on my reviews, so I thought I'd ease back into my blog with a great quote.

I'm a planner. I make lists for everything. I think it's because I like having control over parts of my life that I can have control over. I like to be prepared...and... I admit it, I have a fear of the unknown. Like this upcoming trip, I have such a detailed plan of the places we're going to, a list of all the dining options and all the driving times to each place... I even have pictures of all the places! LOL I like having my visuals, what can I say. ^_^

I've never driven along the Great Ocean Road before, myself, and I just want to get in as much of the sights as we can; to make the most of it for my overseas friends, who are coming to Australia for the first time. But that doesn't mean I'm not willing to be spontaneous and go off the planned path if it's necessary or if it feels right. Plans are just guides...and things do not always go as we expect. Sometimes, we need to take a risk... Which brings me to my quote/inspiration of the moment...  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

"Risks... How we feel about them, says a lot about us. Every day, every moment, we calculate and assess, debate and decide. But when you get right down to it, the truth is, that when it comes to risk, the only thing that matters is that you take the ones that are right for you." 

~ Erica from Being Erica (TV show)