tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22267827115943283532023-11-16T17:35:15.971+05:30Dreaming WandererA lust-crazy black monster rearing in this beautiful sacred world of light.Actually this intro sounds too morbid.So here's a bit of me- Sarcastic,cynical,incurable romantic,book worm,aloof li'l mimosa plant trying to grow in a white lily(cuz its my fav flower),a desperate agnostic but atheist due to lack of faith and evidence,insufferable MANGA+Anime OTAKU,impish pervert,individualistic styloholic,desperate to find my soulmate and as the title already tells- a thoroughly stupid dreamer.SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-8379350551432542302013-10-24T02:48:00.001+05:302013-10-24T03:09:45.103+05:30The Ram-Leela fever!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Like I've said, I've stooped as low as to reading bollywood gossip about Ram Leela so the videos of 'songs in making' are primary, really... They tell a lot about the process of how Bhansali and his team created each song and then the choreography and intentions behind it, what Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone did for each song. They are in the order that I like them (although I can't decide between the first two!) Check them out!</div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-17484937264606157872013-10-24T02:30:00.001+05:302013-10-25T01:31:34.768+05:30Ram-leela - Theatrical Trailer with English Subtitles ft. Ranveer Singh ...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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*SCREAMS*<br />
*FAINTS*<br />
*Fans the face*<br />
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OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD<br />
Whaaaaaa......How.. Where...do I begin? I've never been the kinda girl who is manic about movies and awaits any particular movie with bated breath but Ram Leela changed me being a big bookworm. I saw a song in this, investigated and now here I type full of the Ram-Leela fever. I've since watched anything related to it (even gossip and I HATE bollywood gossip!) You just have to look at half the trailer and you're gone. You'll swear upon your life to watch the the first show at the first day!! <i>I </i>did.<br />
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is famous for Drama and Tragedy but here this movie has violence and boldness in heavy amounts along with his dramatic and tragic flairs... <i>Devdas </i>ended tragically. <i>Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam</i> ended in hope while going along the tragic route and still is preferrable to <i>Devdas </i>because of the more positive elements of it. Saawariya is 'meeeeh' and veery mild so has no impact. At first it seems Bhansali has tried to recreate the magic of <i>Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam</i> in Ram Leela because of Nagada Sang Dhol or even Lahu Muh Lag Gaya but afterwards he has more commercial elements from his experience with being a producer for films like Rowdy Rathore, etc. Ishqyaun Dhishkyaun, another song of Ram Leela, is fun and sensual and thus hints at the theme in Ram Leela being different than <i>HDDCS </i>and <i>Devdas</i>, as the romance and even heroines are coy, understated and traditional in those former films (But Deepika Padukone is portrayed as a bold Gujarati girl here) and Ram Leela's bolder and violent. He has retained the traditional/regional elements, his individuality in creating visual poetry with that dramatic and tragic flair as his trademark and yet this story seems modern, unique, straightforward with a good plotline.<br />
The beginning scene is disillusioning with rain clouds thundering in the sky and some beautiful camera work showing tthe distance to our story's setting- the town 'Nakhtaraana'. That scene of the kids is HILARIOUS and the guy getting angry at the kid is ummm violent and <i>even more</i> <u>hilarious</u>!!!!!!! Shit, I kept staring at thee screen the first time I saw it! (and missed the rest of the trailer but then replayed it again and again... I'm still replaying it!!) Those bullet roaring scenes between Ram-Leela seem exciting. Basically, we're introduced to Ram's character and the vague plotline of the movie with the feud of families going on in the town. The first half of the trailer is light, passionate then, there's the dramatic scene in rain and everything changes- The love of Romeo & Juliet isn't as easy as we thought- there's arguing, clashes and verbal fights going on which adds layers and makes the story more interesting. There are the famous scenes of Ram-Leela consummating their 'marriage', their hot kiss, the smoky atmosphere, the town's waterfront at night glittering with lights and Deepika-Ranveer's amazingly sizzling chemistry. Then it gets too fast to really watch the scenes but they seem disconnected, raising our curiosity tenfold!!!! At the end, Ram and Leela seem to discuss what happens now that they have fallen in love with each other, Ram asks what she'll do if her family says no and Leela replies that she'll convince them. Then *giggles* Ram asks what she would do if he leaves her. Leela calmly tells him that she'll kill him... I dunno whether to laugh out loud or tell her to chill! I love the passion though.<br />
The basic theme of the movie is Shakespeare's Romeo-Juliet. It is a universal concept and this has been given a Desi makeover in Ram Leela. As in Romeo-Juliet, Ram and Leela's families hate each other to death and then there's the famous balconey scene of Juliet and Romeo depicted between our Ram & Leela ... I also wonder when that scene happens, in which Ram and Leela argue and Ram hints that Leela left her family to come with Ram then Leela accuses Ram of having the 'filthy' Rabadi blood and killing someone (possibly one of her own family; like in Romeo-Juliet, Romeo kills Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, in grief and guilt of Mercutio's death which happened during Mercutio's duel against Tybalt ). That scene of Ram (Ranveer Singh) soaked in the rain at a funeral (Mercutio?!) makes me very curious. I dunno if Ram and Leela will die like Romeo-Juliet (Ahhhhh MAN! What do I expect? It's Romeo and Juliet! Their stupid family feud's gonna end because of their deaths!!!! I wanna scream 'NOOOOOOO!!!' Such a waste of Ram and Leela!!!!!!!) but I <i>REALLY </i>hope they won't!!<br />
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Wish I could lasso Nov 15 and pull it to me...</div>
SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-6093283495044683732013-10-24T02:05:00.001+05:302013-10-24T05:14:08.300+05:30Ram Chahe Leela Song ft. Priyanka Chopra - Ram-leela<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Priyanka Chopra is one of my favourite actors and here she is in one of my favourite and most awaited film!!!!!! I didn't think it could get better when I was anticipating the next song after Ishqyaun Dhishkyaun... I had guessed the item song would be Ram Chahe Leela as it was the only remaining raunchy number in the sound track and I also guessed somehow it would be next because it <i>is</i> an item song after all. Promos need such things! So today it came and I stand stunned. Priyanka Chopra has done an FAN -fuckin'-TASTIC job here!!!!!!!!! This is even hotter than Ishqyaun Dhishkyaun (I didn't think it possible!!!!) but I can't make up my mind about it as both the songs are equally good. The choreography is unique in each song and this one's no different.... Priyanka Chopra looks really sexy and does complete justice to the song! The set is gorgeous with real live candles burning throughout the song,, the colourful Indian lamps hanging and those rose petals scattered around. The choreograpgy is again, unique and impressive. Priyanka's expressions are eye-popping, and her entry-dramatic... Again You can't guess when this song's gonna happen with the careful editing but the extra Deepika-Ranveer scenes are relievingly welcome!!!!! This item number will rock you!<br />
Seeing more of Deepika-Ranveer my excitement has burst out of the 100 range and shot to 500!!!! Now I can't wait for Nov 15 more THAN EVER!</div>
SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-10443383761026334342013-10-24T01:58:00.001+05:302013-10-24T06:20:34.416+05:30Tattad Tattad (Ramji Ki Chaal) Song ft. Ranveer Singh | Ram-leela<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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SHIT DAMN. Continuing with my Ram -Leela fever, here's the introduction song of Ranveer's character Ram Rabadi. His personality has been described lyrically in a beautiful manner and is very bold, solid and interesting. This is where Ranveer Singh shines through (although he's awesome in any of the scenes either in songs or the trailer) Really- there's no doubt that he rocks his character!!! Ram seems to be created as a person who can lure girls and make them lose their hearts to him... Ranveer Singh has done absolute justice to it! The cocky and playboy character of Ram Rabadi is sure to get to you...<br />
The choreography is just like the character- arrogant, loud, attention-seeking, cocky, womanizing... The set is very Alpha with yellow and purple (in Ranveer Singh's costume) hinting at Royalties and qualities like the sun or the colour yellow. Ram Rabadi seems to wander according his own style in a carefree manner... The choreography brought to life, Ranveer Singh's character. The entry itself is all that Ram Rabadi is-effortlessly cocky. The costumes for others and the posters through the lit-up narrow street of the town are related to the Indian folk hero Ram from the legendary mythical story of Ramayana. There are people dressed up and painted blue to depict Ram, the posters have Hanuman (Ram's devotee/ right hand man) tearing his chest open to show Ram and Sita's picture seared in it. The overall effect is inevitable.<br />
Amazing song, half the credit going to it's singer, Aditya Narayan who has a distinct, amazing voice- reminiscent of his father and yet managing to sound unique unto himself. He brings the tone of the words down into his voice, reaching us and telling the meaning of the lyrics.<br />
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Again, Why is Nov 15 SO FARAWAY????????????????</div>
SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-42843080953408802172013-10-24T01:52:00.001+05:302013-10-25T05:10:21.056+05:30Ishqyaun Dhishqyaun Song ft. Deepika Padukone & Ranveer Singh - Ram-leela<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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HOT HOT HOT!!!! Yaozaaaah! Their chemistry is something I haven't seen ever before! The moves are fun and entertaining! Deepika Padukone is COMPLETELY different, I haven't seen her like this ever before! Ranveer Singh has been UNDESCRIBABLY AWESOME!! I knew he was good in Band Baaja Baarat and Ladies vs Ricky Bahl as well as Lootera (which is on my list to watch) but This is completely overpowering my senses and thoughts about him!! He actually acts with his eyes and Sanjay Leela Bhansali has captured his as well as Deepika Padukone's manifestation of characters in a way that blows my mind away!!!!<br />
The set is verry indicating. There are guns everywhere in the background and the lighting is low. Neon red gun signs start this raunchy number and the flute captures your attention immediately and you wanna groove to the music!!! The song is telling of the basic nature of Ram and Leela's love story. As always, the lyrics are poetic and straightforward. The choreography is something unique and there's the back and forth volley of emotions from Ranveer and non-verbal yet very expressive and entertaining set from Deepika. The Choreography is metaphorical and clever. Ranveer looks classy and is seen enjoying himself so much with all his expressions!! Deepika's riot of emotions was unexpected and I was like, 'I didn't know she could do that!!!' Nobody else could have suited the characters better than these guys!!! Sizzle us away, you guys!!!!<br />
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Can NOT wait for NOV 15.</div>
SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-68152921089420183462013-10-24T01:45:00.001+05:302013-10-24T05:08:16.135+05:30Nagada Sang Dhol Song - Ram-leela ft. Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Learning those incredible moves and CAN'T get it OUTTA MY HEAD!!!!!!<br />
Ohhhhhkay, I know many of you are saying this is similar to Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam but that's just your Associative Disorder. <i>Don't </i>compare these two and <i>even </i>if you do, there are far too many differences to be found easily. Or maybe I <i>am</i> fangirling. Whatever.....<br />
This song has so many reasons to be addicting... The set is, of course, beautiful, extravagant and full of grandeur being Sanjay Leela Bhansali's signature style. The Choreography is what captures anyone's attention because it's full on hardcore Gujarati Garba- that beautiful regional and traditional element coming alive, perfectly synchronising with the lyrics, beats and music of the song and this is why Sanjay Bhai ROCKS! Those moves are so addicting that I always am up on my feet when it comes on and I'm halfway through learning them, No Joke! The costumes, especially Deepika Padukone's Ghagra Choli is traditional, beautiful, classy and yet loud to grab attentions. Deepika Padukone, herself, has done an awesome job on her part. Supriya Pathak steals the show in her designated scenes with her dramatics. Those lyrics of Gujarati- 'Leeli limbudi re/ Leelo nagarvel no chod/ Parbhu parodh na ro/ Maar gher uttara karta jao/Uttaro nahi karun re/Maar gher Seeta juve vaat/Seeta ekla re/ Juve Ram Lakhman ni vaat' made the whole song out of charts!!!!!!!! They add mystery and I wonder if there's a Seeta for Ram Rabadi and not our Leela..... The whole song is orchestrated wonderfully and has that mysterious element in scenes when Ram Rabadi (Ranveer Singh's character) enters the song and later stares (with what seems sternness and maybe anger) at Leela (Deepika Padukone's character) as she draws a Tilak on his forehead. You can't understand where the story is at this point and the songs are carefully edited so as not to give in any clues of the plot. This mystery helps in creating the buzz for the movie itself and excitements run high.<br />
So I CAN'T WAIT for Nov 15! Yes, I admit shamelessly to being consciously manipulated.... Who cares when the movies seems to be so incredible?</div>
SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-31992143275656133282013-10-17T21:37:00.001+05:302013-10-24T06:40:20.877+05:30Lahu Munh Lag Gaya Song - Ram-leela ft. Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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ShitDAMN!!!!!!!! I haven't seen anything hotter, more expressive and better and there's just something I can't put my finger on, at the beginning of the song and that brings beauty..... This is the best of both worlds- old and modern...!!! In the signature Bhansali style, the song seems colourful and exciting. That beginning is so perfect I couldn't have imagined anything better! God! Deepika surprised me by being so expressive! Ranveer! OH RANVEER! You have captured every girl's heart out there! Ranveer Singh manages to talk with his eyes and comes out shining as an actor here! His energy reaches out from the camera lens and steps into the screen, easily sweeping us away in it!!! Their non-verbal chemistry and volley of emotions tossed back and forth without words holds our hearts tightly and digs in deep. Deepika Padukone surprises even me as she does that bold move and goes to join the Garba. Then Ranveer grips our hearts with his 'stunned' expression. I haven't seen anything more expressive, hot, effortless and heart-rending before. This is one <i>emotional </i>start.<br />
The choreography is second to Nagada Sang Dhol and very addictive, once again! The set is colourful and again very exuberant like the song and in Ranveer Singh's words 'flamboyant and <i>very </i>passionate'! Those costumes are again, unique, attention-grabbing and colourful. Throughout the song, the chemistry between Deepika and Ranveer is visible and doesn't seem to recede. There's the mysterious element as in all the others, albeit at the end of the song when Ram Rabadi (Ranveer Singh's character) abruptly and mysteriously leaves and Leela is seen staring at his Gulaal-smeared hand...<br />
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Doesn't that leave you wanting for more???<br />
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CAN'T WAIT FOR NOVEMBER 15!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</div>
SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-3560465955249634942013-09-18T15:52:00.000+05:302013-09-18T16:37:27.320+05:30Winter-Rain Storm and the thunder of books...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16113606-of-beast-and-beauty" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Of Beast and Beauty" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1370661183m/16113606.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16113606-of-beast-and-beauty">Of Beast and Beauty</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1691206.Stacey_Jay">Stacey Jay</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/712446845">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Like I've already mentioned in <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/544891.Beastly" title="Beastly by Alex Flinn">Beastly</a> my favorite fairy tale is the Beauty and the Beast so that in itself was enough to pick this book up. When I got it, I had not many expectations and this was the first time I was picking up Stacey Jay so a new slate with really no previous experience was a given. I guess I'm prolonging to write how I felt about it but see, it's a valid reason- I can't find any words to express what I'm feeling! All the usual adjectives of 'speechless' and etc.. can't be applied here. This story is so out of the ordinary that it's unbelievable! When I first read the synopsis, to be fair, I was not thrilled to have got the book because the synopsis is that misleading. I thought that the plot would be nothing really worthy and a breezy read. Boy, was I wrong.<br />
This story does have a resemblance with the story that we know of but it's only enough to know that this book is slightly based on the original fairy tale and that's about it! Nothing else is remotely linked or boringly similar to what we know and this point is what makes this book so incredible. At first glance it seems deceptively simple and light but as soon as you get to a few chapters you know you've been duped royally (no pun intended). When I want to start putting some of the elements making this book what it is, I can't decide where to start because of course all of them are mind-blowing.<br />
It seems like a typical Romeo-Juliet situation as well because of the physical differences creating that huge barrier between a race of people. Isra, the Princess/Queen of the Smooth Skins and Gem, the ordinary warrior of the Monstrous are interesting characters unto themselves even with the addition of their blooming friendship through the book. The original linear line of the plot is upended and here it's the 'beauty' who has captured and imprisoned the 'beast'. The plot is of the finest intellect with just enough tension, emotions and character development to keep the book moving at a pace worthy of a journey. The vast physical differences between the two races and their dwelling terrain is jarring and yet fitting. The addition of the nature of magic and it's way of working is really commendable and heart warming. The creep factor and scare tactics were a welcome element to spice the story. The gory details of mutant genes were also very appropriate and seemingly easily blended into the plot. <br />
The characters were extremely well-layered, even the secondary ones. Isra's character was spotlight-snatching and more easy-to-focus on than Gem's. Gem was also fairly enrapturing and yet simpler than Isra especially at the end. I would have liked more of Gem's POV because I found him just as fascinating. The emotions were raw, easy to sympathize with and in a vast range. The writing was old-fashioned and yet a little modern and very beautiful in prose. That writing in itself is a point enough to read this book. That romance of Isra and Gem is another highlight of the story. It was slow, creeping and very satisfying. The world-building from Jay is also worth mentioning because she does it flawlessly. The way she created the history of both the tribes was very spell-binding and a huge part of the plot.<br />
This is a book easily enjoyable by anyone and yet is heavy on thought provocation and incredible characters as well as a satisfying (if cheesy in the end) plot.<br />
Jay is an author to look out for and I hope to read more of her very soon.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/18387936-samruddhi">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10866624-unspoken" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy, #1)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1333397426m/10866624.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10866624-unspoken">Unspoken</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/836009.Sarah_Rees_Brennan">Sarah Rees Brennan</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/718887239">2 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I've been into Gothic romances and so was interested in reading Unspoken. The synopsis felt very promising and I had read great reviews from some friends of mine. I feel I'm sitting on the fence for this one because their are equal amounts of great elements and really bad frustrating points of this book.<br />
The beginning was written in a way that captured my attention and I can't find fault in that. Kami feels like a kick-ass, bold, imaginative, feisty, adventurous, restless sort of girl with a healthy (unhealthy for me) amount of curiosity and a very inquisitive 'journalistic' nature. I was hoping she would continue to live upto and go beyond my expectations as the book proceeds. The writing felt very full of humour, the regional elements making it richer, the characters like Angela and Rusty upping the ante. What I always found intriguing from the synopsis was that Kami could hear a voice in her head and that voice would in the course of events, turn out to be a real person. This was the most fascinating part of the book for me and I loved how the author handled it- the feelings of each Kami and Jared when they discover their respective voices in the heads turning into real people were so stormy and gripping. There was no insta-love for which I was grateful because this turns out to be dangerous for just about any book... After this entrance of Jared though I began to have uneasy feelings regarding just about everything in the book; maybe it was intuition. I loved how Kami pursued everything and didn't really leave Jared alone. Although, very often I did feel discomfort that whatever questions were raised in Kami's mind could easily be answered right after them being asked and this wasn't done just for the sake of 'right' timing and the plot-pace. I tried to overcome it but the niggling was there through the whole book for me. Most of the book got Kami which also was jarring and disappointing. I did like how there were slight layers to Kami's character as well as the secondary ones although they could've been deepened or multiplied to get into the characters better. Jared (oh Jared!) was one of the finest 'bad boy' characters I've ever encountered. Even with so less of a time in the book, he managed to be my favorite character. He was very very heart wrenching- the ignored child hated by parents, unable to understand his uniqueness, having the ability to be so very kind and generous and caring even after tolerating such parental cruelty and crushing lonliness thrown in with the life on streets in America, having the emotional range all through black and white and being so human. He also actually remained mysterious even after showing so much of himself and my heart just broke for him when Kami did that HORRENDOUS thing in the climax(This was manufactured to happen clearly for plot-block and progress for the next book...). And what truly made me hate her was her reaction and emotions after what SHE did. You know, all through the book she wanted to find a way to carry it out; all the while taking Jared for granted, and after all that, on the final moment she changes her mind (no doubt the author's doing again for the sake of the plot...) and 'realizes' her feelings right at the climax and still she does the horrifying thing! I would expect someone feminist and intelligent to at least be true to herself when she was bold out in the world but obviously that can't be allowed because how else would their be a (fake) romance? Feelings can't be judged, many say but I still say that Kami had no right to feel the way she did after carrying out her OWN decision. Jared is simply amazing and capable of being romantic even after being what he is and having endured what he has and being so lonely most of his life except for Kami's voice in his head. I can't really blame him for not wanting their connection severed because all his life, Jared felt that only Kami was on his side and supported him wholeheartedly for most of his life. After half the book, Kami became more and more self-absorbed and selfish, unable to see anything/one beyond herself. I don't think being a feminist leads to being egotistic so I resent the author for painting a character and progressing her in this way. I felt Kami could have been so much more than a paranoid person suspecting a person whose mind she can read and someone she's known all her life; more than a self-absorbed idiot capable of realising danger and knowing her friends thoroughly (It was so extremely obvious about Angela's secret! How could their own best friend not see it?!). I hated Kami by the end of the book and felt completely disconnected from her. Angela, the fierce angry girl, was a great character along with Rusty mixing in the humour, the quality of being laid-back and lazy but having the alertness and agility for danger (somehow...)... Ash always went into non-existence for me, maybe the author didn't put enough of a character in him... Lillian and Rosalind were paper thin. Rob was black and white. <br />
The conversations between characters seemed very stilted and unrealistic-who talks so formally even in England? The strange turns and complete turning back over subjects and the breaks and 180s on the flow of any conversation were disorienting and jarring so the author failed to really incorporate the trademark British element and was left with only feeble attempts, with the flimsy pieces of the culture, some very abrupt wit (which although nice lightening humour, was uncalled for the occasion most of the time) and stunted dialogue. Kami is way too engrossed being one point of a love triangle (although this existence of the love triangle is very vaguely hinted) instead of actually taking the mystery and the murders seriously. Overall Kami disappointed me terribly because at some level I liked the Japanese heritage (yup, I'm a sucker for anything Japanese), the interesting family of devilish brothers, the slightly distant yet loving father, the scared mother (all this created dysfunction for me and there goes another black mark...), the initial character I glimpsed which vanished halfway and never came back... The thing is Brennan managed to not fall in some contemporary-romance traps but did hopelessly and utterly fall in the others just in the effort to make this story an original. Trying too hard can suck the life out of a story as well, Miss Brennan. <br />
It is so disappointing when you get the dream of a treasure and even get to glimpse at it and then it stops getting nearer and simply vanishes out of sight in the middle of your journey. <br />
Jared and the cliffhanger are the only things taking me to Untold and I won't shell out the bucks for this one.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6853.One_for_the_Money" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, #1)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1316730230m/6853.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6853.One_for_the_Money">One for the Money</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2384.Janet_Evanovich">Janet Evanovich</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/707571940">3 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I sit somewhere between 3 and 4 stars on this one. For the sake of coming clean, I took up with this series because I'm a mad fan of <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2958084.Kristen_Ashley"></a></div>
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<img alt="Kristen Ashley" class="escapedImg" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1279995377p2/2958084.jpg" /></div>
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and I thought she could do no wrong. Also I wanted to read that book (or books) which inspired her to write her batch of amazing books. What I could glaringly conclude was that fans of Miss Ashley, donot worry! Her style is as unique as her and even if the vein of their humour is same along with a tendency of outrageous action, adventure and extremely quirky never-before-seen characters even Kristen's inspiration can't top her writing!!! Or maybe I <em> am </em> fangirling... Doesn't matter. I accidently watched the movie before reading this book (forgive me for such a grievous sin!) so I could be a tad biased too, you know because that movie was really great, laugh-out-loud, outrageous in the Evanovich way with mystery and steamy romance thrown in... This didn't deter me from reading the book of course!<br />
In ONE FOR THE MONEY, Stephanie Plum is introduced to us. She is a divorced, ex-lingerie buyer for Macy's who's desperate for a job after being out of employment for six months (and here starts the outrageousness) and at her parent's house for dinner is mildly humiliated by having her car picked up by the people who owe her money. This leads her to get a job from her pervert cousin to be a bounty-hunter but as they say Desperate times, Desperate measures. Now she needs quick money in her broke condition and there's always a personal revenge/grudge to be avenged, making it a huge motivation. Joe Morelli the big bad cop on the lam for murder (who also took her virginity and never called back so there you go) is skipping the court date with a million dollars of bail bond money allowing her a healthy 10 percent of it as reward of catching him. Morelli is proving to be elusive of course and there encounters although brief are hilariously stomach cramping. There's a light mystery with somewhat dangerous drug dealers, the element of the wild, very quirky (that they put a new definition to it) characters like Grandma Mazur, Stephanie's mom and dad, the colourful characters in her burg and the ensuing outrageously impossible events with butt-cracking humour, the feeling of community making it difficult and funny at the same time for Stephanie to conduct about her business. <br />
The humour element is most noticeable and unparelelled to most others. The drama is hardcore but the levity of a burg community is really relieving. I loved most elements of the books even when sometimes Stephanie's choices were teeth-grindingly frustrating and her clothing choices, hilarious. There's the injecting-humour through drama, outrage and stupidity thing going on and this makes for light breezy reading even sometimes you begin to care about the characters too.<br />
The humour is dominant and eclipsing but it's hardly a problem and worth reading the book for. Stephanie is a normal woman turned bounty hunter but I would have expected her to be taking her job more seriously which she doesn't and this might create a problem for me in the rest of the series if Evanovich continues it. If Evanovich would have done some of the maturity in Stephanie, she would be on par with Kristen for me and I can already guess that I might grow tired of her style if there's only the same kind of thing going on in the rest of her books. <br />
Looking forward to reading <br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6427.Two_for_the_Dough" title="Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich">Two for the Dough</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6766430-the-next-best-thing" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Next Best Thing" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1259128888m/6766430.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6766430-the-next-best-thing">The Next Best Thing</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/317354.Kristan_Higgins">Kristan Higgins</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/721850617">1 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I'm gonna be honest (of course...) this is the first Higgins novel that has truly disappointed me and I've been seriously let down. It gives me a headache to even think about this!!! I had hoped there would be no books from Higgins that would really be crappy to me; being careful to select the interesting synopsis only... <br />
The main huge glaring hole in this book was obviously that female lead- Lucy. Higgins for the second time, chose another spineless idiot girl who couldn't think for herself (although those were her first thoughts) or even anyone else and that always does it for me. However much I try to find redeeming points ( in some cases, if any) there were none to be found... I wanted to wail and despair that this was happening. How could Higgins drown so completely in all those holes of the usual contemporary romance shit???? *deep defeated sigh*<br />
Well, getting on with it, the book started out with me sitting on the fence as I was discovering right in the first chapter that we were already lumped in the middle of the story and that Lucy is breaking off their 'friends with benefits' relationship because she doesn't even want to give Ethan a chance and wants to just find a 'normal' guy (whose specifications are extremely tedious which really negates her claim of finding anyone 'normal'-how cliche and terribly boringly predictable) and have a boring life. On one hand she doesn't want to be alone for the rest of her life like the Black Widows- her mom and aunts (to whom we'll come at a later junction) and on the other she has too tall of a list for any candidate and always expects way too much when she's living in a dead-end town. I hated her right off the bat because I always, but always, hate any person (be it a man or a woman, I'm not a biased feminist... Hah!) who tries to avoid all their problems and runs away from them consciously simply due to an extremely flimsy reason justifying (and yet unable to do so) this ridiculous act of cowardice. I also hated that Lucy never really moved forward in any of the six years after her husband's death even when she had a terrible dysfunctional family whom she loves, Ethan's tender comfort and love and his unique ability to become sex slave according to her moods and even the petty job at her family's bakery. I very much understand that each person is different and requires different amounts of time to overcome such deep loss (even though they were married for only eight months or so) but they don't have Lucy's privileges and this leads me to think (can't help it) that she only had a crush on her husband and never really knew what went on with him, didn't take the trouble to get to know him and is now in some sorta hero-worship for the guy... She is so irrational in her behavior and even more so during the 'psychic' readings performed by their family friend... See, she is skeptical and doesn't believe the reading considering the psychic woman's a fraud and the next moment when she doesn't wanna think, turns to that fraudulent woman and decides to believe her conclusions! HOW RIDICULOUS CAN YOU GET??? She's way too influenced by the Black Widows and seems like a clay-doll who turns to putty in others' hands and can't think for herself at all. <br />
Ethan was really ridiculously human and way better than Lucy to think about. Whereas Lucy is shallow, brainless, spineless and self-absorbed; Ethan is extremely patient, caring, tender, understanding (too much), sacrificing and reliable. When Lucy breaks up with him I felt very sympathetic to him and what he went through. I also liked that Higgins made him appear human when he was distancing himself from Lucy after the 'break-up'. He was charming, the perfect gentleman, a great person and way too good for Lucy even with the appearance/ facade of the bad boy image through all those daredevil sports and general rebelling (which was perfectly natural because of his parents' preference to their older son and some, or maybe way too much, of that sibling rivalry going on) . Ethan even with less of book time made a shining appearance without appearing too perfect (although the usual boring 'hotness' was upped...) I loved his character and wanted more depth to it or even more time with him. <br />
The Black Widows were the maternal side of Lucy's family all alive, all Black (eh, surname -obviously) and all, yes, <em> widows </em>. I continued to think it impossible of course and Higgins does have that handy creative license so I took it in stride and besides there was lots of humour because of them at least in the beginning of the book. The problem came that as the book moved, that humour became tiresome, a sorta bullying and steam-rolling Lucy around and treating her like a doormat (of course she let them...) *horrified expression* Well sometimes they were funny; other times completely frustrating and tiresome. They had this policy where after their husbands' respective deaths they believed in some curse over the males that married into the family and discouraged Lucy from getting involved with other men (and yet other times, they seemed to introduce her to any potential male entering their bakery and showing her off to him...) *rolls eyes too hard* There was the usual 'community' feeling, the humour (very light but present). I loved Parker and Nicky and hated Ethan's parents. I loved the atmosphere and physicality of the locale. But they couldn't carry the book at all with their rubbery thin legs that gave out in a second...<br />
There was so much potential in all of those characters and I was so sad that it couldn't be met. What happened to the effortless style that Higgins seemed to have in some of her other novels? I dunno why she went so wrong here and hope she doesn't do it again...<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8689732-all-i-ever-wanted" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="All I Ever Wanted" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1280613774m/8689732.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8689732-all-i-ever-wanted">All I Ever Wanted</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/317354.Kristan_Higgins">Kristan Higgins</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/696372090">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Well she has done it again! I keep being reminded that Chic-lit can be surprisingly deep and meaningful along with the hilarity, comic timing and relief, the boring 'hot' factor and the quirky characters. This one's a thorough keeper!<br />
Callie (short for Calliope) Grey is a thirty year old woman who is experiencing a classic chic-lit problem- being single at 30. She has been in love with her boss forever (since she started working for his company 5 years back, a looooong looong time for which I was in complete sync with her and which made her sympathetic to me) and after having (FINALLY) had a five-week relationship (which was a fling in his eyes) she had hopes to stick it out, be humiliated even further and hope for him to get her back. Of course in classic chic-lit style, right on her birthday after giving a guilt gift, the said boss admits to being engaged to the common Bitch Perfect. Imagine how heartbroken you would be (<em> I </em> can) and you rush out at lunch and are crying about it to your sister when someone makes rude comments about you behind in the line!!! Fucking hilarious for us readers and even them spectators but what a mortifying moment for Callie! I felt like shouting, "Hey Callie, I'm with you, girl! Leave that douche-bag and celebrate some girl power!!" But there is something to be said about the moment our couple of characters were introduced to each other (it's even mentioned in the foreword!) and I agree it does tell about a person when one is vulnerable and the the other is a somewhat reluctant but surprisingly tender stranger. Callie is renewed after breaking down in public and still clinging to the stupid denial and stubborn grip on her crush of said boss, decides to make him jealous by dating somebody and just then gets the news of a new vet in town. Poorly disguising her dog with illness and her true motives with the concern of being a neighbour (I don't blame her just because she's a good person and very entertaining...) even if she's not one, Callie visits the vet and recognizes the same person who was rude to her during that very public breakdown!! That banter between them is so endearing and hilarious and continues throughout the book very well becoming a highlight. She might have started out in hopes of making an old crush jealous but soon finds out that Ian McFarland has some other sides to him other than being rude to crying women, keeping women at length in general and the stoic personality. <br />
Ian McFarland is another on the short list of amazing male leads who's real and very much believable. Even through the air of silent standoffish-ness there's a tender and sensitive guy who's been recently hurt bad. I loved how Ian was no-nonsense, slow (creeping and more so than normal) and simply heart-warming. Generally with Higgins you kinda understand the romance with how the characters are built and these were real, earthy-solid and very slow and sure to take your heart. There's the enviable sibling for Callie and the embarrassing mother owning the town's funeral home (where she holds Callie's birthday party! Whoa...) I didn't particularly like the mushy romantic Betty Boop and the sensible First Lady Michelle Obama taking up Callie's mind because they were too opposite of each other. The comic relief from them was petty, it coming more from Callie. The end was slightly typically chic-lit but I took all the hang-ups in stride because of the absolutely sincere try at having very minimal drama (I was going for none but hey, this is Higgins and so i read it exasperatingly anyway...) <br />
The romance was a slow and creeping burn; very much welcome, appreciated and accepted. <br />
There's the trademark element of family love and drama, the cute pets (SAHWOOOON!) parading around making things lively and the quirky humour equal in situation and characters... I loved the Rocking Chair, the idea of it and significance, the beautiful locale, as always and the community feel of luuuurv! This one was very different and yet felt vaguely like deja vu... <br />
Once again Higgins you leave me wanting more...</div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-27206322652826255652013-09-15T00:21:00.001+05:302013-09-15T02:17:40.160+05:30Scorching hot Octo'b'ussy and the books!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Some not so good ones have come my way but I've got some great and exciting book in the 'to-read' list!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13572835-love-and-other-perishable-items" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Love and Other Perishable Items" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1333578140m/13572835.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13572835-love-and-other-perishable-items">Love and Other Perishable Items</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3498017.Laura_Buzo">Laura Buzo</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/712347647">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This was my first book from Laura Buzo and shockingly, the first bit of Aussie lit that I read. After finishing this book, I had to take several huge deep breaths and let out heavy sighs. This story was such a HUGE curveball that I couldn't even have predicted the rarity even in the middle of it because I was lost so deeply! This story made me feel so so heavy in the head and after recalling it, I don't really understand how it did this! The plot is so deceptively simple and 'meh' but I was stupid to be fooled by it. The inside is so deep, I could do lots of digging anytime or at any age that I decide to read it again. This book is a read for a lifetime. Here are some reasons you should read this one.<br />
It starts with our voice of the book- Miss Amelia Hayes who works in Woolworths, is a high school student hopelessly 'in love' with (because I feel it's more infatuation than love) a boy six years her senior, Chris. This story goes through both Amelia's POV and Chris POV through his diary and that's a point I loved. The setting, characters and emotions were real so that I believed that these situations actually happened to those characters!! There's some intelligent, witty, funny and endearing banter going on between Amelia and Chris that is another point why you should read this book. Amelia's a very identifiable character for most of the girls because she reminds us of those high school days when some of us had crushes on the 'unreachable' way older guy whom we couldn't help but find really hot; although a huge difference here is that Amelia actually likes Chris because of his personality, the charm he seems to exude almost effortlessly and his intelligence. Mostly, Amelia loves to go back and forth about interesting issues and out-of-the-way topics (atleast for high school students, I mean can you imagine them thinking anything other than petty or rather naive things?!) like feminism, growing-up, family, love, life and even books and music...<br />
Chris is a uni student with that war raging on in his head about his future. This struggle is so very familiar to most of us as each character has something to give to us or remind us about. It was very enlightening to actually have a glimpse into Chris' head because you've always gotta have both sides of the story and the portrayal through Amelia's eyes (or for that matter, any 15 year old girl's eyes) of her crush is some rosy picture having no idea about what's going on in their crush's head. That uncertainty crushing Chris is a huge point to read this book. <br />
The thing is, young readers get to connect with the book and see what's to come and even though some may not like it because it's real and what life's all about; it still is indisputably a great read. Older readers connect with Chris easily and even can relate with Amelia and that's a bonus; they feel nostalgia and a heavy feeling. Both of the titles are so poignant and true that I can't help but shake my head in wonder for the solid writing from Miss Buzo. There's a feeling of lead over the heart because this is so very close to reality; it is very meaningful and true on one hand and on the other it seems like a normal boring story of a high school student going about her everyday life. There's nothing really outstanding if you think about it afterwards- no excitement, no spiciness, no fairy tale-come-true, nothing out of the ordinary in fact but this is what makes the book so good for some and so boring for others... <br />
A must-read even if you don't like it. I look forward to reading more Buzo.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9378297-anna-dressed-in-blood" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna, #1)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1317793801m/9378297.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9378297-anna-dressed-in-blood">Anna Dressed in Blood</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4086715.Kendare_Blake">Kendare Blake</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/712495639">2.8 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I recently got into horror after becoming an Experiment in Terror fan and began gobbling up or atleast looking for similar books from the genre. I was waiting for <strong> Antigoddess </strong> from Blake but decided to finally read <strong> Anna Dressed In Blood </strong> to get familiar with her writing. I was excited because of the reviews and my expectations of it being original but obviously these weren't met. I did find some other interesting points about the plotline and some characters but they couldn't really carry the book for me into the 'great-book' land. <br />
The story is from Cas' POV which seemed interesting at the beginning but didn't carry (or wasn't carried) through the book. Cas seemed the lonely 'broody' guy type and this I had to grimace at (because I thought Blake was going for something different but here she did the classic mistake of building Cas as 'hot' and the usual desirable guy with 'secrets') Cas' mother was the same- started out great then crashed down (which you realise, seems to be the theme of the book....) Their relationship was very growing sometimes and other times was completely opposite to the usual vein. The bond with his father wasn't really explored and very conveniently placed only to explain the villain's character or his agenda (which was also not very impressive or really believable...) Until the revelation of the villain, everything seemed predictable and I hated, absolutely loathed that Blake established a 'romantic relationship' between Cas and Anna (WHY would she do that?! That was almost blasphemous!!! If only she could have painted Anna in a different way, I would have loved the book! It had so much potential but as she kept on adding elements, I kept on face-palming...) <br />
Anna could have been great in a whole way but because of that romantic thing happening, she was lost... She had so much scare factor and grit that I loved half of her but then Cas ends up liking her which was very obvious because of the constant weird feelings of Cas regarding Anna and I was tired of rolling my eyes in the end... *huge sigh* <br />
I hated Will from the start, was tolerating Carmel (hated the name) and liked Thomas and Morfran, felt exasperatingly endearing towards Tybalt and had a love-hate relationship with Cas and Anna....<br />
Others might like it for the fluffy romance, gritty horror and gore and a somewhat but not entirely original story. <br />
I hope Antigoddess is better. </div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15720761-sam-cruz-s-infallible-guide-to-getting-girls" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1340659360m/15720761.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15720761-sam-cruz-s-infallible-guide-to-getting-girls">Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6429243.Tellulah_Darling">Tellulah Darling</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/702115013">0.5 of 5 stars</a></div>
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No. Just. NO. <br />
God, I should have known what I was getting into when I picked up this book, but I expected I would turn out to be wrong. I guess I was right about my apprehensions and I didn't think it could be worse. That's my only excuse. <br />
Reasons why you shouldn't read this book:<br />
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There's so much sexual innuendos and reference going on that either you're gonna puke or you're gonna be totally turned off from sex (AND before you think it impossible yes it can happen, I can vouch for it and I'm a healthy believer in sex but reading this can even put <em> me </em> off!!!!)<br />
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THIS WHOLE BOOK IS ABOUT SEX! For some that may feel like a jackpot but hate to sour your soaring excitement, reading this nothing short of torture. The guy just hops from bed to bed and whines. The girl wants to do all this but is made to appear 'romantic' and uses the 'guide' to serial-date after getting dumped from a three-year long boyfriend. There are so many MANY references to sex and they play with vibrators in the shop FOR GOD'S SAKE!!! I dunno about you but I was staring at the screen in horror! They're high school students for CHRIST'S SAKE!! How deep could their knowledge be, about all the things mentioned in the book ????? That's too unbelievable.<br />
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There's so much sleeping around going on that even those in the profession would blush reading about it... and this from high school students. 'Nuf. Said. <br />
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Anyway, maybe I might be repeating some of the stuff but that's what stuck with me from the book... I was disappointed, to say the least.</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/184850.Virgin_River" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Virgin River (Virgin River, #1)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348265521m/184850.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/184850.Virgin_River">Virgin River</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/107767.Robyn_Carr">Robyn Carr</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/709752840">1.23 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I was really hoping that this book would be good but this just sits somewhere between average and 'meh'... Robyn Carr sets up a really fluffy cozy world with somewhat realistic things (like babies being abandoned on the porch and such) happening to disrupt the flow only for the sake of drama and to forward a romance. The first book is about a widowed nurse who has had enough of the LA Trauma Centre and is looking for some quiet after the tragic shooting of her husband. After coming to the rural small town of Virgin River in California she is very skittish because of the huge change of lifestyle, the grief of her husband's death crushing her and the strange Doctor who has hired her for the nurse's job but doesn't really seem to want her there. <br />
As life goes on, she comes to fall in love with the town, the people like Doc Mullins, all those old ladies and begins to have a special place for Jack, the retired Marine, living in the town and basically taking care of it. In this book, Jack is portrayed <em> way </em> too good to be true, caring, devoted, perfect and all round desirable and it's only int he progressive books that we learn about his flaws. <br />
Carr's writing is really normal and disappointingly average and I can't figure out anything really worthwhile to care about; about which I feel sorry...<br />
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A light contemporary romance with way too much babies happening and the unrealistic element of an infertile woman having a baby, the town and the people; the atmosphere and the something almost 'magical' fluffiness of the whole book and Carr's writing style can't help but make you feel drawn to the series. </div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/184854.Shelter_Mountain" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Shelter Mountain (Virgin River, #2)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348156400m/184854.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/184854.Shelter_Mountain">Shelter Mountain</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/107767.Robyn_Carr">Robyn Carr</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/715507758">1.22 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Virgin River was nothing really interesting but I always like a story about women that have been abused and how they cope with it so I was just a little curious about Carr's take on this and again I was disappointed. I guess I should be used to the Disappointment but... Preacher always seemed like a mystery and a closed off man and maybe I hoped this book would finally show me the award winning author that is Carr but then I was always told that I expect too much.<br />
Another fluffy romance read and here I noticed, Carr blurs one romance onto another (at least the stirrings of the next one and sometimes the entire romance) because of which I become so confused and have no idea which book I'm reading.<br />
Unrealistic plotlines and breezy reads are what you're looking for then this is for you.</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/458995.Whispering_Rock" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Whispering Rock (Virgin River, #3)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348203276m/458995.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/458995.Whispering_Rock">Whispering Rock</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/107767.Robyn_Carr">Robyn Carr</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/715507950">1.21 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I wanted to sigh really heavy even during reading this book. I dunno why I keep reading the series but it feels so sadly defeated to leave a book or series midway especially if the author bleeds the sequel's story into the prequel halfway and half as much of that sequel. Jack's 'mother hen' tendencies were prominent some light humour and boring romance was thrown in and there's Whispering Rock all done. There are multiple points of view starting out this one and instead of simplifying or complicating anything, they are just plain confusing!! <br />
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I wish I could like Carr's writing style or the plots but I give up *humiliated sigh* <br />
Well for those of you who like your romance and coziness come forth and stomach the series...</div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-53010910922879823432013-08-27T00:51:00.002+05:302013-08-29T02:26:52.623+05:30The Experiment in Terror continues! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13442031-on-demon-wings" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="On Demon Wings (Experiment in Terror, #5)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1331704748m/13442031.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13442031-on-demon-wings">On Demon Wings</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle">Karina Halle</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/696363697">4.8 of 5 stars</a><br />
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To tell you the truth, I didn't think anything could top <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12322385.Dead_Sky_Morning__Experiment_in_Terror___3_" title="Dead Sky Morning (Experiment in Terror, #3)"></a><br />
<img alt="Dead Sky Morning (Experiment in Terror, #3)" class="escapedImg" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1318959961s/12322385.jpg" /><br />
but this book so very close! It is that insidiously scary! After <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13061289.Lying_Season__Experiment_in_Terror___4_" title="Lying Season (Experiment in Terror, #4)"></a> <img alt="Lying Season (Experiment in Terror, #4)" class="escapedImg" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1323754445s/13061289.jpg" /><br />
I was scared that Perry would become like the other so-called heroines in contemporary romances which was true but in a healthy way... I was hardening my heart and chanting that Perry would never ever let that bastard inside but nooooo Halle has this cosmic connection thing happening which I resent really little because she does everything else superbly! <br />
Perry has left Experiment in Terror and has found a crappy job and somewhat average friends and she's hurting big time which I would expect. On top of that, she has deteriorating health with scary disturbing dreams and premonitions her plate's full. The bombshell drops and in it's devastation there's enough weakness in Perry that she lets in a hideous force which will destroy her. That 'Devil inside' feeling was SO VERY REAL AND SCARY and that's what made this book so amazing. After Lying Season, it seems that Abby is still haunting Perry and she's having these shit scary dreams where she has a baby and wants to kill Dex. This does sum up her feelings accurately if a little sloppily but I still found myself lost in her mind and her emotions as she kept on experiencing this horrifying possession. <br />
I sorta knew Maximus would 'swoop' in and have some sorta relationship with Perry and then do something asshole-y. Jesus, I didn't think I would hate the guy though! It appears he's here to help her one second and then just suddenly he's doing a 180 and turning on her ALONG WITH HER FUCKING PARENTS!!!!! Ah, don't get me started on those dregs... I dunno what sorta people don't believe or atleast try to believe their own DAUGHTER! I hated them and for me they never really loved their daughter. <br />
The most scariest thing in the world is when the dark demons are inside you and you're so helpless you can't out them and you can't even help but die so agonizingly slow and yet quick; you just see your family and other trusted people turn on you and you know the reason but you can do NOTHING about it!!! Tell me if there's anything worse than that!!!!!<br />
I appreciated Perry's bravery and strong will and thoughts to fight what was inside her and this was a particular highlight for me. This book was mostly Perry's struggles laid bare and I LOVED THAT! When Dex entered the picture bringing old acquaintances like Bird (love that old coot...) even though he was sorta the eleventh hour samaritan I didn't appreciate him or that he comes to save the day... I would have thought if Dex would have tried harder than the lousy calls he did try only to just stop it simply to drown in his own self-loathing I would have liked him better but he's just a selfish sissy. The romance is gonna be one long-ass drag. But I like the other elements of PERRY (HAH!) and the scare tactics. <br />
The thing about Dex is that he just gives up too easily when he hits some obstacle and this is EVERY SINGLE TIME which is so FRUSTRATING you've gotta admit and I don't like pussy men... SO for the rest of the series I'm gonna grit my teeth and see the Perry Dex link play out.<br />
Can't wait for <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13617933.Into_the_Hollow__Experiment_in_Terror___6_" title="Into the Hollow (Experiment in Terror, #6)"></a> <img alt="Into the Hollow (Experiment in Terror, #6)" class="escapedImg" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1346388869s/13617933.jpg" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15746858-the-dex-files" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Dex-Files (Experiment in Terror, #5.7)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344824329m/15746858.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15746858-the-dex-files">The Dex-Files</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle">Karina Halle</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/696363762">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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GOD how necessary this book was I can't express! If this hadn't been there along with <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16159713.And_With_Madness_Comes_the_Light__Experiment_in_Terror___6_5_" title="And With Madness Comes the Light (Experiment in Terror, #6.5)"></a></div>
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<img alt="And With Madness Comes the Light (Experiment in Terror, #6.5)" class="escapedImg" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1353356460s/16159713.jpg" /></div>
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I would never have continued with the series because I hated that Dex treated Perry in such an inferior manner... This one's a compilation of scenes from the preceding novels, just some tidbits of important (at least from Halle's point) scenes from them to make us understand exactly how Dex thinks. His mind is completely male, hugely perverse, crude, idiotic, etc, etc but along with that you understand how his childhood (if very briefly) was, how Maximus is playing a part in his life (sorta 50/50 with the good and bad) and how his feelings are regarding Abby and Perry. I was banging my head in Lying Season and it's true you would to.... He's that stupid!!!!! I was equal parts horrified and scared.<br />
To tell you the truth it's better to read the corresponding scenes with both their POVs along the series and this helps keep us neutral ground.<br />
Can't WAIT for more!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13599714-old-blood" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Old Blood (Experiment in Terror, #5.5)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1335551656m/13599714.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13599714-old-blood">Old Blood</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle">Karina Halle</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/696363747">3.1 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Old Blood made me so so sad when I was finished. We've always been plagued with the Creepy Clown Lady right from the beginning and whereas we want to just stick her as an anomaly, through Old Blood you come to understand her if not sympathize with her. Interestingly this book is sorta important to be read before continuing on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16159713.And_With_Madness_Comes_the_Light__Experiment_in_Terror___6_5_" title="And With Madness Comes the Light (Experiment in Terror, #6.5)"></a></div>
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<img alt="And With Madness Comes the Light (Experiment in Terror, #6.5)" class="escapedImg" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1353356460s/16159713.jpg" /></div>
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because we understand so much of Dex's conditions. More so you get to know the loving grandmother to Perry and the nanny to Dex and what really went on with her life. Halle has weaved a historic tale from Pippa's childhood to her adult years in Stockholm ending with those refugee American years... The only frustrating and unforgivable thing is that of all the warnings she recieved, and trust me she had so many- a bucket load!, she didn't heed even ONE. The thing is she believed Jacob but never listened to his warnings; at first this is understandable but after that, not so much... This seemed a way to just stretch the story nevertheless I did enjoy reading it. We get to know future bad forces of the series and more depth to characters especially Perry's parents' bizarre mistrust with her; after getting to know that, I hated them even MORE. UGH. This book is just a story of a normal misguided woman who was dealt a bad hand but tried to stumble leaving her mistakes in the wake... Pippa was a saddening woman. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16159713-and-with-madness-comes-the-light" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="And With Madness Comes the Light (Experiment in Terror, #6.5)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1353356460m/16159713.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16159713-and-with-madness-comes-the-light">And With Madness Comes the Light</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle">Karina Halle</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/696363935">3.2 of 5 stars</a></div>
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This book was really as needed as air for the series because the Lying Season and On Demon Wings made Perry look flawless and too broken. I wouldn't hesitate getting the second story so I made short time of reading this book. There were many 'cute' moments as is in a romance but mostly it was true to Halles' word a perverse twisted, sad, broken read just like Dex. I thought I would come to love him as is expected from authors when delving onto the male POV and even though I say it's needed doesn't necessarily say that I loved the person. So obviously Dex is a sad, twisted, blind (emotionally), selfish, scary, strange, broody with a capital B, sick and exaspertaingly acceptable man. You see, for all the Perry ramblings about him and his good qualities I don't see that in his mind. Perry has sadly like most of us, created this illusion of a man called Dex and has a serious crush on him only because of that 'cosmic' love connection. God, I feel that love connection is taking over this series! I don't like that one bit... But I like everything else so.. will continue reading this one!</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13617933-into-the-hollow" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Into the Hollow (Experiment in Terror, #6)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1346388869m/13617933.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13617933-into-the-hollow">Into the Hollow</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle">Karina Halle</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/696363782">3 of 5 stars</a></div>
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"Avoir, adieu, goodnight<br />
I'm too wrong to get right<br />
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But I can't wait forever<br />
I've always been alone<br />
A fool believes he's clever<br />
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Don't you wanna go<br />
Into the hollow?<br />
I don't go alone<br />
Aren't you gonna follow?<br />
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I live behind my eyes<br />
Be sure to keep the surprise<br />
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I break what I've borrowed<br />
That's why I always go<br />
Alone into tomorrow<br />
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Don't you wanna go<br />
Into the hollow?<br />
I won't go alone<br />
Aren't you gonna follow?"<br />
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Into the Hollow by Queens of the Stone Age<br />
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Truer words can not be said just as you have proved Halle!<br />
This 'synopsis' is more for Dex than the whole book for me. <br />
On Demon Wings left us struggling with Perry who had just been saved by Dex, the exorcist, Bird, even her sister (first and foremost!) Her sister had been the only pillar of support as everyone else had been turning on her... Now she's back with Dex whom she has still to forgive (which I completely understand). Right from the start there's so much sexual innuendos and tension that I was expecting them to jump each other after every five seconds! *huge laugh* damn! I still hate Dex's guts and know that Perry will take him back easy. Annnyway, Into the Hollow takes us into another myth/urban legend ride and here comes the ... *dramatic drumroll* <br />
SASQUATCH! In other words- Big. Foot. Enough said.<br />
Oh my god, even the ghost-believers don't believe in this mythical creature so I was wondering how Halle's gonna make this a creep-tastic or scary thing! But don't you challenge Halle- The Queen of Drama and Creepy/ Scary things! This Sasquatch is one scary motherfucker and the worst thing is, this creature might be a living thing (or beast!)!!! Oh MY GOD. The scare tactics were actually normal except for the mutilated Llamas thing- Oooh! speaking of Llamas they were so cute! (yes, a bit fangirling be excused) <br />
Anyway, this plot has as many twists and turns and they manage to surprise the fuck out of us! Damn those red eyes and those scary as shit claws and the furry beast.... This was closer to home and even in the beautiful Rocky Alps setting in the log cabins of mountains if you experience this beast on a rampage mutilating harmless Llamas GOD anyone would shit their pants and run away! <br />
When this Big Foot/ beast was on their asses I was a quivering mess but I knew no real damage would come because hey, they are after all the heroes and heroines of the series! The supernatural abilities both begin to develop after their visit to the 'Thin Veil' (this concept has been a favourite of mine and original from Halle) and are quite easy to keep us on our toes. The whole Dex 2.0 thing- I don't really think he's changed or different that much but he certainly has begun to think more about Perry's safety and is trying (being the operative word) to be honest. He's still quick to shut down when there are problems in the PerryDex so that's still the most negative point of him (Most negative? Ummm maybe second or third, reconsidering everything...) He's still a huge pervert, crude and broody.. But I'm here for Perry and I loved that she found it so hard to forgive him I wanted to shout- Perry, you go girl! Make him grovel and beg not just shove pretty words up your ass!<br />
There was an unexpected 'villain' person in this and that's part of the plot twists which surprises you. I really loved the log cabin in Rocky Alps setting and the scare factor upped because Perry and Dex were so mentally unprepared for the legend to be real (so you go with that flow and BAM! there's the Sasquatch!) There's lotsa physical evidence in this that makes you scared outta your brains and that's a unique point to this book!<br />
WHOOPIE! Come Alive is next!!!!!!!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16143338-come-alive" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Come Alive (Experiment in Terror, #7)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1364955971m/16143338.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16143338-come-alive">Come Alive</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle">Karina Halle</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/696363898">3.4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Ah <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16143338.Come_Alive" title="Come Alive by Karina Halle">Come Alive</a> THIS ladies and gentlemen, This book was the one that made me interested in the EXPERIMENT IN TERROR series. Very dramatic but so very true! See this came in the newly released tags and I was curious because of that beautiful cover so in I went to discover what this labyrinth was about... And I discovered something exciting, intriguing, new, rare and most of all unexpected! So needless to say I was excited off my pants to start this book because finally FINALLY it seems Perry and Dex are giving each other a chance after kicking the ghostie-asses for almost 6 books through the series! Another sad yet exciting in a perverse sorta way was that this is book from Dex's POV whom I don't really fancy but I expected to be fairly interesting. The last one <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13617933.Into_the_Hollow" title="Into the Hollow by Karina Halle">Into the Hollow</a> left lots to be guessed at; but still certain that Perry- Dex was happening, which was ABOUT TIME! And thus there's piles of excitement starting this. The beginning is cute as Dex is desperate to keep Perry with him (which is understandable) and keeps on showing off Perry (even with the inevitable ex-girlfriend confrontation); he's sorta pressed into showing off his feelings and stuff. Perry!! DAMN I missed her! *sad sniff* I would have LOVED to hear her POV atleast once or more here! Dex's mind is just a discombobulated snarl of perverse thoughts and distracted mind... To say the least, I hated him even more! (is that really a surprise?) There was the really predictable fact about Maximus's (or Jacob's) identity and all with the added unnecessary drama to drive a wedge between the long awaited Perry-Dex...The whole setting is the city of New Orleans, Louisiana with the lower class and derelict sites crammed along with the underprivileged people as the elements for horror. Then, there's the scare factor about which I felt almost cheated that there was none of that found because whatever they are, are nothing compared to the preceding plots AND, they <i> don't </i> even appear till almost after three quarters of the book!!!!!!! THREE QUARTERS! Yes, that needs a mention because this book/series is SUPPOSED TO BE scary! I felt sad that Halle kept me from the goods till the last quart!!! But after reaching that part it was so disgusting and puke-worthy that maybe (?) it made up for the lack of it in the parts preceding it. Or so I say. The 'villain' of this book was easy to figure out because that person fucked up the already 'fucked up' mind of Dex... GAH. Annoying little gnat! The Voodoo thing in this book was really scary though nothing compared to Dead Sky Morning or On Demon Wings. Even Into The Hollow was more intimidating than this. A lot of the climax part of plot elements (of the series) are coming together in this and we get a vague very foggy glimpse of what's to come. Some characters are put to rest and others continue fighting. There are two new characters with the Kick ass Rose in the front and the old woman Mambo bringing up the rear. I felt tired and frustrated (which is apparently all that I feel or at least a given emotion when reading Halle... *rolls eyes hard*) I had picked this series for a good solid reason and that reason bailed out on me, Halle!! How could you snatch this treasure (at least I had the illusion of a treasure shining in the distant horizon!) that you yourself showed in the first half of the series???? So cruel! But even after that I'm still pathetic enough to read the whole thing and still trembling in excitement for Ashes to Ashes!!</div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-49181963900129736072013-08-24T21:10:00.002+05:302013-08-29T02:07:41.740+05:30One rainy day...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Some backlog reviews I missed before I got started with EXPERIMENT IN TERROR series, coming up!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2761356-the-sweet-gum-tree" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Sweet Gum Tree" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1367119561m/2761356.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2761356-the-sweet-gum-tree">The Sweet Gum Tree</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1077176.Katherine_Allred">Katherine Allred</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/661110073">2.7 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I've always been fascinated with the concept of 'second-chance' relationships and there are lotsa books with such a theme. What is disappointing is that each one's the same and terribly off-putting... I came to such a point that even reading such plotlines disgusted me... I'm always apprehensive about picking such books up because right from the first one, I've been crushed by the way the authors handled such topics. It's the same tiring, exasperating and angering rigmarole; the last book I started (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16119079.Forever_My_Girl" title="Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin">Forever My Girl</a>) was deleted only after the first 2 pages! Appalling, isn't it?? I put this one off for a long time but after starting, finished it in a night!!!! Which is <em> even </em> more appalling!!! Conflicting feelings war inside me while getting down to this book. For once I was slightly excited for this one.<br />
The beginning is absolutely <em> great </em> and captured my interested attention completely, which is saying something and this got me excited for this book. There were so many good points to look out for- the writing, the prose and style and the characters. It felt like the start of an amazing book. Allred managed to paint <em> such </em> a memorable story (atleast in the beginning). Her physical manifestations were vivid; the characters taking deep root, feeling real and human. I loved it until (as already is hinted) their separation. I just <em> knew </em> she would spin it into some acceptable-because-it's-the-noble-thing-to-do type of situation!!! The aftermath of the separation went downhill. Although I understand the need to give a child security, Alix could have atleast thought over/discussed it/given it time with talking about it if not her mom then at the least her dad. Anyone normally thinks more before deciding marriage. Then there was the overload of melodrama with Jenna and Hugh, Cody, Lindsey and other romances... Most of the 'healing' with Alix was definitely needed but it didn't need to conveniently align with Nick's arrival! Then there's the family component with which I had SO much hope!!! In the beginning I couldn't have imagined a better set of characters- the Judge (I just plain ole loved the guy, you couldn't help it!!), Alix's mom, her unique pair of aunts. I expected deep bonds, more depth in the characters and most of all- that feeling of a family. After a quarter of the book gone, it took all the familial elements with it. As Alix kept on making mistakes, I kept on screaming inside and I guessed half of her actions (more like, all of them!) even without Alix's forewarnings... I thought this book was going to be different than others but that great plotline went down the drain in the ususal contemporary-romance style route... It was as if Allred knew this and so I steal one of her lines when I say that I kept on hoping and hoping that it would get better so I didn't give up on this book but (you guessed it) it only got <em> worse </em>. SO TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTING! I felt as if I was watching a car wreck infront of my eyes and I couldn't do anything except turn around and forget it or keep watching this horrifying thing! I felt cheated! There was so much scope in the characters, the plot and the characters, period, that wasn't explored. After a quarter of the book it felt as if Allred solely dedicated her writing to a superficial, commercial all-too-predictable romance. There was so much potential even in the small-town community psyche... I couldn't even wrap my head around Nick's character!!!!! Her writing made all these flaws noticeable. After everything I sorta feel that this was one of the better books on 'second-chance' relationships so maybe it's worth a read...<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13582049-serial-hottie" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Serial Hottie" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1333785808m/13582049.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13582049-serial-hottie">Serial Hottie</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3203095.Kelly_Oram">Kelly Oram</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/676983113">2.3 of 5 stars</a></div>
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This is just the second book from kelly Oram that I've gotten aroung to reading. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17660979.The_Avery_Shaw_Experiment" title="The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram">The Avery Shaw Experiment</a> was a light romance read. I thought Oram seemed to have a knack for starting quirky characters and gotta say I love quirky! I had hopes that this one would be better than the former even if a bit cliche. A murder mystery never fails to catch my attention becoming sorta a siren call. Obviously any mystery paces any 'mystery' novel. That superficial mystery, ladies and gentlemen, is the only reason that kept me reading this... I don't generally expect 'tomboy' stereotypes to be knock-outs, first off. Secondly, I hated it, <em> absolutely </em> hated it that every other second Ellie became scared out of her mind (at first due to good cause for suspicion but later for <em> no </em> reason at all!) but then switched to lusting after the typical hot guy in less than a second. It was frustrating as it increased in frequency. That moronic absence of filter is (no other word for it) UNREAL. Sorry I couldn't buy that <em> at all </em>!!!! At first she was quite refresshing- the girl among guys who beats their asses at hockey, the one unaware of her 'beauty' (not being a knockout...) the socially awkward for guys she might like... It held such a vat of potential but like many others it fell short of my expectations... The typicality of her character & assumptions disgusted me and I could barely finish the book.It was SO SO SO SO very obvious that Seth is NOT a serial killer!!!This in itself was a disaster that Oram forced these thoughts through Ellie on us... Seth was an amazing superficial character ( I always, but always love characters with the FBI/cop feel to them!) if a lot typical and card-board-like... <br />
A light stereotypical contemporary romance. </div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8527904-stay" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Stay" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348047647m/8527904.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8527904-stay">Stay</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/135786.Deb_Caletti">Deb Caletti</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/674250736">3 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Deb Caletti has always been an author whose books are to look out for. Right from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/339339.The_Nature_of_Jade" title="The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti">The Nature of Jade</a> she has managed to capture my interest with her style, writing, plot and the featuring female lead. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8527904.Stay" title="Stay by Deb Caletti">Stay</a> is a very unique book with a unique place in my heart as well as my library. It's an attack of sorts on all those books out there dealing with glorification of jealousy, angst, passion and tying them with the concept of 'love' like Twilight or Fifty Shades of Grey. I think Deb tries to show the other side of jealousy and passion. For me, jealousy and passion (not angst) are not really deal-breakers as there's rarely examples that get ahead of limits in real life. I feel there's nothing wrong for them to have a place in a relationship because it sorta makes feelings alive and not just something ordinary, to be accepted as part of 'normal'. There are different faces of jealousy and passion that are good and even healthy. Deb shows the unhealthy side of them in this book albeit flimsily. It's like she forces readers to find there's only one face for them and that's what has been portrayed by her. I feel sad for that because nothing is so black and white. Books like Twilight show something different and even teach differently though this book isn't behind in teaching things. Deb has fashioned an interesting tale inspite of it's shortcomings. If she hadn't fallen in the pits of those ususal contemporary romance shit, she would have succeeded in writing an attractive, unusual book but this didn't happen. The beginning of the relationship between Clara and Christian, itself, is, yes, cliche but most romances are. All of the warning signs were there glaringly (and that's not saying just in hindsight, they were clear as day.) and even if I didn't know the synopsis, it isn't hard to guess Christian's character. Christian is an overtly sensitive, slightly schizophrenic, unstable and obsessive (to certain points) character. Clara, ah, Clara was absolutely fantastic at the beginning of the book just like the book itself. (you know what's coming next! And it's disappointing...) She started off being this amazing yet gun-shy girl (due good reason, of course) but then I was astounded because she moves onto another guy as soon as she moves to the sea-town for their vacation even after everything ( I would have thought she would be more cautious or restraining of herself but she turned out to be not that gun-shy after all...) The flashbacks are sorta melding and yet disorienting in which she acts like the typical pig-headed and dumb girl when confronted with the fact that Christian is bad for her. Even after realizing it, she's too naive and idiotic to keep up contact with him (when she's been warned not to!!!! I mean HOW much more stupid could you get?) She isn't clear-headed at all, is too irrational, never <em> ever </em> realizing her mistakes even a bit, turning a 180 from being in love with Christian to fearing harm from him or expecting other extreme actions from him. Christian is definitely over limits of rationality but Clara realizing it too late is very mind-boggling and then her assumptions of his actions are very jarring as well. As the plot progresses it becomes more and more impossible to believe in. The only thing I believed was that Christian and Clara were not fit to be in a relationship at all ( I mean DUH!). Clara is stupid (very much so which is appalling) and acts like a 10 year old on so many occasions... I kept cursing her as her stupidity got only worse. I have no idea why Deb designed such a character ( maybe she couldn't justify any others behaving like this one?!) Clara's father was just like her and the plot- fantastic in the beginning but then crashed downhill... He was wise, easy-going, smart, had a good relationship with his daughter and had a way with words. But the strange plot twist regarding him and Clara's resulting angsty teenage behaviour ruined everything for me. This story could've been so smart and refreshing, inspiring but Deb got sidetracked in the whole 'making this story an exact opposite of those jealous and passionate ones' thing and the unnecessary twists of the plot regarding Clara's father that she went elsewhere with the whole book!!! There were some snippets of humour, wisdom, beauty here and there...<br />
A unique thought so I would say give it a chance.</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13366929-what-i-didn-t-say" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="What I Didn't Say" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1355090370m/13366929.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13366929-what-i-didn-t-say">What I Didn't Say</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3420702.Keary_Taylor">Keary Taylor</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/702035214">2.2 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I felt this was a unique plotline because it deals with disability and how people cope from it. The pages in the beginning are so promising- Air Force, small town, cute interesting girl, normal but not-exactly-an-ass of a guy. I expected regret, frustration, anger, maybe some depression because hey, he can't tell the girl that he's liked forever just that. Or talk. At all. So angst is obvious. As is depression Thank god it didn't cripple and crush everything else!!! I'd had enough of that! Samantha I was hoping wouldn't be a two-dimensional character but she was. Jake's a lot better developed but that was really a given point or the book wouldn't be a book at all. The story was based on it's pace for momentum rather than on the characters. Taylor's writing is average at the most and sometimes without character or sloppy. Jake exhibits his emotions too well as if he has a vagina (Taylor would've handled a female lead better). He cries all too often at the wrong situations (which is plain sissy) and remains stoic, a 180 from that sissy behaviour. There feel gaps in the character. I did appreciate that even in her generic writing, Taylor didn't pile on the pointless, teenage angst and even when inserting normal reactions she didn't let them linger and fester. I gotta admit I didn't like how she induced change in Jake's thoughts simply by lamely justifying that others had it worse than him. I feel these '180's never last and are fake, not durable and unrealistic. The first quarter is quite riling but it sorta goes downhill from there, slowly. Jake's family is that small town, huge, knit, loving, reassuring family with lots of kids and supporting in a way. That element kept me happy. After half of the book, the situations seemed calculated/orchestrated to specifically forward the plot. One thing I liked was how Jake felt normal even when depressed, trying to look forward and have hope but yet not easily escaping the anger and frustration. Samantha's situations was sad but the consequences seem too impossible and I don't think Child Protective Services let estranged alcoholic fathers take care of their so-called daughters or maybe they do, what do I know... Although the Jake-Samantha love story is sweet it ain't deep. Jake feels the same. I liked the small-town 'community' feel but there <em> were </em> cons of this as well with the nosy sorta prying of this small-town. The beginning had a lotta points but they were scattered or forgotten and the story was fixed completely if desperately on the romance afterwards. A light contemporary romance read.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/950018.Catch_of_the_Day" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Catch of the Day" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1255729769m/950018.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/950018.Catch_of_the_Day">Catch of the Day</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/317354.Kristan_Higgins">Kristan Higgins</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/701391076">3.6 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This is the fourth book from Higgins that I was interested in reading so that fact in itself is very indicating. Higgins always gives a light contemporary romance with the highlight being those quirky endearing and entirely amazing characters that she is somehow able to sketch... and also, the pace seems real-time (a lot of the time). The whole setting for this story is a small town with that familiar and welcoming small-town community feeling, of course with those annoying cons occasionally peeking through the pages. I have to say owners of individualistic warm and welcoming diners that have been inherited in the family is a weak point for me... I loved all the elements of Maggie making her herself! She is generous (sometimes with a selfish reason but still that does get to my heart!), really big babble-mouth (which makes her so endearing!!!!!!!), sorta headstrong, HILARIOUS (and yes, it deserves capital letters to all of it!- I fucking laughed every other minute because of her antiques and each time I thought 'Oh MY GOD! That's happening!'and my hands flew to my mouth suppressing a spurt of laughter!!!) I ABSOLUTELY FREAKING LOVED the town and the sheer beauty of it! Maggie has such a rare and amazing quality that shone through every time her thoughts splashed on the pages- her ability to laugh at her own unpredictable yet honest to god actions. Her straightforwardness is un-fucking-matchable. To tell you the truth Maggie and Malone were gelling on a superficial 'opposites attract' kinda thing but both of them had so many flaws to work out and that is a huge highlight of this book. It's not some sappy romance taken due to a whirlwind leaving devastation in it's wake. What it is, is slow, burning, creeping in at unexpected times. That's not to say that there weren't any flaws with the characters. They were amazing and yet sometimes I was left confused because of the complete 180 or stupid block just to prolong the plot. Maggie was just too assuming of any feelings around her but that prolonged the plot and maybe sometimes created comic situations... Malone is not your typical romantic interest but the quiet (almost pathologically so), inexpressive to the core, caring in his own way, manly, under-statingly charming simple and normal man. God he was AMAZING. I would have loved more of his time in the book... He's <em> definitely </em> not some generically handsome too perfect sorta guy which is so refreshing. I loved the coming-of-age journey even if I was a little disbelieving sometimes seeing Maggie act desperately. I did sympathize with her loneliness because no matter how much of a loving (though not really that obvious in case of her mom for Maggie) family you've got there's the different sorta loneliness and the peaceful settlement kinda feelings that some people yearn to have. What she asks is very simple and yet because of that it's so hard to find. Maggie's family is a bit dysfunctional what with her mom having sibling comparisons at every meeting with the criticisms thrown in, her dad staying somewhere in his own head because of his discontentment with the marriage and lastly having a twin sister making life sweet and yet at the same time a little bit enviable (story of half the sibling relationships out there). This is really light though it does have it's moments as refreshing with the 'deep' epiphanies mixed in. Worth a read.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11164514-until-there-was-you" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Until There Was You" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327928182m/11164514.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11164514-until-there-was-you">Until There Was You</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/317354.Kristan_Higgins">Kristan Higgins</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/696372125">1.7 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I feel extremely conflicted for this book. I have never really faced 'conflict' from Kristan Higgins (only for exasperating contemporary romance so you can see where this is going...) but this one is so frustratingly <em> conflicting </em> Sorry for lack of a better word but I feel stressing on that one. I was slightly intrigued with the foreword mentioning her feelings and a bad-boy character although this character is very superficial and two-dimensional which fact I'm terribly sorry to state.<br />
*huge depressing sigh*<br />
Oh well. It started off with me feeling potentially excited. You know what that means- there's a promising start and yet the book turns on itself after... *another sigh which is highly warranted* I have to say, there were more times I loved Posey than I hated her... which is good right? considering the other stupidly unbelievable character of Liam *deep frown* <br />
Seriously, I'm so tired after reading this book that my facial expressions changing according to the different parts of the book say it all and words just don't suffice... The secondary characters like Vivian (I loved that old coot-so interesting! She was the best and it was such a pleasure reading about her estate), Brie, James, Jon, Henry, Stacia and even Gretchen (imagine that!) At first I thought Higgins was going to make it all dramatic but then that drama balloon was deflated and the one thing I did admire after liking the positive 'Posey' points was that she was okay even after the heartbreak (although this was conveyed briefly) A woman doesn't always need a long-lost crush on an undeserving person to live her life, God knows it's the truth!!! Most of Posey I loved- her kick-ass awesomeness, her dressing habits, her profession, her thoughts, her uniqueness, her quiet strength, her being an adopted child and having an even awesome family. Then there's the more off-putting things like her spinelessness around Liam (*again with the deepest of frowns*- yeah, you got it, just assume there's gonna be one every time his name's there... I'll be too tired to type it all the time...), her stupid teenage behaviour around Liam *Eh*, her doormat tendencies while dealing with Gretchen and most of all her ummm 'ability' to ignore Liam's *ehhh* mistakes and 'claiming' to love him. Sorry Miss Higgins, not down with that. <br />
Liam *I don't even need to put that 'eh' now, do I?* is absolutely shocking in the 'bad' way in case you haven't already guessed it. I loved most of Posey but Liam *hmmmph* here is another story! He was the man-whore from the broken home who always had all the girls trailing after him; then because of some lame excuse, stays distanced from Posey in high school and 'falls in love' with the golden girl of school and 'can't believe her choosing him' (insecure much?- I didn't think guys could act like girls!) and even after the marriage disintegrates; staying in love with that woman and eventually using that woman as a shield when falling in real love with someone else... As for this ex-wife a really confusing image stands by- she's sorta kind to Posey even though she comes from the popular crowd and yet acts like the typical spoilt rich kid in other memories... What is up with that? <br />
The whole 'high school' bond of uhhh-Liam and Posey (I have to ask- WHY POSEY??? From Cordelia to POSEY? I DO NOT get.) is flimsy and sloppy and afterwards it only gets worse. Wouldn't you rather ignore the crush who spoke ill of you even back in high school? I don't care if it's some awkwardly sweet reason which Posey, I will point out, doesn't know?! I swear if I read more 'blushes' I'm gonna tear something apart! <br />
*controlling sigh* Well. Suffice it to say Liam *EH* could have been so much better and although some lines made me hope Posey could be it ALL (particularly when she is full of attitude and ignores the patented apparent 'Liam' effect) she was definitely no better!!! <br />
All the 'plot-blocks' were recognizable and weak as shit.It might be fine for a light read if you overlook the characters flaws, sometimes Cordelia seems worth the crappy read. I regret sitting up the night for this though...<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16101126-the-moon-and-more" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Moon and More" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1369358644m/16101126.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16101126-the-moon-and-more">The Moon and More</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2987.Sarah_Dessen">Sarah Dessen</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/620371795">4.4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Sarah Dessen has always been the teenage contemporary romance writer for an enlightening and yet realistic though light read. Somehow she can always spin off this combination I dunno how... The characters feel memorable, easily relative, predictable (if at least a little), captivating and heftily built. To date, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16101126.The_Moon_and_More" title="The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen">The Moon and More</a> has become my favourite book. I definitely didn't see that coming! After reading 2 back-to-back shitty novels namely, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17985757.Motocross_Me" title="Motocross Me by Cheyanne Young">Motocross Me</a> and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6450060.Chasing_Daisy" title="Chasing Daisy by Paige Toon">Chasing Daisy</a> I fell into a book depression but there's nothing like a li'l Sarah Dessen Magic of somewhat realistic uplifting, cheesy, teenage-y, light yet chic-lit, romance plot lines to restore my good faith in seeking solace from loneliness in books, my best friends, if not all of them. Dessen veers away from her usual commercially-pleasing light bubbles to some heavy clouds. The title is apt to the story so the beginning hitches off perfectly. Dessen, as is well-known, writes summertime romance/coming-of-age and this is no different but that is where the obvious ends. Throughout it all I was expecting the usual stereotypical things and they never came, right till the end. HAH! This is why the story's such a curve-ball and such a 'close-to-heart' kinda book.<br />
It's already summer break after graduation for Emaline (the name itself being unique, is just like the character) in her small beach town. We learn about the relationship of her mother with her, adopted sisters and father as well as her biological mother. The pushing/pulling internal struggle between her love for the home town and the need to venture through new territories is well worth portraying because half of us go through it and relate with it easily. The pace is regular but there are many surprises dotted through the chapters that the line is interesting/ engaging, giving a reality check and full body to characters especially Emaline, her mom, the family and her friends. <br />
There was absolutely no drama (NONE!)with Emaline or her situations and instead it's in the character as is the case in reality. Conoway with his moody artistic personality, Luke with his easy-going yet small-town-boy heart, Theo with his superlatives & ambition, boyish geeky charm, openness, honesty, overall 'NY' vibe, similar and headstrong natures of Margot & Emaline, the bratty attitude from Amber aaand the man who stole the show for me- MORRIS with his troubled childhood years, wisdom, loyalty, unconditional love & support, endearing sloth-y quality, most of all his coming-of-age. There are some beautiful sentences of wisdom scattered throughout the prose. Emaline, I saved for last even though Morris is my fav, is quite a misleadingly ordinary girl. All of the characters even Ivy show atleast one of Emaline's qualities. Benji is of course adorable and an incredible li'l addition. Mature yet uncertain at the best of matters just like all of us, perfectionist, reliable, responsible, Emaline is <em> some </em> girl! Just when I think something cliche is gonna happen, it does NOT. The pace is real-time. In the end she becomes a person who's comfortable in her skin which is an extremely fucking important quality to learn and a great character development. Morris is the stable spine, the rock in the background holding half of Emaline even without more book time and at the end, really comes out on the stage! God, I LOVED HIM! This is a lovely story of a girl who finds exactly what she didn't understand to look for but was unconsciously looking for, as we all do. Miss Dessen if You keep writing like this, I swear you'll be one of the best authors of all time! KEEP IT UP!</div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-50295078896042679812013-08-21T19:52:00.001+05:302013-08-30T01:17:20.410+05:30And now the rain has stopped...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey guys I'm back and now that the frequency of rain is so slight I feel sad to say good-bye to it... But here are some awesome books I've read in all these days!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9277340-my-one-and-only" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="My One and Only" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1295193905m/9277340.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9277340-my-one-and-only">My One and Only</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/317354.Kristan_Higgins">Kristan Higgins</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/648144836">3.46 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Kristan Higgins has a special flare and style that's individual and yet somehow reassuringly normal with all those contemporary romance elements and flow, when combined is successful. For me, each book of hers that I've graduated to, has become only better as a read and that's high praise for a contemporary romance from me. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5024334.Too_Good_to_Be_True" title="Too Good to Be True by Kristan Higgins">Too Good to Be True</a> was disconcertingly familial in it's theme with not much romance but there was a solid, earthy, grounding quality to the main characters and the secondary ones. She has a sort of formula for the books, mixing family and romance with an almost unnoticeable ease. This story was a curve-ball since I forgot the synopsis and when I started reading the note from the author as the foreword was rather dour and sharp.I expected the usual cliche that a girl with commitment issues meets that naive and tame but romantic guy who ultimately makes her believe in love (because she doesn't believe in love, <em> obviously! )</em><br />
In the end yes, it was a stereotypical ending but those characters were amazing! They had (along with the plot) such potential and I was excited to read it. I became entrapped in the Harper-Nick romance (Jeez, even their names seem sorta 'meant to be'!!!) I DID NOT expect the guy to be an ex-husband, an architect, a person with just as many flaws as the next one and so <em> real </em> ! This story grew close to my heart with so many reasons for it! Harper is at times frustrating, right, acceptable, the usual combination of smart, beautiful, witty, sympathetic to be a character and easy to understand. I absolutely <em> loved </em> her for three-quarters of the book because she was real and human and a woman not simply some flat character to whom situations happen. A ball-buster at her profession (divorce-attorney- cliche but apt), jaded, cynical upto a point and a realist to another, she made me feel that the most cynical people always but always hope for the best the most earnestly. The irony was bitter-sweet. Harper had abandonment issues regarding her mother that seriously messed her up, coupled with the inability to communicate was a major point in the reasons for her marriage to fall apart. The thing is Higgins weaved it so that I was extremely sympathetic to her. Her birth mother is a jealous-of-her-own-daughter, shallow, selfish bitch. Now when you're a kid you aren't really fit to judge or draw conclusions about a person especially when you grow up with that person as you're somewhat 'conditioned' to believe the best of said person. Harper's need to feel her mother's love or win it is sympathizing... Nick is the first character of a con-rom that felt realistic as opposed to one-dimensional and 'too good to be true' guy... Apart from the expected 'hotness' which is boring, his character is developed to some extent. I liked that Higgins wrote in reality. Marriage isn't some 'happily-ever-after' with the traditional 'wooing' done to just get over with. It needs work, communication, will, from both sides, forgiveness, understanding, support, give n' take and even if it's cliche and not completely dependent- love. I wish you could just get a warning or know about things before a marriage and avoid all the obstacles but that's impossible and thus fake. No matter how hard you try there'll be misunderstandings, regrets, mistakes, disgruntlement, bickering, fights, clashes of personalities, and more problems. The important thing is what you choose to do during and after encountering them. <br />
There were certain things I disliked in this story which hindered a 4.5 rating...<br />
1. 'Ball-buster' Harper becomes a stammering, nervous idiot more times on a pivotal occasion (I suspect it's for plot flow, Higgins has to add more elements rather unnecessary to keep the plot on the move...) which adds pointless drama.<br />
2. The 'Dennis proposal' was souring and cramped the flow to me...So disappointing. I was aghast that Higgins dared to ruin the story like that!<br />
3. Harper became flat after the mentioned proposal and that was an out n' out flaw.The storyline was fantastic until that unnecessary event. Did Higgins wanna prolong the story?<br />
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This book is highly recommended even for people who don't really like con-rom/ chic-lit. The family element is noteworty. There's always due stress on it in Higgins' books which I appreciate. In this there's no huge tight-knit family and yet the dysfunction worked great. BeverLee and Harper's dad were amazing. When Harper opened herself up there was her security net to catch her fall if she was off-balance. In the beginning BeverLee didn't make much of an impression being the distant step-mom but under Harper's realisation I came to like her. Her dad was really interesting cuz when your bitch of a wife leaves you wihtout warning and your girl's her clone and 'seems' closer to her, you find it hard to communicate with said daughter.<br />
So yes, this was great for 80% and then went 'Blech'!! But still you should read it.<br />
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There's a new series I discovered that is plain awesome- Karina Halle's EXPERIMENT IN TERROR series and hope everyone reads this!!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11356211-darkhouse" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror, #1)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1360092374m/11356211.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11356211-darkhouse">Darkhouse</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle">Karina Halle</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/666765431">4.36 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Wow! Whatever I expected from this it wasn't what I got in the end!!! To tell you the truth I read sins and needles and my expectations were very low coming into the Experiment In Terror series. But I have to say, why isn't Halle doing more 'supernatural' books? She can obviously rock them and I've never read better horror books than hers (although I'm sort of a beginner) But it doesn't matter because I have a feeling I'm not gonna find better books than this series out there. <br />
Halle starts off thrillingly and eases into the 'supernatural' part of the story fast and comfortably... I fell in love with her writing - her descriptions, the atmosphere- building, the suspense, the gore (although not much), the banter and dialogue between the characters. <br />
Perry Palamino and Dex Forray are NOT your typical couply sorta stereotypes nor is the supernatural stuff they encounter. This is the biggest highlight of the book/series. I'll take up Dex Forray first- He's different for me than any other guys from other books. He is real, mysterious with a capital M, broody (nothing more broody has lived the earth!), secretive, strange and 'charming'... But he's not the main focal point of it! Of course it's Perry Palamino!! I haven't read a more thorough or kick-ass heroine in forever! Everyone should read this book if not for the supernatural stuff then entirely for Perry!!!! God, she's awesome! I loved that she's so independent, self-assured (except for her insecurities about her looks but that's another point), able to protect herself, real, and I loved that she's not one of those 'perfect' girls with modelesque bodies... I sympathized with her insecurities regarding her body and that was one of the points that made her real. <br />
I loved the pace, the story, the writing style, the characters, the setting, the reality, the psychological thriller style in the writing, and I have a feeling this series is gonna be one of my favourites despite it being horror/supernatural/psychological thriller and me not reading much of that genre. Halle shines through as an author through this book. The only serious and 'thorn in my pleasure' sorta complaint is that Halle stressed or pressured me to like Dex and there was too much weight and time over Perry's attraction to him- I rolled my eyes so many times at that and yes, it was mentioned more than enough times which disrupted the 'real' feeling of the story and it was a given that they'll be a romantic pair...<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11710500-red-fox" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Red Fox (Experiment in Terror, #2)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1324262036m/11710500.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11710500-red-fox">Red Fox</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle">Karina Halle</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/696363653">4.55 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Perry Palamino and Dex Forray are back with another supernatural mystery to film on their Experiment in Terror web show. This time the danger gets even more life-threatening and they have to trust each other even more to get through it. They travel to a Navajo town Red Fox in New Mexico. A converted couple is tortured by 'hallucinations' with windows being stoned at and wild animals slinking through, sheep being mutilated in front of their house and more strange happenings. There are more terrible and dangerous beings maybe closer to the place where they're living. I loved the story yet again and I didn't think I would get so lost in the characters or the plot and feel deeply for them. This book is at least three steps ahead than the first in all it's quotients of paranormal, action, strange animals, thrill factor, horror and gore with the amazing psychological thriller round of swords. I didn't think it possible but I fell more in love with all the things defining it... For me though there was the usual stress on the Dex attraction from Perry which I hated and it maybe was mellowed by Maximus entering the picture and yet I wasn't convinced with that as well because Max seemed strange and not a contender or potential romantic interest at all... His presence was really short and left unsatisfied with more questions than answers and a bucket load of ulterior motives... Dex is his usual ass-hole self with the broody mysterious air going on but we see more of him exactly as described- alive. He seems more involved here. The bond between Dex and Perry is tortuous for me and a little 'Blegh' as it's expected. I can already state that he'll break her heart but then will have some bull shit epiphany that she really is the one and go back and yes, the most frustrating bit- she'll take him back.... I wanna scream at the romance bits... that is the only ONLY thing keeping me from giving this a full 5 stars!</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12322385-dead-sky-morning" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Dead Sky Morning (Experiment in Terror, #3)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1318959961m/12322385.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12322385-dead-sky-morning">Dead Sky Morning</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle">Karina Halle</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/700296607">5 of 5 stars</a></div>
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OH GOD!!!! That cover itself is so so so so eerie, creepy, fitting and heart-stopping that I couldn't wait to get started!!!! Ever since I read 'Darkhouse' I can NOT stop reading this series and this is the third book on the third day!!!! I was literally scrambling to get these on my ipad... This, for me, has become a book where the crux of the whole series is . As usual, Halle starts with a suspenseful piece from Perry and I can NOT read it fast enough! This is so far the BEST book from the series. Perry and Dex are back to kick the ghostie-asses and the location could NOT be more apt!!! Their destination is an isolated island near British Columbia where Chinese lepers were ignored by the government to eke out their existence.<br />
This in itself gave me a sorta chilling warning of things about to come but you'll be surprised that the whole problem is a two-part deal and another entity is responsible for any real mind-fucking and scariness. On this island, Dex and Perry's fragile undeveloped bond will be severely tested to the point of being frayed. Their biggest enemy is themselves and if they don't trust each other then they're gone- dead. They don't have much truth about the island to rely on and head into it somewhat blind. It is indicated right from the first book that both of them have so many demons to handle and keep some sanity intact. So these very points come into factor here to pit them against each other. On one hand you can see that they want to deepen their relationship and know each other, especially Perry and they do get to do this but on the other the distrust is palpable and more in presence between them. <br />
The setting is so extremely thorough and set so concretely that you can't doubt it. There is too much a spine chilling element in the whole atmosphere of the island that you get lost in it and you actually feel it and for this Halle is really commendable. Even though most horror readers/ movie-watchers must already have encountered such scenes and feelings, you can't help but get pulled into the writing and that atmosphere once again ensnares you wholly. The gore is racheted up here and that is one of the factors making it so good. Her descriptions are so gritty and scary. I loved that. The plot was good and most of the elements came together flawlessly <em> and </em> I have to say, the whole Dex-Perry, ummm, thing came to some sorta head and I didn't really mind it, you could say it helped the plot as well which was surprising!!!<br />
This book is the highlight of the whole series for me. There is not one thing that ticked me or rubbed the wrong way. The whole book, you keep feeling there's something wrong in the picture and when it finally comes into light you feel amazingly triumphant... <br />
If not for the rest of the books you've gotta read tis series for this one!</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13061289-lying-season" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Lying Season (Experiment in Terror, #4)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1323754445m/13061289.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13061289-lying-season">Lying Season</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle">Karina Halle</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/696363688">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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THAT COVER!!!!!!!!!!!!! If possible it's better than Dead Sky Morning (repeat: If that's possible!) After that third book I was slightly intrigued about the Dex-Perry relationship and to say it was sketched in relief, here is an understatement. This book is about <em> them </em> and the ghosts in Dex's past. That's it! I wouldn't have thought that Halle would dedicate so much writing to Perry-Dex but here it is. I loved that Halle kept up the gore factor on par cuz I was afraid she would let it slide down. I didn't think it possible to love Perry more than I already did but in this one I do, with each book that love growing, is a serious accomplishment of Halle. For me, Dead Sky Morning is still the best followed by Lying Season then Red Fox. <br />
In Red Fox we learnt that Dex's ex-girlfiend is an important part of his demons and here she's back with a vengeance. For Dex this is one hell of a development because ghosts even unknown are shit scary but one that you know can really fuck up your mind. Perry on the other hand is grappling with her attraction (that's so OBVIOUS for the whole world to see except of course, Dex which is the most frustrating thing EVER) and Dex's ghosts making appearances. Throughout this book I was wondering why Dex is so pig-headed and selfish and LAME. Suffice it to say I HATED HIM and I have a feeling I won't get over that hate as fast as Perry and I can announce truly that this romantic twist was predictable and terribly ruining. I have to be talking about this because half the book is filled with Dex-Perry. The thing I never understand is why Dex is with Jennifer all this time. He really does seem bi-polar because through Perry's eyes he's somewhat caring, funny, 'charming', 'captivating' and everything that he is attracts her (this I hate in every book that I've read! Why does their have to be some 'cosmic' connection and every ass-hole thing the guy does is okay with the girl?!) I hated that no matter how bad Dex behaves Perry seems to get over it and still feel herself growing attracted to him! This is a stereotypical romance requirement which I hate with intense ferocity. It's better to read the chapters pertaining to every book from Dex's POV in The Dex Files and I did just that which <em> still </em> didn't help with understanding him because if he really had the described feelings then there were no earthly reasons to behave like he did but these are all plot twists to stretch the story longer which are COMPLETELY unnecessary (for me). Jennifer is the predictable bitch who cheats and treats her boyfriend like dirt giving nothing into the relationship (if it can be called that!) They are just fuck-buddies for me with the label of superficial relationship stamped on them and if Dex really felt all that he did for Perry then he would have gotten on with Perry not Jennifer solely due to unselfish reasons but he <em> is </em> selfish, extremely. So of course he is the ass-hole. I personally would have not at all notched up Perry's attraction to him this much because really, I don't see much in Dex. But there are slight times when he has some few redeeming qualities but only in previous books. In this one, he acts nothing but like an ass-hole ( it's such a small word that doesn't do justice to his behaviour at all.) All the times when Jennifer jabbed at Perry and acted like a bitch the stupid man was silent and brushed all that under the rug... He claims his feelings for her and yet does not utter a peep in front of Jennifer (it's not like she's an amazing girl in love with him, too) all for a stupid selfish reason of not wanting to 'change' things and needing stability. I completely sympathize with the wish to feel stability and being scared of 'change' but see, what he has is definitely <em> <strong> not </strong></em> stability. He doesn't see that at all and it's like he <em> wants </em> to hurt Perry and keep living in an imaginary world!!!!! If he can't recognise the stability in Perry then he really is in vain. I have a feeling I'm never gonna like him again but that's fine I've always been <strong> TEAM PERRY </strong>.<br />
Even with the predictability of the plot and stuff that disgruntles me, I still like the series and am excited to read the next one!!</div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-44773659901202320512013-07-24T22:42:00.001+05:302013-08-21T19:58:26.702+05:30Grey clouds over the books...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yes! I've finally gotten down to the KA series- one of them atleast! This rain, BTW, is so romantic... *sighs in pleasure*<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17667168-no-attachments" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="No Attachments" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1366654111m/17667168.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17667168-no-attachments">No Attachments</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4719619.Tiffany_King">Tiffany King</a><br />
My rating: 0.73<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/653331843"> of 5 stars</a><br />
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The start itself is very cliche even after having gotten into it without very many expectations for the plot. The girl is your typical 'rich' girl who has run away from home and drifts from one small town to another ( or maybe she's stupid and stays into a far enough away small town and tells the first employer she comes across all about her problems and expects sympathy...) due to her problems (even if they're not really that huge or something that can't be confronted...) she experienced at home. The boy's a cynical bastard who's keeping the fact that he's tracing this girl's whereabouts for a client ( whom he assumes is her jilted <em> lover </em> - Jeez, really? an old man with this young of a girl? can't he assume that the client's some sort of a relative or anything?) This was a pretty typical and predictable plot. The writing wasn't doing it's job of pulling me into the characters or the plot. The interaction between the characters seemed too unrealistic due to formal dialogue/ formal use of vocabulary. Even after the sudden revelation of the girl's "secret" it didn't make me sympathize with the girl entirely. Her actions because of it if a little unnatural were slightly understandable. As for the boy, I hated the bastard. Even after the secret of investigating is out (and it can't be compared to her's of having a terminal illness) he expects her to be still with him. He's not the one having a life-threatening illness nor is he someone who has fought it before. Instead of being understanding about it, he's selfish. As if that's not enough, when they see each other after the girl's successful recovery (again, unrealistic) he doesn't even try to understand her reaction and assumes she's rejecting him... All these hang-ups and the points in characters are depicted in a detached observational way even in the first person POV of both characters. The secondary characters are simply there as catalysts for the 'love story' only to be forgotten after their 'roles' (flimsy as they are) are finished. I wasn't convinced about the strange flashbacks from the past, the plot itself or anything at all. This was a design for a contemporary romance but was way too stereotypical, and disappointing at the least. There were sudden jumps in the pace which frustrated me. This is suited for people who like commercially satisfying plots.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10191879-the-survival-kit" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Survival Kit" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1317067595m/10191879.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10191879-the-survival-kit">The Survival Kit</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19106.Donna_Freitas">Donna Freitas</a></div>
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My rating: 2.9<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/588747883"> of 5 stars</a></div>
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After finishing this book there were no 'unique' feelings that were experienced even though I didn't exactly hate reading it. As the title says, the main theme is the survival kit received by Rose from her mom after she dies due to cancer. Rose's feelings of coping with her mom's death were simple and quite realistic ( maybe some weren't...). Rose's character is somewhat lacking- she's too emotional and her actions/reactions are simple. There are still mistakes she makes, sometimes by behaving cowardly. Even through all this she felt slightly two-dimensional as the missing 'something' is what I couldn't find. I <em> loved </em> the 'Indian' element of cuisine, places and Krupa's character. The high school atmosphere is really uncomplicated without catty/petty undercurrents (which you've gotta admit is unrealistic...) I liked the involvement of sports- hockey and the gardening aspect which brings Rose and Will together. Their romance was another appreciated process because of it's steady pace with sweet, slow burns under it. ( this was refreshing because almost all of the YA novels adopt a 'physical appearances/ sexual tension' theme to justify their romance..) The simplistic high school psyche was one-dimensional. I would've liked Will's character to be more developed. Although there were many similarities of circumstances between them, their main difference (others being how different their natures are, etc) is that Rose is more susceptible to healing after her mom's death than Will as he's still not over his dad's death ( I know you can never get past it but he's still in coping mode after two years.) The survival kit is the highlight of the book. I loved the sentiment behind it and that imagination is required to really understand the significance of it's objects (this helps to snap out of the depression really well!) I do think it was coincidental ( maybe unrealistic) that the kit's objects always led to Will. I lived Rose's family's bond, Jim, Rose's Grandma and (maybe not so much but enough) Rose's dad. I didn't like the reference at the beginning of the book that Rose had the perfect life, boyfriend, etc in high school as this led me to fear that this book would be stereotypical... it also felt dramatic. I understood their dad's inability to cope with the loss. In the end I still wanted <em> more </em> in it because oddly it felt that something was missing...</div>
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It's KRISTEN ASHLEY TIME!!!!!!!! There are too many books of her but I'm starting with THE COLORADO MOUNTAIN series just because I've written Breathe's review already. This is my third favourite series.</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11227041-the-gamble" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Gamble (Colorado Mountain, #1)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327890208m/11227041.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11227041-the-gamble">The Gamble</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2958084.Kristen_Ashley">Kristen Ashley</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/561649390">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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God I LOVE KRISTEN ASHLEY!!!!!!!!!! Of course as soon as I finished the first book from her I scrambled to get more and read them, devour them!!! I'm in love with her style, her writing, her characters, her setting, the situations which her characters get into and basically <em> her </em> books!!!! Smart, witty, funny, emotional, blunt, caring, appreciating, not taking things that matter for granted are some of the things I love about her. It'll take ages to list all the things!! I've tried to find any book like her but there's nothing <em> even close </em>!!!! Any way after finishing the Rock Chic series, I immediately jumped onto this one.<br />
This book was somewhat of a departure from her normal 'action' themed book but it's KRISTEN ASHLEY guys! There's no way I <em> didn't </em> wanna read it!!! *grins* The summary is pretty clear about the plot and the journey of reading this is amazing just like her other books!!! <br />
Yup, GO READ IT! </div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11227040-sweet-dreams" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain, #2)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327912890m/11227040.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11227040-sweet-dreams">Sweet Dreams</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2958084.Kristen_Ashley">Kristen Ashley</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/561649404">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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It's already been established that I have a girl crush on Kristen Ashley and her books so I didn't expect any less in this next book in the COLORADO MOUNTAIN series. First of all <strong> Sweet Dreams </strong> is a long-ass book but that never fazed me because the characters were quirky and individualistic, the plot was riveting (to say the least) and there was quite a bombardment of new characters in the neighbouring town of Carnal (not to mention the town itself!) Obviously I LOVED IT!!!! Tate Jackson is the more or less same expected (but welcome and appreciated) mix of jerk, alpha with a capital A (for which Ms. Ashley is sooooo famous for!)but loyal, protective, caring-in-his-own-way, Bad-ass Biker to the bone who is pretty insulting to our heroine in the beginning ( yes that riled me up badly and I hated him at first!) Lauren is such a sweetheart! She's loving, sensitive, generous, forgiving, tolerant, and glaringly uneducated in the "bad-ass biker ways of Tate's world" !!!!!!! There were so many moments of smiling and laughing out loud even with the obvious lingering 'serial murders' not to mention the amazing characters like Krystal, Bubba, those pair of hippies, and all the others that lift the plot on their shoulders.... With each book I have the strong urge to ask Ms Ashley - HOW IN HELL DO YOU DO IT!!?????? How can she bring to life such a dazzling array of people and not one of them is unnecessary or hateful??? Incredible! That's who she is and every one of her books!<br />
You got that right, don't just sit there staring, go and read it!!!!!!!!11</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12958487-lady-luck" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Lady Luck (Colorado Mountain, #3)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327912930m/12958487.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12958487-lady-luck">Lady Luck</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2958084.Kristen_Ashley">Kristen Ashley</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/561649427">4.5 of 5 stars</a></div>
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In all the other books of this series, this one is my FAVOURITE!!!!!! Where or how do I begin? Of course this is another long book but this time it's even better than <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11227041.The_Gamble__Colorado_Mountain___1_" title="The Gamble (Colorado Mountain, #1)"></a></div>
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<img alt="The Gamble (Colorado Mountain, #1)" class="escapedImg" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327890208s/11227041.jpg" /></div>
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or <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11227040.Sweet_Dreams__Colorado_Mountain___2_" title="Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain, #2)"></a><br />
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<img alt="Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain, #2)" class="escapedImg" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327912890s/11227040.jpg" /></div>
I know what you're thinking- How can that be? But it's true! I even like this better than Rock Chic series! ( I mean sometimes I think I can't choose even one of them as all are amazing then I get moods and for now this book is the best!) The town of Carnal is back with a vengeance (hmmm, unexpected intended pun...) with all those beloved characters coming in to steal our breaths. This time, Tyrell Walker is the hero of our story. Having endured injustice, Ty is the type of man to not just sit still with hands on his lap but get up and seek vengeance the day he's released from having suffered the consequences of that injustice. He's one-upped the bad-ass of even bikers because he's a man unto himself. Quietly caring, bad-ass to the nth degree, selective and reserved with a unique charm and most of all a man of his word. And to divert a man such as this from his "grand plan o' vengeance" in only 2 days is saying something! This brings me to that amazing woman- Lexie... God, I didn't think there would be anyone better than Lauren but there it is- Alexa Walker ( Oh sorry, when Ty says it's Walker then it sorta sits in your brain...) / Berry. <br />
That woman is so fucking <em> unbelievable </em> that it's not even funny!!! Would you expect a girl born in a crackhouse to turn out like her?? NEVER in a million years! Her strength of character, her 'goofiness' (again, I'll remind you, what Ty says, sticks like glue), her honesty and complete openness even to virtual strangers, her amazing ability to never <em> ever </em> take a single thing for granted, her resilient nature, her 'class' (yes,it's Ty again) and just everything that is her- I've never read about a character like her!!!!! <br />
I've gotta say Ty acts a lot like a jerk when his temper lights up and that's the only thing I hated about him... The wheels of justice rolling in this book is something special and the best highlight of it. The plot surpassed my expectations (and they were high; it being a KA book!) This is one hell of a book and from someone who reads choice books and realistic fiction, which is like, completely opposite of contemporary romance, this is saying something! I'm unabashedly and absolutely in love with these books!<br />
GO KRISTEN ASHLEY!!!!!!!! I'm looking forward to <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15742039.Breathe__Colorado_Mountain___4_" title="Breathe (Colorado Mountain, #4)"></a><br />
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!!!!!!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15742039-breathe" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Breathe (Colorado Mountain, #4)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1341841655m/15742039.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15742039-breathe">Breathe</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2958084.Kristen_Ashley">Kristen Ashley</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/561649434">4.7 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I was hooked on <strong> Kristen Ashley </strong> when Rock Chick came across. Her voice is so so different and her style is something I revere and even though I'm into realistic fiction, I love, LOVE her books! <br />
I used to think that Lady Luck was the best story out this series before I read Breathe. And here we are revisiting the town of Carnal with that adorable quirky bunch of characters again!!! This book seems to tie up many loose ends from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12958487.Lady_Luck" title="Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley">Lady Luck</a>. We get to know the <em>real</em> Chace Keaton and exactly what happened to him during the town's biggest crisis. Kristen has penned Chace in her usual amazing style- he's unbelievably sweet, humble, modest, stubborn (very but just as much like the other KA men), Alpha, caring, loving, the perfect gentleman, old-fashioned, refined, just and kind. I didn't think such a combination could be imagined but, there it is... I loved Chace so much because of his strict ideals about justice and his 'back-breaking' actions to uphold them. He was (God, aren't there any other words besides 'amazing' and 'incredible'?) FAN-fuckin'-TASTIC (I stole KA 'word'ology!!) <br />
Faye became my favourite girl (Geez, it's uncanny how Miss Ashley keeps writing more great girls and each one tops the other!) Faye is the town's shy but pretty librarian but underneath that misleading exterior, there's a tough woman with a strong set of morals, kind, understanding, GEEKY, cute, caring, sensitive, loving, bright, smart, funny and deft to handle any situations... I laughed a lot at the geeky 'Star Wars' references & other similar geeky stuff that she liked!! I didn't think any such woman could be worded out but here she is and she's everything that I wanted...<br />
I loved Faye and Chace, I salivated for every aspect of their relationship! I loved when Faye made Chace realize that she was capable of handling bad shit and showed it through her perspective! I'm in love with the way Chace handled the choice of how to move forward when there was darkness dragging him down every moment... I took up the advise of listening to all the songs to get into the 'mood' and I loved <em> Ella Mae Bowen's </em> <strong> Holding Out For Hero </strong>!!! There was nothing I didn't LOVE about this book!! :) *squeeeeee!!* The best one of the four but maybe there's still <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15817361.Jagged" title="Jagged by Kristen Ashley">Jagged</a> and <strong> Kaliedoscope </strong></div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-40691349124050832672013-07-22T00:25:00.000+05:302013-08-21T19:57:07.094+05:30Thunderstorm and Books.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13260742-right-of-way" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Right of Way" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1357593893m/13260742.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13260742-right-of-way">Right of Way</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/262086.Lauren_Barnholdt">Lauren Barnholdt</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/648148489">1 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I was so excited to get my hands on this book after having read <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7111552.One_Night_That_Changes_Everything" title="One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt">One Night That Changes Everything</a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1672727.Two_Way_Street" title="Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt">Two-Way Street</a> especially the former one...and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6482837.Before_I_Fall" title="Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver">Before I Fall</a>. I didn't really pay attention to other characters in Two way street so I wasn't really sure who Peyton was but the prequel was interesting and likeable so Right of Way seemed to find it's way in my to-read list. So you wanna know if I recommend this to you? The answer is a resounding and huge NO. Period. No matter if you are such a Barnholdt fan, skip this one. I have <em> absolutely </em> no idea exactly what she has done to this one! After some 10 pages I started screaming inside but I didn't wanna leave this book so fisting my palms I continued the <em> torture </em>. *defeated sigh* I'm really truly sorry that I couldn't like this book but that's not on me this time... I hated the disconnected feeling between the past memories (which seem absolutely pointless!) and the present 'trip' (JEEZ it was hardly even a trip!!!) I was frustrated from hoping for some redeeming qualities, exasperated I couldn't find any and disappointed. Eye- rolling so many times made my eyes ache! Phew... I didn't even wanna peel the layers of the story (there weren't very many anyway...) and even after they had been pulled off the core was a vacuum! There was no earthly reason for anything to happen the way it did! There was no reason for Jace to stop talking with Peyton at all... Tell me if you were getting to know a person and they didn't tell you that <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="showSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(view spoiler)</a><span style="display: none;">[ their parents were getting divorced because they were in a state of denial or hurting due to their parents decision <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="hideSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span> would you stop calling them suddenly? Wouldn't you wanna confront them or atleast try to talk about it? this was obviously not done because Jace is a selfish and stupid bastard. Plain and simple. Why is it always all right to keep any characters together just because of their physical appearances? I'm just so tired of that and I tried to like the book but there was nothing that made me even consider it. Ah, I hope she writs better next time. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11735983-insurgent" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Insurgent (Divergent, #2)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1325667729m/11735983.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11735983-insurgent">Insurgent</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4039811.Veronica_Roth">Veronica Roth</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/561641675">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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<strong> INTENSE!!!! </strong> That's what I felt after reading this one. I read it back to back after Divergent and feel it's better to have done that. It's already been established Roth's a rockstar in writing action. Insurgent is a whole new world though! We go deeper to understand Roth's world as Beatrice continues her journey. I thought it was curious as to why she chose only five 'virtues' to expand on from thousands of others but hmmm, I shouldn't really complain. Insurgent starts with Beatrice, Tobias and his father, Peter, heading towards Amity and Dauntless in a divided state - Erudite traitors and non traitors with the war still on. Beatrice has experienced enormous loss and is an a state of crippling crushing guilt. She's on the brink of emotional instability and I gotta say even though she has her reasons, Beatrice made me sad, angry, troubled and agitated as she spiralled down to the pits of guilt and grief. Both of them are such a lethal combination on anyone. I did expect her to be a leeetle bit tougher but she had PTSD so that's fine. I completely understand her descent but that didn't mean I liked it... The action seems racketed upto a 100 times more than in <strong> Divergent </strong>. Roth handles the old characters and develops with the same ease as with new ones like Johanna. <br />
This book is so very different from the prequel that it's not even funny! Grief and guilt all embellished and embossed almost forcefully in relief but this goes hand-in-hand with the action and unfolding of the plot as too much of those negative emotions could have put off the readers. Because of the constant fast motion Beatrice doesn't get enough time to let them grow, tear at her enough and then begin to fade away so she can settle. They fester and cripple her to the point of impairing her judgements. This made the book heavier than Divergent. I think, unlike Divergent, Roth appeared to be a little more commercially satisfying in this one. In no way does she let the heaviness weigh down the pace and evolution of the plot. There are so many revelations going on at break-neck pace that you don't have time to even breathe! Even though it's <em> dystopia </em> Roth doesn't lean on the technological aspects of her world which disgruntled me a bit... The moral facet of this story is a main highlight for me... Roth (or nay Dystopian writer for that matter) points out that no matter how hard you try to create the seemingly perfect (morally, in this case) society there will always be a war. There're so many hidden agendas in it for the sake of the plot. Roth gives hints aplenty to understand it (yes, they're a bit <em> obvious </em> !!) Surprises peek through every chapter. It amazes me that every <em> Dystopian </em> is so scarily yet reassuringly similar to real times. <br />
Generally authors mess up the middle book and end up with a boring final one but Insurgent was quite different even though there's the heaviness. I did expect the bomb at the end of the climax but maybe in the third book but we'll see where she takes it from here. The relationship between Tobias and Beatrice was played out with so many ups and downs and each time they seemed to grow apart (I dunno but a war-time romance should be even stronger than this, shouldn't it?) Both of them are so similar in some ways and their difference either threaten to keep them apart or tie them together. Their relationship weighs more in this book and defines Beatrice and her decisions in some way. The end was interesting and I look forward to the final book and hope that it isn't predictable.</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/693208.The_Absolutely_True_Diary_of_a_Part_Time_Indian" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327908992m/693208.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/693208.The_Absolutely_True_Diary_of_a_Part_Time_Indian">The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4174.Sherman_Alexie">Sherman Alexie</a></div>
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My rating: 4.7<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/673330627"> of 5 stars</a></div>
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WOW! I've never ever read a book like this! My thoughts are scrambled and I'm speechless and confused over how to put my thoughts out. When I read the synopsis of this book it seemed centred around identity crisis in a school. Then I started reading it & I knew I would be hooked right from the first sentence!! see, on that first page itself, you get that Arnold Spirit 'junior' is fucking HILARIOUS! - witty, smart with some cynicism thrown in. On top of this great character, there's his drawing! I LOVED them and they made an already great story even better! Arnold/Junior starts in a self-deprecating (or maybe/and yet realistic) funny and whip smart style. He describes (more like converses about) his reservation, the whole atmosphere of it, and the people so so very realistically yet in a cynical teenage voice that leaps out of the pages right at you. The main theme, atleast what I kept on feeling while reading it, was despair (in the 1st quarter) and sadness and pain (in the rest of the book) but Junior coloured them with his dry sharp sense of humour. I was smiling and laughing even through the heavy feelings. Sometimes there's just plain hilarity and other times, there's an underlying painful sadness. It hurt a lot while reading.Then there's the time after he transfers to the 'white' school to forge his own path. That was some of the best character development I've ever seen in YA which is mainly because of his voice & actions. That was the moment when those seeds of doubt regarding his identity took root. Then there's the huge event of deaths in his family (including the other people of the rez) ; these changed his perspective so much- in the end he was more comfortable in his own skin.This is one hell of a coming of age story. I wanted to word out by point because there's so much in such a tiny book.<br />
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Why You Should Read This Book:<br />
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1. I LOVED the title of the book even though it's a mouthful. It's lucid and real and 'absolutely true'! *grins*<br />
2. I agree with Junior that no matter what your language a picture can communicate with practically anyone and everyone. I think Junior had such a mindset because of the racism (nasty, deep and too much) they suffer. I had no idea that Indians are impacted so much by racism- they're hit almost everywhere. Culture is how you live & if it's dead then you're just as dead inside...<br />
3. This huge point in the identity crisis of Junior is how he feels 'white' on his own rez and amongst his own people (even though he simply decided to go to a 'white' school) though at Reardan High, he feels 'Indian'. Even through all that he faces, by being himself, he gains popularity in the High school hierarchy. He gets to be a normal kid which is why he doesn't let anyone on that he's poor. (but they still know about it...) <br />
4. Junior's disparate views of his home are normal and real.I liked that scene when Rowdy and Junior climb that huge pine tree and discover a beautiful moment while watching their home. It's a small town- not important or happy at all with people having problems left, right and centre especially with alcohol ( I didn't know that so many people could be alcoholics and in various degrees even!) but there are so many good things like his love for his land, family the people on his rez...<br />
5. Junior describes things as they are and doesn't sugar-coat or romanticize.<br />
6. There's insight on different types of addictions like alcohol and Bulimia & how ethnicity or class don't really come into consideration when people are actually living their lives -that they have problems no matter who they are.<br />
7. I don't know very many Indian stereotypes but they seem to be wrong. Indians have history and culture and tradition. There's beauty in it and I feel really sad that it's been near-to destroyed just for some handful people who're inebriated with power and greed. I loved the sense of community in their culture. It's ironic that the ideas that were trying to be squashed yesterday are the same ones that are respected and valued the most today. I loved the comparison between the white town society and the Indian rez community.<br />
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Blunt, factual, ironic, loving, sensitive, all of Junior's qualities help him find himself even through despair, pain, rage (they all make him intense). These in themselves are what drew me to love the book so much!<br />
I'm gonna read more of him now! Keep on writing Mr. Alexie!!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8909152-attachments" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Attachments" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347652311m/8909152.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8909152-attachments">Attachments</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4208569.Rainbow_Rowell">Rainbow Rowell</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/673329923">3.65 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I think it would be obvious when I say that <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15745753.Eleanor___Park" title="Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell">Eleanor & Park</a> brought me here. The synopsis seemed promising although there's something weirdly stalkerish about reading someone's e-mail (though it's cute and heartfelt in the book!) I've to warn you that you've gotta like office romances or atleast know about them to read this book. The pace is slow and you've to concentrate and hold on somwhat atleast in the beginning. There's a lot to focus on in this. I didn't expect the male lead- Lincoln to dominate the POV- this seemed like a breath of fresh air. The atmosphere is '99 and 2000; you've gotta acquaint yourself or be familiar with the culture at that time to understand cetain references. For me, e-mails, even personal ones to BFs, don't really fulfill the requirement to portray a character so I was expecting atleast some of Beth's POV. Characters put together through e-mail compilation are superficial and one-dimensional. Their actions/words throughout days, weeks and months that form them. So Lincoln (that amazing man!!) feels so tangible and I just wanna rave about him!! <br />
His mother, sister and friends get more character than Beth!!But I've gotta say Lincoln made me forget about everyone else. In the middle of it, I didn't even realize I fell for him in a BBF way until after the end! He was a slow burn... this felt like a real romance!<br />
Rowell has approached an office romance from a guy's perspective and this in itself is enough of a reason to get started on reading it. the book moves like real life- all situations and characters felt alive and breathing. Special ones caught at my heart like Doris and Christine. I wish Rowell would have tweaked the character of Lincoln's mother a little and developed it. As for Lincoln himself, you can't label him with just one quality- he's several good ones loaded into one lethal character.I mean do they make 'em like that anymore? Cuz I ain't seen any! Even with all these qualities, you realize at some points/ the end of the book that he's human and makes mistakes, is hurt and still tries to move forward. You don't (or more like 'can't'!) place him on a pedestal or anything and come to love him with his imperfections (might be corny but it's true!) I loved the fact that Lincoln fell in love way before even glimpsing at Beth. It would have been so much better if Rowell would've cut down the e-mail banter and thrown in more encounters between Beth and Lincoln. The romance did <em> not </em> convince me but I got so lost in Lincoln that by the end I found myslef rooting for him! Lincoln is such a geek and still lives with his mother at the beginning of the book. He has multiple educational degrees and is 'old-world charm'. I'm quite old-fashioned myself in some ways and this is why I loved this book as much as I did.if Lincoln wouldn't have been in the book then I would leave the read in the first few pages...Lincoln develops desirably but <em> way too fast </em> in my opinion because in these change/ developmental scenes the pace seems faster than normal. The ending appeared rushed to me and inevitable, extremely strange and coincidental. But i would love to read more from Rowell because she immerses herself in her characters and books completely, their voices are real and she gets 'em right everytime without unnecessary melodrama. <br />
Coming-of age and a light romance read- contemporary romance fans might like it better. </div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17970416-jane-s-melody" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Jane's Melody" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1369241265m/17970416.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17970416-jane-s-melody">Jane's Melody</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5181210.Ryan_Winfield">Ryan Winfield</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/669317542">3.45 of 5 stars</a></div>
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When I picked this up, I was excited to read it cuz a) it has a male author b) the synopsis was interesting with this huge age gap, the woman being older (it reminded me of <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/460595.Tramps_Like_Us__Volume_1" title="Tramps Like Us, Volume 1 by Yayoi Ogawa">Tramps Like Us, Volume 1</a>) Then I opened the first page and it felt like someone had smacked me on the face! That first sentence was <em> not </em> how novels usually start! I mean what're you supposed to feel when the first thing you know about the book is death? I went into this without expectations but then I began to have mixed feelings as the pages jumped one after the other. When things progressed with Jane after her daughter's funeral I assumed this loss would come into acount with her relationships in the immediate future but it didn't really affect as much. Winfeild could've written an amazing story forgoing on the contemporary romance shit like the taken-for-granted 'attractiveness' of Jane or Caleb, Janes insecurity about her looks (and yet everyone says she's gorgeous...) and many other points. Even through that usual play, Winfield managed to inject a sense o f reality into the situations and his character. I loved his portrayal of the atmosphere int he island town, those endearing characters of Grace and Mrs. Hawthorne, the ferry rides, geographical beauty, even Jane's house.Winfield's prose confirms he's a poet and Caleb's songs are simply uniquely beautiful. Jane is more two dimensional than real because, maybe I expected more adult behaviour or even bitterness ( due to her age) from her but I liked her better in the second part of her book. Caleb (hmmm...) is, I'm not sure how to say it, he's... too good to be true...I liked how Winfield made him appear to be real by making him lie to Jane in the 1st part but after that he becomes this 'perfect' guy, like a cardboard-cutout!!!! I like individual quirks in a character as a) everyone has them b) they make any character come alive. The pace felt like a normal con-rom: just when things settle after the guy n girl get together things keep happening to shake them up and at last one of them gives up and breaks it. It's, like, expected or something!!For all it's similarities to other books of it's genre, the prose, characters and some of the story (in the 3rd part) is extremely catching, and some parts; heart-rending. The other con-rom parts made me feel detached & sometimes the words blurred into each other. With all it's shortcomings, there are still reasons enough to read this book. I feel Winfield can do better and would love to read more from him...</div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-74663850123157916422013-07-17T00:31:00.000+05:302013-08-21T19:55:39.348+05:30Rain onslaught and the Books....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Okay everyone, here are some more reviews. I really want to read a good one these days... *depressed sigh*<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/544891.Beastly" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Beastly" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1334260193m/544891.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/544891.Beastly">Beastly</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/79589.Alex_Flinn">Alex Flinn</a><br />
My rating: 3.75<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/666670044"> of 5 stars</a><br />
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'<strong> Beauty and the Beast </strong> is my favourite fairytale of all so I was compelled to pick this book up. Some points I loved about it were that it was written from Beast's POV- I came to understand so many of his reactions and emotions like loneliness, anger, frustration, despair which made all the difference. But because of this weight over Beast's character maybe Beauty became underweight. Then there's the whole character of Beauty- she hasn't been portrayed as a beauty at all and this is what I loved the most: this helped me connect with her and him but that's where the connection with 'Linda' stops because you don't come to get to know her very well just rather the superficial points about her. Flinn turned the whole fairytale upside down and that I loved but then she reverted to the original too. The chat room where the Mermaid, the Frog and the Bear were present didn't really penetrate my mind- it felt like that chat room was there just to stall the story. I hated Kyle/Adrian at first because of how shallow he was- I kept thinking can people in the real world behave like this? but then I became enraptured in the story and it was nice. <br />
For Fairytale retelling- lovers and Beauty & the Beast fans, this is one of the books out there to read and a bonus- the author has mentioned some others with good outlines in her acknowledgements and even those are worth checking out! Cheers! <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13423346-ink" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Ink (Paper Gods, #1)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1349382349m/13423346.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13423346-ink">Ink</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4649677.Amanda_Sun">Amanda Sun</a><br />
My rating: 1.33<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/665752325"> of 5 stars</a><br />
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I am soooo TORN! I really TRULY wanted to like this book. *sad sigh* <br />
Oh well, see there are reasons that my expectations were high.<br />
1. It's a book about <strong> JAPAN </strong> 'Nough. said.<br />
2. <strong> JAPAN </strong> !!!! And, yes, this point is so important it needs another mention...<br />
3. The cover is of course, gorgeous...<br />
4. I liked the concept of the plot- it was so different than normal! The whole myth about Kami, I was so excited to get into it and see how the author spun it off because I'm an OTAKU! I've read so many mangas but not many about supernatural stuff...<br />
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So taking these thoughts I jumped and right from the first page I was disappointed in Katie. She had no redeeming qualities as a protagonist. See, she only had things said about her that made us take in her character. Then there was Tomohiro. Oh god. I didn't see any nice banter going on between Katie and him and their attraction seemed only due to some flimsy magical connection and/or physical appearances. I hated this.<br />
Quite a lotta eye-rolling was going on from my side! Then there's the whole writing. You know, it felt like someone had gobbled up sentences and paragraphs in the middle of the pages! I was so confused while reading it... but I gritted my teeth and finished the book. I sorta understood why the author tried to incorporate Japanese words in the prose but she should have taken care of <em> how </em> to integrate them.<br />
Then there's the plot. *hesitating pause before a true but dramatic sentence* There <em> is </em> no plot. It's true! I was trying to find it and find it but I couldn't get it! Although it did seem like a lotta manga plots sloppily put together... I hoped the plot would mature and thicken but it was half-formed and never moved.<br />
A very few times I liked how the Japanese atmosphere was created but most of the time, the scenery and people were described in a detached way with an effort to diffuse some emotion n it.... Damn I have known mangas better than this! *depressed sigh* <br />
Also, The author failed to create her paranormal/ supernatural world. All the characters seemed wasted. I feel so sad. <br />
If you wanna check it out first read the negative or 2 star reviews if possible with spoilers and <em> then </em> decide whether you wanna read it or not.<br />
Peace out.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13493463-eve-and-adam" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Eve and Adam" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1335162768m/13493463.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13493463-eve-and-adam">Eve and Adam</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1599723.Michael_Grant">Michael Grant</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/669271893">3.12 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I had thought this to be a 'Dystopian' book but it's set in the modern day! For me the main focus of this one was the romance because that was what I liked at the end. As for the rest of the plot- it was engaging, to say the least. The genetic engineering part seemed very well done no matter how sickening it was. I liked the dual POV and the feel of reality to it. Solo was sort of a favourite. I did snicker at the obvious geekiness in the name and plot of the book but it was all good. Something about this one is that you just blur through it taking things in vaguely- it does catch your attention but you find it only half engaging. It's a light sci-fi romance with stationery characters and not bad at all though I do have a question- if Eve's mom wasn't in the bad guys then why did she let Eve use that program? because whatever it was, it couldn't be a plaything/ game for her daughter to play while she's bored getting recovered....<br />
but eh, semantics I guess...<br />
*the single finger salute*</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17660979-the-avery-shaw-experiment" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Avery Shaw Experiment" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1363678578m/17660979.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17660979-the-avery-shaw-experiment">The Avery Shaw Experiment</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3203095.Kelly_Oram">Kelly Oram</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/639579887">3.61 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I had been in a very good mood and had been willing to give cliche- sounding plotlines a chance to bring something new to the table so I picked up this one. The cover was also really cute in a stereotypical way but that was all right... I'm always open to books that explore girls trying to get over their crushes because I, myself, had been this this girl and maybe still am...<br />
Avery seems a socially awkward girl with geeky tendencies in the beginning. The words make you laugh right from the start. Some things went over smoothly and others did not... The shower scene between Avery and Grayson seemed unreal- no other word for it! It left me disgruntled and rolling my eyes... Then there was the pacy transformation of Avery and Grayson's feelings about her. On the other hand there's the scientific observation theme of it that I liked (although I hated when she didn't blame Aiden or get angry at him- their relationship <em> is </em> really unhealthy!!) I also eagerly lapped up Gray and Avery's romance even ploughing through some eye-rolling. I would have liked a character without any disorders or illnesses but eh... I have to admit Gray's POV was entertaining! Summing it up, this is a light rom-com read albeit YA (though not so much comic in the end!) but when you read it there's gonna be some cliches with it!</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13496738-while-it-lasts" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="While It Lasts (Sea Breeze, #3)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1332261619m/13496738.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13496738-while-it-lasts">While It Lasts</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4872191.Abbi_Glines">Abbi Glines</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/561681307">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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This book needs a review and I'm warning you I'm not those dopey fans of 'fifty shades of grey' and other books. I try to read realistic fiction most of the time. In the 'Sea Breeze' series the first one was just half a star but <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13146214.Because_of_Low" title="Because of Low by Abbi Glines">Because of Low</a> made me sit up and take notice so I hoped for a good third one and it is, somewhat... The thing I loved that Glines put in this book was Eva's feelings and the 'Southern' thing, also the dual POV... But as always there's too much reference to sex and physical appearances and I guess... *defeated sigh* that's ok... Glines has always tried to be 'commercially right' as I have said before but this one I liked- there was something here that wasn't in the others.<br />
A light contemporary romance. Cheers!</div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-47749976626401971562013-07-09T20:54:00.000+05:302013-07-12T20:36:06.399+05:30And the books again!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey everyone! I'm here bringing more reviews of amazing books! Eh, I know I keep postponing the Rock Chick series et all but believe me I'm getting there!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17336849-lost-and-found" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Lost and Found (Lost and Found, #1)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1365394535m/17336849.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17336849-lost-and-found">Lost and Found</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4887264.Nicole_Williams">Nicole Williams</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/653329628">3 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I have been familiar with Williams' work - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15757434.Crash__Crash___1_" title="Crash (Crash, #1)"></a><br />
<img alt="Crash (Crash, #1)" class="escapedImg" src="//d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1342588706s/15757434.jpg" /><br />
and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15835685.Clash__Crash___2_" title="Clash (Crash, #2)"></a> <img alt="Clash (Crash, #2)" class="escapedImg" src="//d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1345393364s/15835685.jpg" /><br />
both of which I was not very impressed with so I was apprehensive about starting this one... The book blurb sounded extremely cliche and I was even more apprehensive. But I started it and all that Rowan wind knocked me down!! This book is about a <em>bad </em> girl and a <em>good </em> boy which narrow opening is not explored much in the YA novels right now. Rowan Sterling has become a 'freak' in people's eyes because of her edgy clothes and cold demeanour and she has constantly been in trouble according to her emotionally abusive and neglecting mother. So she has been forced to this remote ranch otherwise Rowan can kiss Art school fees funding from her mother 'goodbye' because her mother knows life in this ranch will set her teeth on edge and maybe change the kick-ass personality of her 'troubled' daughter. Rowan has been treated with so much emotional cruelty that she herself has started to believe that she's a failure and there can be no sadder thing. Williams has been able to show how this self-deprecating attitude formed in Rowan's mind and that sets her apart from others who have tried to write about neglected children/young adults... Rowan has spiralled so far down the depression road that she has forgotten how to believe in herself again. So naturally she is loathe to spend time at a ranch working herself the tough labours there. But her meeting with Jesse Walker (whose name is stereotypically cow-boyish) brings out her own self and this continues when she lives at Willow Springs with the Walkers who accept her and like her as they get to see more of herself. I have never seen any people like the Walkers! They're completely laid back yet hard-working, sincere, respectful and absolutely non-judgemental people. The most important quality that shines through is their acceptance without judgements. I can't explain how <em>important </em> it is for a child to grow in a non-judgemental environment and that shows in how Jesse has become after growing up with the Walkers. I didn't expect this book to be as real as it was and that delighted me. I loved Rowan's coming-of-age ad kept expecting some cliche or the other but not many predictable things happened. Garth black was another secondary character that was half unpredictable though I expected more development about him. I loved that Rowan <em>did </em> commit mistakes but came back swinging and ready to hit more. Many a time, I thought, 'Oh shit, she's going to do something boring and predictable" and then she did do that but in some different way than my imagined one... Jesse was really a bit of a rainbow... Some thing that he was I found unbelievable but he came across as a sweet, gentle yet only too human (in his feelings) boy but Rowan was the star. If I get started on her mother I will never end because she one mean daughter of a b*tch! (Ah, I <em>know </em>!!!) I cut off one star for the slightly boring things in it but this one is better than the Crash series for me.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12411588-who-i-kissed" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Who I Kissed" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359862869m/12411588.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12411588-who-i-kissed">Who I Kissed</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4147574.Janet_Gurtler">Janet Gurtler</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/650028650">2 of 5 stars</a><br />
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My rating: 2.5<br />
This book talks about a rare subject for me- deadly allergies caused due to nuts. I've never personally come into contact with people having such allergies but have heard it through my friends so I've not thought deeply on how careful these guys have to be ALL THE TIME. That was sorta a shock. Gurtler has handled this topic half to my like and half to my dislike. If the story revolved around a person having these deadly allergies then she would have handled it better due to her experience but this had the opposite point of view. One thing that perplexed me is why Gurtler decided that the perpetrator's name isn't infamous through the media at all (they don't even name her!) The outline was so promising and my expectations were high especially from Sam's coming of age but Gurtler couldn't accomplish that (dunno why). The 'before' and 'during' part of it was <em> wonderful </em>! It's when the 'after' part began that started disappointing me...because that's when this unique story became run-of-the-mill. I thought Sam was different. Her internal dialogue was very refreshing!- shy, clumsy, endearing yet a quiet strength. In the 'after', <em> yes </em> I expected her crippling guilt whether it be survivor or perpetrator guilt. What I hated was the way Sam handled it. I understand the need to feel numb because feeling too much guilt destroys you but is sexual activity with someone <em> you don't even like </em> the only thing that does this? Why do authors always pick this reason for young adults? (God, maybe I'm being prudish but <em> still </em>!!!!) I don't think it would work in real life. On the other hand, I appreciated the beginning of the disentanglement between the father-daughter bond. Sam's aunt was funny, wise yet a bit like a godmother and made the book fun. And that's all there is to like! The romance segment was complete bullshit for me because Zee's behaviour didn't <em> jive </em> at all right from the beginning!! It's the crappiest thing to do- start to give those 'kiss' vibes to <strong> a girl you like </strong> ( keep in mind, people!) but when your on-again-off-again-hook-up-girl comes interrupting, going off with <em> her </em> and immediately making out with <em> her </em>???? WHAT THE FUCK? I mean what kind of an asshole is he??? But then, fine this happened, it hurt, time to move on but <em> nnyooooooo </em> there's gotta be romantic development between them <em> anyway </em> The 'numbing-with-sex' part and the unrealistic pathetic romantic thing that no self-respecting girl would do plus the ANGST (OH the <strong style="font-style: italic;"> ANGST!!</strong>)<strong style="font-style: italic;"> </strong> ruined the whole book... There's also the part where Gurtler completely does a 180 in the climax that again made me regret reading it! Why do authors always feel the need to 'redeem' the lead with some bullshit banner of 'having learnt a lesson and behaving completely out of character? <br />
*depressed sigh* mildly interesting read. The last 70% was a disaster for me.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17134623-paper-valentine" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Paper Valentine" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356126495m/17134623.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17134623-paper-valentine">Paper Valentine</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3023658.Brenna_Yovanoff">Brenna Yovanoff</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/648685393">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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My rating: 4.3<br />
That beautiful cover of this book caught me hook, line and sinker! I had never heard of Brenna Yovanoff (Which makes me feel like a hermit!) but that cover and the outline (maybe not like the cover) was enough for me. Normally I'm not a 'horror kinda girl... But serial killers and murder mysteries <em> are </em> sorta my cup of tea. Even after I started reading it, the pace seemed a bit slower than I had anticipated. Once the ball started rolling though, I <em> could not </em> put it down! I fell in love with Yovanoff's writing! The gory descriptions, the subtle psychological and <em> cute </em> (I have no idea how she managed it but this book is proof that she did!) romance, the mystery of murders and <em> even </em> the ghosts made it phenomenal!!! (which I had in <em> no way </em> expected!) Yovanoff <strong> owned </strong> this book!!!! The climax was pulled off amazingly without predictability! (Umm, Okay, I relent, maybe a <em> little </em>predictable<em> </em>.. But damn, I loved it!!! so I'm gonna overlook that!) It didn't insult my intelligence much and I was grateful for that. It was clever and she managed to balance out all genres really well- supernatural, romance, coming-of-age, mystery and horror!! Yovanoff has a way with voices. Though there was not the rounding-off of secondary characters (except Lillian) her style of writing is platinum and gave me goosebumps! (Yes, I myself was surprised at that one!!!) The cliff-hangers at most of the end of chapters captured my interest enough to keep reading. I felt Lillian's character was carved rather beautifully- in the beginning, I felt weirded out by her but gradually she grew on me. Our heroine was kick-ass; which was so, so very unexpected! But maybe I should have guessed from the way it started.. Hannah and Lillian made the book what it is, for me. The fashion element was the icing on the cupcake- unexpected but when come into introduction, well-received and taken in the stride of things. What can I say about Finnigan Boone??! I did expect more from him (I mean in character) but whatever time he spent with Hannah felt eternal! (Ah, here I go witht he dramatic!) Yovanoff described things in such a way that you were forced to form thoughts about all the aspects- the town, it's mentality, the high school psyche, etc. This whole world created and moved because of her words and I guarantee not many authors today can do it. The high school atmosphere felt a little jarring but she pulled it off well inserting the right elements to do it.<br />
I expect to read a lot more from her!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7600924-forbidden" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Forbidden" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1302655056m/7600924.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7600924-forbidden">Forbidden</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/599916.Tabitha_Suzuma">Tabitha Suzuma</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/561681265">2 of 5 stars</a></div>
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My rating: 2.7<br />
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Uh. Wow. (No, you guessed, it <em> is NOT </em> a good feeling!) Well I have to warn you I'm quite a bit biased about incest so yes, I'm probably gonna disappoint fans but I dunno about new readers... When I read about the topic being incest, *sighing with clenched teeth* I put it off as long as I could in the to-read shelf... But my pile-ups were mocking me and I couldn't just run away from them, it would be a personal insult... So I steeled myself prepping up that I <em> had </em> to have seen <em> something </em> in the reviews or the outline to put up with the bitter part! And there I went off. In the beginning, I had to admit, I loved Suzuma's incredible writing- she has a poetic way about it which I loved, her descriptions were vivid and sent in some emotional moments. But then most of the middle part was extremely annoying and frustrating because it seemed typical teenage angst. I did expect some of it but not this much! That put me off of it and I switched to something else. I never try to leave any book half-assed, though so I went back to it cementing a 'Romeo-Juliet' sort of ending in there. I have no idea why but that constant assertion that they were not hurting anyone by being together, had me admitting that, yes it was true enough *depressing sigh*. I was still not convinced that this could be a possibility because really? I couldn't imagine anything like it- for the first time I could <em> not </em> imagine how the characters felt, <em> absolutely, could not!! </em> Fuck, I wanted to and maybe, in the end <em> maybe </em> I somewhat understood it sloppily... I was not happy reading this book. I had been warned by those considerable reviews but still I hadn't braced for the impact so coming out of it at the end had me scrambling to open a new one for relief. I have no idea why Suzuma would pick up such an issue for her story- maybe because it was so rare? I thought that she had tried to understand their feelings through this but maybe she couldn't do it completely? I have to admit though that the ending was extremely tremendously <em> real </em> and that, I liked. The 0.5 came because of it. This book didn't change those prejudices and beliefs regarding incest because what I read, reinforced that the people who entered such a relationship were quite possibly mentally/emotionally ill/unstable due to familial circumstances or other reasons. Nevertheless it did convince me that maybe, if both of the people entered into it willingly (however insane for us) they should be given a chance to prove themselves... I'm not really sure to read more of her though... Maybe her writing will be enough.</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17333880-twisted-perfection" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Twisted Perfection (Perfection, #1)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360904964m/17333880.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17333880-twisted-perfection">Twisted Perfection</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4872191.Abbi_Glines">Abbi Glines</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/661114241">3 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Hmm. The outline was a bit misleading because Woods doesn't really avoid fragile women but eh, moot point now that I'm finished. For me, Abbi Glines is one of those contemporary romance writers that never get it right but never get it 'commercially' wrong. But I admit I do enjoy reading her a bit. Sometimes, light reads are the need of the hour to take my mind off of heavy topics fucking with my mind. Sometimes, I like being caught up in the emotional drama precisely because I know it'll be a happy ending.. I like her dual (sometimes multiple) P-O-Vs I sort of like her style but there's too much sex... though that's all right... when I wanna lap it up I do, when I am <em> definitely </em> not in the mood, I skim through those pages and get on with the story and it annoys me that sex makes up half of her book but, oh well... I <em> am </em> a girl! This story is about abuse, love, and all the other normal contemporary romance novel shit. It's fine not really great, not especially bad. If you're a Glines fan or maybe you're halfway in, halfway out then you would like to read it. If you wanna read some of her nice stories- <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13146214.Because_of_Low" title="Because of Low by Abbi Glines">Because of Low</a> and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13496738.While_It_Lasts" title="While It Lasts by Abbi Glines">While It Lasts</a> are some good ones.Start with them.</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8306857-divergent" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Divergent (Divergent, #1)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327873996m/8306857.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8306857-divergent">Divergent</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4039811.Veronica_Roth">Veronica Roth</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/561637633">5 of 5 stars</a></div>
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My rating: 4.7<br />
After reading <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2767052.The_Hunger_Games" title="The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins">The Hunger Games</a> series I went off on a 'Dystopia' spree because I never knew that reading about these imagined 'future' worlds could be so much fun!! Sadly, I couldn't find any more to fulfill this thirst- the other books just seemed too pale in comparison...When I read the outline, I wasn't expecting very much but then I started reading and right from that 1st page, got addicted! There has been tons of praise and analysis for this one and no wonder! From the beginning itself, Roth starts spinning out a world along with information on how to picture it and understand it's structure and movements and navigate it's path through. The division of society with 5 factions with no clear leader of them all was refreshing to me as in ever other Dystopian book, there's autocracy and that gets boring. The factions indicate at an effort for moral as well as technological evolution for humans.In this book, Roth points toward the line of thought she intends to take up and establish throughout the trilogy. Abnegation and Dauntless have been explained thoroughly in this one. The world Roth creates is easily palpable, understandable, breakable. The allowance of 16 year-olds to transfer to another or stay in their own faction- this premise is a building block..<br />
Coming to the factions, How Beatrice undergoes the struggle between choosing another faction over hers, tugged at my heart. This book can get heavy if you let it and chapter analyses with notes is a good way to keep track, even rereading it to imagine the world clearly could be required but you won't mind the ride as it's entertaining.<br />
Roth hasn't hesitated to get gritty even though the protagonist is a female. I guess she understands that a tough woman draws people in... Her voice is real, clear, strong, emotional without being dramatic, practical, young. As it's a trilogy, the secondary characters have a scope of evolution and yet these too, seamlessly bind (Christina, Albert, Will, Peter- yes, even <em> him </em>!!) Except Al, everyone seemed predictable though. Four is a character completely unto himself and a short dive into his POV certainly was required to mutate this story. Their romance is subtle but essential in their character development as well as the story. There are many facets to it as well- sometimes she acts like a common teenager-in-love, but sometimes there's a mature edge at those thoughts.<br />
Again, there is the due faction-stress on Dauntless. It seems like an army for the whole society. Roth shows piercing insights into faction- psyche, group-behaviour with the retention of individuality. As the 'soldier' faction, There is a much needed violence to be included and Roth has described all too readily. Then there's the 'mystery' regarding the Erudite with war plots (Dystopia <em> has </em> to have war!) and it's relation to the 'Divergence' in characters.. This mystery- it's pace, elements and characters fit together perfectly. There's A LOT OF <strong> ACTION </strong> but it doesn't shear the edge off the mystery.. <br />
The puzzle with a clear leadership over the factions bugged me because Roth had every other element refreshingly unoriginal but that line of thought opened up something- a familiar pattern and yes, it disappointed me a bit.<br />
Romance, pace, action, dystopia, politics, psychology, family, sacrifice, death- what does it <em> not </em> have, you will ask... Well sometimes there's so much it seems that too much has been stuffed into 1 book but still Go Read IT!!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5024334-too-good-to-be-true" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Too Good to Be True" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1267261643m/5024334.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5024334-too-good-to-be-true">Too Good to Be True</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/317354.Kristan_Higgins">Kristan Higgins</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/661131858">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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My rating: 4.15<br />
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The first novel ever from Higgins that caught my interest was <em> not </em> this one!! It was <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15803757.The_Best_Man" title="The Best Man by Kristan Higgins">The Best Man</a> and surprisingly (because I'm not really so much into classic Chick Lit or contemporary novels...) That story was <em> nice </em>! I have to say, this one (Too Good To Be True) was even better than that recent one! Chic-lit/contemporary roms are really hard to get when you try to curve it in an original way. Even if there are many 'unoriginal' things in this one I still liked it as they could be overlooked. Grace is an entertaining, if somewhat strange (hmmm, maybe the 'good' kind...) character and I can <em> not </em> tell you how many times I laughed out loud while reading it!!! Gathering from these two plots I reckon Higgins likes love, family and hot guys put together for her story to succeed (and who could argue? because the classic formula for a contemp-rom seems to be it...). This might not be something new but it <em> is </em> what to be expected from this cloud of genre, this came into consideration while reviewing the book. But the characters are far from the normal rigmarole in the other books. I loved Grace- truly! She is really hilarious with her 'imaginary boyfriends' and even if somewhat unhealthy, I was sympathetic with her for that trait. I absolutely <em> loved </em> her family!! (even her sour and criticizing Meme!! which is saying something!!) Too many things caught my liking- the love and sacrifices for your family, the plain love between each other in that family, the prejudices about ex-cons, etc. I have to say I would be really glad when an author writes about a normal guy someone who maybe, isn't all that 'movie-star gorgeous' / with built muscles et all- it gets boring real fast! But eh... if these things aren't overlooked then how will I enjoy <em> any </em> book?? especially from these genres? Any way, back to Grace, for the first time since a lot of books, the main character was actually someone I liked to hear! Her voice wasn't grating at my nerves and her statements were funny! The romance is light and this book centres mostly around family - at least it felt like that to me... Callahan was inappropriately characterised for me and Grace was the center of this book's universe. Her character was endearing, sympathizing, frustrating,loving, exasperating! I loved how the relationship between her parents was portrayed because it felt true to what most often is life. Ah, what can I say about the 'sister' bond! I think even that was weaved beautifully- Margaret was my favourite and Nat was hmmm..., described with a Teflon coating that bumped off most of Life... Even though Grace was the middle child she felt like the eldest sister to me. Margaret was interesting because she was the most insightful person in the book and yet she was the most melodramatic (which makes me burst into laughter!!) Natalie - I understood the bond between them because it's a li'l bit like how me and my sis are, I was in full sync with Grace's thoughts regarding her. I understood so many things about Grace... And this point was the winning one for me. This book is more about familial love rather than romance. It's thoughtful and a great laugh and Grace's words say more than they're meant to. Because of my personal emotions, this book got an extra star! I think Kristan Higgins may take her place with Kristen Ashley (Coming from a hardcore <strong> KA </strong> fan this is saying something!!!!!)<br />
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OHHH! WHEW! I've actually been sending it into draft because of the stupid internet.... More come next!!!</div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-83174435725506208412013-06-26T02:54:00.001+05:302013-06-29T16:44:30.801+05:30Harry Potter - Anime Vision!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://funnymama.com/post/185528">Harry Potter - Anime Vision</a> - <a href="http://funnymama.com/post/185528">http://funnymama.com/post/185528</a><br />
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Just came upon this and HAD to share!!! <3 nbsp="" p=""><!--3--><!--3--></3></div>
SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-66989120317223762432013-06-26T00:51:00.000+05:302013-06-26T00:54:10.680+05:30A SLICE OF CAKE ANYONE?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey, guys! Now sorry to disappoint those who're waiting for the rest of the reviews but I'm gonna babble about cakes in this one because I <i>finally</i> bought CREAM CHEESE!!! I think you know by that hint the type of cake I'm talking about... YES, bingo! It's the <b>RED VELVET CAKE</b>!!! *dreamy sigh* God, I can still taste the first time I tasted it two years back in the Mumbai bakery called 210 degrees c!!!!! It was the <i>Red Velvet cake pie</i> with an AMAAAAZING <b>CREAM CHEESE FROSTING!!! The first bite I took made me swear off any other sweet thing and even until now, I haven't recovered from the <i>food-gasm</i>!!!</b> <i>God</i>, it was so delicious!( Yes, it needs multiple mentions and taking the name of the lord in vain!! It's <i>that </i>good!) From then on, I never missed a trip there to eat that pie!!! But soon I wanted to begin experimenting and try to make it at home because summer holidays saw me stuck at my countryside home... So I researched nights for the best and most moist Red Velvet cake ever! It wasn't easy because Google coughs up so many average recipes that you've gotta sift through at least 50 till you get that best sounding recipe!! (And, <i>yes</i>, I'm exaggerating!) Now for those of you who don't know about it, Red Velvet cake is a Southern classic soul food and favourite dessert and the red comes from- Food colouring! (Hah, bet you thought it was some other 'magical' ingredient...) Now, basically this cake is supposed to have a tangy but slightly sweet flavour and for some traditional sweet-cake lovers, it might not do it but if you don't taste it, how will you get it? It certainly was a different but surprisingly great ride for me when I tried it the first time! Even if it is called red velvet there <i>is </i>some amount of cocoa in it and that does miracles for the flavour!! There's the earthy heat of cocoa but it's balanced by the tang of buttermilk and the balance is so good that <i>neither </i>overwhelms the other!!! From the beginning, I found it a li'l bit hard to bake a moist cake- maybe it was because of the oven or some mess-up in the quantity of ingredients... but I did research the recipes again and you can decide on your own if you want a normally crumbly cake or an extra-moist one.( Hint: The oil makes the cake moist..)<br />
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This recipe is the first I have tried and it's the normal crumbly textured one-<br />
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<a href="http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/red-velvet-cake-L7335.html#.Ucno3I5qJoQ.blogger">http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/red-velvet-cake-L7335.html#.Ucno3I5qJoQ.blogger</a><br />
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The extra moist one is here-<br />
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<a href="http://www.simplyscratch.com/2012/10/classic-red-velvet-cake.html">http://www.simplyscratch.com/2012/10/classic-red-velvet-cake.html</a><br />
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Getting started on CHOCOLATE CAKE recipes!! I tried my first one, 5 years back and this time I found THE PERFECT RECIPE EVER!!! I only ever tried to bake in vacations so I didn't really get time to experiment and stuff but at least I'm here in the end! Believe it or not I was NOT good in the kitchen and my first attempt at baking was a disaster but I liked it so much that I still continued with it and today I can make amazing cakes <i>at the least</i>! ^_^ (I don't know about souffles and such as I haven't tried them but I make a mean <b>creme brulee</b>- <i>without a blow torch</i>!!! and naturally, the custom caramel custard -YUM! On another note, I've always wanted to try the orange caramel custard recipe from Simon Hopkinson..)<br />
All the other cakes of chocolate that I have baked were <i>nothing </i>compared to this one! That's how good it was! So moist and melt-in-your-mouth that we (my li'l sis and me) finished TWO tiers of that cake in just 2 days!!! There was never even the <i>need </i>for any frosting!!! Now there's coffee in this one and that makes so much of a difference in the flavour! Also the kind of chocolate you use is so important. I would recommend <i>dark </i>chocolate (Don't worry there's enough sugar that you won't taste any bitterness! <i>Duh</i>...) and authentic espresso powder or even any authentic ground coffee beans (like French Press from Starbucks, etc-this would be the best option, actually). Here's the recipe-<br />
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<a href="http://addapinch.com/cooking/2013/01/25/the-best-chocolate-cake-recipe-ever/">http://addapinch.com/cooking/2013/01/25/the-best-chocolate-cake-recipe-ever/</a><br />
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Hope you find these useful!! Wish me luck for the Red Velvet Cake recipe and pray that this time I will get the CREAM CHEESE FROSTING down, perfectly!!!!!<br />
The reviews of Rock Chick and other books + mangas are coming soon!!!!! </div>
SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-17594739169331507322013-06-24T01:12:00.000+05:302013-06-24T01:37:30.383+05:30Books and more... BOOKS!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Okay, guys, here I come again with the next load of reviews! *wink wink* told you I was not idle!!<br />
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I decided that the Rock Chick lot will be next and not today cuz there are <i>just </i>so <b>MANY </b>of them and <i>obvio</i>, I <b>LOVE </b>THEM ALL!!!!!! but <i>these </i>are also quite interesting! Enjoy and see you tomorrow! Oh by the way, I didn't have the time to sleep today after all and was <i>so </i>focused on getting these reviews set even with the frustrating internet troubles...that I <i>forgot </i>to sleep!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11096647-flat-out-love" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Flat-Out Love (Flat-Out Love, #1)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361307724m/11096647.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11096647-flat-out-love">Flat-Out Love</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22159.Jessica_Park">Jessica Park</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/561680469">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I do not know where to begin with this one because whether its the start, the middle or the end, all of it's pretty much <strong> incredible </strong> !! I loved the quirkiness throughout it and Celeste is what made me love the book. There have been tons of reviews already describing how the plot amazed everyone and how original it was. For me, when I first read this book I had never known anything like it because it was smart quirky and refreshing- not the boring routine of attending keg parties with dumb pretty friends-for-namesake, getting asked out by the most popular guy at school and fluttering those eyelashes just to get dumped for what seemed like an obvious reason from the start, etc... This book is definitely NOT that. Now there was just one thing that poked me- <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="showSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(view spoiler)</a><span style="display: none;">[ It was actually Matt that was posing as Finn and that there were so many mannny pointers in there, whether through spoken words, by those chat messages, e mails or actions... I agree with Julie's Psych Prof that it was very very sad, the whole coping mechanisms of each member especially Celeste and her mom. What happened with Celeste was that due to Erin's depression, and her father's diversion of attention towards Erin instead of Finn, Matt or Celeste. So as eldest brother, Finn took up the role of being with Celeste because really, all children need is attention from their parents to have the security of growing up. Celeste's only parent being gone, she had to cope up by standing still in her shell. But you can never make time stop; time always goes on. I loved it as Celeste let her own time go on, little by little. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="hideSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span> Another one of my gripes was that why hadn't Roger been given that same all-round character like the others? Also why did Julie keep avoiding to find out how Celeste got the way she had been?? And if Julie wants the chink-in-the-armoured boy with flaws how does she know Seth isn't one?? But I could easily overlook them and I'd already read this one thrice before <strong> FLAT OUT MATT </strong> came out. The first time, I couldn't understand why Julie goes back to Matt even after his deception if she has such a huge problem with it because I was not seeing this from Matt's point of view but after the novella, I was screaming at her to see the light and stop the drama already! I'm ashamed to admit that I was completely fan-girling!!! And still am- <strong> <em> SQUEEEE!!! MATT!!</em></strong> <br />
So Miss Jessica Park you've won me over! Please give me another one soon, okay??<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17611379-flat-out-matt" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Flat-Out Matt (Flat-Out Love, #1.5)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1363225233m/17611379.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17611379-flat-out-matt">Flat-Out Matt</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22159.Jessica_Park">Jessica Park</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/588734061">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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WHOOP WHOOP!!! I was swooning and fan-girling, quite a tread off the normal path for me! I, of course <strong> <em> LOVED </em></strong> <strong> Flat Out Love </strong> and to read some of the points from Matt's point of view helped to actually round the book for me rather than how other sequels just disappoint and repeat the prequel in a demented (at least according to me) perspective, like, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15745950.Walking_Disaster" title="Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire">Walking Disaster</a> .... Ah well, this book changed my understanding of Matt although, yes, I did feel it was a bit high on the melodrama <strong> but </strong> ,I felt more sympathetic towards Matt and how he was feeling because of all that dysfunction. The conversation between Finn and Matt during their trek seemed nostalgic, heart-warming but there was something missing, I felt.. I have to admit it <em> was </em> real to a point and I have to admit, I fell in love with Matt- all the parts of him... *sheepish grin*<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10959277-the-future-of-us" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Future of Us" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1366214559m/10959277.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10959277-the-future-of-us">The Future of Us</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/569269.Jay_Asher">Jay Asher</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/639582066">3 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I was really honestly intrigued by this concept but i dunno how it happened but maybe cuz it was two authors collaborating that it made the characters flat and one dimensional. Like, Emma was this child of Divorced parents feeling neglect and also when she discovered Facebook she bought the 'Future' concept really fast and became obsessed with twisting it according to her wishes which i found pathetic. Then there was Josh and for me he saved the book COMPLETELY! I loved him right off the bat and he simply kept getting better and better, I especially loved that moment when he sat contemplating his vague sketches and faced his feelings regarding Sydney. There were no cliches/stereotypes except for Emma. Also I expected the concept of being able to browse a website created in the future to be explained a LOT better than it was. What kept me reading was how their actions in the present immediately caused 'ripples' and changed the future.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9275658-legend" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Legend (Legend, #1)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333909141m/9275658.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9275658-legend">Legend</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4342215.Marie_Lu">Marie Lu</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/614048415">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Wow!! sure didn't see that coming... Marie Lu has gotten me hooked! I read both the books back to back and now am hungry for the last one! Break-neck pace, action, romance and a new perspective in familiar wrappings... It's reminiscent of Hunger Games in so many respects and yet Marie Lu has a distinct style that is believable and sympathetic. I loved this book even when some of the finer points sometimes, disgruntled my pace. Hope she writes more!</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10782753-live-through-this" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Live Through This" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328023958m/10782753.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10782753-live-through-this">Live Through This</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3101322.Mindi_Scott">Mindi Scott</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/568914389">3 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Hmmm WOW. And I mean that not in the amazed sort of sense but the more horrific one. This book talks about <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="showSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(view spoiler)</a><span style="display: none;">[ incest <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="hideSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span> and sexual abuse, both of which topics are very rare and impossibly hard to get a hold of. I came across this one while searching for real and non-romantic or gritty stories and this plot promised so much that I was eager (because it was before I knew about the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="showSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(view spoiler)</a><span style="display: none;">[ incestuous <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="hideSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span> tone of this book) to get started. Personally, I have not read <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="showSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(view spoiler)</a><span style="display: none;">[ incest <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="hideSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span> except in mangas and stuff so for me this was a disturbing and gigantic first without the knowledge that I was reading this topic. I will specify that, <strong> yes </strong>, I'm traditional in these kind of matters and dislike to read about <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="showSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(view spoiler)</a><span style="display: none;">[ incest <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="hideSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span>. <strong> But </strong> when the book throws a curve-ball at you, you've gotta hit it because when you realise it's a curve, you have rather <em> no </em> other choice <em> but </em> to hit it. It did take me time to finish it and wrap my head around Coley's voice and her words but it's fine. After finishing I was torn because it was sort of good but also <em> really </em> bad... *pursed lips* <br />
Eh, moving on, I didn't get any other palpable emotions except shame- an enormous amount of shame, and angst. I understand that, empathize <em> and </em> sympathize but some things pushed me back from feeling more and with such serious topics I expected more grit and emotion or even drama *shrugs*. The pace was at first, strange like being suspended and then it went so fast that at the end, it was like, 'BAM! And it's done.' I didn't agree with that. It felt that Coley was finally, <em> finally </em>, at the breaking point of the abuse she had suffered and had snapped. I think some character development or depth in secondary characters like Reece was lacking. It seemed like a snippet from a good song was cut and made to be heard as an individual melody. There was potential but maybe, Scott couldn't grasp it wholly? The thing with books based on these sort of topics is that it depends on the author. If someone else had taken this up, the story would have been drastically different because the thoughts on such premises scatter off in too many different tangents when you try to dissect them; these topics are made up of so many <em> tiny </em> but nonetheless-important-in-their-own-right particles and separate authors choose separately unique ways to take it up and keep it going. But I commend the amazing effort from Scott to bring to life such a story without overwhelming the readers and look forward to her writing because she has a certain knack of colouring teenage voices. </div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/18387936-samruddhi">View all my reviews</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12294652-my-life-next-door" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="My Life Next Door" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1319595972m/12294652.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12294652-my-life-next-door">My Life Next Door</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4660036.Huntley_Fitzpatrick">Huntley Fitzpatrick</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/564535324">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I go, 'Awwwwwwww!' When I remember this book anytime, anywhere and thinking of it never fails to make me smile! Of course, it's <strong> all </strong> because of the romance!!! *giggles* I am not much of a believer in happy endings and romances that sweep you off your feet but with this book, for some bizarre reason, I <em> wanted </em> it to be a happy-ending and to let it sweep me off my feet! Yes, I see that expression on your face, I <strong> know </strong> !! I loved Samantha but it was George who was the star of the show!! Oh <strong> GEORGE </strong> ! Now, Samantha Reed's family and their next-door-neighbours, the Garretts are as similar as the sun and the moon. That's why Samantha had always been fascinated by them even after hearing all her mother's taunts regarding them. She saw something that she never got in her family- Love (I know it sounds cheesy but even reality can sometimes be corny even if it <em> is </em> true!) The kind of chaos and disorder with this love is also hypnotizing because even if the Garretts have problems they fare them together and love each other openly, the kind of love that is hard to find. As Jase (the wonderful animal-geek!! *squeels*) falls into Samantha's life like the first snow- quiet but momentous, changing her perspective completely. Their romance is easy, real and earthy. It captivated me in absolution. The Reeds and the Garretts felt like opposites of a town; thrown together, like artifice and reality. It felt jarring but weaved harmoniously because of Fitzpatrick's writing. <strong> Damn </strong> I <em> hated </em> it, when tragedy struck and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="showSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(view spoiler)</a><span style="display: none;">[ Samantha broke up with Jase <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="hideSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span> But if anything, the ending was even more in the realm of reality. I came to, if not like, then at least to understand Samantha's mother. <br />
It's a dreaming girl's coming-of-age story in the most real way possible without an <em> ounce </em> of drama (which factor is used to spice up any ordinary story, these days and thus, has become monotonous... But, PEOPLE, there is an extra in every ordinary!!) and it still managed to clutch my heart tightly! Great read! <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/18387936-samruddhi">View all my reviews</a><br />
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I wanted to put on the Kristen Ashley reviews but then to do them in bulk is better, no? I can rant at length like that! ^_^ There are so many more books and mangas I wanna get into but I dunno if I can put them up fast but we'll see... Wish me luck with the internet conn.!! Oh and on a side note one of my profs went to T.O.K.Y.O. 'Nough said. Because I CAN NOT STOP SCREAMING!!! ( even when my lil sis looks at me like I've gone mad. Again, 'Nough. Said.) *still. screaming.* I envy that guy and i kept reading and re-reading his entry... *again. with. the. screaming.* Ok, giving you (and myself) a break. Good Morning everyone.</div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-7618813474264195542013-06-23T04:26:00.001+05:302013-06-24T01:41:17.030+05:30Finally! Here I am! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
WHOA! Techno Freeze! I was on a really LONG and <i>tedious </i>task of giving up technology for these months and I have <b>succeeded</b>! <i>Well </i>if you don't count reading books that is... <i>Eh</i>.. I don't. SO, moving on, I have read some <i>fantastic </i>and some not so amazing books in all this while! Like I could live without reading... *sarcastic snort* Also, I have been doing modifications to my book but reading so many has really impaired my progress. I have lots of reviews lined up and am itching to get started but if I <i>do </i>begin <i>right </i>now, I am not gonna be able to sleep and <b>that </b>will be a <i>serious </i>problem for me <i>and </i>my 'rents cuz my <i>mom </i>nags me to get to bed early although <i>really</i>, <b>this </b>isn't early, like, at all... (HAH! In your face!) *evil grin* Let it be known that when aliens come invading I'll be the <i>first </i>to rebel <b>just </b>for the sake of <b><i>rebellion</i></b>....Anyway, here I am, putting some of my Goodreads reviews and hoping to here from you guys soon. WARNING: I have been on a Road-trip novel spree!!! ^_^ <b>SQUEEEE</b>!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8094556-amy-roger-s-epic-detour" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Amy & Roger's Epic Detour" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348694774m/8094556.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8094556-amy-roger-s-epic-detour">Amy & Roger's Epic Detour</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3351454.Morgan_Matson">Morgan Matson</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/644114156">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I LOVE ROAD TRIP NOVELS!!! Now that that's out of the way, it's obvious I would mark this one to read. The thing about this that's special is the real characters with impossible situations. I loved the reactions, emotions, feelings of all of them just the coincidences were unreal. I still liked it and the ending was phenomenal! The sole focus of it was Amy and the others were supporting everything happening to her wonderfully but I began liking them as well especially her dad and I would have liked to get to know them more... I feel road-trip novels are all the same but still each one is so different from the other because the author sees things differently. I love how my perspective changes and I can see the miracle in a common and taken-for-granted every-day thing. But I will still wait for that completely real plot that manages to sweep me off my feet... <br />
You're welcome to read this review on my blog- <a href="http://samsoulsearcher.blogspot.in/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://samsoulsearcher.blogspot.in/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/18387936-samruddhi">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517338-the-reece-malcolm-list" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Reece Malcolm List" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348628847m/13517338.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517338-the-reece-malcolm-list">The Reece Malcolm List</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5768552.Amy_Spalding">Amy Spalding</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/641392256">3 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I read the reviews for this book and maybe my expectations for it racketed up or something; i can't exactly pinpoint the reasons but to me it seemed like any other YA romance/ coming-of-age but obviously realistic fiction. I felt that the relationship between Devan and her mother could have been explored in a deeper fashion, maybe? or that the Drama-nerdness going on could have been explained better... I think i cut off one star for the disappointment in the tone of her voice- a slight mediocrity to it, kind of? I did like how she listed things she knew about her mother although i felt that a child neglected by both of her parents could have turned out different from the character of Devan. I felt so excited at the prospect of Sai but that avenue was felt inadequately explored to me as well.. AH, i felt as if there was something missing and I have no idea what!</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/18387936-samruddhi">View all my reviews</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16074609-how-my-summer-went-up-in-flames" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="How My Summer Went Up in Flames" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361786767m/16074609.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16074609-how-my-summer-went-up-in-flames">How My Summer Went Up in Flames</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6459723.Jennifer_Salvato_Doktorski">Jennifer Salvato Doktorski</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/631082618">3 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Okay, um really? goes through my mind as I read that <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="showSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(view spoiler)</a><span style="display: none;">[ Rosie kisses Spencer whether out of some misplaced attraction for his dorky ways or out of pity. I have to say it seems more like the latter... <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="hideSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span> I mean when it started out, I really liked Rosie but as the pages turned, I felt there was something that was <em> wrong </em> !! The whole road trip experience of hers, I loved reading but her actual behaviour as a person, at first I found quite entertaining and dramatic, and as she described herself, <em> passionate </em> and then she goes and disappoints me by <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="showSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(view spoiler)</a><span style="display: none;">[ kissing Spencer, crushing on the jerk Logan and knowing about Matty's feelings but ignoring them until she is sorta forced to confront them... <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="hideSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span> It was SO very obvious that she liked Logan and I got too annoyed with her to just sigh, bat eyelashes and flutter about around him just because of his looks.. BLECH. Also, I didn't like her selfish actions or thoughts <em> at all </em> but I took them in my stride and hoped and hoped so much for the glimpse of real person but it didn't happen. I always look for something different in a story but most of the things like <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="showSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(view spoiler)</a><span style="display: none;">[ Rosie and the Harem thing going on around her, the 180 degree change of heart/ personality in her after the trip and the fact that there appeared to be something wrong about the whole car setting on fire thing because according to Rosie she had just set the stupid box of memories aflame and I hazarded a guess that she set it on fire a safe distance away from a vehicle. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" onclick="hideSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span> they felt so typical, predictable and I was just huffing and sighing inside and screaming "JUST GET IT OVER WITH!!" I'm a person who likes surprises in life and plots so this did NOT jive... At first I half liked and half disliked it but then near the end, I only liked about 30% of it... Though the road trip saved it for me... because obviously, I <em> love </em> road trips!! I have to say her voice was colourful, funny, sarcastic and real but her actions o-Oh my god! sometimes i couldn't believe she was doing <em> that </em> whew! I loved to hear about her feelings after the break up and felt sympathetic with her although about Avery, i don't understand how someone can be that intimately friendly with a stranger right from the moment they see them! But the words o' widom through the book, I liked.</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6882274-the-mockingbirds" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Mockingbirds (The Mockingbirds, #1)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1281310031m/6882274.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6882274-the-mockingbirds">The Mockingbirds</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3081700.Daisy_Whitney">Daisy Whitney</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/631074350">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I stumbled upon Whitney's <strong>When You Were Here</strong> and as it was a looong wait, I moved onto read this series to kill the anticipation and thankgod it didn't disappoint! The outline is so promising and I could tell that it was inspired from To Kill A Mockingbird even though I haven't read it (it was obvious...). Now, I'm a huge fan of vigilante justice so this hooked me on and of course the fact that our girl Alex goes through being date-rape drugged and that struggle to find and be herself that she undergoes. The thing is that I sort of do understand the whole institution of Education tends to ignore the reality of what actually goes on in the personal lives of students at school especially boarding school. The whole attitude that grades are the most important thing in existence is all too real and that Whitney has managed to either symbolise it or actually show it in the open, is what I loved. Alex is a wonderful girl even though she managed to infuriate me sometimes. The skilful weaving of broken memories and the present is almost too dramatic to be true but the feelings coming from Alex are so so absolutely substantially animate and they cut right through to me. Whitney has added in the afterword that she herself has faced being date-rape drugged which explains the beautiful narration of emotions. I also find that the existence of a democratic jury for justice is really impossible in reality but Alex and her coming-of-age story won me over. </div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12157780-when-you-were-here" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="When You Were Here" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349989139m/12157780.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12157780-when-you-were-here">When You Were Here</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3081700.Daisy_Whitney">Daisy Whitney</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/625927585">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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This was the first book that caught my attention while scanning for off-beat stories when i got bored with the boring mainstream themes in other books. I had marked it to read as soon as I saw the word Tokyo because, yup!, i'm a fan of Japanese culture. then to pass time I read her 'mockingbirds' series and I was definitely not disappointed. I got it yesterday night and finished it like, today. I very much liked the coming of age story of Danny but the only thing that felt extremely unrealistic was his accepting Holland back. I loved how Whitney created the Tokyo atmosphere even when Danny was feeling his emotional turmoil. |Regardless of my few let-downs in the end and a feeling that she hurried to end the book, she put forth a magnificent story and I loved the wise revelations that whizzed through. It's clear, simple and yet very deep if we look it that way. </div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/18387936-samruddhi">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Well, that's all for right now but I promise as soon as I get on tomorrow, I'll post the rest of them as well. Enjoy! Upcoming reviews have Rock Chick series and many others by Kristen Ashley into which I'm going to get into real looong!</span></div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-38971985366083830062012-09-30T15:19:00.001+05:302012-09-30T15:19:08.169+05:30Woot, Woot!! Another amazin' book to boot!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
WOW, like, is my luck runnin' high or what? cuz lately i've been coming across great books all the time!!!!!!! Maybe it's cuz i've been tortured enough to read one worst book in the history of the Books... But whatever, do you hear me complaining??<br />
So i've just completed this terrific book called Catching Jordan and you would NOT believe that it's so good if you simply read the summary!!!!!!!!!!! This book has it all- Strong female protagonist, real situations, real people, real everything. I can believe that right now someone called Jordan is living in another part of the world with a burning passion for football.... someone called Henry is her best friend, someone called Donavan Woods is her father the great star in the football world....... This book has everything you want to read if you're a realist. It will appeal to you even if you're a cynic... (Believe me cuz i am one!!) I loved the way things were handled and the Author Ms. Miranda Kenneally has gained my respect... Now i'm thinking like all these authors are so great will my book even get through to an editor?? God!! I can't wait for her next book - Stealing Parker!!!!!!! She's on the levelof Ms. Corrine Jackson for me and thats the best compliment and critic i can give!!<br />
I can't find anything bad with this so don't get the one or two stars... Cuz even when i read the spoilers i was more eager to complete this book!! I know, right?! Don't forget to check the goodreads and other blogs!!! if you want some spoilers here are good reviews on blogs -<br />
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<a href="http://rhapsodyinbooks.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/review-of-catching-jordan-by-miranda-kenneally/" target="_blank">http</a><a href="http://rhapsodyinbooks.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/review-of-catching-jordan-by-miranda-kenneally/" target="_blank">://rhapsodyinbooks.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/review-of-catching-jordan-by-miranda-kenneally/</a><br />
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<a href="http://booksoverboys.blogspot.in/2012/04/spoiler-alert-fangirls-on-catching.html" target="_blank">http://booksoverboys.blogspot.in/2012/04/spoiler-alert-fangirls-on-catching.html</a><br />
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-56169142307981914892012-09-28T22:19:00.001+05:302012-09-28T22:57:15.558+05:30A book that makes you feel Alive.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Right now i'm feeling as alive as i've never felt like it before. I am aware of every breath i take, the breath feeling up and down against my wind pipe, every cell in my body tingling, every muscle taut.... I feel like i have been made to face a death coming to me head-on. I feel like i'm alive in that moment. You would think this is all because of something like a life threatening situation but it's not. It's because i just finished reading a. Book.<br />
I've never been pulled into a book like this ever! EVER! I would be prepared to bet that even you guys haven't experienced something like this EVER! My top favourite author has become Ms Corrine Jackson. And i'm NOT kidding! I would tell you to run up to your nearest book shop and get this book ASAP without waiting even for a SECOND, that's how good this book is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
Real Fiction DOES NOT get better than this!!!!!!!!!!! I am absolutely in love with this book. Every character in this book is fully rounded off and beautiful (Yes, even Nikki for those who have read it!) This explains the gray areas of human nature in the best way i could ever have wanted to be explained! I will NEVER forget this one and probably read it more than i've ever read any other book.... This book doesn't feel like a book at all because you can believe that it's happening for real somewhere out there in the world every second of it and this is the one reason it tops the list of my all-time favs... Every character feels as if they're real and alive.<br />
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BEST BOOK i've ever read! Ms. Corrine Jackson, i'm a fan i'm screaming for more books from you cuz i know i'll be ready to gobble them up just after you've produced them!!<br />
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IF YOU STILL HAVE NOT GOT IT, GO GET IT AND READ!!!</div>
SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-71697449453612750782012-09-27T19:46:00.001+05:302012-09-30T20:20:52.509+05:30I'm SLAMMED and travel to a POINT OF RETREAT!!!!!!!!!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
OH MY GOOD!! I have cried so much reading them that i'm beginning to lamely excuse that it's cuz of PMS!!!!! I was sooooooooo apprehensive about finally getting down to read this raved book because the last book with the same genres had been my worst mistake ever!! I sarcastically went over the appreciating comments as they reminded me of the comments of the worst book i had ever read.... but i decided to go ahead anyway and GOD AM I SOOOO THANKFUL AT MY TINY COURAGE!! If I would not have read this series, i would really have missed out on a great author and a great person!! Sure there are melodramatic sappy parts after all which book doesn't have flaws?? All the would-be-annoying-and-irritating things about the book literally washed off of me and drowned away by the mind blowing and fantastic never-before-seen prose of Ms. Hoover. *RESPECT!!* I won't give you any spoilers cuz it's best read without having known any but it's also not fair of me as i already had read them when i decided to continue from my 2-pages-only-read book. i decided to trust it and DID IT PAID OFF OR WHAT!!?? I love the author, cuz somehow an instinct tells me that the books reflect the authors character maybe cuz she loves the Averette Brothers so much??! LOL!! Because of her, i've also fallen in love with them now i cant help myself from researching them!! Also i would recommend that you get to know what slam poetry is before starting this series but either way you're gonna LOVE it!! ;) !! I'm ecstatic even after going through the roller coaster of emotions i went through as i started the book at dawn and finished the series by dusk.... I can't help loving every character she has created!!!! although in the first installment, i was a bit disgruntled at Layken it soon left me, Ms Hoover worked a magic which very many precious few, of the infinite stretch of books i read, manage to do...! I would recommend this to everyone! It's inspiring and every other sappy crappily 'fitting' emotion out there in everyone's review !! I can't get over some of the poetry! *sigh* even when this was supposed to be realistic but Ms Hoover couldn't pull it off, she managed to make me not care about the melodrama which surprisingly few authors can do... Read it for the emotions and not the realism... Though do read it!! actually there are too many that i would like to mention but i will try to list some beautiful quotes from the memorable series that i will find very hard to forget too soon!<br />
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This slam,</div>
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It helped me get over having read the Crappiest book in the world (PREVIOUS POST!!)</div>
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...the slam that will forever be in my heart, makes me proud of my decisions, happy about the way i am is-</div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Write poorly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Suck</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Write awful</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Terribly</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Frightfully</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Don’t care</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Turn off the inner editor</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Let yourself write</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Let it flow</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Let yourself fail</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Do something crazy</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Write fifty thousand words in the month of</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">November.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">I did it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">It was fun, it was insane it was one thousand</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">six hundred and sixty seven words a day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">It was possible.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">But, you have to turn off your inner critic.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Off completely.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Just write.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Quickly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">In Bursts.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">With joy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">If you can’t write, run away for a few.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Come back.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Write again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Writing is like anything else.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">You won’t get good at it immediately.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">It’s a craft you have to keep getting better.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">You don’t get to Julliard, unless you practice.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">If you want to get to Carnegie Hall, practice,</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">practice, practice.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">…or give them a lot of money.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Like anything else it takes ten thousand hours to</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">get to mastery.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Just like Malcolm Gladwell says.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">So write.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Fail.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Get your thoughts down.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Let it rest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Let it marinate.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Then edit.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">But don’t edit as you type,</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">that just slows the brain down.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Find a daily practice,</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">for me it’s blogging every day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">And it’s fun.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">The more you write, the easier it gets. The more</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">it is a flow, the less a worry. It’s not for school,</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">it’s not for a grade, it’s just to get your thoughts</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">out there.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">You know they want to come out.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">So keep at it. Make it a practice. And write</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">poorly, write awfully, write with abandon and</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">it may end up being</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">really</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">really</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">good.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span></span> <span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">wow incredible every time i read it.... i just can't believe it!!!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">that's all i'm limiting myself to say.... :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">some quotes worth reading are below but honestly?? the whole series is worth reading!!</span></span></div>
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― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“Imperfections define perfection”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“Choose your battles, but don't choose very many.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“God Layken. How do you do it? she says. She blows her nose and grabs another tissue out of the box. How do I do what? I sniff as I continue to wipe the tears from my eyes. How do you not fall in love with him? The tears begin flowing just as quickly as they had ceased. I grab yet another tissue. I don't not fall in love with him. I don't not fall in love with him a lot!”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“Sometimes life gets in your <em><strong>way.</strong> </em><br />
it gets all up in your damn <em><strong>way.</strong> </em><br />
But it doesn't get all up in your damn way<br />
because it wants you to just <em><strong>give up</strong> </em>and let it <em><strong>take control.</strong> </em><br />
Life doesn't get all up in your damn way because it just wants you to <em><strong>hand</strong> </em>it all<em><strong>over</strong> </em>and be <em><strong>carried along.</strong> </em><br />
<br />
Life wants you to <em><strong>fight</strong> </em>it<br />
Learn how to make it your <em><strong>own.</strong> </em><br />
it wants you to grab and <em><strong>axe</strong> </em>and <em><strong>hack</strong> </em>through the <em><strong>wood.</strong> </em><br />
It wants you to get a <em><strong>sledgehammer</strong> </em>and <em><strong>break</strong> </em>through <em><strong>concrete.</strong> </em><br />
It wants you to grab a <em><strong>torch</strong> </em>and <em><strong>burn</strong> </em>through the metal and <em><strong>steel</strong> </em>until you can reach through and <em><strong>grab</strong> </em>it.<br />
<br />
Life wants you to <em><strong>grab</strong> </em>all the <em><strong>organized,</strong> </em>the <em><strong>alphabetized,</strong> </em>the<em><strong>chronological,</strong> </em>the <em><strong>sequenced.</strong> </em>It wants you to mix it all <em><strong>together,</strong> </em><br />
<em><strong>stir</strong> </em>it up,<br />
<em><strong>blend</strong> </em>it.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“If I live the life I'm given, I won't be scared to die.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“Push your boundaries, that's what they're there for.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“respect the hand that I was dealt. And to be grateful I was even dealt a hand.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“Always remember there is nothing worth sharing, like the love that let us share our name.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“So you keep your ocean, I'll take the Lake.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“Life wants you to <em><strong>fight</strong> </em>it.<br />
Learn how to make it your <em><strong>own.</strong> </em>”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“Find a balance between head and heart.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“It's not just <em>lies</em> they're referring to. It's <em>life</em>. You can't run to another town, another place, another state. Whatever it is you're running from-it goes with you. It stays with you until you find out how to confront it.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“To my babies,<br />
<br />
Merry Christmas. I'm sorry if these letters have caught you both by surprise. There is just so much more I have to say. I know you thought I was done giving advice, but I couldn't leave without reiterating a few things in writing. You may not relate to these things now, but someday you will. I wasn't able to be around forever, but I hope that my words <em>can</em> be.<br />
<br />
-Don't stop making basagna. Basagna is good. Wait until a day when there is no bad news, and bake a damn basagna.<br />
<br />
-Find a balance between head and heart. Hopefully you've found that Lake, and you can help Kel sort it out when he gets to that point.<br />
<br />
-Push your boundaries, that's what they're there for.<br />
<br />
-I'm stealing this snippet from your favorite band, Lake. "Always remember there is nothing worth sharing, like the love that let us share our name."<br />
<br />
-Don't take life too seriously. Punch it in the face when it needs a good hit. Laugh at it.<br />
<br />
-And Laugh <strong>a lot.</strong> Never go a day without laughing at least once.<br />
<br />
-Never judge others. You both know good and well how unexpected events can change who a person is. Always keep that in mind. You never know what someone else is experiencing within their own life.<br />
<br />
-Question <em>everything</em>. Your love, your religion, your passions. If you don't have questions, you'll never find answers.<br />
<br />
-Be accepting. Of everything. People's differences, their similarities, their choices, their personalities. Sometimes it takes a variety to make a good collection. The same goes for people.<br />
<br />
-Choose your battles, but don't choose very many.<br />
<br />
-Keep an open mind; it's the only way new things can get in.<br />
<br />
-And last but not least, not the <em>tiniest</em> bit least. <em>Never</em> regret.<br />
<br />
Thank you both for giving me the <em>best</em> years of my life.<br />
<br />
<em>Especially</em> the last one.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
<br />
Mom”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“According to the thesaurus... and according to me... there are over thirty different meanings and substitutions for<br />
the word<br />
mean.<br />
(I quickly yell the following words; the entire class flinches- including Will)<br />
Jackass, jerk, cruel, dickhead, unkind, harsh, wicked,<br />
hateful, heartless, vicious, virulent, unrelenting, tyrannical, malevolent, atrocious, bastard, barbarous, bitter, brutal, callous, degenerate, brutish, depraved, evil, fierce, hard, implacable, rancorous, pernicious, inhumane, monstrous, merciless, inexorable.<br />
And my personal favorite—asshole.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“Never judge others. You both know good and well how unexpected events can change who a person is. Always keep that in mind. You never know what someone else is experiencing within their own life.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“Does he treat you with respect at all times? That's the first question. The second question is, if he is the exact same person twenty years from now that he is today, would you still want to marry him? And finally, does he inspire to be a better person? You find someone you can answer yes to all three, then you've found a good man.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“I've never regretted it. <em>Questioned</em> it? Sure. But never regretted."<br />
<br />
"Is there a difference?" I ask.<br />
<br />
"Absolutely. Regret is counterproductive. It's looking back on a past that you can't change. <em>Questioning</em> things as they occur can prevent regret in the future. I questioned a lot about my relationship with your father. People make spontaneous decisions based off of their hearts all the time. There's so much more to relationships than just love.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“BLUE SWEATER<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Do you <em>hear</em> that?<br />
<br />
That's the sound of my heart beating...<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Do you <em>hear</em> that? That's the sound of <em>your</em> heart beating.<br />
<br />
It was the <strong>first</strong> day of October. I was wearing my <strong>blue</strong> sweater, you know the one I bought at <strong>Dillard’s?</strong> The one with a double knitted <strong>hem</strong> and <strong>holes</strong> in the <strong>ends</strong>of the <strong>sleeves</strong> that <strong>I</strong> could poke my <strong>thumbs</strong> through when it was cold but I didn't feel like wearing <strong>gloves</strong>? It was the <strong>same</strong> sweater you said made my <strong>eyes</strong> look like reflections of the <strong>stars</strong> on the <strong>ocean</strong>.<br />
<br />
You promised to love me <strong>forever</strong> that night...<br />
<br />
and <strong>boy</strong><br />
<br />
did <strong>you</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>ever!</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
It was the <strong>first</strong> day of <strong>December</strong> this time. I was wearing my <strong>blue</strong> sweater, you know the one I bought at <strong>Dillard’s?</strong> The one with a double knitted <strong>hem</strong> and<strong>holes</strong> in the <strong>ends</strong> of the <strong>sleeves</strong> that <strong>I</strong> could poke my <strong>thumbs</strong> through when it was cold but I didn't feel like wearing <strong>gloves</strong>? It was the <strong>same</strong> sweater you said made my <strong>eyes</strong> look like reflections of the <strong>stars</strong> on the <strong>ocean</strong>.<br />
<br />
I told you <strong>I</strong> was three weeks <strong>late</strong><br />
<br />
You <strong>said</strong> it was fate.<br />
<br />
You promised to love me forever that night...<br />
<br />
and <strong>boy</strong><br />
<br />
did <strong>you</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>ever!</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
It was the first day of May. I was wearing my <strong>blue</strong> sweater, although <strong>this</strong> time the double stitched <strong>hem</strong> was <strong>worn</strong><br />
and the <strong>strength</strong> of each thread <strong>tested</strong> as they were pulled <strong>tight</strong> against my<strong>growing belly. You</strong> know the one. The same one <strong>I</strong> bought at <strong>Dillard’s</strong>? The one with <strong>holes</strong> in the <strong>ends</strong> of the<br />
<strong>sleeves</strong> that I could poke my <strong>thumbs</strong> through when it was cold<br />
but I didn't feel like wearing <strong>gloves</strong>? It was the same sweater<br />
you said made my <strong>eyes</strong> look like reflections of the <strong>stars</strong> on the<br />
<strong>ocean</strong>.<br />
<br />
The <strong>SAME</strong> sweater you <strong>RIPPED</strong> off of my body as<br />
you <strong>shoved</strong> me to the floor,<br />
<br />
calling me a <u><strong>whore</strong> </u>,<br />
<br />
telling me<br />
<br />
you didn't <strong>love</strong> me<br />
<br />
anymore.<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Do you <em>hear</em> that? That's the sound of my heart beating.<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Bom Bom...<br />
<br />
Do you <em>hear</em> that? That's the sound of <em>your</em> heart<br />
beating.<br />
<br />
(There is a long silence as she clasps her hands to her stomach, tears streaming down her face)<br />
<br />
Do you <em>hear</em> that? Of course you don't. That's the silence<br />
of my womb.<br />
<br />
Because you<br />
<br />
<strong>RIPPED<br /><br />OFF<br /><br />MY<br /><br />SWEATER!</strong>”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“That's not a good idea.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“Understanding a situation doesn't always make it easier”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“For once in my life, I was here and nowhere else.”<br />
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“My name is Olivia King<br />
<br />
I am five years old.<br />
<br />
My mother bought me a balloon. I remember the day she walked through the front door with it. The curly hot pink ribbon <strong>trickling</strong> down her arm, <strong>wrapped</strong> around her <strong>wrist</strong>. She was <strong>smiling</strong> at me as she <strong>untied</strong> the ribbon and wrapped it around my hand.<br />
<br />
“Here Livie, I bought this for you.”<br />
<br />
She called me Livie.<br />
<br />
I was so <strong>happy</strong>. I’d <strong>never</strong> had a <strong>balloon</strong> before. I mean, I always saw balloons wrapped around <strong>other</strong> kids wrists in the<br />
parking lot of <strong>Wal-Mart</strong>, but I never <strong>dreamed</strong> I would have my<br />
very <strong>own</strong>.<br />
<br />
My <strong>very own</strong> pink balloon.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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“There are three questions every woman should be able to answer yes to before they commit to a man. If you answer no to any of this question, run like hell.”<br />
― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Colleen Hoover</a>, <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/18602144" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Slammed</a></i></div>
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-78599695300100353692012-09-25T16:02:00.001+05:302013-06-24T20:54:00.853+05:30FUCKIN' PISSED OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Doesn't come close to my real feelings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517535-thoughtless" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Thoughtless (Thoughtless, #1)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331254339m/13517535.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517535-thoughtless">Thoughtless</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4372391.S_C_Stephens">S.C. Stephens</a><br />
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No disrespect to the authore or ugh I could care less. Whatever... I will try to warn through this angry haze that there are spoilers ahead... I do NOT care if you read them, whatever...<br />RIGHT. NOW. I. WANNA. FUCKIN'. KILL. SOMEONE. BEFORE. SLOWLY. TORTURING. THEM. BY. HITTING. THE. FACE. OR. WHATEVER. PART. OF. THE. BODY. I. COME. INTO. CONTACT. WITH.<br />MY BROTHER JUST ACCIDENTALY CAME IN MY ROOM AND I DROVE HIS ASS OUT CUZ I WAS FUCKIN' FREAKIN' SO ANGRY!! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AND HE SAID BOOK GEEKS ARE WEIRD I DIDN'T. EVEN. LAUGH. AT THAT ONE WHEN NORMALLY NO MATTER HOW PISSED I WOULD HAVE BEEN, I WOULD HAVE AT LEAST LAUGHED AT THAT RETORT!!<br />AND THIS EVEN DOES NOT COVER WHAT I'M FEELING RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />OH MY GOD!! I DON'T EVEN KNOW <em> WHERE </em> TO BEGIN, I STILL HAVE TO <em> FINISH </em> THE BOOK AND ITS REMAINING SHIT BUT I COULDN'T HANDLE MYSELF AND TRAIPSED OFF TO VENT WHATEVER I COULD WITH WORDS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I CAN WRITE COHERENTLY BUT RIGHT NOW I'M ASHAMED OF BEING THE SAME GENDER AS THE SINGLE-CELLED ORGANISM OR MAYBE SOMETHING EVEN LESSER BEING NAMED *SNORT* WHATSERNAME?? - <s> kiera </s> *gags* *vomits violently* blah blah whatever I couldn't have cared less, which sentiment doesn't even cover it!!!! I REGRETTED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT I READ A BOOK *insulted and humiliated*.... I DON'T KNOW <em> WHAT </em> THE AUTHOR WAS GOING FOR EXCEPT THAT SHE REALLY WANTED THE WORLD TO HATE THAT BLOB OF A CREATURE.... OH WELL, HATE IS FAR TOO LIGHT A WORD FOR THE WAY I'M FEELING RIGHT NOW .. I'M SURE A LAW ABIDING GOD FEARING PERSON WOULDN'T EVEN MIND THAT THEY KILLED THIS UNTHINKABLE PEICE OF "<s>kiera</s>" *aneurysm + choke +heart attack* SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Should I stop now, <em>can</em> I stop????????????????? I'll go back to complete the book because I wanna hate it thoroughly so I <em> have </em> to complete it.<br />*goes back to read <em> <strong> extremely </strong></em> reluctantly but getting one word in, comes running back* <br />OK, I <em>STILL</em> HAVEN'T COMPLETED CUZ THE SECOND I WENT BACK TO THE BOOK THE WORDS MADE ME FEEL WORSE AND NOW I'LL ASK SOME RANDOM QUESTIONS? IF YOU HAD A HOT BOYFRIEND THAT WAS PERFECT IN ALL THE WAYS YOU COULD ASK FOR, WOULD YOU <em>STILL</em> FEEL AROUSED BY A COMPLETE STRANGER YOU HAD JUST MET <em>JUST</em> BECAUSE HE WAS "HOTTER" THAN YOUR BOYFRIEND? I MEAN, HOW SHALLOW CAN YOU GET? WOULD YOU WHINE, CRY OR GET UPSET TERRIBLY FOR YOUR BOYFRIEND TO BE PHYSICALLY WITH YOU <em>JUST</em> BECAUSE HE HAS WORK THAT PAYS FOR THE BILLS WHEN YOU LIVE TOGETHER AND HAS TO TRAVEL TO ANOTHER CITY FOR IT FOR TWO MEASLY MONTHS??? WOULD YOU END YOUR RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE HE WASN'T CLOSE TO YOU <em>PHYSICALLY</em> AND HAS DECIDED TO WORK HIS <em>ASS OFF</em> TO DETERMINE A SECURE INCOME FOR THE BOTH OF YOU AS HE HAS ACCEPTED A JOB IN A FARAWAY CITY FOR TWO YEARS AND YOU CANT BE TOGETHER WITH HIM <em>PHYSICALLY<em></em> AS OFTEN AS YOU ARE NOW??? ARE YOU SUCH A SPINELESS ORGANISM THAT YOU HAVE TO DEPEND ON YOUR BF EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF YOUR FUCKIN' LIFE TO LIVE YOUR FRIGGIN' LIFE? CAN'T YOU HANDLE SOME DISTANCE FOR THE GOOD OF BOTH OF YOU? IF YOU STARTED TO HAVE SEX WITH SOMEONE ELSE DURING YOUR RELATIONSHIP HOW WOULD YOU FEEL? EVEN IF YOU LOVED YOUR BF YOU STILL HAVE SEX WITH SOMEONE ELSE JUST BECAUSE THEY AROUSE YOU, RAISE YOUR HORMONE LEVELS AND YOU "CAN'T" CONTROL YOUR BODY???? I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A LAMER EXCUSE! YOU KEEP SHITTING BOTH GUYS AND STILL DON'T FEEL LIKE A SLUTTY WH*RE AND YOU ACCUSE THE OTHER GUY FOR TRYING TO GET OFF ON WOMEN WHEN HE TRIES TO FORGET YOU CUZ IT'S THE RIGHT THING FOR YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BF... ? YOU KEEP HURTING BOTH OF THEM AND ONLY CARE ABOUT YOUR OWN SHITTY SELF WHEN YOU EVEN TRY TO THINK ABOUT THE SITUATION REGARDING THE THREE OF YOU!!...THEN YOU DON'T <em>WANNA</em> TELL YOUR BF THAT YOU'RE HAVING AN <strong>AFFAIR<strong> AND KEEP ON <strong>LYING</strong> CUZ YOU WANT BOTH THE GUYS TO F*CK YOU... YOU DON'T EVEN FEEL GUILTY ENOUGH TO TELL THE TRUTH CUZ YOU JUST WANNA PROTECT YOUR SELFISH. MISERABLE. UNWORTHY. ASS. WOW... WHEN THE BF <em>FINALLY</em> CATCHES YOUR LIES YOU STILL WANT <strong>'TIME'<strong> TO THINK IT THROUGH AND CHOOSE ONE GUY AND HURT BOTH OF THEM WITH YOUR RELUCTANCE (HELL! DOWN RIGHT DEFIANCE), TO NOT CHOOSE ONE OF THEM AND WANT BOTH <strong>AT THE SAME TIME</strong> OR CHANGE YOUR MIND EVERY OTHER SECOND AS YOUR MIND FLITS BETWEEN THEM <em>INFINITELY/i>.... I FEEL LIKE BILE RISING THROUGH MY THROAT. AND THE REST OF MY ORGANS CORRODED WITH ACID..<br />AND THIS ISN'T EVEN THE WORST OF IT. ( I <strong>KNOW</strong>!!) THE BF GIVES YOU A <strong>CHANCE TO CHOOSE HIM OVER THE AFFAIR</strong> BUT LIKE EVERY HORMONE FUELLED GIRL (I DON'T KNOW EVEN ONE, THIS IS A <strong> FIRST </strong>) YOU WANT TO F*CK BOTH. SICK. BUT THE ADJECTIVE DOESN'T EVEN DO <strong> ENOUGH </strong> JUSTICE... THEN (Yes! Imagine that there's MORE!) WHEN YOU GET CAUGHT BEING ALL INTIMATE WITH THE OTHER, BY YOUR BF HE GOES VOLATILE OVER THAT OTHER, AND YOU JUST FRIGGIN'. STAND. THERE. WATCHING WITHOUT INTERRUPTING TO SAVE YOUR WORSE. THAN. THE. WORST. ASS. I DON'T EVEN KNOW <em>WHY</em> I WAS ANGRY AT THAT POINT CUZ I <em> SHOULD </em> HAVE KNOWN THAT NOTHING MORE OR MAYBE SOMETHING LESSER OF AN ACT WAS <em>EXPECTED</em> OF HER.. HAHAHAH.. WOW... JUST WOW. *clenched teeth* Don't think I'm done as I'm <em>far</em> from it but if I keep on continuing I could <strong>die</strong> writing this and <em>no one would care..</em> I won't recommend this to someone who's a feminist, a softy, or my friend or ANYONE. EVER. <strong>PERIOD.</strong><br /><br />Oh yeah *falsely bright voice heavily laced with sarcasm*!! Did I mention <em>how</em> <strong>much</strong> I've come to <em>hate</em> 'blushes', even more so than after finishing The Fifty shade of idiot Grey?? You will too, once you read this book... And you'll have to overcome the insane but fitting urge to throw your boots or the heaviest object you can find and hurl it to crash something fragile and dumb.... I couldn't help myself from the incessant sarcastic comments slippin' outta my mind out loud <strong> <em> everytime </em></strong> </em> the stupid bitch's whining (supposed "guilt") *rolls eyes* about the two guys and specifically the rock dude, (even though when my brother heard me talking out loud to myself, once again he was mumbling about strange book geeks; normally at which I would be mortified and pick a fight with him but this time I didn't care enough to even comment!) and scan the page awkwardly.. and I was too disgusted to even notice the sexual scenes *holding hair over to actually thoroughly vomit* I have respect for the rock dude but I think no other decent person possessing dignity deserves such a deceitful slutty wh*re {I repeat this isn't enough to describe her *grimaces as if wounded life-threateningly with a stab in the stomach* "character" (UGH!! EWWWWWW!! NOT SURE I CAN CALL IT THAT!!) cuz she's completely somebody else in the first few pages and nothing <em>at all</em> in the remaining (if it can be called that) book}..... AHHHH!! AGONY!!! I feel regret to even try to have read this book!!<br />or maybe I have too much of a problem with infidelity as I take it for granted that relationships are about loyalty..... *rolls eyes way too obviously and loudly* Writing this whole thing I didn't even use proper punctuation and capitalisation as I was so angry and after calming down I corrected my mistakes for a <em> half an hour </em>!!!<br />Peace Out..</strong></strong></strong></strong></em><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/18387936-samruddhi">View all my reviews</a><br />
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2226782711594328353.post-43515868495459462712012-09-20T10:58:00.000+05:302012-09-23T04:32:24.037+05:30New Fifty Shades of Mr. Shitty Christian Grey completed!! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Okay guys i'm back salivating with some more reviews from my recent reading stint, yet again!!!!!!!!!!! And yes, you've guessed it correct when you read the title that this post is about The Fifty Shades series which has been frankly quite hot to be read if internet is to be believed!! (high chance of that maybe...) Everyone knows about the romantic erotic novels of Fifty Shades of Grey and if you don't, i think you live in a hermit crab's shell somewhere buried in sand!!!! Truth be told i'm really generally disappointed with this series- book in singular, whichever way you take it.... When i took it to reading i had already read the reviews and all of them were bad but the few good ones didn't seem to be quite balancing at all. But i pride myself to be an objective analyzer so i bravely took up the challenge of getting through the whole series. In the middle of the first 5 chapters or so, i found myself writing down my thoughts as i read the books so now i'm going to share all these word for word in this post.<br />
So i'm wondering where to start off with what i wanna say actually.... because my brain has been fucked up by the book.. badly.... I've decided i'm gonna adapt a conversational tone with this review to tone down the boredom and hostility but it's one sided (You can make it mutual by commenting on the views or somethin'!!) First thing i think of is- when i ask myself what comes to my mind hearing the phrase 'Fifty shades of grey' i find myself inadvertently thinking about businessmen (because of the word grey, maybe?) So coincidentally i turned out to be right when i read it's synopsis on Wiki! But after that other links in the chain light off in my brain. It could be about the complex shades of grey in us when we live in a black or white world. Maybe a comin-of-age book? I think about drab mechanical prose and business deals of entrepreneurs, grey experiences with other people from their sphere, maybe even the possibility of hope for his doomed soul after a life in darkness (blame it on too many mangas... Tsutomi Takahashi more particularly!) and i am proved right in some of my guesses but shockingly all my ideas were shown in the poorest light, they could just pass the description of the book..... I was shocked when i read the genre as well as the plot line!!!!!!I had read somewhere that The author got off inspiration from the Twilight series and frankly there's too much resemblance...even in the sentences put together- it's like she took out- scooped out sentences and pasted, matched them to the imaginary situations in this book... From the start i keep grinning,laughing silly over the similarities! Of course the words irritate me because of the oozing 'submission'(pun intended!!) from the female lead.... Honestly? I'm so tired of the abusive language and swear words between every sentence- Oh i stumbled, Holy shit.... Oh i have to help my friend because she's sick, holy crap, Oh Christian Grey eats food, holy fuck, oh i have dressed informally for something formal, holy cow, Oh I asked a question listed to me by my friend for whom i'm taking this interview, Holy cow ... What's WITH THIS STUPIDITY?????? It appalls me that Anastasia Steele doesn't have a passable vocabulary even when she's been deemed an intelligent Literature student who has a perfect body without working out.... Seriously, how unrealistic can you GET???? I wanna scream and run away when i encounter this book with eyes popping out and hair in balls of my fists!! I don't care the way the author has dredged up the female character.<br />
The only glimmer of hope i could find to read this out of sorts story was the psychological aspect- Christian Grey. The psychology and anomalies to it keep me flipping not the vivid yet boring already-too-predictable- sort of aggressive sexualism, if you can believe me!!!!! A classic erotic Mills and Boon story gift-wrapped in Twilight methods, is what i get smacked across here. i DO NOT appreciate it! At the point when Anastasia (btw such drama even in a name !! perhaps apt for the character... cuz she's dramatic too *gags*) is contemplating signing Grey's contract, i see a pinprick of the girl the author wants to smack in my face....she wants to love and be loved by someone normal, she feels dignity as a woman and isn't wanting 'submissiveness'.... she easily overwhelms by sex, because its her first time and by the author's commands she's in love with Grey!!Perhaps something already known to me in the back of my mind (read in Dan Brown's Deception point) that humans trigger fear to use it as an aphrodisiac...comes out the surface as i start chapter 14. i think maybe i'm starting to feel the problem and try to find a reason to the madness and fiction way beyond the fantasy realms..?? Fear can be a way but there are healthier ways right?? But i find out he was introduced to the SBDM thing or whatever at a most vulnerable point and found a coping mechanism in it... hmmm.. ' healthier' is a relative term...<br />
On an entirely clinical level i find BDSM relationships interesting because before i found them merely a gag reflex and too frightening... but now i may appreciate it better. It reinforces my established feeling of the theory of relativity (courtesy of Albert Einstien) But i'm just trying find reasons to continue reading this piece of unworthy literature.... As the mystery around Grey's childhood is enlightened in fractured pieces, i've already begun to guess the truth behind it...LAME!!! and rather obvious if Anastasia idiot steele had any common sense... The cigarette burn marks are too bare and obvious,sad poking and hurting. Now i almost wanna scream at her or slap or GAH!!! at her for not being able to guess the truth....! Well i have encountered the concept (for lack of a better word) facing Grey in many mangas. My instincts had been right. The most recent case i managed to acquiesce was in Eternal Sabbath manga where a side story mom couldn't lover her own blood because (pay the most attention here!!) she had been abused physically(violence, no sex) by her stepfather in childhood. The nightmare in the prologue of the second part that Grey has is a terrible surprise and shock. At first when i was introduced to such darker sides of us humans, i was too nauseated (out of words to describe it..) Now, i feel that if i come across a person in the same state(well in the same category..) i would like to help them whoever they are....i hate seeing them under this burden and i hope to help them from it someday... The consequences are parasitic and unless that person is willingly trying to overcome it, they'll never be peaceful or mayeven be unable to love! The aftermath of such a torture is varied and daunting... The abused mom can't lover her own kin.Well you understand why i'm rambling to different topics. I was trying to avoid thinking about the shallow and disgusting (too light words) plot but now i have to... Christian Grey can only communicate through painful beating and SBDM sex...to make himself feel good or maybe to punish himself (???) I'm appalled at the author's generic and lacking prose and pace. Inexplicably the pace may fasten at a certain point and then recede in the same way it came...I dont deny that mostly this book is repugnant to me and i hate the fantastical fantasy approach.. Psychology and its tendrils are the only thing pulling at me through the remaining flat occasionally muddy squishy shallow parts.The disassociating unwanted events unfolding on the characters , jar the whole thing and suddenly i don't wanna read anymore. Something strikes as i reflect on the words. In the Twilight series, Bella is having bursts of fear regarding facts of Edward's Vampiric nature the same way Ana feels for Grey's BDSM side.... sighing as i skate over the tiringly exhausting third part the situations feel over cinematic and overdone... Each sentence makes me wanna shout out that is the author such a dumb blonde of a daydreamer?? As an after thought, i shudder at the intellect that has cooked up a number to stand for a pet name!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean who would like to be called or even thought of as a number by their lover/spouse?????????? In the following parts the most unrealistic character 'development' takes place- Just because the female lead leaves and ends their relationship, the male lead comes to his senses (sort of) and goes after her a changed man!! I also note the lack thereof from the author in the last part.... The prose is disjointed as if she wants to just get on with the book in a hasty manner and insult the reader!!! I ask myself as i ice-skate over the last quarter, how could the woman have created such an impossible character?? Sure he has childhood trauma but that seldom amounts to such a case of self-abhorrence if the character is such a case of it!!!!!!!!!!! No human is capable of it except perhaps a nun?! The last quarter has very astounding similarities to the Twilight book. As the climax slams i'm really pissed at the author!! Grey has been extremely frigid about sharing his trauma and suddenly he can spill the beans in one moment!!!! I hate the vulgar repetitive language, the spineless female character, the semblance to Twilight in all it's crappy exasperating details (rich male, piano playing, emotional build up of both characters...etc) Having criticized the book so much i want to be honest again that even after finishing it i find myself softening to it somewhat... I'm surprised that i want to reread the book but it's mainly for amusing purposes... I read a review with which i fully agree, so if you guys are interested in more of my opinions and details regarding the book (there are many spoilers!) here's the other review-<a href="http://www.bookclubbuddy.com/2012/50-shades-of-grey-reviewed-by-pearl-luke/" target="_blank">http://www.bookclubbuddy.com/2012/50-shades-of-grey-reviewed-by-pearl-luke/</a> OH OH OH ATTENTION PEOPLE!!!!!!!<br />
UPDATE!!!!! I'm quoting another review because i think i could have gone soft over mine and i happen to concur withthis one thoroughly... found it on Goodreads.com , the very first review!! Iwon't leave a link as i just wanna quote it !!*Revengeful grin* OKAY HERE GOES THE REVIEW BY Katrina Lumsden!!!!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">What in the hell just happened? Did I really read that? Oh, my god, I did. I did read that. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Meet Anastasia Steele:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Ana is just a giant mess of a human being. She's insecure to the point of it being laughable, 'klutzy' (even though she only trips twice in the entire book), and a complete ditz. She's a virgin (of course) who's never taken any sexual interest in anyone before. Right. I'm fairly certain there hasn't been a woman this naive since 'round about 1954. At one point, she thinks putting her hair in pigtails will keep her safe from Christian's lusty advances. Fuckin' </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">really?</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> She "flushes" constantly, and on several occasions referred to her hoo-hoo-naughty place as "down </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">there</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Next, we have Christian Grey:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Christian is a misogynistic, self-loathing, abusive piece of shit. Apparently, his only redeeming qualities are, in this order; his ridiculous good looks, his money, and his giant penis. The only time Ana seems to like him as a person is when he's being "lovable", and those times are few and far between. Most of the time he's serious, brooding, and threatening. How charming.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I knew from the very first line this wasn't going to be good. </span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><strong>"I scowl with frustration at myself in the mirror."</strong> </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">It was cemented that early, my deep, deep dislike for this moronic, simpering asshole. Your hair won't behave? Guess what?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">My suspicions were confirmed a few pages later when Ana admits that any "sympathy" she feels for her sick friend is "unwelcome". Unwelcome, apparently because her friend is beautiful, even when she has the flu...? What a petty, jealous cunt. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The only thing that made the first 4% of this book tolerable was the fact that I read it aloud to my younger brother, and his frequent commentary was amusingly distracting. Once he gave up, however, I had to travel the rest of the road alone. What a painful journey it was. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">My first impressions of Ana were bad (deservedly so). What were my first impressions of Christian? Well...</span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">That's</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> how I felt about Christian Grey. From the beginning. Any time an author tries to sell me on a character's "charm" by waxing hormonal about how "ridiculously good-looking" he is, I snicker inwardly. I can't think why....</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Huh.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Anyway, after reading about the description of Christian's building (hello, first penis metaphor), I had to sit through the awful dialogue between these smarmy idiots and hope beyond hope that something, anything, would distract me enough to see me through to the end. Turns out, I found something about 15% through. I went back and counted, and kept track throughout the rest of the book, and do you have </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">any</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> idea how many fucking times Ana said "Oh my" in this monumentally bad missive? Do you? I'll tell you; 79! 79 motherfucking times. "He pulled me back against his chest...</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">oh my</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">." "He began kissing a trail down my belly, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">oh my</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">." "He's an insufferable douchenozzle,</span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">oh my</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">!" (I'm just thankful that neither lions, tigers, nor bears were brought into this mess at any point.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">About halfway through, I wished I'd been keeping track of the word "crap" because Ana is constantly saying/thinking it. Crap, Holy Crap, Double and Triple Crap, Oh Crap, This Crap, That Crap, any and all Crap. Speaking of crap, if I ever, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">ever</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> ever have to hear/read the words "inner goddess" again, I'm going to construct a pyre out of tampons and maxi pads, light it, and toss unsuspecting women into it. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">^My inner goddess will cap yours in the face if you don't shut the fuck up^</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I'm sorry, I just couldn't take </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">any</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> of this seriously. His playroom. His </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">playroom</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">? Really?</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/peewee.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Or how about his weird-ass issues with food? He wants the girl slim and in shape, yet he won't stop trying to force her to eat!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I simply love the attempt E.L. James made at giving these pathetic shells personalities. Ana wears Converse, drives a vintage car, and likes classic British lit. *Yawn* haven't heard any of </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">that</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> before. And Christian; we know Christian's super deep and sophisticated because he plays the piano and listens to obscure classical music. This is how we know </span><s style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Edward</s><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> Christian is really just a lost soul in need of love; his love of music. Everyone knows that no one threatening listens to music. Music lovers just aren't capable of doing anything bad.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">^</span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Surprise!</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> Psychos like music, too.^</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Since this is considered nothing more than "mommy porn", I will attempt to pander to that particular demographic for a moment. Were the sex scenes well-written? Well, none of it was particularly well-written. The sex scenes could be kind of...honestly, they were kind of boring. I've had more exciting sex myself, so I guess reader response to the sex scenes is dependent on reader experience. There's nothing revolutionary here, and a lot of it is just plain unrealistic. I mean, come on, he pretty much jackhammers her hymen and she walks away with nothing more than a passing, pleasant soreness? Riiiight. How about the time he gives her a handjob with a soapy washcloth? Hello? Apparently neither one of them has ever heard of a urinary tract infection. Oh, or we could talk about her first time giving Christian a blowjob, during which Ana established herself as some kind of Queen of Deepthroat.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Anyone wanna hear about the tampon scene? Oh, you've already </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">heard</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> about the tampon scene? Yeah, same here, although hearing about it and reading the actual scene are a bit different. For some reason, you imagine it being worse than it actually is, while at the same time, reading about it is more horrifying than you could </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">possibly</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> imagine. </span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><strong>"He reaches between my legs and pulls on the blue string...<em>what!</em>And...gently pulls my tampon out and tosses it into the nearby toilet."</strong> </em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Look, I'm not against sex during menses, but a guy plucking out a girl's tampon? Yeah, gross. I'm not a prude, but there are certain lines people just shouldn't cross. What makes it worse is that Christian is just thrilled that Ana's raggin' because he hates using condoms.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Apparently, Mr. GinormoDick doesn't know that a woman can get pregnant while on her period. Which is hilarious considering all the teaching and training he's doing to remedy </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Ana's</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> sexual ignorance. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Sexual dependence, thy name is Anastasia Steele. We're supposed to believe that this girl has gone 21 years neither having had sex </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">nor</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> masturbating? Hm. Well, Christian's supposed sexual prowess makes a bit more sense now, as does Ana's assertion that he has a giant bologna wand. She has absolutely </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">zero</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> experience, and she's never once had anything "in </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">there</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">". Thing could be the size of a baby carrot and she'd still be like, "Oh, my </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">glob!</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> How is it ever going to fit?!" </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">It's good that she stockpiled all those potential orgasms, though, because now she's capable of having like, 15 a day or something. It's ridiculous. Come to think of it, Christian's obsession with her eating habits makes a bit more sense now. She was probably beginning to look like something out of a horror movie.</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/gifhorreur-horrorgifskeleton.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Seriously, though, are we going to take the word of a girl who is apparently so undersexed she's never even masturbated? I guess I can sort of understand this obsession with some kind of an awakening, but...really? "Oh, he's </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">soooo</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> good in bed!" How the </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">hell</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> would she know?! She has absolutely </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">nothing</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> with which to compare, not even </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">her own damn hand!</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/Eye%20Roll/tumblr_lj6nfreDzm1qeof1t.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Now I'll be totally honest, the biggest issue I have with Fifty Shades of Shit is neither the sex nor the horrible writing. It's the plot. Thin as it is, it's still there, its core message being that, given enough time, you can change someone. While I don't have any problem with this if all you're trying to do is help them to lose weight or quit smoking, when you're talking about an emotionally and (dangerously close to) physically abusive relationship, sending that kind of message is ridiculous and irresponsible. Christian is controlling, possessive, condescending, and cruel. He doesn't allow Ana to behave as she normally would, and Ana just puts up with it, insistent that if she can give him what he wants, when he wants, as often as he wants, she can eventually begin to pull his strings. Will it work? In the books, probably. In real life? No. Almost never. How many idiotic, weak women are going to waste their lives on some emotionally retarded prick because they've read shit like this and think this kind of fucked-up fairytale will come true for them? I've known women with this mentality. "Oh, he's so dark and dangerous and threatening, but he's got a sad, lonely side, and if I could just figure out what's wrong, I could change him!" </span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/d1Zxa.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Wake the fuck up, he may be hot, he may have a huge dick, he may even be rich, that doesn't make him a good person. It doesn't even make him a </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">potentially</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> good person. Quit.Being.A.Fucking.Idiot. (Look, I can make my words Staccato like Christian. Now hold still while I choke you until you pass out...)</span><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">^Ana and Christian^ - "I said don't roll your eyes at me!!"</strong><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Christian stalks Ana (which she turns into a fucking joke), and whispers things to her "threateningly". She's constantly afraid he's going to beat the crap out of her, and with good reason as he, on more than one occasion, tells her he's going to/wants to.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Potential rape is downplayed. Ana's friend, </span><s style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Jake</s><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> Jose, starts pushing himself on her rather vehemently when they're both drunk. Ana repeatedly says no, but Jose just keeps trying to go in for the kill. Admiral Chaps busts on up with his riding crop, however, and saves her. Ana (understandably) avoids Jose for a while after that, and when her other friend asks her why, all Ana says is, "He made a pass at me." Later on, she and Jose are friends again, the "attempted kiss" forgotten. *Sigh*</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Rapists appear to be a theme. Christian tells Ana that he gets off on having complete and total control over another person. This is not just in the bedroom, but in Ana's overall life. On several occasions, he fails to yield when Ana says no, plunging on regardless, assured she'll like whatever he does, anyway, so why bother stopping?</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/WTF/340x.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">And there are women out there who think this is romantic.</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/swansonsmile.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I wish you the best of luck, ladies. May you get everything your hearts desire And when your dreamboats start giving you black eyes and pushing you down stairs, don't come crying to me.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">By the way, for all you ladies bustin' out your toys while daydreaming about Hunky Mr. Grey, I want you to do something for me. It'll only take a moment. Close your eyes. Think about all the things Christian Grey does in the book. Not just those supposed sweet things, but really, everything. His condescension, his control, his insane jealousy, his threats.....and now....imagine he looks like this:</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/1126312474_f.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Still turned on? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The end of the book was absolutely hilarious, with Ana fleeing in emotional tumult because Christian can't give her what she needs (</span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">love!</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> *sniff*).</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/tumblr_lp9o95P3Z81qlnvco.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">And we're treated to her alternately being angry about the pain and humiliation she faced at Christian's hands, and chastising </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">herself</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> for being a failure and for being </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">mean</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">to Christian. It really is </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">classic</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> abuse mentality. She's pathetic. And I hate her. A lot.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">It's this kind of ignorant trash that sets feminism back decades. Women who defend this book are, however unwittingly, participating in some of the most blatant misogyny I've ever witnessed, giving the impression that some women enjoy being debased, abused, and controlled (</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">outside</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> of a consensual dom/sub relationship). This is not a book about BDSM, this is a book about one sick, abusive man and his obsession with a young, naive invertebrate. It's a book about a girl who has absolutely no sense of self, who sacrifices any pretense of individuality in order to hold onto a man who doesn't even show her the faintest glimmer of respect. It's about two attention-starved individuals with the emotional maturity of toilet paper convincing themselves that their relationship is 'like, the best thing ever, OMG'. It's trite, insulting, and dangerous. I fear for any impressionable young women who read this and think that </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">this</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> is how an ideal relationship should operate. If nothing else, it should be issued as a guidebook to mothers around the world to show their daughters the kind of man to avoid at all costs. This book does </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">good</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> men (and indeed, all of humanity) a disservice. </span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/hahahDumbCumdumpsterthenhumanitywoulddieoffwithoutguys_0781018d62d556c05a83608c9a828585.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">*Sigh*</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">A bestseller. They're thinking of turning it into a movie....I can't....</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Word Count: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Oh My" - 79</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Crap" - 101</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Jeez" - 82</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Holy (shit/fuck/crap/hell/cow/moses)" - 172</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Whoa" - 13</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Gasp" - 34</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Gasps" - 11</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Sharp Intake of Breath" - 4</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Murmur" - 68</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Murmurs" - 139</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Whisper" - 96</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Whispers" - 103</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Mutter" - 28</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Mutters" - 23</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Fifty" - 16</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Lip" - 71</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Inner goddess" - 58</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Subconscious" - 82</span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">THE SECOND PART'S REVIEW BY KATRINA!!!<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Yeah, I've continued with the series. Why, you ask? Why, when I so thoroughly despised </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10818853.Fifty_Shades_of_Grey" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" title="Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James">Fifty Shades of Grey</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">, would I do this to myself? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Why, for the </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">fun</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> factor, of course! Bad writing tends to make me giddy because I'm much better at being a </span><s style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">horribly judgmental person</s><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> critic than I am at....well, most anything else. Reading books this awful actually brings a certain amount of joy into my life. Plus, I had a few people tell me they couldn't wait for my reviews of the second and third Fifty books. Alas, here I am. Unfortunately (for me), </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11857408.Fifty_Shades_Darker" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" title="Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James">Fifty Shades Darker</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> wasn't quite as bad as as its predecessor. Don't get me wrong, it was still awful, but the rage-inducing badness of the first wasn't quite as powerful here. Or maybe I've built up a bit of an immunity. No matter, it's still bad, and I'm still going to have a hell of a lot of fun writing about it. Now, the first installment in this series made me so angry, I could barely write a coherent review. I'll be using more source material this time around (but don't worry, there will still be gifs).</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Very first sentence:</span><br />
<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"He's come back. Mommy's asleep or she's sick again."</strong> </em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">My reaction to that sentence was a snort of laughter. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">We begin with a prologue of Christian Grey having a night terror regarding a childhood memory. I simply couldn't help laughing when his mom's pimp treated me to six utterances of, "You are one fucked-up bitch." </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">In a row.</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">After the prologue, we're right back in Anastasia's head (it's a good thing there's room for us in there). We're treated to a chapter of her wallowing in depression and self-pity while wasting away because Christian isn't there to remind her that eating is a fundamental aspect of survival. We're also introduced to Ana's new job at SIP, a small publishing company, and to her new boss. Mr. Jack Hyde. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Mr. Hyde? Really?</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/Wink/bateman.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Psst! He's a villain! It isn't at <em>all</em> obvious, either. Total surprise.</strong><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">After what seems a rather generous amount of whining from Ana, she and Christian are back together. Yay! All that screwed-up physical violence forgotten. It's so sweet, too, their reunion. Christian asks Ana why she didn't safeword in the midst of his assault (which occurred at the end of the first book), and she admits that she was overwhelmed and just...forgot. Call me crazy, but to me, this is understandable. You're not used to this consensual punishment thing (not to mention the fact that you never explicitly consented in the first place) and your man is enjoying viciously turning your ass into a slab of raw beef, and you forget there's an easy way out of it. I get that. Christian, not so much. He asks how he's ever going to trust her again. And Ana? She </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">apologizes.</em><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/tumblr_lh4ctlSXcr1qg1xpdo1_400.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Was I angry when I read that? Shit, yes, but thankfully, things ended up taking a turn. Ana sort of starts to stand up for herself and Christian begins to catch on that he's a total d-bag and maybe he should tone it down. This is where the story changed for me. It went from all-out rage-inducing (like the first book), to incomprehensible hilarity. I had thought the first line was good, but in comparison, lines like this are pure comedic gold:</span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"I want you, and the thought of anyone else having you is like a knife twisting in my dark soul."</strong> </em><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/Laughing/tumblr_ls92fhAnMI1qjv99e.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Oh my</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">, it's my dream man. He's crazy with a side of fries </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">and</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> he utters the worst romanticisms this side of a Nicholas Sparks novel. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">The sex scenes are tamer in terms of their content, but they're also extremely limited in terms of content. The same thing happens every time; Christian flashes Ana a "look", during which his eyes darken (he might have a serious ocular condition), desire "pools in her belly", some undressing occurs, then there's nipple teasing, he blows, sucks, nips, licks, whatever, and she is usually pretty passive, save for her gyrating hips, which were once "caught up in his cool vanilla spell" (I couldn't make this shit up), and then....Ana explodes. </span><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">WARNING: Graphic Visual Interpretation of Christian and Ana's Sex</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2226782711594328353" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; cursor: pointer; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: underline;">(view spoiler)</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Oh, and she apparently loses consciousness after every orgasm. Why is this happening? She might be anemic. She should get that checked out.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">There was one really gross sex scene, though. The ice cream scene. Christian is dripping ice cream all over Ana, and I was going, "Ewwww!" because I really hate the stickiness of sugary foods anywhere on my body, and can you imagine that shit getting in your hair? (Oh, hush). Whatever, that's not the point. The point is, this doesn't sound right: </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"He shifts lower and starts eating the ice cream in my belly..."</strong> </em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">It's the Zombie plague! It's got hold of Fifty! It's Fifty shades of viscera!! </span><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!</strong><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Aaaanywho, where was I? Oh, right, the sex. Boring. Even more boring than in the first book because the same wording is used for nearly every scene. And since there are a lot of sex scenes, I experienced no less than 15 instances of deja vu. Even my inner voice sounded bored; "He slides his fingers in and swirls, blah blah </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">blah</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">, erection digging into my hip, yadda yadda, gotta remember to pick up milk at the store tomorrow..." </span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/tumblr_m3uedoagNn1qc1ylf.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">The tiresomely redundant writing would probably be a little easier to deal with if not for the fact that the majority of it is used to express the thoughts of what is unquestionably the dumbest character in the history of literature. Ana is a mental midget. This is not about her choices, it's about her inability to comprehend even the simplest of concepts. I think my favorite demonstration was during a charity auction Christian's parents were hosting. One of Christian's "ex-subs" (that's ex-submissive for those who aren't in the know *wink wink*) is wandering around, apparently armed and gunning for Ana. Or Christian. We never really know for sure, but anyway, because of this threat, Christian has hired more security. Taylor, Christian's chief bodyguard, now has three guys under his command, and all four of them are cruising the party, keeping an eye out for Ms. Small, Dark, and Nutsy. After watching a fireworks display (during which Ana was awed like a fucking four-year-old), I was treated to this exchange: </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Christian: </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"Stay with me a moment. Taylor wants us to wait while the crowd disperses."</strong> </em><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Ana: (thinks) </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Oh.</em><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Christian: </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"I think that fireworks display probably aged him a hundred years."</strong> </em><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Ana: </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"Doesn't he like fireworks?"</strong> </em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">That's not even the best part, though. The best part is Christian's reaction: </span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"Christian gazes down at me fondly and shakes his head but doesn't elaborate."</strong> </em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I had a really hard time not imagining what went through Christian's mind. You know what I'm talking about. "Oh, darling, it's a good thing you're hot. Otherwise I'd take you up in Charlie Tango right now and push you out somewhere over the Space Needle."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">There were times, of course, when the idiocy wasn't restricted to Ana and her vacuous noggin. At one point, Christian and Ana are discussing his crazy ex-sub, Leila, and Ana can tell Christian is holding something back, so she snaps at Christian to tell her what's going on. </span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"She managed to obtain a concealed weapons permit yesterday."</strong> </em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Really? I know E.L. James is a Brit, and yeah, maybe she views this as the United States of Barbarity, but you can't just wander into a fucking gun store and ask for a goddamn CPL. In fact, in Washington state, it can take up to 60 days for an out-of-state resident to receive theirs, and that's </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">after</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> the background check. The stupid doesn't end there, though. </span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"Oh shit. I gaze at him, blinking, and feel the blood draining from my face as I absorb this news. I may faint. Suppose she wants to kill him? No. “That means she can just buy a gun,” I whisper."</strong> </em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Well, sure, if she wants to be all </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">obvious</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> about it. I kinda figured she'd go the subtle route and get herself a bunny.</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/killer_rabbit_gif_by_renjikuchiki1-d3fjdsm.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">It was during moments like that when I wished I knew Ana in real life, simply for of the amount of fun that could be had fucking with her. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Ana, you don't understand. It's so much worse than that. A concealed weapons permit means she can buy a </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">concealed</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> weapon. Concealed weapons are....</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">invisible</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">."</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/tumblr_m3hlvufLOn1qiopof.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Did I mention Ana's dumb? Well, guess what? She also has the emotional maturity of a fruit fly. It's worse than hanging out with a love-sick 14-year-old. Why? Because it's hanging out with a love-sick 21-year-old with the emotional maturity of a fruit fly. I thought I made this clear. You know who else made it clear? E.L. James. I was beaten over the head over and over and</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">over</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> again with Ana's self-doubt and insecurities. She's so unsure of herself, in fact, that she keeps asking the </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">reader</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> questions; "What is he trying to tell me?" "What does he/she mean?" "What is going on?" "What should I do?" "Where is our relationship going?" "What was </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">that</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> about?" "Where are we going?" "What is he planning?" "What is he gonna do?" "How does he know?" </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Hey, Ana! Guess what?!</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/tumblr_lp4r8oqbJ11qgdu00.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">When she's not whining, crying, giggling, getting railed, or giving herself a migraine trying to think, she's going on and on in these relentless inner diatribes about how hot/sexy/adorable/god-like/beautiful Christian is, and joy is erupting inside her every time she realizes she's with him, and she gets a warm feeling whenever she thinks about how much she </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">lurves</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> him, and on and on and </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">ooooon</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">. Her inner goddess (ridiculous metaphor for her vagina) is still annoyingly present, and her subconscious has gotten even bitchier (just how Ana knows what's going on in her </span><u style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">subconscious</u><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> has yet to be determined). One of the best parts about her inner dialogue is that she's always telling us what's going on after we've had the scene described to us. And several times she reacts with astounded shock that someone *gasp*</span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">changed the subject</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">. (No. I am not fucking kidding.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Ana is that special friend you end up wanting to choke to death every time you talk to her, but you don't have the ambition to tell her to go fuck herself with a rake, so you avoid her when you can, and when you can't, you sit around listening to her inane babbling like...</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/tumblr_lk78i4bX8B1qats0g.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Her insecurity reaches monumental, mind-blowing levels, however, when she finds Leila (remember her?) in her apartment. Lord Fisterbottom rushes in to save the day, of course, but then Ana watches him go all "Dom" on Leila to defuse the situation. Then he ends up at Leila's side, stroking her hair, trying to chillaxe the crazy broad, and Ana starts getting </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">jealous</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">! Right there, I'm not kidding! She doesn't want to leave the apartment because she's afraid of what will happen between Christian and Loony Tunes! Taylor has to forcibly remove Ana from her apartment, and the whole time we're treated to Ana's bullshit thoughts regarding whether or not Christian is going to </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">leave her</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> for Leila.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Fucked up, right? There's a time and a place for insecurity; that ain't it. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Oh, then she finds out Christian gave Leila a bath. What that has to do with the story, I have no idea.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">So are you getting the gist? Lots and lots of melodrama. Well, we haven't gotten to Christian's melodrama yet, so prepare yourselves. He starts freaking out on Ana, telling her she can't leave, she means everything to him, he needs her, blah blah blah, and then....then he says, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"I'm a sadist, Ana. I like to whip little brown-haired girls like you because you all look like the crack whore - my birth mother."</strong> </em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Say what? Normal reaction to this is revulsion and horror. To give her some credit, Ana is a little horrified. Does she leave? </span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"Then it hit me like a wrecking ball. If he's a sadist, he really needs all that whipping and caning shit. Oh fuck. I put my head in my hands. "So it's true," I whisper, glancing up at him, "I can't give you what you need." This is it - this really does mean we are incompatible."</strong> </em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Oh, for fuck's sake.</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/antoine-dodson-dumb.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">That is </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">not</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> the proper response to your boyfriend's revelation that he likes to abuse and sex you because you look like his </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">mom</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">! This is:</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/tumblr_m4n3acifJ71qihztbo1_500.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">*Sigh*</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">There's also a helicopter crash, a marriage proposal, a showdown with an ephebophile, and an attempted rape. Why? Because why the fuck not?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I don't even know where to go from here. This book is ridiculous. Even more so than the first since it's trying to sell the reader on this impossible scenario. You cannot change an abusive man, and it is dangerous folly to try. Quit romanticizing it. Fantasy is one thing, impossible delusions are quite another.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I suppose I'll close with one of my favorite lines from the mind of the magnificently inept Miss Steele: </span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"Raiding the fridge once more, I gather potatoes, ham, and -<em>Yes!</em> - peas from the freezer."</strong> </em><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Yes!</strong><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Peas!!!</strong><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Word Count: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Oh my" - 47</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Crap" - 36</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Jeez" - 84</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Holy (shit/fuck/crap/hell/cow/moses)" - 124</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Whoa" - 30</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Gasp" - 44</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Gasps" - 17</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Sharp Intake of Breath" - 5</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Murmur" - 91</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Murmurs" - 194</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Whisper" - 140</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Whispers" - 113</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Mutter" - 71</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Mutters" - 48</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Fifty" - 95</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Lip" - 47</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Inner goddess" - 58</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Subconscious" - 59</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">And I'm out.</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/tumblr_m442d6Ok0C1qfm7xb.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" />
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And yesss the third part's review!! *Insane giggle*<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Welcome back, fellow masochists (or those of you who simply wish to forgo the hassle of reading this crap and opt for my poignant reviews instead). I wish I could say </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12881778.Fifty_Shades_Freed" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" title="Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James">Fifty Shades Freed</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> met my expectations, but...well, honestly, I don't know </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">what</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> the fuck that was. I don't know how I feel. I don't know what to think. The only thing I know is that, usually after finishing a trilogy/series, I'm lost. My brothers end up finding me curled up in a ball somewhere and they laugh and call me names, most of which are variations of "emo douchebag" because I'm all like</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/Crying/tumblr_lt33suvAno1qfmr75.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I can't help it. If I've invested enough of myself into a story to read more than one installment, it generally means I liked it (or at least something about it). That wasn't the case with the Fifty Shades trilogy. I went into </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10818853.Fifty_Shades_of_Grey" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" title="Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James">Fifty Shades of Grey</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> knowing full well I would probably hate it, and I wasn't wrong. In fact, I think I may have underestimated that book in terms of how thoroughly it would infuriate and disgust me. I considered not bothering with the next two installments because I was certain it wouldn't get any better. Look, I know there are those of you out there who think that it </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">did</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> get better, but I'm not talking about the story. I mean, I don't think that improved much, either, but the point I'm trying to make is that E.L. James is a terrible writer, technically</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">and</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> artistically. As a photographer, I can tell you that sucking ass in both categories won't get you far. Certain people will give you a certain amount of latitude one way or another, sure, but if your composition is badly placed, taken at the wrong time of day, crowded, confusing, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">and</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> out of focus....well, you get it. Needless to say, I wasn't even halfway through </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11857408.Fifty_Shades_Darker" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" title="Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James">Fifty Shades Darker</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> before I started getting bored, but I trudged on and it wasn't much different from any of the boredom I've experienced before. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Then I started reading </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12881778.Fifty_Shades_Freed" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" title="Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James">Fifty Shades Freed</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">. I can honestly say that I had no idea this kind of feeling was even possible. I've never had a book so thoroughly turn off my desire to read before. Ever. I would read a page here and there, then turn my Kindle off and get online. There wouldn't be anything to do online, and I'd sit at my desk thinking, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Oh, I should really finish that book.</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> But then I'd just keep surfing the internet. To be honest, it was because every time I even thought about reaching for my Kindle, my brain did this: </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">It should come as no surprise, then, that my reaction when finishing this book was </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">not</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> despondent depression. Far from it. It was....exhilaration.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Now that that's out of the way, I suppose I should tell you a little bit about what happened this time around. OK....</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Honeymoon. Christian throwing a tantrum. Ana's boobs get marked up in retaliation. Drama, drama, drama, corn, some cheese, sex sex sex, lots of whining, Christian being clingy, Ana trying to assert her independence, blah blah blah. It reads exactly like the other two books with its repetitive wording and infuriating platitudes, and because of this it suffers far more than the other two books. I was </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">tired</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> of reading this shit. The only thing that set this one apart was the utter weirdness of a few of the scenes. Like Christian marking up Ana's titties after she goes topless on a beach in the south of France. Yeah, it happens. It's OK, though. Ana gives him a pass because, emotionally, he's stuck in adolescence and this apparently gives him free reign to do as he likes with impunity. She's angry at first, sure, but she forgives him. Even after he has the balls to say, "Well, you won't take your top off again."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">The temerity of this character is astounding. E.L. James has managed to create one of the most blatantly antagonistic sociopaths I've ever seen, yet women everywhere are gobbling it up like he's the best thing since the vibrator. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">But nothing really happens in the first 90% of the book except a lot of emotional manipulation. Ana and Christian play games with each other's emotions and genuinely seem to have absolutely no clue how to communicate with another human being. It's apparently all good, though, because the sex makes up for any lack of connection they should have. During one sex scene, Ana thinks, "We still have this. We'll always have this." </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">No. No, you won't. Your sex life may still be fulfilling after five, ten, or even fifteen years, but it won't be the same. No, not at all. And if you think for one second that sex can make up for the emotional connection and teamwork a marriage requires, you're going to be sorely disappointed. Look I'm all for fantasy, but I guess I like mine tinged with a little more reality than this. Friendship is the foundation of any solid relationship and without it, you're just bumpin' uglies until it gets boring. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Arguably the best thing to come out of this book was the fun I had discussing butt plugs with my sister-in-law. Yes, there's a sex scene involving a butt plug, and yes, it's both hilarious and disturbing, if for nothing else but E.L. James' refusal to use the word “ass”. Ana is always using the words 'behind' and 'bottom' to describe her </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">other</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> “down </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">there</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">”, and those words do not mesh well with the concept of an anal sex toy. I'm sorry, but hearing about how Christian inserted a butt plug into Ana's 'bottom' made me both uncomfortable </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">and</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> highly amused. Or when he inserted his finger into her 'behind'. No. No. As a child, you have a behind or a bottom, but once you hit about 14 or so, it's your butt or your ass. Only occasionally can the other words be used in reference to an older individual and be gotten away with. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">As amusing as all that was, however, it didn't hold a candle to the things that went on when they were </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">finished</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> engaging in anal play. Just to be clear, I don't have anything against people who find pleasure in the anus. If that's your thing, hey, more power to ya. So I don't have a problem with the sex scenes themselves. However, when Christian fingered Ana's arsehole and then </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">didn't wash his hands</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">...yeah, I was a little grossed out. They're cuddling and everything afterward and on a constant loop in my head was, “poopy finger, poopy finger, poopy finger....poopy....finger!” My sister-in-law said she was wondering if he was going to make her suck on it like he did every other time he jammed his digits into her nether regions. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">But wait, there's more! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Ana asks Christian who cleans the toys (this is after they've used the aforementioned butt plug), and he informs her it's either him, a submissive, or Mrs. Jones. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Mrs Jones, the </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">hired help</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">. She's a maid and a cook, for pete's sake, not a wall-washer at the local gentleman's club! </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">God</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">! Can you imagine taking a housekeeping job with some 27-year-old douche canoe and all you're expecting is dusting, vacuuming, cooking, etc., and the next thing you know, he's handing you a bowl of used butt plugs? Or maybe he's not even handing them to you, he just mentions that, hey, that mysterious almost-always-locked spare room could use a good cleaning and you walk in to discover not only that you've stumbled into some kind of David Lynchian porn den, but you've also been greeted by the smell of stale sex and </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">ass</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">. And oh! </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">There's a bowl of dirty butt plugs on the sideboard!</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Mr. and Mrs. Brady may have had their freaky naughty time, but I highly doubt they were crass enough to make Alice clean up after it. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">So then Ana takes the butt plug (yes, I'm still on this) and washes it off in the sink, then vaguely wonders if it needs to be sanitized somehow.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Well, Ana.........................................I'm thinking yes. Yes, it should probably be subjected to some sort of sanitation process. But that's just my opinion. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">When you read scenes like that over the course of several books, it really comes as no surprise when you discover that Ana has missed several appointments with her gyno and apparently completely forgotten about her birth control shot. You know where this is going. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Christian is going to fuh</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">reeeaaak</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Christian, I'm pregnant.”</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">And at first, Christian's all like</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/Angry/tumblr_m472w1OKrn1qf0k2h.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">But then he's like</span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/Angry/tumblr_lrfkhpIrLp1qle1q6.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Then he storms out and is never heard from again. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Ha! I </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">wish</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> 'cause that would've been the end of the story, and it would've served Ana right for being such an idiot. But alas, he returns and there's nothing to be done for it except more melodrama. He comes home drunk and Ana finds out he saw the “bitch troll” pedophile again, and she feels betrayed, and yadda yadda. So they fight, and this is the only time in any of the books that they actually have a raging screaming match, and yeah, it was about fucking time it happened, but even the fight is tainted by Ana's ridiculous assertions that if Christian touches her, he'll just get his way because her traitorous body will succumb to him. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Christian spends the entire book shutting Ana up with his penis. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">So then the ending happens. Something about Hyde kidnapping Christian's sister or some shit. Ana saves the day. Funny. No, it really is 'cause the girl's dumb. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Well, when that shit's all over, we get this weird-ass epilogue wherein Ana asserts that she thinks their in-utero daughter "likes sex already" because she's dancing around in her mother's womb after...sex? I guess so. There isn't a sex scene, so not only is this remark </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">fucking weird</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">, it's also oddly misplaced. Then Christian sucks popsicle off of his son's fingers. </span><br />
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<img class="escapedImg" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%3Ca" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><img alt="Photobucket" class="escapedImg" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r512/shutterbird13/WTF/3dRLp.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; max-width: 430px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">What is </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">with</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> E.L. James and the finger sucking?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">(Edit: A commenter brought to my attention the fact that there is indeed a sex scene before the aforementioned conversation about the baby liking sex. So I double-checked and yes, there </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">is</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> a sex scene right before. The confusion came about as the direct result of E.L. James's inability to maintain a coherent timeline.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">After the epilogue, there's even </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">more</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> pointless drivel. The beginning of </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10818853.Fifty_Shades_of_Grey" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" title="Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James">Fifty Shades of Grey</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>from Christian's perspective!</strong> </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I can hear the collective squee and the panties droppin' and it kinda makes me wanna choke a bitch. But that's not even the worst of it. No, the worst is that it ends right as Christian's leaving the hardware store, and as the narrative comes to a close, the reader is treated to this: </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"That's all...for now."</strong> </em><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Please, someone break her hands. Do it quickly. Might as well cut out her tongue, as well, so she won't be able to dictate her nonsense. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I think one of the best blurbs for this series (and this installment in particular) would have to be something my older sister said about it after I told her there's a Happily Ever After ending:</span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>"Maybe she'll write a fourth book in which, after having three kids, being isolated, and losing her job, he finally hits her and the cops get called, leading to his arrest. She leaves and takes half his damn shit plus child support. 'Cuz after three kids and several years, "down there" ain't gonna drip at the sight of him anymore."</strong> </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">- </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4509906-kimberly-brown" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Kimberly Brown</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Harsh and bitter? Perhaps, but that's reality. Like I said before, it would be nice if we could have a little realistic fantasy (it's </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">not</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> an oxymoron if you know what I'm talking about). Christian Grey might have been a desirable character if....well, if he weren't Christian Grey.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">To be honest, I'm disappointed in this review. I just can't seem to muster the same amount of enthusiasm as before. Or even come close. All I know is that I tried to write this twice before, but lost it both times due to computer error, and I took that as a sign that I shouldn't over-think it. Maybe this review reflects the book itself; haphazard and drained. Whatever the case, the only burst of energy I got during this book was at the end. When it was done. When I read that last word and knew I could finally, finally walk away from this trilogy...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Yeah. It was </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">that</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> good. It was "taking a giant crap after being constipated for a week" good. Or "getting laid for the first time in years" good.</span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I.felt.so.free.</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">The only thing good about the Fifty Shades trilogy is the moment it finally ends. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Word Count:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Oh my” - 52</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Crap” - 46</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Jeez” - 58</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Holy (shit/fuck/crap/hell/cow/moses)" – 108</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Whoa" - 14</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Gasp" - 60</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Gasps" - 15</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Sharp Intake of Breath" - 2</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Murmur" - 115</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Murmurs" - 186</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Whisper" - 194</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Whispers" - 190</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Mutter" - 88</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Mutters" - 38</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Fifty" - 67</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Lip" - 51</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Inner goddess” - 33</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Subconscious” - 48</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">You know what????????? i was ROFLing through the whole copy /paste thing and now my lips, mouth, stomach everything hurts cuz i both laughed HARD and tried to keep myself from it!!!!!!!!!!!! There are only a couple of things i don't agree on her review but they can be ignored because i thoroughly enjoyed them and nod at them suppressing my glee! :) Ahhhhh ....</span><br />
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Please share your views !! Happy reading!!!!!<br />
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SamSoulSearcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04291776624063585720noreply@blogger.com1