A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

ISBN-13: 9780062068521
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: February 2012
Format: Paperback, 400 pgs
Source: Personal Library

I couldn't remember when was the last time I read a historical romance; it seems like such a long time and with my recent reads that consisted of either dark elements or a rather sad setting, I figured it is time to read some fun and romantic stuff to lighten the mood. I decided to pick up Sarah MacLean's A Rogue by Any Other Name since I had read a few good reviews of it.

Penelope Marbury, Michael Bourne and Tommy Landford are good friends during their childhood days, however that all changed when Michael lost everything at the age of 21 in a game of cards and what made the loss such a pain is he had lost it to Viscount Langford; a man who had been a friend and neighbour to his father, handpicked by the former Marquess of Bourne as guardian to his only son and heir, after the death of Bourne's parents.

Needless to say, this turn of event has made Michael Bourne a very bitter and revengeful man. With nothing left but his title, Michael left the place and it has taken him nine years to rebuild his fortune and double it. Together with a few friends, they own an exclusive gaming hell in London and now Michael will try all means to gain back the land he has lost but he doesn't know that there is a 'price' attached to it, and that is to marry Penelope Marbury, a girl whom he has lost touch with and who has now grown into a fine, young lady.

On the other end, Penelope felt disheartened after a broken engagement and several courtships that left her feeling a sense of lost hope. Though Tommy asked for her hand and she likes him as a friend, but deep in her heart she is hoping that she would find someone who would make her heart ponder. . . someone like Michael, whom she has always share her thoughts and exchange mails when they were young. When she learnt that he is back, she feels happy but however he is no longer the Michael she has known, for this new Michael has become cold and vengeful and he wants to marry her, for the sake of getting back his inheritance.

Penelope, of course, would not want to settle for a loveless marriage and even if she couldn't move her husband's heart, she is glad that at least her sisters are promised to have good matches, in which a condition she has laid in agreeing to marrying Michael. While she is hoping that their marriage would work, she also wants a bit of adventure in her life and that means gaining access to her husband's gaming hell. But, would Michael allow it? Especially since he finds himself opening up to her as the days go by.

A Rogue by Any Other Name is the first book I read by Sarah MacLean, and definitely would not be my last. I enjoyed reading the characterisations as well as the plot of this book, and what in my opinion made this book such a wonderful experience is watching the two protagonists grow and change as the story slowly unfolds. Also, I find there is something warm and romantic about reading a story about childhood friends became lovers and that itself heightens the feeling of how I felt about this book.

A Rogue by Any Other Name is the first book of The First Rules of Scoundrels series, whereby readers will read the four proprietors of the London gaming hell. After enjoying reading so much of this book, now I can't wait to read the rest and I am sure they won't disappoint.

The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman

ISBN-13: 9780425244135
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Publication date: September 2011
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher

The Lost Wife opens with the ending, where readers get to read about the reunion of a pair of long lost couple being separated from WWII as they meet by chance when attending the wedding of their grandchildren. The subsequent chapters then bring readers to pre-war Prague and introduce us to these star-crossed lovers and how they fall in love and the difficult situations they encountered while they tried to escape the horrors of the war.

Josef Kohn and Lenka Maizel meet each other through his sister. Lenka and Veruska are classmates in an Arts Academy and Josef is a medical student then. They fell in love shortly but their hopes for the future was shattered when the Nazis invaded Prague. With the pressure of the war and not to mention that they couldn't bear to leave each other, they decided to get married. Josef's family even have plans to leave Prague and through Josef's cousin's assistance, they managed to get tickets to America but the sad truth is, the cousin could only sponsor Lenka but not her family considering she is Josef's wife and it is natural that they are to leave together.

However, Lenka refuses to leave her family despite Josef's begging. Josef has no choice but to leave with his family without her, but he promised her that he would try every means to get them to leave Prague. With this promise and hope in mind, they separated but fate got into their way and each believed the other was dead under some unfortunate circumstances.

Despite the sad belief, Josef and Lenka couldn't stop thinking of each other as they grit their teeth and try to move on with their life. Lenka faces fear and death every day, as she and her family are being transported to the concentration and labour camps and are forced to work for the Germans, be it hard labour work, painting postcards or even drawing plans for the Germans. However, Lenka's nightmare doesn't end there for they are later transferred from Terezín to Auschwitz where they are faced with more brutality treatments. Lenka is lucky to survive but her family and many of her friends aren't that fortunate as they are either gassed or shot to death.

At its core, The Lost Wife is a heart-wrenching love story that tells not only the unforgettable relationship between Josef and Lenka but also the love within family and friends as well. Through Alyson Richman's skillful writing, I felt every emotions evoke in me (I still do) as I read about Josef's and Lenka's love story as well as the misery and pain the characters have to face and endure during the Holocaust. This story has the ability to smile and cry at the same time; and what I liked most about this story is aside from the love story between Josef and Lenka, it is the courage and the resilient spirit of Lenka which what makes The Lost Wife such a memorable reading experience for me. On the other end, I was also moved by Josef's patience and determination of seeking Lenka throughout the years without fail (and his letters to Lenka, in which most of them are returned mails, made my heart melt).

Finally, and most important of all, this story reminds me again the history of the Holocaust and the horrors behind all. Needless to say, The Lost Wife will stay in my mind for a while.

Reading Challenges for 2012

Last year hasn't been a favourable year to me, at least when reading is concerned. Thus, I make it a point to read more books this year and unlike the past years, I won't be participating in too many reading challenges but the following three challenges fall into my most-read category so needless to say, I'm a participant for these three. Here they are:

Merely Mystery Reading Challenge 2012

Here are the rules:

The Merely Mystery Reading Challenge will last the entire year (January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012), giving participants a chance to read at their own pace. In addition, to make things easy, participants can complete one of two levels. One is for those of you who want a more relaxed challenge while the other is for those more serious about exploring the various sub-genres (click here for more info on the sub-genres):

Down on Her/His Luck Gumshoe - Read two or more books falling into any of the above sub-genres. Each book can be from the same sub-genre or can be varied among the different sub-genres. You pick the combination and the number of books.

Shamus Who Has Seen It All - Read at least one book from each of the sub-genres for a total of 12 books. If you are feeling ambitious, read more than one book from each sub-genre.

Making a reading list ahead of time is not mandatory, but it'd be great if you could share a few of the titles you are considering reading.

*Audio books and graphic novels are welcome.

*Crossover books from other challenges are okay.

*Cross-genre books are perfectly fine.

For this reading challenge, I'll be choosing the option of "Down on Her/His Luck Gumshoe".

Romance Reading Challenge 2012

Here are the rules:

1. The challenge runs from January 1st, 2012 through December 31st, 2012.
2. "Romance" isn't limited to steamy Harlequin novels. There is a huge selection of books in this category such as contemporary romance, historical romance, romantic suspense and paranormal romance to name a few. As long as the story has romantic love between the two main characters your selection will fit this challenge. The novels do not need to have a happy ending either, there can also be unrequited love.
3. Choose at least 5 novels to read. You can change your choices at any time. Crossovers between other challenges are fine. All kinds of books count such as eBooks, Audiobooks ... etc. If you are looking for suggested reading see Best Romance Novels Today, Romance Novels on Wiki or Best Romance Stories. In Naida's opinion, you can't go wrong with Jane Austen, Nora Roberts, Nicholas Sparks and Georgette Heyer.
4. Read the books at your own pace in 2012 then post the link to your review(s). You don't need to have a blog, posting your reviews on Goodreads and LibraryThing counts as well.

2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge

Here are the rules:

• Anyone can join. The challenge runs from January 1st, 2012 through December 31st, 2012.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post on The Eclectic Bookshelf.
• Audio, eBooks, paper, re-reads all count.
• No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

There are four levels:

The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.

The "Fun Size" YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels.

The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.

The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

For this reading challenge, I'll be choosing "The Mini YA Reading Challenge".

Well, I hope that I'd be able to complete all the reading challenges this year. What reading challenges did you join?

Reading Challenges That I'm Giving Up

I'm sure some of you may be able to relate to this - you signed up for a few reading challenges (and then some more as you go along) but then halfway down the road you began to notice that you either could not keep up with these challenges, or you just simply didn't have the mood to read those books which you have committed anymore. As for me, I'm leaning more towards the latter so I figure I may as well give up these challenges as I don't think I will be able to complete them in time, considering it is almost the end of the year (wow, where does the time go?).

So these are the following challenges that I decided to let go:

POC Reading Challenge
I read only 1 book out of 6 - American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Thriller & Suspense Reading Challenge
And out of 12 books, I read only 6 books for this challenge:
Killing Floor by Lee Child
A Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott
Faithful Place by Tana French
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Burn by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy
Dying Scream by Mary Burton

The Romance Reading Challenge
And 2 out of 5 books for this challenge:
Ruthless by Anne Stuart
Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

Meanwhile, I still have four other reading challenges which I'm hoping to complete so let's see how my progress is (I didn't want to give them up at this point since I may want to read those genres; and I have also completed the YA Reading Challenge). That said, I wish to thank all the hostesses for hosting these wonderful reading challenges.

As for next year reading challenges, I think I will still participate in a few that interest me but then my priority will be focused on the books I want to read from my towering TBR pile.

What about you? Have you completed all the reading challenges you have participated this year?

Ruthless by Anne Stuart

ISBN-13: 9780778328483
Publisher: Mira
Published: August 2010
409 pgs
Source: Personal Library
House of Rohan Series #1

It has been awhile since I have read a historical romance; thus I chose Anne Stuart's Ruthless as she is one of my favourite historical romance authors. Anne Stuart also writes contemporary romance and in my opinion no other author writes bad and sexy heroes quite like the way she is.

Being the eldest daughter in the family, Elinor Harriman feels she has the responsibility to oversee the welfare of her younger sister, Lydia, and mother after the death of their father. Their father had left nothing for them and besides worrying over their poverty state Elinor has to make sure that their mother didn't gamble away all their assets despite her sickly condition. Alas, their mother is one selfish and stubborn woman and the next thing Elinor knew, she has lost all their funds. Elinor goes after her to the Heavenly Host, a secret society where exiled aristocrats gather to indulge their carnal desires.

Viscount Rohan is the host of the Heavenly Host and he is known to be a mysterious, dark and a ruthless man who always has things done his way. He has met countless women but never one quite like Elinor. Thus when Elinor stomped into his lair demanding for her mother, he couldn’t help but to take notice of her despite that she is outspoken and fiery. On the other end, Elinor refuses to be swayed or attracted by his charms, but would she change her mind after discovering that he isn’t the man whom everyone thinks to be?

What can I say? Anne Stuart has written another winner in Ruthless. She has once again captivated her readers (at least with this reader) with a romantic tale and a dark, alpha male hero to match, in which I think has become her signature. What I liked about this story is beside the intensity between the hero and the heroine, there is also a secondary romance between Elinor’s sister, Lydia and Charles Reading, who is Viscount Rohan’s best friend and right-hand man. While the plot is not new, what I liked are the characterisations, the dialogues and also the juxtaposition of the rich and poor, as well as the depraved and the innocent set in Paris during the mid 18th century.

As I mentioned earlier, there is a secondary romance of Lydia and Charles but because their story is so brief, I wanted to read more of their story but I was disappointed to learn from Anne Stuart (I wrote an email to her) that there won’t be a book featuring this couple since she felt that she has more or less covered their story in Ruthless. I definitely hope that she would change her mind and decide to write their story in the near future. Meanwhile, I look forward to reading her second House of Rohan series, Reckless.

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I just settled down in my new office today (we moved last Friday). My workstation is organised (well at least the most of it) but I still have about six boxes which haven’t unpacked but at least they are to be kept into the store. I’m currently munching on green peas and crackers and drinking a cup of hot green tea as I’m typing this; it is raining cats and dogs outside and I wish I’m at home snuggling under a blanket with a book in hand. Onto a brighter note, I will be watching Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 with my husband this evening. I can’t wait!

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

ISBN-13: 9780425226742
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: March 2009
304 pgs
Source: Personal Library

I have to confess that the main reason I picked up this book was due to my addiction to a drama serial I watched lately, in which it featured a charismatic lawyer who had lost his memory due to a brain surgery and how fate has brought him and his ex-girlfriend back together again. Though this book has nothing to do with that show, the hero in this book was a lawyer too and on top of that, I have read a few rave reviews of it which are enough to pique my curiosity.

Anyway, Practice Makes Perfect was a fun and entertaining read. Packed with witty dialogues and with a theme surrounding the battle between the sexes, this story is about two talented and ambitious lawyers who managed to find love in each other despite their differences and through some ordeals they encountered.

What I enjoyed about reading this book is the clash between the protagonists; Payton Kendall is a feminist at heart while J.D. Jameson is a cocky hero who thinks he has it all. It is no wonder that they could not see eye to eye with each other; and the most interesting part is where they are to compete with each other for the role of partner at the firm but what they did not realise is that despite all the competitions their feelings for each other have already taken shape right from the beginning they have set eyes on each other. Though I liked the idea that they are more or less attracted towards each other earlier (never mind if there is any misunderstanding issue or whatsoever), I have to say it might make the story more intense and interesting if they are portrayed as a pair of bitter rivals and nothing more as I would like to know how they would resolve their differences and all.

My views aside, I have to admit I had great admiration in Payton because of the way she handles things well in a calm and professional manner, and not because of her role as a lawyer but more of how she could manage to turn things around during an awkward situation (readers who have read this book about the court scene would be able to get what I meant). As for J.D. Jameson, the feminist in me cheered when I learnt that he did show remorse after all the things he had done to Payton earlier, and vice versa. All in all, I enjoyed reading this book. It made me laugh and think that opposite attraction does work. After all, there are no rules when it comes to the laws of attraction, and I couldn't agree more with that.

Other reviews:
Angieville
Babbling About Books, and More
Books Lists Life
Dear Author
The Raving Readers
(Let me know if I missed yours.)

2010 Reading Challenges: The More the Merrier!

Here are a few more reading challenges I am joining for next year, though I have not decided on the lists, but being a moody reader I guess I will have to keep those lists open.

First of all, the Graphic Novels Challenge hosted by Chris and Nymeth. I have to admit I don't read a lot of graphic novels (mangas probably) so this is a good opportunity for me to read more of this genre.

The rules:

• The challenge starts on January 1st 2010 and ends on December 31st (but we don't mind you starting early.)
• You don't have to make a list beforehand (but you can, of course! Lists are great because they give ideas to people who aren't sure what to read. And if you do make one, don't feel forced to stick to it!)
• We simplified the levels of participation: you can be a Beginner (3 Comics or Graphic Novels), Intermediate (3-10) or an Expert (10+). You're more than free to adjust your level of participation after the challenge has begun.
• There will be mini-challenges! Look for a post with more info on that soon.
• Overlaps with other challenges are totally fine.

Since I'm considering a novice under this category, I will go for the 'Beginner' where I'm requested to read 3 graphic novels.

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I am happy to see Naida of The Bookworm is hosting the Romance Reading Challenge again in 2010. Here's what she says:

I'm happy to say that my Romance Reading Challenge is going into it's third year! Wow! Thank you all who have joined and read and posted thier reviews. That's amazing to me, that I started a challenge and other bloggers joined up and participated, it's really great. I hope you will sign up again this year.
So, without further ado, here's the rules:

1. "Romance" isn't limited to steamy Harlequin novels. There is a huge selection of books in this category such as contemporary romance, historical romance, romantic suspense and paranormal romance to name a few. As long as the story has romantic love between the two main characters your selection will fit this challenge. The novels do not need to have a happy ending either, there can also be unrequited love.

2. Choose at least 5 novels to read. You can change your choices at any time. Crossovers between other challenges are fine.

3. Read them at your own pace in 2010 then post the link to your review(s).

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And finally, Alaine of The Royal Reviews is hosting a Fantasy Reading Challenge in 2010.

The Fantasy Reading Challenge can include YA Fantasy or Historical Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy or any other sub genre of Fantasy. There really are no limits to this challenge as Fantasy is such a wide and varied genre. Just enjoy and have fun!

The rules:

• Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section on the post about the challenge.
• Any book format counts.
• You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
• Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

There are four participation levels:

1. Curious– Read 3 Fantasy Fiction novels. (I'm picking this level.)Fascinated– Read 6 Fantasy Fiction novels.
2. Addicted– Read 12 Fantasy Fiction novels.
3. Obsessed– Read 20 Fantasy Fiction novels.

So that is all from me at the moment. I am sure I will participate in more, after all they are so fun and addictive (plus, the buttons are all so lovely)!

Romance Reading Challenge Wrap Up

I am happy to say I have completed the Romance Reading Challenge hosted by Naida from The Bookworm. There are a few more challenges I need to work on but nevertheless, I am glad to see one down so it don't look like I have been slacking on the challenges, haha.

Anyway, here are the books I read for this challenge:

• Death Angel by Linda Howard
  
• The Love Letter by Cathleen Schine
• No Escape by Shannon K. Butcher
• South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami
• Fallen Skies by Philippa Gregory

Death Angel by Linda Howard

ISBN-13: 9780345486554
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 2009
377 pgs

Drea Rousseau is not your typical, ordinary heroine as in the other books of the romance genre. For starters, she is mistress to Rafael Salinas, a notorious crime lord who would use every means to get the things he wants, even though he has to spend a bomb on hiring the best assassin to finish any job for him.

One thing about Drea is, she is not as dumb as anyone would think. Besides beauty, she has brains too but she chose to play dumb in front of Rafael and his men. It is her one way of survival, knowing very well she might not be Rafael's woman forever and that she needs the jewelry and all the finances she could get from him when she can. Through years of playing dumb, she has long ago gained the trust of Rafael and the latter has stopped observing and guarding against her.

Drea's luxurious life has finally came to an end when she decided to ditch Rafael for good after he gave her to the assassin's request (never mind if it is only for once and that the act lasted only for a few hours). Infuriated, she decided to teach him a lesson by stealing a huge amount of money right under his nose without arousing his suspicions since he has always thought her as a simple-minded woman who only cares nothing but her looks and shopping. When Rafael found out he has been duped, Drea has already gotten a head start but she did not expect Rafael would pay the assassin to have her tailed. Drea is intimidated by the assassin, but that is because she sensed he is very different from Rafael and other men and also that they had shared an intimate affair even if it is a short one.

With some assistance from the right sources, the assassin managed to trail Drea's track in no time. And this is where the turn of events began. During the pursuit, Drea met in an accident and from there it takes on a little spiritual turn when Drea is given a second chance and as a result she lives from the fatal accident. Although I have mixed feelings about the spiritual element during this part of the story, however I feel it is crucial to the role of the heroine thereafter and the readers would be able to understand more about her past as well as her future life.

It is at this time that the assassin aborted his plan for killing her after finding she is still very much alive, and the readers would be able to see the relations have changed between them. Now that Andie (she has ditched the old name) has been given a chance for redemption she would take matters into her own hands and see that Rafael gets the justice he so deserved.

One of the things I loved about Death Angel is the characters. I find it refreshing to have an assassin and a crime lord's mistress as the protagonists and see them falling in love as the story progress. I was simply moved by the accident scene because there is the part where I see the emotions in the assassin and knowing that despite his profession, he is not really a person without feelings. As for the heroine, though one might think lowly of her due to her role being a mistress from the beginning, I have to say she has guts and is not afraid of any consequences once she has decided to leave Rafael.

Death Angel is one intense romance suspense; be sure to pick up this book if you are looking for some thrills with a sizzling romance.

Other reviews:
Book Binge (Casee)
Book Binge (Holly)
Thrifty Reader
(Let me know if I have missed yours.)

The Love Letter by Cathleen Schine

ISBN-13: 9780312426989
Publisher: Picador
Published: May 2007
257 pgs

Dear Goat,

How does one fall in love? Do you trip? Do you stumble, lose your balance and drop to the sidewalk, graze your knee, graze your heart? Do you crash to the stony ground? Is there a precipice, from which you float, over the edge, forever?

I know I'm in love when I see you, I know when I long to see you. Not a muscle has moved. Leaves hang unruffled by any breeze. The air is still. I have fallen in love without taking a step. When did this happen? I haven't even blinked.

I'm on fire. Is that too banal for you? It's not, you know. You'll see. It's what happens. It's what matters. I'm on fire.
...

As ever,
Ram

Helen MacFarquhar, a 42 year-old divorcée and a bookseller, stumbled upon the above anonymous love letter when she was sorting through her pile of mails one day (there are more to the letter in which I did not post). Because the letter is written with such longing and passion, she was intrigued by the mystery surrounding it and even wondered if a secret admirer had sent her this letter. She could think of no one initially because she knew almost everyone in town; moreover she liked flirting around and coaxing her patrons into buying books from her.

It became part of her obsession to an extent that whenever someone speaks to her in everyday terms, she would start to imagine and wondered what if that person is the one who had penned that letter. Until a day, twenty-year-old Johnny Howell, a college student and her part-time assistant picked up this letter when she had asked him to fetch a bottle of wine and thought it was from her and had meant for him to read it.

As if being struck by cupid, he gradually fell in love with her from then onwards. On the other hand, Helen thought he was the one and through a series of misunderstandings, they consummate and began their secret affair. However, their relationship became a chore as they had to stay in low profile but we all know that one could not always hide the truth forever. Helen was aware of this too, thus she had decided to come clean with her mother, Lillian when she and Helen's grandmother decided to spend some time in Helen's house. Plus, Helen's eleven-year-old daughter Emily was also coming home from camp vacation.

But before Helen disclosed her secret to Lillian, to her surprise she discovered a shocking secret about her mother that in years to come, she would think about Lillian's secret (this is where the twist comes in) and how that love letter will always remind her about her affair with Johnny.

I encountered a few surprises myself while reading The Love Letter. First, it was a good surprise when I came upon this book at a booksale. I became intrigued with the blurb so I bought it, not knowing that Helen's secret lover is in fact a twenty-year-old boy (the blurb stated "Helen is swept up in a fiercely tender affair with a thoroughly unsuitable suitor"). I should have guessed it but I was so caught up with the thrill of finding more bargain books, haha.

The Love Letter is a forbidden love story mixed in with a twist. Helen is one captivating character: she is independent, opinionated, bossy and flirtatious and at the same time, she is vulnerable too. I have to confess her character bothered me a little. Aside from this and the age difference being the main issue (no matter how passionately in love she and Johnny are, somehow I still cannot picture them being lovers but more like mother and son), the other thing is Helen frequent usage of the 'F' word irked me at times (perhaps it is her style of venting her frustrations?), but I thought this diminish the overall effect of the book.

I can't think of anything to say about Johnny though. Perhaps he is indeed in love with Helen, after all. I wonder if he would still think of her after he and Helen moved on their own life. Would he look back at the relationship the way Helen did? Why Helen look back of her past is natural and made you think about the whole stuff if you get to the end of the story, in which I can't tell you as it is yet another surprise that had totally thrown me off-guard. I do not know if I should pity Helen or just laugh over the whole episode, but I have to say the suspense definitely keep me engrossed if not the forbidden affair.

No Escape

ISBN-13: 9780446510288
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: October 2008
432 pgs




Isabelle Carson could not believe three of her childhood friends committed suicide, although the police believed so. Isabelle knew them well enough, after all they had escaped from Lavine, their abusive foster father and had moved on with their life. Moreover, Lavine was already dead so there is no reason they would commit suicide, at least not after what they had gone through and survived.

Fearing that the murders are connected and she might be the next target, Isabelle contacted Grant Kent, who had saved her from Lavine's sexual abuse and is now a security consultant after retired from Delta Force. Isabelle has not seen Grant since they had all left the foster home but she still sends him greeting cards throughout the years. And at that moment, Isabelle knew Grant is the only one she could trust.

On the other hand, Isabelle is a foster mother to seventeen-year-old Dale, whose father is now out of jail and wants custody of his son. Isabelle understood all about those abusive parent stuff and being a victim herself so many years ago, she does not want Dale to go through that experience again. And this is another thing she is worried about besides the murder cases. Grant vowed to protect Isabelle and Dale together, and the longer he stayed, the more attached he is to them. However, Isabelle thought otherwise as she does not want to be hurt in love again. With the killer still on the loose, would she dare to hope for love?

No Escape is an intense romance suspense with a psychological element. Although readers will get to find out the killer towards the middle of the book, it does not whip away the suspense as the killer is always plotting ways and no one knows what is going to happen next. However, there are several intense moments between Isabelle and Grant, both emotional and physical. However, there are death and some violence in this story, and a few murder scenes as well that I find can be quite gruesome but that does not take away my reading interest.

I enjoyed reading about the relationship between Isabelle and Dale, besides her love for Grant that is. I liked it that Isabelle takes on the role of a foster parent even though she had bad memories with Lavine, and that shows she does not allow the past to stop her from helping other children. As for Grant, he has his past but he is one alpha hero to boot.

No Escape is the third in the series about Delta Force operatives, following No Regrets and No Control. Although these books are connected in some ways, however each of them can be read as stand-alone. For those of you who might not know, Shannon K. Butcher is the wife of Jim Butcher, who is well known for his Dresden files series featuring the wizard Harry Dresden who solves crimes in modern-day Chicago. Besides romance suspense, I am thrilled to learn that Shannon is also writing paranormal books and her first book in The Sentinel Wars series will be released in May. You may wish to read more about Shannon K. Butcher and her books here.

South of the Border, West of the Sun

ISBN-13: 9780099448570
Publisher: Vintage
Published: 2003
187 pgs



This is the first book I read by this author. After hearing so many ravings from fellow bookbloggers, I figure it is about time I need to read a Haruki Murakami's book.

Hajime is a middle-age man who has what every man would consider a dream: a loving wife, two lovely daughters and a successful owner of two bars. But deep inside his heart, he always feels something is missing. Or perhaps he still could not forget his childhood friend, a lonely girl named Shimamoto.

Hajime, being the only child in the family, knows that no other friends of his would be able to understand the loneliness and how he felt being the only child. He befriended Shimamoto in elementary school, and he is kind of attracted to her because she seemed so positive and determined even though she is a handicapped. She caught polio after she was born so that made her drag her left leg. Another thing is, Shimamoto is the only child in the family too and both of them love books and music. It is no wonder they would be attracted to each other as the days passed by.

Then, Shimamoto's family moved away and he lost touch with her. After her leaving, life has became a blur to him. He drifted through college, broke a few girls' heart, and get married to his current wife and became a successful bar owner as he is now. Everything looks good to him until Shimamoto began to walk into his life, again.

Shimamoto has become a beautiful woman, and she no longer drag her leg. After seeing her, Hajime no longer feel the emptiness in his heart and is hoping they would rekindle the relationship they had lost so many years ago. Though Shimamoto is more than thrilled to see him again, she does not talk about herself or what had happened to her. Hajime, on the other hand, is blinded by love to probe further and very sure that he could leave everything behind him to be with her. However after a night of passion, Shimamoto vanishes from his life again and this time, Hajime is distraught. What follows is a confession with his wife and his encounter with a girl whom he had broken her heart after Shimamoto that he began to seriously think of his life and how he should live with it.

Haruki Murakami has written a beautiful, bittersweet love story in South of the Border, West of the Sun in a poetic prose. But I think there is much more than the love issue in this tale, it is also about consequences and choice. How many times did we do something and then regretted them over the years? Do you look back or do you move on? I was mesmerized by Haruki's writing throughout the story. I was drawn to the sad, moody 'atmosphere' he created and though it did not give me much thrill as I had anticipated as in his other books (I have Kafka on the Shore, A Wild Sheep Chase and Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman in my TBR pile), it did leave me something to ponder about.

Fallen Skies

ISBN-13: 9781416593140
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Published: December 2008 (Reissued)
509 pgs

This is the second book I read by Philippa Gregory after The Other Boleyn Girl. I really enjoyed reading the latter; there is so much historical stuff and drama in that novel. I do not think I will ever forget the characters like Mary and Anne Boleyn, or even King Henry VIII. Perhaps for these reasons, I had high expectations on Fallen Skies and I am glad this book does not disappoint me.

Set in the 1920s after the end of World War I England, this is a story of a war hero and a young chorus girl.

Captain Stephen Winters returns home after the war ends, but his soul is shattered. The cruelty and the horror of the war often left him with nightmares, but the worse of all is he could never stand the guilty thoughts after seeing so many of the soldiers died in the battlefields while he has survived. It does not please him further to find himself taking over his brother's role, who had also died in the war. He has lived his life meaninglessly until he meets a chorus girl, Lily Pears. Lily is like a breath of fresh air to him; she seems undaunted by the war and Stephen is quickly drawn to her purity, her gaiety and the way she look at life positively.

Seventeen-year-old Lily Pears has no idea she could make it big on stage, but an encounter with musical director, Charlie Smith changes everything after he has spotted her talent. She caught the attention of Stephen on her opening night of the show. They got acquainted and although Lily is drawn to his wealth and status, she is instead attracted and fell in love with Charlie. Unfortunately, due to an injury from the war, Charlie could not commit to her although they remain the very best of friends and offer each other support should anyone needs it.

However, Lily's mother passing has led to changes and Lily has no one to turn to except Stephen, for she knew he is very much attracted to her and he has offered to marry her. Lily agreed to it since she has not much of a choice, but unfortunately the marriage is not a happily-ever-after for her. Stephen is still troubled by the nightmares of the war and most often, he seeks solace from his mute batman, Coventry, whom had also shared the bad times from the war. Stephen is hoping the marriage to Lily will help him to forget everything but it seems it has the opposite effect, especially after she has given birth to a boy, Christopher, who bore the same name and reminds him too much of his late brother but most of all, Lily's coldness towards him reminds him of his loneliness and the war again. He feels Lily is no longer the same girl he had known from the past as there is a motherly radiance around her instead of the fresh and innocent girl who cares not much about the war.

Their relationship is strained although both of them still respect and talk to each other. It is only the disappearance of baby Christopher that leads to a tension in the Winters family and the police is called to investigate this matter. And from there there is a turn of events as suspense took over the story.

Fallen Skies was first published in the UK in 1993. One thing I love about Philippa Gregory's works is her ability of bringing all her characters to life, besides the historical settings and the history I came to learn about from her stories. Through this story, I learnt a few things about World War I and how the impact had caused to the soldiers, in which this case about Stephen Winters. He is one of those shell-shocked victims who could not brush away the images of the war and thus led it affect his life and towards the people around him. There are several scenarios which I was not sure if I should be angry or sorry for him.

Then, there is Lily whom I feel is much stronger as compared to Stephen. She has matured and her mindset has changed ever since her mother's passing. She took the role of a fighter instead of a whiner, but yet I see a different person in her when she is with her baby. She turns to a submissive role and is willing to do anything as long as Stephen would not hire a nanny to look after her baby. One has to marvel at the power of motherly love!

I was quite satisfied with the ending though, for I could not think of any other better scenarios than that. Although the impact is not as great as compared to The Other Boleyn Girl, I still think Fallen Skies is a powerful read.

(Note: I think this also fits for the Romance Reading Challenge since there is romantic love between Lily and Charlie although their story is bittersweet and a sad one.)

Romance Reading Challenge 2009

Naida from The Bookworm is hosting the Romance Reading Challenge. I am a huge fan of the romance genre so I could not help participating in this one!

Here are the rules:

1. Now, "Romance" isn't limited to steamy Harlequin novels. There is a huge selection of books in this category such as contemporary romance, historical romance, romantic suspense and paranormal romance to name a few. As long as the story has romantic love between the two main characters your selection will fit this challenge. The novels do not need to have a happy ending either, there can also be unrequited love.

2. Choose at least 5 novels read them between Jan 1st though Dec 31st 2009. You can change your choices at any time. Crossovers between other challenges are fine.

3. Read them at your own pace in 2009 then come here and post the link to your review(s).

4. Link your "RRC" choices here with any of the graphics she provides here.

I gave up making a list after going through my pile a while ago as I still could not decide on the books to read for this challenge. Also, I blame it on my reading mood thus I will list the books as I go along.