Ummi

Satisfying. That is all I can say as I read the last words of Key of Valor. And yet another journey has come to an end.

In this final installment of the Key trilogy, it is more about the romance between Zoe and Bradley. It is more about how Zoe needs the courage to take the next step for her and her son, to love again, just like when she was a 16-year old. I don't have any complain, anyway. The flow of the story is just right and it's a joy to read about Zoe, Brad and Zoe's son, Simon.

And in this last book, Indulgence, the shop the three main female characters first started in book number one, comes to live. And the final battle is done just right, if I may say so. All in all, I love the series, I love the characters. Yet another winner from Nora Roberts (you'll be seeing this words often from me, if concerning Roberts' works).

I used to adore Sandra Hill's writing. Her first book I read was [b:Frankly, My Dear 702878 Frankly, My Dear (Creole Historical, #1) Sandra Hill http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1177430977s/702878.jpg 2815070] and I love it to bits. I mean how can you not love a book with numerous quotes and reference to Gone With the Wind? But somehow, this particular novel fails to excite me. In fact, I think there are too much sex in this novel.I'm okay with sex, really. But c'mon, do I have to be reminded over and over again how ‘huge' Jorund's err... staff is? And the mispronunciation of some words gets old pretty fast. A bit Mag-he here and there is fine, but up until the very last page? Bleghhhh.I give this novel a 3-stars rating merely because of this...“And had someone really said that he resembled that infuriating youthling singer with the whiney voice, Justin Bieber?”

I saw the movie first before I even read the book. The movie wasn't half bad and I actually did not even realize that the movie was based on this book. I just assumed that there must be a book by the same title lurking somewhere. And I was right! Pardon me for my ignorance, though.

Overall, the story is quiet nice, with the beautiful Montana setup. And I always immensely enjoyed stories of cowboys. Don't know why, though because we don't really have cowboys here in Malaysia. But yeah, I like the book. I like mostly everything about it. I especially like Ben McKinnon winks!

Eh penatlah baca cerita romance yg hype terlebih tapi mengecewakan ni!

Menyampah betul jenis hero heroin tak reti nak fikir nak buat keputusan sendiri walaupun umur dah hampir 30. Nak kena orang tolong push to the right direction baru nak paham. Amende tah.

Romen pandai, nak bercinta dan dan jew itu ini begitu begini. Nyampah aku.

There are those books that can just do without mindless, unnecessary details. And then there are those books which those mindless details is necessary and essential to the plot. And I think, this book falls in the latter category.

The mindless details is what makes the story happens.It's necessary to let the readers know about Henry and Clare. It's necessary to remind the readers again and again that Henry is not as normal as we like him to be. And those mindless details enable the readers to relate what the two main characters are going through.

Out all of the movies adapted from books, the movie version of this book is the most decent one, I think. It stays true to the book at most part. And just like the movie, it's filled with moments. Moments you can't even decide if you like them or not, but it stays in your mind nevertheless.

Thankfully, it gets better after the first two books for the Bride Quartet series. It gets lengthier, too. I enjoyed Savor the Moment more than the first two books. I love how the story builds up, how the characters communicate and how they each has their own reservation.

I do, however, hate Laurel McBane a little bit. A very tiny bit. She's a bit whiny for me, a bit too bitter. She bakes magnificent cakes, though. So she's redeemed. And she's got Del. I mean, who could ever go wrong with Delaney Brown? He's your essential husband material. And I'll leave it at that.

But you know what's best about this one? The build up to Parker's story. That will be the fourth and final book in the Bride Quartet series. Roberts teases me a lot with bits and pieces of what will be Parker's love story with Malcolm in Bed of Roses and Savor the Moment. I love both of them already!

Okay, next!

I knew it. I knew that this book will be the best book out of the four books in the Bride Quartet series. It's simply the best. I just love it.

I love the dimension and layers in Malcolm's character, the story of his past, his style, his everything. He's just the perfect man for Parker. Parker, the always efficient and brutally organized woman, got her world turned upside down with Malcolm. And they need each other to keep the balance.

And then there's Mac's (from Vision in White) wedding to Carter. The description of the wedding is so vivid, it feels like it's almost real.

And as I bid adieu to the women of Vows and their delectable man, I have to remind myself that happy ever after is not always about perfection.

Tagline: Everyone keeps secrets in Vegas. Especially about murder...

My first thought: If you kill someone, would you want to tell everyone about it? Okay, so maybe only the show-off lunatics will.

However, after finishing the book, I thought it was kinda ... err ... pervert. Honestly. A non-op transsexual (all-woman except for the genitalia.get the picture?), lesbian, horny detectives, showgirls and so on. The setting of the story is in Las Vegas, so I guess it kinda justify it(?) Anything happens in Vegas, no?

It's an average read. I'll trade it for a Jonathan Kellerman anytime.

There is something about the men in SEP's books that makes me go “Ahhhh...” and this book is no exception. Yes, I am truly addicted to SEP's books. I read this one in a single day. I could not stop. This one is about the Bonners brothers. Remember Cal from Nobody's Baby But Mine? [b:Dream A Little Dream 865 The Alchemist Paulo Coelho http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Sw%2BUms-VL.SL75.jpg 4835472] is about his two brothers, Gabe and Ethan. I love Cal more, though tee-hee

From the other Bastion Club series, we only come to know him as Dalziel, the enigmatic commander with mysterious background. Mastered By Love tells all there is need to know of Dalziel or Royce Varisey, the 10th Duke of Wolverstone.

I was waiting patiently for this book because I am forever fascinated with Dalziel. Not much is said of Dalziel in other Bastion Club series. Perhaps to maintain the air of mystery that surrounds him.

As for me, the book is quiet good. Not on par as some Bastion Club series but it's good. Perhaps Royce is not up to my expectation. But then again perhaps my expectation is high. Royce, to my opinion, is not as enigmatic as Dalziel.

Minerva, though, is likable. A perfect match for Royce. That's about it, I think.

Another magical tale from Roberts. I have to say that I'm intrigued as where Nora Roberts found the inspiration or the idea to write these kind of stories. Magic, gods and goddesses, sorcerer, evil being... it's just simply awesome.

Who would've thought that mortals could actually save the lives of gods/goddesses? Roberts tell you why and how through Key of Light. As foolish or crappy as it may seem, I love the book. I love the way the story is told.

Another one of my favorite books written by Roberts.

The book starts off slow. Too slow at times for my preference but nevertheless, I enjoyed this book. I even shed few tears towards the end of the book.

The Judge's Daughter tells the story of Helen Spencer, the daughter of Judge Zachary Spencer, whose life intertwined with Agnes Makepeace. There's Helen's story and there's Agnes' story. And there's the judge. Mean, power hungry, dictating, the judge is feared and despised by all the people he met, most of all his daughter. The judges has secrets. Secrets that could alter the lives of some people. And secrets that, in the end resulted in his own death.

There are some fascinating characters as well. There's Pop/Fred Grimshaw, Agnes' lively grandfather; Lucy and Mags, Agnes' best friends and few others.

I'd say that The Judge's Daughter is not my usual fare but I certainly found the book to be interesting.

If not for the dramatic finish towards the end, I would list this book as ‘Rubbish'. Seriously.

I mean, come on, the story is so unrealistic! There are no ugly people in this book except for the thugs. Everyone is rich. Some are filthy rich eg. Sir William Wong who pay Laura up to USD 300,000 average every time he sleeps with her. Well, woweee kazowee, I bet she's richer than the Queen!

Laura loves her husband, Brian and her lover, JT and her high-paying client, Sir William. Sex is good,sex is awesome. She's good-looking and sexy and awesome in bed. Her husband is good-looking, JT is super good-looking, Sir William is good-looking (despite being in his 50's. Or 60's. Can't recall). Bah!

I don't know anything about Orang Asli's magic so I can't comment much about the so-called magic/miracle in this book. I mean, a horn bill pulling out six black snakes from Laura's vajayjay after she was gang-raped is a bit too much of a magic for me.

And the meaningless details, good God! Every step Laura takes is written in this book. Every. Single. Step. Ergh! I skipped more than 50 pages, I think. And I didn't read one single e-mail JT wrote to her “Rainbow” ie Laura. Too... flowery and so meh.

Overall, I took almost a month to finish this book up. So it should tell you something.

There's nothing sweeter than a childhood-sweetheart love story. And who better to write them if not Roberts herself? But you do not expect the normal boy-meets-girl kinda story from this great author. No, you don't. You will expect drama, suspense, mystery, romance and those things that made a great novel.

Sets in Black Hills, South Dakota, The Black Hills tells the story of childhood sweetheart, Lil and Cooper. Lil is the country girl who has the fondness for the wilds. Her dream is to build a safe haven for wild animals, a refuge. While Cooper is the Yankee-loving city boy who is forever trying to get his father's approval and attention, but ended up living with his grandparents' affection.

They met, fell in love and they went their separate ways. Lil's heart was broken into pieces. And she works hard to realize her dream of building a refuge. But someone is bend to destroy whatever she builds with her blood, tears and sweat. Even if it means to kill. Lil's life is threatened.

And that is when Cooper steps in. He has to protect Lil, with his own life if needed be. He loved her back then, when they were young and foolish. He loves her even more now. But before he could declare his undying love, he needs to proof himself to the world. He needs to show that he, too, could be someone. And he needs to convince Lil that this time, he's not going anywhere.

I just love the way Roberts tell her story. Rich with details, I feel like I was a part of the story right at the beginning. I understand Lil's pain, I understand Coop's reservation. It's so believable. And I'm simply in awe with the relationship Lil has with her animals, especially with a cougar affectionately known as Baby.

A very nice read, indeed.

Earlier in book #2, Brie found 3 letters written by a Ms. Dogherty to her father which lead the Concannon sisters to the discovery of their half-sister, Shannon Bodine.

Hours before her mother passed away, Shannon Bodine's past shattered as her mother told her the story of Ireland and a certain Tommy Concannon. She told her of one rainy day in the Clare County and of the gentle man she met when she went traipsing in Ireland. And how she loves that man. Knowing only one father for all her life, Shannon is shocked to the core to found out that she is not the daughter of the man she thought was her father.

She soon learns about her sisters and after an invitation from Brie, Shannon decided to go back to the place where she was conceived. She met her sisters and their husbands along with their precious little children and she met Murphy Muldoon. She fell in love with Ireland and all it has got to offer.

This time Roberts includes the element of mysticism in the book. Glimpses and flashes of Shannon's previous life are described through her dreams. In order to find herself, Shannon must first open her heart and believe.

After Call Me Irresistible, I just have to read Lady Be Good because I'm dead curious just how Lady Emma and Kenny met.

What can I really say about this book? Hmm... I like it, to be honest. The story is just about the same with other novels written by SEP, but hey, what's not to like, no? Good-looking guys, strong-headed women, secrets and lies. And then there's the good ole sizzling love story. What's to complain?

And there are those early glimpses of Ted Beaudine as well.

Nice read to pass the time.

Tak salah kalau aku kategorikan Pecah dalam genre aksi atau thriller. Jadilah aku macam Inspektor Paul, mencari logik di sebalik rompakan yang terjadi. Baca dari muka surat pertama sampai muka surat terakhir. Aku baca tiga kali muka surat terakhir sahaja. Serius. Sebab aku terkejut dengan ending Pecah.

Kisah dalam novel Pecah bukan kisah yang boleh kita lihat hari-hari, bukan kisah biasa. Tapi itulah keistimewaan Pecah. Pecah bukan novel klise. Dan aku suka Pecah. Suka sangat-sangat. Sebab ada aksi, ada misteri, ada adegan flashback yang realistik, ada perkataan-perkataan yang mengharuskan aku buka Kamus Dewan, ada pembalasan dendam, ada adegan ranjang, ada rahsia. Yang tak ada, kisah cinta meleleh.

Complete review here: http://wahleci.blogspot.com/2011/04/review-lagi-pecah.html

Kerana Terpaksa mengisahkan seorang gadis, Suria dan seorang pemuda, Tengku Haizal. Mereka bertemu, berkenal dan menyulam kasih ketika masih di bangku sekolah. Suria hanya seorang anak gadis yang lahir di dalam sebuah keluarga biasa, golongan orang kebanyakan yang perlu bekerja untuk mencari sesuap nasi. Tengku Haizal pula datangnya dari generasi berdarah biru yang tak kenal erti susah.

Kata orang, enggang sama pipit manakan terbang bersama. Sejak dari mula, hubungan antara Suria dan Tengku Haizal mendapat tentangan maha hebat dari bonda Tengku Haizal. Dugaan demi dugaan mendatangi sepasang kekasih ini, dari zaman persekolahan hingga ke universiti dibawa hingga ke alam dewasa. Rasa kasih, cinta, ragu dan marah berlaga dari masa ke semasa. Tak pernah perhubungan mereka dilanda tenang.

Membaca Kerana Terpaksa seolah-olah seperti sedang menonton sebuah drama Melayu di TV3. Ada orang baik, ada orang jahat. Ada orang biasa, ada Mak Datin. Ada cerita cinta. Aku orang kebanyakan, maka aku rasa aku serasi dengan watak Suria. Aku faham dengan dilema Suria, dengan kekeliruan dan keraguan Suria. Dan aku juga faham dengan kekerasan hati dan kedegilan Suria. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Begitu pepatah Inggeris yang aku rasa Suria gunapakai.

Secara keseluruhannya, bagi aku, sebagai sebuah percubaan pertama, Kerana Terpaksa mampu menandingi novel-novel Melayu dalam genre yang sama yang sedia ada di pasaran. Tiada yang kompleks, yang renyah tentang Kerana Terpaksa. Aku enjoy membaca hasil pena penulis ini. Aku menyumpah-nyumpah si bonda Tengku Haizal dengan onarnya. Aku berfikir sejenak bila pilihan bonda Tengku Haizal mengatakan bahawa “Love is overrated”. Itu maknanya penulisan Ilham Kalsom berkesan. Dan bagi aku, itu sudah cukup bagus.

Review lanjut: http://wahleci.blogspot.com/2011/04/review-kerana-terpaksa.html

Sun, sea, sand, boys ... and drama all around.

This novel has got the elements that make it work. There's the love triangle, the betrayal, the eating disorder, a bit of mystery and like I said earlier, drama.

This novel is, as I understand, a part of a series. But reading this book won't make you feel so left out or confused with the storyline. It makes you just wanna read the other books in the series. Even this book does not put thing conclusively. We still yet to know what will happen to the love triangle between Summer, Seth, Austin and Diana. And then there's Adam Merrick who changes his name to Jared due to a tragedy and looking forward to be closer to Summer.

It's a teen fiction. I enjoyed it, nonetheless.

Her name is Susie. Last name Salmon, like the fish. She is fourteen. And she is telling us a story. The only thing is, she's dead. Yep, she's dead. She's telling her story from the Heaven.

From some of the reviews I've read, some people shed tears reading this book. Maybe I'm not too sensitive because I could not find a reason to cry, even after I finished reading. Just that I found the story to be kinda disturbing. And different.

I felt a bit impatient towards the end of the book. And there's a bit of “Ghost” (as in the movie) going on. It's disturbing, really. If reading a story from the point of view of a dead person is not disturbing enough, I don't know what is.

That being said, I think The Lovely Bones is a lovely read. If you want something different.