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( Y dkUjq8GëIb=ULmzϊ=+Zuٷ+|N ÆO[e Vf!7sg6'P8CJh](K( j;ц;¯CQT>xҸ@-di 8ūe/`K8x":P V1Q >qGxiH[◩; ]ma(ew|=9YV%N}^aGW*8n60۵SiJ3nj"^&8LK@:&#.K=Kb%`Y^*b4/6[l0Ay(rF4ΛjV7J0$q"lrihX1+3'> Щe'q-1rkXn2C}iN9x@&/ s(a&@䅐|ڒ\dbRBM}GvV|B=S0^v/F;.S/4H\j3FK5FOEbQBi> ƨm iGYկAMشR͈3|Gݾލ4 4{^1(䚫kKiGO9JJ&҇bpđ>-o.s(^pT$Uq1cז1>_Zr;m ǻtYN: Ӵ]Mgo: j8vhZ C<}IZδgok\;7n" Fiction – E-Readings https://e-readings.com Explore the World of eBooks Wed, 08 May 2024 09:01:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.6 https://e-readings.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2-2-2-150x150.png Fiction – E-Readings https://e-readings.com 32 32 It Happened One Summer: A Review for Fans of Second Chances https://e-readings.com/it-happened-one-summer/ https://e-readings.com/it-happened-one-summer/#comments Wed, 08 May 2024 09:01:54 +0000 https://e-readings.com/?p=1915 Read more

]]> My friend Sarah has a membership in a book club. Every 3 months, the club organizes a book gala where members have to bring in one of their favorite books that they had read recently. At April’s Gala, I accompanied Rina to the event. She picked “It happened One Summer” by Tessa Bailey to take it to the book club’s event. I took this book from Rina and gave it a read. 

I understood after reading that it was a medium-paced contemporary romantic fiction novel with no complexities; that is why Ayesha picked it. The age rating for this book is 18 years or above, as it is an adult novel.

Main characters:

Piper: Instagram Influencer

Hannah: Piper’s younger sister

Daniel: Piper’s stepfather

Kirby: Piper’s friend

Henry: Piper’s real father

Brendan: A sea Captain and Piper’s friend

Summary:

This story is about Piper, an Instagram model and a social butterfly. She lives with her mother, sister and Stepfather, who is wealthy. Piper attends a party where her boyfriend breaks up with her, saying that she has nothing unique in her. Piper didn’t bother about it; she just wanted the news not to reach on social media.

But Piper’s friend Kirby told her that the news had gone to Instagram that she had a breakup with her boyfriend. Piper organized a party at the Mondrian Hotel rooftop to save her reputation and invited all her friends. She wanted to give people an image that the breakup didn’t make any difference to her. 

During the party, Piper posted an inappropriate photo of her. Police came and arrested her and took her to the police station. Piper’s sister Hannah came to get her bail done. After coming out, Piper saw on Instagram that millions liked the picture from her party day. Piper’s stepfather, Daniel, becomes really angry with Piper because he was making a Hollywood film with Mondrian Hotel’s owner and cancelled the business deal after this incident.

It Happened One Summer

To restore his partnership deal, and to teach a lesson to Piper, he sent her to Westport. Henry’s birth father owned an apartment and a bar in Westport. Piper was 4 years old when Henry drowned at sea while fishing with other members of the crew. Piper’s mother came to Los Angeles and married a rich man here.

Piper’s sister Hannah also accompanied her to Westport so Piper does not feel alone. When both the sisters came here, they found out that the bar was in terrible condition. People called it the No Name bar as nobody looked after it after Henry’s death. Brendan was a sea captain who used to come to the bar, and when he saw Piper there, he was attracted by her beauty. One day, Piper was cooking food when a fire was lit and they quickly ran outside.

“Can you be mad at me while I kiss you, baby? It’s all I’ve wanted to do for the last two weeks.”

Tessa Bailey

Brendan came to help Piper, shouted at her for being so careless, and later apologized. He took Piper out for dinner and both of them talked about their lives. Brendan told Piper that his wife passed away, and she told him why she had come to Westport.

Brendan helped Piper to fix things in her apartment. One day, Piper renovated the bar to honour his late father and impress his stepfather.  Brendan offered to help Piper in renovating and both of them got close to each other. But Piper was afraid to get close to Brendan as she had to leave Westport soon. Brendan went on a trip for two weeks to Bering, and one day before coming back to Westport, a typhoon struck, and Piper became concerned about Brendan.

PublisherAvon
Publishing DateFirst published July 13, 2021
LanguageEnglish
Pages397Pages
GenreRomance
Contemporary
Contemporary Romance
Fiction
SeriesBellinger Sisters (#1)
Literary awardsGoodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2021), She Reads Best of Award Nominee for Romance (2021)
CharactersPiper Bellinger, Brendan Taggert
SettingWashington (state) (United States)
ISBN-100063045656
ISBN-13978-0063045651

Later, she found out that we were alive but were in hospital. Piper went to see him, and he was doing fine. Brendan and Piper became boyfriend and girlfriend but Piper was confused about living in Westport or Los Angeles. 

Piper’s friend Kirby arranged a welcome party for her in Los Angeles. Piper completed the bar’s renovation and invited her stepfather to the opening ceremony. Brendan was assuming that now Piper would leave Westport, so both of them had a huge fight, and Brendan left for his fishing trip. Piper was hoping that Brendan would come to the bar’s opening, but he didn’t.

Piper was heartbroken; he left Westport and went to Los Angeles for Kirby’s welcome party. Brendan could not come to the bar’s opening because of some issue in the boat, not because he fought with Piper before leaving for his trip. Brendan came to the party to meet Piper and both of them patched up. Piper returned to Westport with Brendon, and they started living happily together.

Pros and Cons:

PROS
  • The plot is easy to read and understand.
  • It was neither fast-paced nor slow-paced but a perfect medium-paced novel.
CONS
  • It was a fun read, but there was no take-home message from this story.
  • The characters’ lack of communication causes misunderstandings and leads to fights; this can make the reader irritated while reading.

Review:

I found this story entertaining which didn’t have a lot of tragedies and sorrows. It was about two main characters, Piper and Brendon, who met by chance and then decided to live the rest of their lives together despite having fights and misunderstandings. But instead of just silently leaving, Piper could have called and asked Brendon why he had not come to the opening ceremony of the bar, rather than quietly leaving Westport and going back to Los Angeles as it was found out later that Brendon couldn’t come due to some issues in the boat and not because of the fight he and Piper had before leaving for the trip. Piper didn’t know the misunderstanding, so she got upset and heartbroken. So, as it is said, “communication is the key”, Piper could’ve followed it.

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey Review

I found Piper’s sister Hannah’s role supporting. She did her sister’s bail and got her out of the police station when police arrested Piper during the party. Hannah also accompanied Piper to Westport so that her sister does not feel sad and lonely. I adored this bond between both sisters.

Conclusion:

Piper is a happy-go-lucky girl who does what she likes. Her father drowned in the sea and died. Her mother brought Piper and her sister Hannah to Los Angeles and married a wealthy man. Piper’s stepfather is a Hollywood film producer, and his business deal with a hotel’s owner gets in danger when his daughter has a party in that hotel and police come to arrest her.

This tarnished the hotel’s image, and the business deal might be cancelled, which made his stepfather angry. He sent Piper to Westport to his birth father’s apartment. Piper’s sister Hannah also came with her.

]]> https://e-readings.com/it-happened-one-summer/feed/ 1 King of Sloth: Is it a Standalone Romance Worth Reading? https://e-readings.com/king-of-sloth/ https://e-readings.com/king-of-sloth/#respond Sat, 04 May 2024 09:01:14 +0000 https://e-readings.com/?p=1878 Read more

]]> Are you searching for a romantic book with charming characters that naturally attract everyone? If yes, then I have got a book for you. It is called “King of Sloth” and was written by Ana Haung. It is the part of best billionaire romance series. If you heard about the series “King of Sin,”  this is the fourth book. Let me give you some information about it. If you have read the previous parts of this series, like “King of Wrath,” which was full of romance and spice, let me tell you that “King of Sloth” is similar.

Let me tell you that this is a love story of a billionaire, which you can read as a standalone book as well. This book’s main element and genre is romance, so it is more suitable for readers aged 20 and above. If you want more information about this book, read this piece until the end and dive into the entire book for further enjoyment.

Main Characters:

Xavier Castillo

Xavier, the hero of this story, is a billionaire and the heir to his family’s legacy.

Sloane Kensington

Sloane is a charming and relaxed-minded girl who is a publicist and is now working with Xavier.

Summary of the Book:

It is a captivating romance with different emotions. It tells the story of a billionaire, Xavier Castillo, and Sloane Kensington, dealing with various rivals and emotions. Xavier, a wealthy heir and playboy, finds himself distancing himself from his life of luxury due to his family crisis, which is out of necessity. He is a free spirit, trying and fighting for his inheritance and future. However, during this time, he starts feeling strongly attracted towards his publicist, Sloane.

King of Sloth

On the other hand, Sloane, a high-powered PR expert, is not used to revolving around or paying attention to any man. But when she starts working with Xavier, they develop a mixed relationship of love and conflict, which they both try to escape from but can not.

“To every woman who’s ever been told to “smile more.” F*ck that. Do what you want.”

― Ana Huang

They can not run away from one another. In this story, Xavier and Sloane face different challenges. Xavier must rid himself of the burden of his family and discover his changing feelings.

PublisherBloom Books
Publishing DateFirst published April 30, 2024
LanguageEnglish
Pages464 Pages
SeriesKings of Sin (#4)
ISBN-101728289750
ISBN-13978-1728289755

Meanwhile, Sloane is troubled. She has dealt with many demanding clients, but none have bothered her as much as Xavier. However, she still feels something for him and must confront her life and love’s dilemmas. I must tell you that This is a passionate romance depicting a bittersweet journey of love and argument between Xavier and Sloane. It is a tale of two tangled characters filled with love and trials.

Pros and Cons:

PROS
  • Emotional Depth
  • Engaging Romance
  • Page turning plot
CONS
  • Character Dynamics
  • Predictable Elements
  • Lack of depth in secondary Characters

Trigger Warning:

The content of this novel includes se**ual relationships, profanity, and some violence. Therefore, it is recommended for adults and mature readers only. Children should not read it at all.

Reviews:

I read the previous three books of Anna Huang’s series, and now this is the 4th book, “King of Sloth,” which takes you into a charming world of imagination. There’s a wealthy heir and a beautiful girl, both tangled in their own lives, and these complexities bring them closer and lead them to fall in love with each other. The start of the story intrigued me, and I was happy, but in some places, I felt unfortunate and disappointed because there were some conflicts shown in the story that saddened me a lot. 

King of Sloth Review

Because I always wish to see my favorite characters in a good way, as every reader would desire. Sorry, Anna, there were some things in the novel that I did not like, but besides those things, the book was fascinating and romantically hot. The ending of this story was good, as though all the twists and conflicts that came their way, their love emerged even more robust, and in the end, they finally found true love.

 I am eagerly waiting for Anna’s next book, hoping it will be even more intriguing and classy than this one.

Books like king of Sloth:

  1. Wild Love (Rose Hill, #1) by Elsie Silver
  2. The Dixon Rule (Campus Diaries, #2) by Elle Kennedy
  3. Daydream (Maple Hills, #3) by Hannah Grace
  4. The Inheritance Games

Conclusion

While reading this book, I saw many ups and downs, as well as enjoyable and sad moments. The lives of Sloane and Xavier in this story go through many twists and turns. They do not understand each other at first but continuously work together.

One day, when Xavier’s father passes away, Sloane is there with him, and during this time, they both grow much closer. Similarly, throughout the story, there are moments of happiness and sorrow. But amidst the arguments and fights, love ultimately conquered between them.

]]> https://e-readings.com/king-of-sloth/feed/ 0 Hopeless Series by Colleen Hoover: A Quick Guide for Everyone https://e-readings.com/hopeless-series-colleen-hoover/ https://e-readings.com/hopeless-series-colleen-hoover/#respond Tue, 30 Apr 2024 09:00:44 +0000 https://e-readings.com/?p=993 Read more

]]> Colleen Hoover is famous for writing masterpieces of contemporary romance and young adult fiction stories. The “Hopeless” series has romance, abuse, suicide and other explicit content that are only appropriate for readers above 18 years. It revolves around themes of loss, love, self-discovery and recovery.

I love books with closures and clear-cut endings where one does not have to assume what would have happened next, especially when the series is over and no more books are expected. Ugh, I wouldn’t say I like that feeling. But rest assured, “Hopeless” has a fascinating and captivating end, which I am sure you will cherish for a long time after reading it. 

Hopeless series by Colleen Hoover Overview:

In the Hopeless series, we live the lives of Sky and Dean. Their love is intense and unforgettable. Through Hopeless and Losing Hope, CoHo weaves to form a world that tests the boundaries of love and its potential and explores the lifetime impact of trauma and the power of truth. 

The series consists of six main characters: three females and three males. The first two main characters, Sky and Dean Holder, are found in the series’ first books, Hopeless and Losing Hope. Sky is an unsettled young girl who never liked the idea of love, but when she met Dean, she was ready to play the love game.

Hopeless Series by Colleen Hoover Overview

The next couple, Daniel and Six, were the main characters of the two novellas of the series, Finding Cinderella and Finding Perfect. The story tells of a young man who falls in love with a girl he meets in the dark. This girl is Six; she is daring and different in all the right ways.

Lastly, in All Your Perfects, are the couple Quinn and Graham. In the present day, they are married, but the story tells of the moments before and after, secrets, and breathtaking moments of Hopelessness.

Best Reading Order for the Hopeless Series:

The Hopeless series offers related books that are followed by each other. It is recommended to read the series in chronological order. Hopeless is followed by Losing Hope. On the other hand, Finding Cinderella is followed by Finding Perfect.  

However, Colleen Hoover has personally advised the reader to read All Your Perfect before Finding Perfect for the best love experiences.

Reading order is important so you do not get major spoilers earlier and are fed up leaving the series.

So, the best reading order for a romantic flow is:

  1. Hopeless (2012)
  2. Losing Hope (2013)
  3. Finding Cinderella (2013)
  4. All Your Perfects (2018)
  5. Finding Perfect (2019)

Character Analysis:

The major characters of the series are the main couples.

Furthermore, there are many other characters about which, I think it is not very necessary to mention here:

Couple 1:

  • Dean Holder: Sky’s Boyfriend
  • Sky Davis: Dean’s Girlfriend

Couple 2:

  • Six: Daniel’s Girlfriend
  • Daniel Wesley: Six’s Boyfriend

Others:

  • Tessa: Daniel’s ex
  • Lesslie Holder:  Dean’s twin sister

Summaries of the Books:

Hopeless:

This novel is told from Sky’s Point of view (POV). Karen adopted Sky Davis and has been n having receiving action at home. Now, she is admitted to high school, and students treat her differently, as if she were a misfit. But she is self-empowered and doesn’t pay much heed to them. Davis joins a track club, meets Dean Holder, and gets attracted to him. After a few weeks, Sky and Dean become friends, but Sky notices that he has bipolar disorder. He would get triggered by trivial things and become aggressive.

Sky and Davis started spending more time and discussing their pasts with each other. Sky talks about her detached father, and Dean talks about his sister. Sky was wearing a bracelet which was gifted to her by a kid when she was in foster care before getting adopted. Dean saw the bracelet and became uncomfortable, and left in anger. Neither of them interacted for weeks. One day, when Karen wasn’t home, Dean went to Sky’s house. Dean tells Sky that he has this tattoo of “hopeless” on his back because everyone has betrayed him, whom he loved and trusted.

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

One day, Dean fought with a boy, and Sky came to sort things out. Dean tells Sky that he is the brother of that boy he beat in the past, not because he accused Dean’s sister of suicide. After confessing this, Dean tells them she is into her and names her names”. Dean invites Sky to his home, where she sees a childhood picture of Dean and his sister Les. Sky can recognize the background of that photo. What do you think she recognized?

Dean begins telling Sky that they were neighbours in Austin in their childhood, and he knows that his sister Les gave this bracelet to Sky. Dean also tells Sky that her name was “Hope” in childhood. He narrates that one day, all three were playing when a woman came in a car and took Sky with her. Everyone thought someone had kidnapped Sky.

Sky became curious and wanted to know more about her past. Dean and Sky go to Austin to Sky’s old house, and some terrible memories of the past haunt her. They meet Sky’s father, who gives his confession of assaulting his sister, as well as Dean’s sister, Les. After saying this, Sky’s father shot himself.

PublisherAtria Books
Published DateFirst published December 18, 2012
LanguageEnglish
Pages408 Pages
SeriesHopeless #1
ISBN-10147674355X
ISBN-13978-1476743554

Sky comes back to her home and confronts her adoptive mother, Karen, for kidnapping her in her childhood. It is revealed that Karen was her aunt, who her father assaulted her. Karen told Sky that she did not kidnap her but rather tried to rescue her. The story ends with Dean and Sky committing to spend the rest of their lives together. 

“Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…”

No doubt giving it a 5 out of 5!

Losing Hope (Hopeless #2):

“Losing Hope” is told from Dean Holder’s Point of View. There is a party in Holder’s school, where he sees his sister’s boyfriend, Grayson, hanging around with another girl. Holder went to Grayson, punched him, and asked him to call her sis and break the relationship with her. As told, Grayson did it, and Holder returned home to console his sister. The next day, Holder found out that his sister Les overdosed on sleeping pills and passed away.

When he returned to school, he overheard people saying that Holder was responsible for his sister’s death, to which he became angry and attacked a student. He then took a break from his school and returned after some time. Holder saw a girl who liked a grown-up girl, Hope, who got kidnapped during her childhood, but this girl’s name was Sky. After losing his sister, he began his search for Hope. Both Holder and Sky are runners and started going on running together. He still thinks she is Hope, her childhood neighbour and friend. Grayson doesn’t want Sky to befriend Holder, so she keeps telling her lies about Holder.

Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover

Holder and Sky become close while running together, and at this point, Holder becomes convinced that Sky is not Hope. But soon, his stance changed when he saw Sky wearing a bracelet because Sky and Holder’s sister Les had the same heart charm bracelets. Holder is convinced again that she is Sky. Holder didn’t say anything; two weeks passed, and they didn’t talk. After Les’ death, Holder wrote her letters about what was going on in his life. 

After these two weeks, Holder went to Sky’s home. He explains to her about the reason for getting that “Hopeless” tattoo. He tells Sky about her past traumas and says that he did not want to hurt her. After some days, Holder cooks food for Sky and calls her at his home. She goes upstairs to Les’ room and finds a photograph. The background seemed familiar to Sky, and he tried to recognize it. She is curious to discover who Hope is, as Holder took this name for her in the past.

Holder tells her that she got kidnapped during her childhood. That night, Sky had a dream that her adoptive mother kidnapped her. Karen didn’t allow Sky to have a phone and even gave her a home education so nobody would know about her. They confront her adoptive mother and leave the house. Sky and Holder go to Sky’s childhood house in Austin, and she gets haunted by her childhood memories. Sky meets her father in the house and confronts him for his wrongdoings. He confesses that he abused Holder’s sister also and apologizes for that. And then shoots himself. 

PublisherAtria Books
Published DateFirst published July 8, 2013
LanguageEnglish
Pages321 Pages
SeriesHopeless #2
Literary awardsGoodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2013)
ISBN-101476746555
ISBN-13978-1476746555

Holder finds a letter from her sister Les that she has been abused so many times by Sky’s father. She writes that Holder is not the reason for her suicide. Les told Holder that she and her mom knew that Hope was alive and was in her aunt Karen’s custody to save her from her father’s physical abuse. Sky and Holder go to college together, and Holder is no longer hopeless. He found his Hope in ‘Hope’ (Sky).

“I’ve loved Hope since we were kids. But tonight? Tonight, I fell in love with Sky.”

Finding Cinderella Hopeless #2.5:

This story is a novella about Holder’s best friend, Daniel, and Sky’s best friend, Six. Daniel lost his mother and is in a state of grief. He likes to spend time alone in the school’s dark room. Six is also going through some emotional trauma. She is popular for wearing mismatched shoes, so people have named her Cinderella. This Novella is from Daniel’s point of view. One day, Six and Daniel meet in a closet in a dark place in school, and they are total strangers.

Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover

During their first meet-up, they do not even know each other’s names, but they connect with one another and spend time together. They did not try to know each other deeply, and they just spent one hour together and left without turning on the light, which means they do not even know each other’s faces. 

When their meet-up time is over, Six leaves. Daniel starts looking for his Cinderella girl, with whom he spends time in the closet. Six flew to Italy after that time. Daniel and Six met again after about a year when Six returned from Italy and became friendly. They do not know each other, nor do they know that they are the same people who spent time together in the closet a year back. With time, their friendship grows deeper, and they like to spend time in each other’s company.

PublisherAtria Books
Published DateFirst published October 14, 2013
LanguageEnglish
Pages178 Pages
SeriesHopeless #2.5
ISBN-101476783284
ISBN-13978-1476783284

Both of them have kept some secrets hidden, which caused a stir in their relationship. Their relationship goes through a roller coaster of emotions. Daniel is still grieving his mother’s death, and Six is fighting with her past demons. Are you curious about what secrets both of them are hiding? The Novella has all your answers.

All Your Perfects Hopeless #3:

The novel narrates scenes from the present and past, which happened 7 years back. At present, a couple, Quinn and Graham, are going through the problem of infertility. Quinn cannot conceive a child because of some medical health condition, such as endometriosis, and the couple cannot adopt a child because Graham has some criminal history from his youth time. They have tried IVF procedures, which were not successful, either. Quinn feels guilt that she cannot conceive a child and cannot make his husband a father.

To overcome her guilt, Quinn starts avoiding Graham and cries while showering.

Quinn has a good bond with her sister Ava and shares her feelings with her, not his husband, Graham. This causes some problems in their relationship. Ava moves to Europe and is expecting a child. Quinn is sad that she cannot conceive but is happy for Ava. In the past, when they were young, they were close and committed to meeting all the challenges together, but in the present time, after 7 years, they do not have the same closeness.

All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

At present, both Quinn and Graham have started telling lies to each other. One day, Graham holds Ava’s child and tells her he is unhappy that he hasn’t been a father. Quinn hears this but leaves from there silently. Quinn suspects that Graham is having an affair with someone, and he admits it, too. Quinn is unhappy; she packs her bag and leaves to meet her mother, Avril. After some time, Quinn returns home.

One day, Quinn has stomach pain, and Graham takes her to the hospital, where she is told that Quinn had a rare type of pregnancy and had a miscarriage, and there was no hope to conceive ever again. Quinn breaks from her married life and goes to Europe to stay with her sister Ava. After some weeks, Graham comes to Europe and brings the wooden box of letters that Quinn and Graham promised to open either on their 25th anniversary or in case of emergency during their married life.

When they open the box, Quinn reads the letters, and Graham writes that he understands the pain Quinn is going through. Quinn starts crying and says she wants to live with Graham. They go shopping for Ava’s son’s second birthday when people ask if they are shopping for their child. They said yes, they are shopping for their 6th daughter. They played a lying game to everyone who asked to overcome the discomfort. They also adopted a dog named August after the month of their marriage anniversary.

PublisherAtria Books
Published DateFirst published January 1, 2018
LanguageEnglish
Pages305 Pages
SeriesHopeless #2
Literary awardsGoodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2018)
ISBN-101501193325
ISBN-13978-1501193323

Finding Perfect Hopeless #3.5:

In “Finding Perfect”, Daniel and Six had a surprise baby after a quick encounter. Six gave the baby up for adoption without knowing Daniel. Later, they fall in love. In the story, they’re having a tough time, and Daniel wants to reunite with their child, uncovering the complexities of love and family ties.

Finding Perfect by Colleen Hoover

The novella also tells about a Thanksgiving plan of friends; Daniel, Six, Holder, and Sky. But there’s a problem, a secret that’s making things difficult. Daniel tries to find answers to help the person he loves most. It’s an emotional story with characters we know from other books.

PublisherAtria Books
Published DateFirst published November 30, 2019
LanguageEnglish
Pages138 Pages
SeriesHopeless #3.5
ISBN-10166801338X
ISBN-13978-1668013380

I liked “Finding Perfect” because it gave a better ending than “Finding Cinderella.” Returning to the familiar characters felt nice. “Finding Perfect” provided a satisfying conclusion.

Review and Analysis:

The Pros:

The “Hopeless” series didn’t make me hopeless after completing it. I had a delightful experience reading the first book, “Hopeless”, which was an interesting story between Holder and Six. The plot twist was interesting; Sky recognized the background in a picture and started searching for her childhood and true identity. I found the revelation of Sky as “Hope” really interesting through that heart charm bracelet.

Where I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Hopeless”, which was from Sky’s point of view, I found the second book “Losing Hope” redundant, which had nothing new except that the same previous story was told from Holder’s point of view. I found nothing new in this second book.

“Finding Cinderella” was a short novella about Daniel and Six’s lives with no drags but rather some cliffhangers revealed in “Finding Perfect”. I found “Finding Cinderella” a bit unrealistic. Although fiction stories are not real, this one is more unreal. For example, how could Daniel and Six spend time together without seeing each other’s faces?

I liked the idea of that wooden box in “All Your Perfects”, which had letters from Quinn and Graham, and they served as a means to unite them in the times when their marriage was on the verge of ending. Overall, the series has 4.5 stars for its storyline and character development.

Conclusion:

The series has 5 books in total, of which three are novels and two are novellas. It would help to read the series in the order of their release to avoid reading spoilers. “All Your Perfects” is part of the Hopeless Series but is not a continuation of the previous 3 books.

The book has a different storyline and new characters, making it standalone. But its story continues in the last book, “Finding Perfects”, which narrates its epilogue. “Finding Perfect” also tells the fate of Daniel and Six from “Finding Cinderella”.

]]> https://e-readings.com/hopeless-series-colleen-hoover/feed/ 0 The Rule Book by Sarah Adams: A Must-Read Second Chance Romance https://e-readings.com/the-rule-book/ https://e-readings.com/the-rule-book/#respond Mon, 29 Apr 2024 08:59:46 +0000 https://e-readings.com/?p=1865 Read more

]]> What are your thoughts when reading the title “The Rule Book”? Of course, one must follow some rules, but what kind of rules? *Shrugs*

Like you, I was also intrigued to know what rules are in “The Rule Book”. It is a rom-com narrating the story of two people, from being friends to being haters to being friends again. It is a second-chance love story with elements of humour and sentiments. This book is recommended for mature readers due to some explicit material which might not be appropriate for young readers.

Main Characters:

Nora Mackenzie: A sports agent

Derek Pender: Nora’s college fellow, A football player, Nora’s client

Summary:

This story is about a woman, Nora, who has worked hard for 2 years as an underling and finally becomes a sports agent. Nora’s boss gave her a contract to prove herself, and she was given a client, Derek Pender, a football player. Nora is shocked to find out that this client is her college’s ex-boyfriend whom Nora dumped during college. Nora liked Derek, but she had reasons for breaking up with him. Nora made a rule book where she wrote guidelines for different situations and followed those rules. Nora was entirely organized in her life, while Derek had a rule-breaking personality, making both of them opposite to each other.

Derek’s heart was broken when Nora broke up with him without explaining. Both have met each other after a decade. When Derek meets Nora, he thinks he will take revenge on Nora for what she did to him. As he was his sports client, he had a plan to make Nora’s life miserable and make her repent her action of dumping him. Derek made Nora do all her work, including writing emails and running his errands.

The Rule Book Summary

Nora tries to explain to Derek why she broke up with him, but Derek refuses to listen to any of Nora’s reasons and explanations. Nora is frustrated by fulfilling all the demands made by Derek as she does not want to lose her dream job that she has worked really hard for. Nora keeps listening to Derek’s orders, hoping his heart might melt and they might become friends one day. However, Derek keeps misbehaving to hide the fact that he still has feelings for her after all these years. Derek does this because he knows from college that Nora is consistent with whatever she does and won’t give up easily on things. 

PublisherDell
Publishing DateFirst published April 2, 2024
LanguageEnglish
Pages368Pages
TitleThe Rule Book
AuthorSarah Adams
ISBN-100593723678
ISBN-13978-0593723678

As time passed, Nora and Derek became friends again. They planned to go to a wedding in Vegas and spend time together. Nora finally starts breaking the rules from “The Rule Book” and realizes that she is having internal conflicts with those rules, which are holding her back from doing many things. Nora finally stopped following the rules and found freedom in letting go of those rules. Nora and Derek are united again and begin their relationship, saying that now is the right time to stay together, as when they first met, it was the ‘wrong time’.

Pros and Cons:

PROS
  • The protagonist Nora’s journey from rigid to openness is motivating.
  • Both the story and character development are fast-paced.
CONS
  • Although there were plot twists, they were pretty predictable.
  • The rules made by Nora sometimes felt useless and annoying.

Review:

I found Nora’s character quite inspiring, and they had worked hard to earn a position as a sports agent. She seems organized, but I find her silly in breaking up with Derek without explaining. It is perfectly all right if Nora doesn’t find Derek compatible, but her way of breaking up is too weird. I liked Derek’s character, who was pretending to be rude and cruel to Nora as if he was teaching her a lesson for dumping her previously, but deep down, he still liked her and didn’t mean to hurt her.

The Rule Book Review

Nora’s rules might be good, but sometimes I find them impeding, stopping them from living her life witfreelynce she stopped following “The Rule Book”, her life became more accessible, and she had the pleasure of violating those rules. This book was about letting go of past experiences, forgiving, and starting things over again. It also depicted that sometimes it is not about the right or wrong person but the correct and bad times. Nora and Derek were right for each other but met at the wrong time. 

Books to Read if you Loved The Rule Book:

  1. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
  2. Happily Never After by Lynn Painter
  3. Wild Love by Elsie Silver
  4. FanGirl Down by Tessa Bailey

Conclusion:

Nora has been promoted to full-time sports agent and is shocked to see her first client, Derek. Derek is his college ex, whom she dumped without giving any excuse. Derek is heartbroken, and after meeting Nora, he thinks this is the perfect time to take revenge on her. He orders Nora to do all his work, like replying to emails run,ning his errands, and even making dinner for him. Nora cannot refuse to obey him as this may threaten her job as an agent, for which she has worked day and night. Although Derek annoys her by making her do all this, he also tries to conceal that he is still in love with Nora. 

Nora has a book, “The Rule Book”, which has guidelines about living life. Nora follows them, and it might be one of the book’s rules to dump Derek. Nora and Derek started getting close again and went to Vegas for a wedding. They spent time together, and Nora broke a rule from her book. She realized that following these rules was making her life difficult, and there were a lot of limitations. Finally, Nora and Derek become friends again and then become more than friends, saying both are the right people, but they previously met at the wrong time. Now is the right time to live and enjoy life together while excelling in their careers. I will rate this book 4.7 stars. How about you?

]]> https://e-readings.com/the-rule-book/feed/ 0 Funny Story by Emily Henry: My Honest Review https://e-readings.com/funny-story/ https://e-readings.com/funny-story/#respond Sun, 28 Apr 2024 09:00:37 +0000 https://e-readings.com/?p=1851 Read more

]]> Scrolling… Scrolling… Scrolling… 

Scrolls back and reads the title “Funny Book” by Emily Henry. I was sure I wanted to read this book because of the captivating title. Funny and humorous stories are my fav. Well, I think they are liked by everyone. Do you like reading them?

Initially, I thought this book would be all about only getting laughter fits while reading, but I was wrong when I went through some emotional scenes. Funny Story is a summer romantic comedy by Emily Henry, who is popular for blending emotions with a touch of light humor in her stories. This is contemporary romance book with alot of twists and turns.

The book is appropriate for readers above 18 years old due to some steamy and adult content.

Summary:

The book begins by telling the story of a girl, Daphne, who was engaged to Peter. After their bachelor’s party, Peter breaks up with Daphne, saying that he is more interested in his childhood best friend Petra. He asks Daphne to leave the apartment as Petra would be coming and living with him. On the other hand, Petra also broke up with her boyfriend, Miles. Peter and Petra dump Daphne and Miles and go on a holiday together.

Miles was finding Petra and happened to meet Daphne instead. When Daphne tells her story to Miles that she is homeless, he offers Daphne to live with him in his apartment. Daphne was new in this hometown, so she only knew a little about the places there. Both Miles and Daphne were heartbroken about what Peter and Petra did to them.

Things I can’t dream up too. The ways it will all go wrong, and the beauty that can only happen in the wake. A second act I fell into, and the home that I chose, as much as it chose me. I can’t wait. I can’t wait for this whole world I’ve invited to surprise me.

EMILY HENRY, FUNNY STORY

They came up with a game plan to pretend to be a couple to make Peter and Petra jealous. But as Miles and Daphne spent time together, they got to know each other more. Miles was an extrovert and liked interacting with people, while Daphne had a reserved nature. Miles showed her various places in the town, and they watched movies together.

During childhood, Miles suppressed his emotions and pretended everything was fine so that his mother did not get upset or angry. So, when he grew up, he had self-doubt and didn’t trust his own emotions. Daphne’s father remarried and came to see her with his new wife. But she gets really upset over what his father had done to her in the past. Miles tries to console her and make her feel better. After some days, Miles suddenly disappears somewhere. Peter came to see Daphne and told her that he regretted marrying Petra and wanted to get back with Daphne again. 

Funny Story by Emily Henry

Daphne turned down the offer, saying that it was too late. Miles comes back and apologizes to Daphne for getting disappeared. Daphne finds a job in a children’s library and leaves Miles’ house. She wanted to make her own identity rather than being partnered with someone. Daphne’s father made her a call and told her that Miles had come to him and asked him to say goodbye before leaving as she was really upset. Now Daphne knows the reason why Miles disappeared. He didn’t tell Daphne because if he didn’t come, Daphne would get hurt.

PublisherBerkley
Publishing DateFirst published April 23, 2024
LanguageEnglish
Pages400 Pages
TitleFunny Story
SettingsMichigan (United States)
ISBN-100593441222
ISBN-13978-0593441282

Miles’ sister Julia came to see Daphne and told her about how Miles has been suppressing emotions in his childhood, and this has made him doubt everything now. Daphne told Miles that she knew he went to see his father. She appreciated his love for her and told him that she wanted to be together with him. Miles and Daphne started living together, and they arranged a housewarming party. Daphne’s mother came to visit her daughter, and she told her the” Funny Story” about how she met Miles.

PROS
  • It has a powerful message that suppressing emotions can lead to self-doubt and distrust.
  • The story tells that it is always better to have one’s own identity than be partnered with someone for your happiness.
CONS
  • A little more direction in the narrative would have made the story more interesting.
  • Adding more characters could have been more fun rather than reading about just two people who are trying to get over their exes.

Review:

The book begins with minimal background information and comes straight to the main characters, Daphne and Peter. A drastic event of breakup between Daphne and Peter took place in the beginning which was a bit sad. How can Peter be so rude and blunt to Daphne that he is breaking up with her to be together with his childhood friend Petra. I found Miles’ character positive and helpful; they offered Daphne to stay with her as she was homeless.

Funny Story

I liked how Daphne began a job at a children’s library and chose to be independent and make her own identity rather than being always partnered with someone. It felt so good to read how Miles went to Daphne’s father to ask him to say goodbye to daphne before leaving as she was upset. I liked Miles’ concern for Daphne. Peter got a lesson for life when Petra left him that if you hurt other’s feelings, your feelings get hurt in return, too. It was great to read that Daphne refused to be back with Peter again because once a cheater will always be a cheater.

Conclusion:

This was a fun and easy-peasy summer romantic comedy about Peter, who broke up with Daphne because he wanted to be together with Petra. Petra also left her boyfriend, Miles, for Peter. Daphne became homeless and was looking for a shelter and met Miles. Miles offered Daphne to start living with her. They spent time and got to know each other better. They came up with a naughty plan of pretending to be a couple to make Peter and Petra jealous. While pretending, they ended up actually liking each other. Peter left Petra and came back to Daphne for a patch bu,t she turned him down, saying that she was no longer interested in him. Miles and Daphne start living together and are happy. 

After reading “Funny Story”, we know that life is not over after a mishap. There are so many other things we can do to start life all over again, and one day, we will be proud that we have moved on to some better things in life.

]]> https://e-readings.com/funny-story/feed/ 0 The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods: Must-Read Fantasy https://e-readings.com/the-lost-bookshop/ https://e-readings.com/the-lost-bookshop/#respond Sat, 27 Apr 2024 09:00:14 +0000 https://e-readings.com/?p=1847 Read more

]]> I have been reading romantic fiction for quite some time, and it was time for some genre breather. Do you know what that is? It’s when you’ve read one genre so much that you crave a change. I was searching for some mystery thrillers, and that’s when I stumbled upon “The Lost Bookshop.” Being an avid reader, the title grasped my attention. As I began reading, I was transported into the mysterious world of suspense and imagination. 

I could not wait to unravel the mystery of whether the bookshop was actually there or was a mere imagination of one of the characters. Are you curious to know? Head over to the review to unveil the secret of this lost bookshop. 

The book is appropriate for teenagers and young adults and not readers under the age of 13 as it has some abusive and explicit scenes, too.

Main Characters:

  • Mrs. Bowden: An old lady living in Dublin
  • Martha: A housekeeper at Mrs. Bowden’s house
  • Henry: An educationist searching for lost manuscripts
  • Opaline: The lady who had missing manuscripts and great-grandmother of Martha
  • Shane: Martha’s husband

Plot/Summary:

“The Lost Book Shop” is a story of three different characters and how they discover a bookshop. It is the 1920s era when Opaline belongs to a rich family but tries to escape from her family as she is forced by her brother to marry someone she is not interested in. She leaves England and goes to Paris, where she starts working in a bookshop as Opaline has a lot of love for books.

Circumstances are not favorable for her in France so she leaves and goes to Ireland this time. She chose to settle down in Dublin and owned a bookstore here. But her life gets an expected turn when his brother knows that Opaline is living in Dublin.

“Lost is not a hopeless place to be. It is a place of patience, of waiting. Lost does not mean gone for ever. Lost is a bridge between worlds, where the pain of our past can be transformed into power. You have always held the key to this special place, but now you are ready to unlock the door.”

Evie Woods, The Lost Bookshop

The narrative is now shifted to the present-day era, and a new character named Martha is introduced. She has been suffering in an abusive marriage for a long. Martha finally gathers a lot of courage lea, leaves her husband, and comes to Dublin. In order to make both ends meet, Martha is in search of employment. Finally, she gets a job as a housekeeper in the house of a rich old lady, Mrs. Bowden, who apparently looks strange, but Martha opts to do this job.

The job included accommodation as well, so Martha stayed in Mrs. Bowden’s house in the basement. Martha was looking for peace and hiding herself from her past, so she found this place safe and comfortable. Martha has never been a fan of books and almost disliked them. 

The Lost Bookshop Summary

Henry is from London but comes to Dublin and is in search of some missing manuscripts which he was told will be found in a bookshop in Dublin. This letter was written to Henry by Opaline in the 1920s. When Henry comes to Dublin, he meets Martha and realizes she has been through bad times in the past and happens to be a fragile lady. Henry gets attracted towards Martha and both of them become friends.

Henry goes to the bookshop, which is located on the street right next to Mrs. Bowden’s house, but now he finds out that the bookshop is away. He has been convinced that he had actually entered that bookshop, but it has vanished completely as if not was not there in the first place. What do you think of the bookshop? Did he really find it and go inside it, or was it in his imagination only?

Henry, Opaline, and Martha are unaware of how invisible threads will get them connected later on. Martha has never been a fan of books and almost disliked them. But one day, something strange happens in the basement she’s living in. What do you think happened? I know you couldn’t imagine tree roots growing in the basement, and a book named “A Place Called Lost” appeared on its branches. Henry leaves Dublin and goes back to London to break his engagement, and while leaving, he leaves a note for Martha, which she never finds. Martha thought Henry had disappeared. 

Martha’s husband, Shane, gets to know where she is living and drags her back home. While dragging, he fell off the stairs and lost his life. Henry returns to Dublin and confesses his feelings for Martha, but she turns down the offer, saying that she is too afraid to get into a relationship after all the abuse she has faced in the past.

PublisherOne More Chapter/HarperCollins
Publishing DateFirst published June 22, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Pages435 Pages
TitleThe Lost Bookshop
Literary awardsBritish Book Award Nominee for Pageturner (2024)
SettingsDublin (Ireland)
ISBN-100008609217
ISBN-13978-0008609214

They agreed to stay only friends and decided to search for the missing manuscript of Emily Brontë together.  Remember the book that appeared in Martha’s basement? Henry and Martha read that book together, and it has the message of how to find the lost bookshop. As Martha had made peace with her past, the bookshop appeared where it was before. 

What’s the craic?

“The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.”

PROS
  • The story was fast-paced without unnecessary drags.
  • The mystery of discovering the bookshop was maintained until the end.
  • The book had powerful female characters who knew how to take a stand and refused to tolerate oppression.
CONS
  • The shifting narratives between the 1920s and the present time made it a bit confusing to understand.
  • The family relationship between Opaline and Martha was quite interesting; it would have been more gripping if there was some hidden family relationship between Opaline and Henry, too, hence making all three of them connected. 

Review:

The book can best be described as a mystery thriller, which kept me hooked till the end to know about that mysterious bookshop that was either not there on the street from the beginning or disappeared for some reason. I found the women characters of this book, Martha and Opaline, very strong and knew how to refuse to take any oppression and injustice. Martha’s character was an inspiration who started working to earn on her own so that she can live in peace.

Although Henry did not have a negative character or traits other than leaving his wife for Martha, his character seemed a filler character. He had a supporting role and did not have much to add to the story. It was as if he was just another character in the story. Since he was a lead character, she should have that aura and personality that would give him the essence of being the main male character in the story. 

The Lost Bookshop Review

Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed reading “The Lost Bookshop” to find out the mystery behind its disappearance and then reappearance. I liked how Martha and Opaline were secretly connected. That was Opalin;e being Martha’great-grandmother great-grandmother of the lost bookshop. Being connected with Martha and making peace with her current situation was interesting. 

Books like The Lost Bookshop:

Here is my suggestion: if you love this book, you can also read the list of the books mentioned below:

  1. The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page
  2. The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris by Evie Gaughan
  3. The Story Collector by Evie Gaughan
  4. The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson

Conclusion:

Evie did a wonderful job in creating an escapist world where one has to bring their imaginative power to use actually to enjoy the book. The readers were kept both mysterious and curious to know about the hidden bookshop. Martha left her abusive husband and came to Dublin. She began working as a housekeeper in an old lady’s house and lived there too. Henry is an educationist who lives in London but comes to Dublin to find a missing manuscript, which he came to know from Opaline’s letter is in Dublin. 

Henry saw that a bookshop was located next to the old lady’s house, but suddenly, it disappeared. He becomes friends with Martha, and then he and Martha work together to find out about that lost bookshop. 

One day, Martha saw tree roots appearing in her basement, and a book was attached to its branches named “A Place Called Lost”. She and Henry read that book and find out how to find the lost bookshop. Martha makes peace with her past and realizes her worth; the bookshop suddenly comes back to where it was before. 

It was a wonderful experience reading about the imaginative and magical world beautifully crafted by the author. I will rate it 4.3 stars and before it all ends, I would like to ask your rating too.

]]> https://e-readings.com/the-lost-bookshop/feed/ 0 None of This is True by Lisa Jewell https://e-readings.com/none-of-this-is-true-by-lisa-jewell/ https://e-readings.com/none-of-this-is-true-by-lisa-jewell/#respond Wed, 24 Apr 2024 09:00:56 +0000 https://e-readings.com/?p=815 Read more

]]> “None of this is true” could easily be labeled as a crime and psychological fiction story packed with mystery and suspense. Fans of this genre will love reading it because it does justice to the genre. The story is full of surprises, bringing readers to the edge of their seats and giving it all their attention while reading.

The novel has criminal activities, drug usage, and sexual assault scenes, making it inappropriate for readers below the age of 18. It is a standalone book, and the writer does not intend to turn it into a series.  It reminded me of Lessons in Chemistry with its realistic characters and strong emotions. The book is more than just a thriller.

None of This is True Summary:

This could easily be labeled as a crime and psychological fiction story packed with mystery and suspense. The story involves Josie and Alix, who have their birthdays on the same date and are called birthday twins. Josie is oppressed by her husband, Walter, who has always controlled her in every possible way. She is young but married a man much older than her and has two kids, Roxy and Erin. Alix is a beautiful true crime podcaster. Both of them meet at a restaurant where they are celebrating their birthdays.

Alix’s podcasts are motivational and showcase stories of women and their success after jumping those hurdles that came their way. Josie meets Alix and says she’ll be going through some significant events in her life. She wants to be a part of her podcast. They begin recording at Alix’s home, and while recording, Josie steals some souvenirs from there and gradually steals some big and expensive things, like a diamond bracelet. 

None Of This Is True Synopsis

Alix has some differences with her husband Nathan as he goes drinking and does not return home for days. One day, Josie comes to Alix and tells her that she and Walter had a fight and need a place to stay. Initially, Alix was reluctant but then agreed to keep her. While waiting, as usual, Josie starts stealing other stuff from Alix’s house, such as jewelry pieces and business cards.

During the podcast, Josie tells her daughter Roxy had a perfect friend named Brooke who was being controlled by her husband Walter, just like her. Walter had a physical relationship with her, and after knowing this, Josie left Walter. It was later found out that Brooke had disappeared. But where? We don’t know that for now. You can also read Verity by Colleen Hoover.

Nathan asks Josie to leave their house now. Josie went up to Alix’s room and did something strange. Any guesses? Josie met her childhood friend Katelyn and asked for her help. Josie left the house, and Alix found a woman’s contact number in Nathan’s pocket. Nathan is not home for some days, and Alix reports to the police for his kidnapping. Later, it is found that Walter is dead. But who killed him?

PublisherAtria Books
Published DateJuly 20, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Hardcover384 Pages
AwardGoodreads Choice Award (Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2023))
Age Rating18 +
ISBN-101982179007
ISBN-13978-1982179007

Nathan’s dead body is also found in the water. Who do you think is the killer, Alix or Josie? Roxy’s friend Brooke is also found dead. I am wondering who killed her. Roxy reveals to the police about her mother, Josie, and how everything she has been telling is a lie. Josie’s claim of Walter’s wrongdoings was also fabricated. Josie was a controlling and toxic mother who was insecure about everyone around her.

“Then Zoe and Alix turn the conversation away from the Huge Coincidence and immediately Josie sees that it has passed, this strange moment of connection, that it was fleeting and weightless for Alix, but that for some reason it carries import and meaning to Josie, and she wants to grab hold of it and breath life back into it, but she can’t.”

None of this is True

Erin comes out of a coma and tells that Josie killed Brooke. The podcast became a Netflix series. Josie moves to a new place and writes a letter to Alix confessing that she gave drugs to Nathan but was unaware that he would die from them. In the end, it is revealed that Roxy and not Josie killed Brooke. Josie cooked up stories to save herself and her daughter from being convicted.

Oh my God, there are too many murders. (Rolling eyes)

PROS
  • A very Strong psychological thriller
  • Surprising turning points make this story outstanding
  • A realistic characters with strong emotion and feelings
  • The book talks about things like why trying to please everyone can be a problem and how secrets affect relationships.
CONS
  • The death of the Brooke’s make this story little bit confusing

Main Characters:

Alix Summer:

Personally, I think Alix Summer does a fantastic job hosting the podcast and truly captures people’s attention. Her character is portrayed as very curious, as they always ask questions that help us understand her better. Alix’s journey of discovering the truth is exciting and gives a unique viewpoint to the story.

Josie Fair:

Josie Fair has a hidden past that she keeps from everyone. It is like a story being told in a podcast. The complex background adds to the overall mystery of the book.

Walter Fair:

According to me, Walter Fair represents Josie’s spouse in the show. The character gets stuck in Josie’s problems, making things even more complicated.

Erin Fair and Roxy Fair:

Erin and Roxy Fair are essential parts of this mystery. The secrecy around their presence initially adds to the suspense of the story. Also, their role in Josie’s life adds emotional depth to the narrative.

Nathan Summer:

According to me, Nathan Summer is a foil for Alix. The character of Nathan, Josie’s husband, adds more depth to the story by introducing new perspectives and conflicts, making the story more exciting and thought-provoking.

Pat O’Neill:

I think Pat O’Neill, Josie’s mom, could impact Josie’s background and current situation. She brings a family touch to the narrative.

Brooke Ripley:

Brooke Ripley, Roxy’s girlfriend, adds a new dimension to the story by introducing an element of external relationships. Her character’s actions and dialogues help the reader know more about Josie’s life.

Review:

I found the story both engaging and enthralling. I didn’t even think of leaving the book in between once. The author has unraveled the story in a manner that kept me guessing. I was rushing to find out the concealed secrets and hidden murderers. I found the co-incidence of Alix and Josie being born on the same date and even in the same hospital attractive. 

Josie’s character was mysterious, and I was trying to find out her agenda, which wasn’t very clear. Erin later revealed that Josie was insecure about her children and that her husband Walter loved them more than her. I found this a bit silly of Josie. I mean, who gets jealous of their children? 

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell Review

I liked Alix’s character, which wasn’t complicated and had nothing to hide. She had a simple, relatively innocent character who was not getting Josie’s tactics and lies. Overall, the story had good twists in the plot, but there were too many murders. Why would Josie kill so many people? And if she did, what were her reasons? I couldn’t get my answers.

Trigger Warnings:

People who are going to read “None of This is True” should be cautious about the presence of extreme content themes such as violence, abuse, and others. Lisa’s story might trigger strong emotions because it revolves around sensitive topics. The story is modelled in a way that delves into the intricacies of human experiences, even if they are unpleasant. For those with specific theme triggers or otherwise sensitive, navigating through them cautiously is better.

Important Quotes

What Else Has Lisa Jewell Written?

Lisa Jewell has an extensive bibliography with a diverse range of works. In her earlier career, she explored women’s fiction and romantic comedy, contributing to the Ralph’s Party series (1999 and 2010), Thirty Nothing (2000), Roommates Wanted (2000), One Hit Wonder (2001), A Friend of the Family (2003), Vince and Joy (2005), 31 Dream Street (2007), The Truth About Melody Browne (2009), The Making of Us (2011), Before I Met You (2012), and The House We Grew Up In (2013).

Around 2014, Jewell transitioned towards psychological suspense, marking a notable shift in her writing style. This phase includes works like The Third Wife (2014), I Found You (2016). The Girls in the Garden (2016), Then She Was Gone (2017), Watching You (2018), The Family Upstairs (2019), Invisible Girl (2020), The Night She Disappeared (2021), The Family Remains (2022), and None of This is True (2023). This evolution in her storytelling demonstrates Jewell’s versatility and ability to traverse different genres while captivating her readers with compelling narratives.

Books Like None of This Is True:

If you want to read more captivating stories, then definitely “None of this is true” by Lisa Jewell, who will fall. Explore the three suspense novels to read for a thrilling experience:

  1. Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena (published July 25, 2023)
  2. The Only One Left The Only One Left by Riley Sager (published June 20, 2023)
  3. Good Bad Girl Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney (August 29, 2023)

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ’s:

Is None of this is true worth reading?

Definitely, It was worth reading, it hooks readers with common thriller ideas. It cleverly tells the story about secret forces disrupting peaceful lives. The book uses narrators we can’t trust, pulling readers in to help make decisions with the characters

What is none of this true about?

This is psychological thriller about two women who, through a chance encounter, learn they are birthday twins.

Is None of this is true based on a true story?

None of This is True is told from multiple timelines and from many perspectives. The plot of the story is about Alix a popular podcaster, that help to develop the fictional Netflix Crime series Hi, I am Your Birthday Tiwns based on her real-life experience with her birthday twin Josie.

Conclusion:

“None of this is true” is a captivating book exploring relationships’ complexities. I will give this book 4.3 stars for its storyline and epilogue. It depicts how even close relationships can be toxic and selfish at times. The book unfolded gradually while revealing some hidden secrets of the present as well as the past. Alix and Josie are birthday twins, and they decide to record a podcast together where Josie reveals some things about her life, such as her husband physically accusing his daughter’s friend Brooke and even his daughter Erin. Later, it turns out that Josie is telling a lie. 

Josie leaves her husband and starts living with Alix for a while, during which she performs mysterious actions like stealing things and dropping secret papers in Alix’s husband Nathan’s pocket. This makes Alix think that her husband is cheating on her. Later, Nathan is drugged by Josie, and he dies. Walter also dies, and the murderer is secret. For Brooke’s murder, first, the story showed that Walter might have killed him, then Erin accused her mother Josie if killing her, but in the end, it is revealed that Josie’s daughter Roxy killed er her friend Brooke. Everyone is dispersed, living alone, having no happy ending to the story. (Grabs a tissue and sobs while writing this).

]]> https://e-readings.com/none-of-this-is-true-by-lisa-jewell/feed/ 0 Twisted Hate by Ana Huang: My Precious Review For This Unique Book https://e-readings.com/twisted-hate/ https://e-readings.com/twisted-hate/#respond Tue, 23 Apr 2024 09:00:24 +0000 https://e-readings.com/?p=1043 Read more

]]> Twisted Hate is a romantic fiction story with dozens of twists and turns. It is the third book in the Twisted series but you can also read it as a standalone. This novel kept me on my toes till the end. I kept making guesses and was secretly wishing for Jules and Josh to be together after countless fights and misunderstandings. Every time after a fight, it seemed like they would not see each other ever again. But you get yourself proved wrong.

I love stories that have unexpected turns and “Twisted Hate” was one of them. The title perfectly matches the story of the novel. Well, done, Ana! Pat on your back! It is suitable for readers above the age of 18 years because it has some explicit scenes that are inappropriate for young readers.

Characters:

The total number of characters in the Twisted Hate book are around 17 to 20. These are the major and minor characters who have played a vital role in the story. The main characters who played a vast role in the story are the following:

Jules Ambrose: She is the main character of the story and is a law student who also does a part-time job in a hospital.

Josh Chen: He is a handsome and charming guy and a third-year resident specializing in emergency medicine.

Max: He is an EX-Boyfriend of Jules Ambrose.

Bridge: Jules’ friend who is married to Rhys Larson.

Rhys Larson: He is Bridget’s husband, who was a bodyguard but not for long.

Plot/Summary:

In her childhood, Jules Ambrose lived with her mother Adeline who was breathtakingly gorgeous and everyone would praise her for being so pretty. Jewel was so beautiful as well as she got her mother’s beauty in inheritance and her mother Adeline would not praise her daughter but rather thought of her as her competition. Do you think a child deserves jealousy from her mother?

Jules’ mother was conscious about how she looked and what she wore, she would spend all the money to buy beauty products, fancy apparel, and jewelry items rather than spending them on necessities. As Jukes grew up, she realized her mother would not provide for her basic needs even and that she would have to do something on her own to make both ends meet.

Twisted Hate by Ana Huang Overview

Adeline married a rich name Alastair and she and Jules started living with him. Alastair is mesmerized by Jules’ beauty and tries to get closer to her. Adeline caught him and he put it on Jules that she was the one who was trying to hit on him. Adeline got angry and kicked Jules out of her house. The people on the street accused Jules was kicked out probably because she did drugs or got pregnant.

After getting thrown out of the house, Jules met Max who was a notorious man and stole things. Max and Jules started dating and they did crimes together. They made a plan and Jules went to steal money from Alastair’s home. Max got caught and he went to jail for 7 years.

Jules left Ohio and went to get settled in another town. She was uncomfortable with how her mother was insecure about her and how her boyfriend Max only loved her for her body. Jules had a curvy body and everyone would admire her for her beauty rather than who she was as a person. Jules loved to party and Josh had an assumption that Jules was of no good. Jules becomes friends with Josh’s sister and both of them hate each other when they first meet.

One day Jules heard Josh asking Ava to break his friendship with Jules because she is a party girl and has a bad reputation in Ohio after he heard those dirty rumors about her. People either assumed bad things about Jules or looked at her as a beauty icon and nothing more than that. Her character as a protective and caring person who would go the extra mile to protect her friends and her dedication to her dreams were ignored. She was all set to take bar exams and become a lawyer. Do you know what that combination is called? BEAUTY AND BRAIN.

Jules became an advocate of justice and helped families who were suffering in unjust cases. She started working in a hospital with Josh who is a doctor there. Josh liked thrill and adventure in life. Josh came to greet the new girl in his hospital but found out this was his enemy Jules. A witty banter continued between them again. One day Josh brought a cinnamon cupcake for Jules as he noticed she ordered them frequently. Jules asked jokingly if Jules had poisoned it for her.

PublisherBloom
Published DateFirst published January 27, 2022
LanguageEnglish
Pages551
Literary awardsGoodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2022)
SeriesTwisted #3
CharactersJosh Chen, Jules Ambrose
ISBN-101728274885
ISBN-13978-1728274881

Josh and Jules went on a ski trip with their friends Ava and Alex. Josh taught her how to ski with so much patience. At this point, after the ski trip, the hate between them faded and now, they didn’t fiercely hate each other like they did previously. They started spending more time together and the spicy banter between them continued as they would fight and argue in a friendly way. Later both of them told why they hated each other and apologized for that.

“I don’t know when I stopped hating Jules and started craving her.”

Jules got the news that her mother passed away in a car accident. Despite getting mistreated, Jules went to Ohio for her funeral and Josh accompanied her. He supported Jules in this tough time. She showed Josh all the places in Ohio where she had spent time during her childhood. When Josh went to Ohio, he went to meet his father who was in prison. He went there and let all his anger out telling him that he knew he tried to kill his sister. He left and said he would never see him again.

Josh and Jules were now in a cute relationship where they cared for each other but unfortunately, Max came out of the prison to haunt Jules. He started blackmailing her with a personal video he had of Jules. Max asked her to steal a painting from Josh’s apartment or else he would release that video in public. Jules stole the painting and lied to Josh about the painting getting robbed. Jules went to Christian who has a security business to help her with deleting that private video from Max’s device. Josh got to know that Jules lied to her about the painting so he said some hateful things to her which hurt her.

“If you’d asked for the painting, I would’ve given it to you.’ My voice cracked. ‘I would’ve given you anything you wanted.’”

As time passed by, things started getting better between Jules and Josh. Finally, they confessed their feelings and said those three magical words to each other “I L Y”.  Alex asked Josh if he wanted to marry her sister Ava to which he agreed. Jules and Josh went on a trip to New Zealand where they had the time of their lives.

PROS
  • The storyline was interesting and readers can get restless to know the ending.
  • There were few characters hence making the story easy to read and connect to.
  • The book gives some powerful messages like helping others in their hour of need, not to deceive your closed ones, and chasing your dreams even though no one believes in you.
CONS
  • The story was a bit dragged at the end where it was obvious that both the main characters no longer hate each other and have fallen for each other.

Review:

I simply want to add this book to my favorite reads so far. Absolutely G.R.E.A.T! No, I am not exaggerating it all. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this novel from the storyline to the characters to the beautiful happy ending. I absolutely adored the banter between Jules and Josh like how they would fight over trivial things like small children on which movie to watch. It felt good to read that Jules and Josh found each other and lived happily after having miserable childhoods where Jules faced jealousy from her mother and Josh’s father tried to take her sister’s life.

Twisted Hate Summary

 It was literally a sob sob moment when Josh discovered Jules telling a lie about the robbery and stealing his painting. It felt like they would never be together again. My heart was sinking but I was finally at peace when they ended up together.

Other books in the “Twisted” series by Ana Huang:

The other three parts of the Twisted series are :

Conclusion:

“Twisted Hate” as the name suggests is all about the twists that come in between Jules’ and Josh’s hate for each other. Initially, they could not stand each other. Josh even asked his sister Ava to end his friendship with Jules. Jules had a tough time in her childhood when she faced hatred and jealousy from her mother but she turned out to be the strong woman she grew up. She chose to be a lawyer and became an advocate for justice.

Josh was a doctor by profession and as Jules joined his hospital for a job, the two of them started getting closer as they spent time together.

But none of them confessed their feelings because they were unsure how could they like each other when the only thing they were sure about was that they hated each other. As time passed by, Jules’ mother passed away and Josh gave her sympathies. Both of them got closer and got into a relationship. There came turns in their relationship now and then where they did not want to see each other. But at last, they take a trip to New Zealand together where they enjoy like anything, forgetting all the worries of their pasts.

I would rate it 4.8 stars as every page was addictive and worth reading!

]]> https://e-readings.com/twisted-hate/feed/ 0 6 Books Like Lessons in Chemistry: Find Your Next Favorite Read https://e-readings.com/books-like-lessons-in-chemistry/ https://e-readings.com/books-like-lessons-in-chemistry/#respond Mon, 22 Apr 2024 09:04:48 +0000 https://e-readings.com/?p=1832 Read more

]]> Do you want to get hold of some interesting and inspiring reads that are bound to keep you amused yet motivated? I am sure you must have enjoyed reading Lessons in Chemistry. If you’re looking for similar captivating and motivational narratives, these six books could help you pick and begin your reading journey instead of aimlessly surfing what to read. 

These books are in diverse genres, including contemporary romance, thrill, suspense, and historical fiction. Select a book according to your mood and enjoy reading. All of these have been picked to keep you engaged and enthralled. 

6 Best Books like Lessons in Chemistry:

  1. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
  2. Pineapple Street
  3. The Women
  4. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
  5. The Love Hypothesis 
  6. Romantic Comedy
Must read Books like Lessons in Chemistry

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride:

Summary:

The story belongs to the thriller and mystery genre, which begins with discovering a skeleton in the well of a small town where people from diverse ethnic nationalities live, including White and Black families and immigrants. The town has some secrets and mysteries; the narration is done 50 years ago to explore and solve them. After the skeleton is discovered, an older man, Malachi, who is a Jew, is interrogated about it. 

Moshe owns a musical theatre, and he and Malachi became acquaintances long ago when he went to Moshe’s musical show. Moshe’s financial conditions started to get worse. He married Chona, whose father owned a grocery store, “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store,” which was taken up by Moshe and Chona. Chona had polio since childhood, so she suffered seizures. Nate and his wife work at this grocery store. Nate’s wife’s nephew, Dodo, is a young boy who is deaf by birth. Dodo’s mother passed away, and the state wants him to be admitted to a mental asylum, considering him disabled. 

The Heaven And Earth Grocery Store Overview

There is a doctor in the town who attempts to rape Chona, and that’s when Dodo intervenes to save her. Dodo gets injuries while keeping her, and the Doctor takes him into his custody with the intent to give him a mental asylum. When the Doctor attempted to rape Chona, she got a seizure, and she died. The people of the community make a plan to get Dodo out of the mental asylum and take the help of a man who delivers eggs at the mental asylum.

PublisherRiverhead Books
Publishing DateFirst published August 8, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Pages380 Pages
TitleThe Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
SettingsPennsylvania (United States, 1972)
Literary awardsNational Jewish Book Award for Book Club Award (2023), NAACP Image Award Nominee for Fiction (2024), Barnes & Noble Book of the Year Award (2023), RUSA CODES Listen List for Outstanding Audiobook Narration (2024)
ISBN-100593422945
ISBN-13978-0593422946

Now, whose skeleton was that? The Doctor’s skeleton fell in the maintenance hole, which was uncovered during sanitary work in the town for the water supply in the community. How did we know it was the Doctor’s skeleton? He was found wearing a necklace, which was Chona’s that he stole during the sexual assault. After many struggles, Nate finally gets Dodo out of the asylum, and they live on a far-off farm. To honour her disabled wife, Moshe makes a center for disabled children. The story ends with Dodo growing up, getting married and having children. Later, Dodo passes away as he grows old and becomes a grandfather.

Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson:

Summary:

The “Pineapple Street” narrates the story of three women who belong to the Stockton family and reside in the upper-class Brooklyn community. In the novel’s beginning, Sasha tries hard to adjust to her husband’s family. They were living in his husband’s childhood home. Georgiana and Darley do not like Sasha and think she is a gold-digger. Both of them make fun of Sasha because she is incapable of dressing even and adequately avoids interacting with her during social gatherings. 

Georgiana is the youngest woman in the Stockton family and is an NGO member. She is attracted to her colleague Brady. Gradually, they become friends, and Georgians secretly fall for her. Darley is married to Malcolm, stays at home, and takes care of her family. Unfortunately, Malcom gets terminated from his job, and Darley is worried about managing the finances. Darley went to a park with Sasha and told her confidentially about her husband’s unemployment.

Pineapple Street

 Brady dies in a plane crash, and Georgiana is heartbroken. She shared it with Sasha and asked her to keep it a secret and not to share it with others. One day, Sasha overhears that her sister-in-law calls her gold digger and decides not to be friends with them anymore. The Stockton family learns that Sasha knows about Georgian’s affair, and they get angry at her. 

Sasha felt lonely when she found out her father was unwell, so she went to see her family, who lived in Rhode Island. Darley feels sorry for calling Sasha a gold digger and sends her a bouquet to apologize. 

PublisherPamela Dorman Books
Publishing DateFirst published March 7, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Pages304 Pages
Literary awardsGoodreads Choice Award, Nominee for Best Fiction (2023), Nominee for Best Debut Novel (2023)
SettingsNew York City, New York (United States), Brooklyn, New York City, New York (United States)
ISBN-10059349069X
ISBN-13978-0593490693

As the story draws towards the end, Darley and Malcolm come to live in the Pineapple Street home; Cord vows to Sasha that he will support her around her family. Georgina gets into a relationship with Curtis, and they both support a not-for-profit fund that facilitates reproductive healthcare services to women in Pakistan.

The Women by Kristin Hannah:

Summary:

The novel features a compelling historical tale of a young Girl, Frankie McGrath, who hails from a wealthy family. She is a nurse by profession and has registered in Vietnam for surgical training. During her training, she gets attached to Jamie. Unfortunately, after some time, Jamie is not alive anymore as he gets killed in the War. After him, Frankie falls for another man, Ry, a navy pilot navy. And guess what? He is killed, too.

Frankie returns to her home and tries hard to absorb all that has happened in her life. Frankie’s service is terminated as she was a former non-combat, which is less attributed to ladies. Frankie goes into depression but has supportive family and friends around her. With their help, she is able to get back to normal, and she resumes her profession as a surgical nurse. After forgetting things that had happened in the past, Frankie meets a new man who appears to be nice to her.

The Women by Kristin Hannah

After the War, Frankie finds out something when the prisoners return home. Any idea? She finds that Rye wasn’t killed. He is alive and is married to someone else. Frankie is distraught knowing this. The situation gets difficult for her with time, and as she is not performing well at work, she is terminated as a nurse. Frankie starts taking tranquillizers and secretly starts meeting Rye again. Rye assures Frankie that he will leave his wife soon, but her hopes are shattered when she learns that Rye has another child. 

PublisherSt. Martin’s Press
Publishing DateFirst published February 6, 2024
LanguageEnglish
Pages336 Pages
TitleThe women
SettingVietnam, Southeast Asia
ISBN-101250178630
ISBN-13978-1250178633

Frankie couldn’t stand this deception and took an overdose of sleeping pills. She is admitted to a mental treatment center, and the Doctor diagnoses her with PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder). She gets her treatment for a few months, and her condition gets better. She then leaves there and decides to start life all over again in a farmhouse in Missoula. She has a fellow nurse, Donna, from Vietnam, who is also suffering from PTSD. She took Donna with,h her and named the farmhouses “Last Best Pl, “A refuge center for women who had served in Vietnam. The book ends with Frankie getting another surprise. She went to an event. Guess who she saw there? She saw Jamie, who didn’t die in the War and was alive. 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin:

Summary:

This is a captivating love story between two friends who are not lovers but friends. Sam and Sadie met in a hospital when they were 11 and 12, respectively. Sadie comes to the hospital to see her sister, who is ill, and Sam is admitted to the hospital to get his surgeries done for his broken foot during an accident. They play video games together to pass the time and gradually become excellent friends. 

Sadie’s mom asks her to utilize and count these hours as community service work needed for Bat Mitzvah. She agrees and completes her 600 hours. But this makes Sam unhappy, and he questions their friendship. Due to this, both of them stopped talking to each other for years. They meet each other after many years, and Sadie gives Sam a video game disc she made herself. The disc has her contact number, and Sam is asked to give his feedback on the video game.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Sadie has a relationship with his professor, Dov, who is married and has a wife living in Israel. After some time, he returns to his wife, which makes Sadie sad and depressed. She has nowhere to live, so she starts living with a friend. Sam emails Sadie about her video game, but she has not replied. Sam has her address, so he goes to meet her. He sees her every day for two weeks, and Sadie finally agrees to leave the house.

They become friends again and decide to create a video game together. While making a game, Sadie needs some help and reaches out to Dov, who has returned. Dov agrees to help, but he has some other hidden intentions. Sam slips on the ice and breaks his ankle again. The game is marketed, and the company that chooses to release it changes the nonbinary character to a male character. The game gets a hit, and they make a sequel as well.

PublisherKnopf
Publishing DateFirst published July 5, 2022
LanguageEnglish
Pages401 Pages
Literary awardsBritish Book Award Nominee for Pageturner (2024), ALA Alex Award Nominee (2023), Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction (2022), Book of the Month Book of the Year Award (2022), Barnes & Noble Book of the Year Award Nominee (2022)
SettingsHarvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts (United States), Cambridge, Massachusetts (United States), Massachusetts (United States), Los Angeles, California (United States), Venice Beach, California (United States), Koreatown, Los Angeles, California (United States), California (United States), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (United States)
CharactersSam Masur, Sadie Green, Marx Watanabe, Dov Mizrah, Antony Ruiz, Simon Freeman, Zoe Cadogan

Dov handcuffs Sadie, and she is in an abusive relationship, so she tries to get rid of him, and finally, she is thriving. Sam had a foot amputation and became distant from Sadie. Meanwhile, Sadie and Sam’s friend Marx get into a relationship. Sam finds out and gets jealous. Marx is shot dead, which makes Sadie depressed. She makes a new video game related to Macbeth, and that’s where the book’s title came from: “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.” Sam and Sadie decide to make another game together. What do you think? Will they be reconciled this time? Or will something or someone else come in between in their friendship again?

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood:

Summary:

It is a gripping contemporary romance fiction novel which won the title of Best Summer read as well. The story beautifully unfolds the love between two scientists. Olive Smith is a PhD student in biology who is researching to detect pancreatic cancer in its early stages. She meets Dr. Adam Carlson, a faculty member in the Biology department. The university’s management fears Dr. Adam will soon leave, so they confiscate his funds. So, he pretends that he is in a relationship with Olive so that the university perceives that Dr. Adam will stay here longer and that they will release his funds, which were frozen previously.

Dr. Adam and Olive start fake dating, and they learn more about each other when they meet. Olive tells a secret to Adam that her mother has pancreatic cancer, which is why she is researching this disease. Olive starts catching feelings for Adam but is too shy to confess them before him.

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

One day, Adam overhears about this, but she pretends she is talking about someone else, not him. Olive’s research was selected for a presentation, and Adam was a speaker at the conference. Adam’s friend Tom tries to assault Olive sexually. With time, Olive and Adam’s friendship gets more profound, but Adam and Tom are working on a joint research project, so Olive has to end ties with Adam.

Tom is at ease that no one will know about whatever he tried to do with Olive, but everything gets recorded by chance, and Tom threatens Olive. Olive shows that video to Adam, and he gets furious. Adam tells the faculty about this incident, and the faculty terminates Tom from the institute. Alice confesses her feelings for Adam and says that she lied when she said she had a crush on someone, not him. Adam also admits that he loved her from the first day he saw her while changing her contact lenses in the dressing room. And this is a happy ending to Olive and Adam’s love story.

PublisherBerkley Books
Publishing DateSeptember 14, 2021
LanguageEnglish
Pages383 Pages
SeriesThe Love Hypothesis #1
Literary awardsGoodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2021), Book of the Month Book of the Year Award Nominee (2022), Swoon Award for Contemporary Romance (2021), She Reads Best of Award Nominee for Romance (2021)
SettingsStanford University, Stanford, California (United States), Boston, Massachusetts (United States), California (United States)
CharactersOlive Smith, Ph.D, Dr. Adam Carlsen
ISBN-100593336828
ISBN-13978-0593336828

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld:

Summary:

Romantic comedy is a fiction romance that explores the romantic and personal life of Sally Minz. Some of the story is narrated by Sally herself, while some are emails between Sally and her love, Noah. Sally is a writer in the comedy show “The Night Owl” (TNO), which airs every Saturday. Sally discovers that her colleague Danny is dating a celebrity, Annabel. She gets jealous and is amazed at how a beautiful celebrity like Annabel can be in a relationship with an average-looking man like Danny.

Romantic Comedy

After a few months, a popstar musician came to The Night Owl show. Whenever the show had to air a live telecast, they worked late at night. Sally creates a sketch, “The Danny Horst Rule,” depicting the idea that famous females are attracted to less attracted men. She made this sketch because of Danny and Annabel. Noah is writing a sketch and asks Sally to help him. Sally finds Noah’s work impressive. 

While practicing, when Noah sings songs, Sally thinks he is dedicating them to her, but then she feels it is impossible. The COVID-19 pandemic happened, and during this time, Noad and Sally talked to each other via email and gave minor updates about what was happening in their lives. Noah tells Sally that one of his bandmates had an accident, and he passed away. Sally tells Noah that his ex-husband doubted her skills as a writer.

PublisherRandom House
Published DateFirst published April 4, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Pages309
TitleRomantic Comedy
AwardsGoodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Romance (2023)
ISBN-100399590943
ISBN-13978-0399590948

Sally plans to meet Noah and goes to California. She meets him, and they spend many days together. Sally receives a text from her aunty that her older father is sick due to having COVID-19. Sally tells Noah she has to go to Missouri, and he says he’ll accompany her. They went to see Sally’s father, who was in worse condition. Noah helps Sally care for his father, and he slowly gets better. She is convinced that Noah is pure at heart and accepts to be his girlfriend. They return to California, and Sally’s father moves in with them. Noah and Sally get married and start living together.

Conclusion: 

Where these stories are based primarily on fiction, they have potent messages from everyday lives that can inspire many readers like me. “The Heaven and Earth Grocery store” shows how the people living in a community have different backgrounds but are still interconnected during dark times.

“The Women,” tells the struggling yet inspiring story of Frankie, a young woman from a rich family who decides to go into the Vietnam War as a nurse. She leaves the comfort of her house to offer her services in a worn-torn where the conditions are life-threatening. After returning, she finds that her country does not appreciate the contributions of women in War. 

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” is a fascinating read that explores the meaning of life and how old friendships like that of Sam and Sadie can help cure anxiety and depression.

In “The Love Hypothesis,” Adam has been accommodating towards Olive professionally and personally. He unveils the evil side of his colleague Tom and gets him fired so that he does not sexually assault other women like Olive. “Romantic Comedy” shows that helpful and supporting people like Noah are a blessing in times of need. Sally was upset due to her father’s deteriorating health, but Noah helped her to take care of his father just like his own father.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of these novels, and I am sure we’ll be in the same boat when you’re done reading them. Until next time!!

]]> https://e-readings.com/books-like-lessons-in-chemistry/feed/ 0 Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood https://e-readings.com/check-mate-by-ali-hazelwood/ https://e-readings.com/check-mate-by-ali-hazelwood/#respond Wed, 17 Apr 2024 09:00:15 +0000 https://e-readings.com/?p=792 Read more

]]> It was a lovely cloudy day as I tossed my room’s curtain aside. What a beautiful day to live! I yawned, stretched, and thought to make the most out of this great weather. I picked up phone and called my friend Rida to plan a picnic at a nearby park. The phone was ringing but no one answered on the other side. She might be sleeping, I guessed.

Ring… Ring… Ring…  I jumped out of bed and saw Oh, Rida’s calling back.

Me: Hey, how are you? Where have you been? I asked without breathing.

Rida: Hey, I was reading the book “Check and Mate” last night and slept really late.

Me: Oh, is it that good?

Rida: Of course, You can get this to read out yourself and thank me later.

Me: Alright, let’s meet for the picnic and I’ll grab it from you.

So, this is how I got hold of this book and gave it a read. Let’s dig into the plot and summary together. You can also read Happy Place by Emily Henry.

Main Characters:

Mallory Greenleaf: 18 years old chess player

Nolan Sawyer: World chess champion

Easton: Mallory’s close friend

Darcy: Mallory’s youngest sister

Sabrina: Molly’s younger sister

Check & Mate Plot/Summary:

This easy-to-go, fun read is a young adult novel about an 18-year-old teenage girl Mallory, who has just completed high school and has the burden of taking care of her family on her shoulders. Mallory’s father is nowhere to be found and her mother is really sick. Mallory was a great chess player but she gave up playing after she faced a crushing defeat. How coward of her. No?

Check & Mate Review

From here onwards she tries to avoid chess and instead focuses on her education and job of working at a bookstore. Around 4 years later, she gets a chance to play her favorite game at a charity tournament recommended by her friend Easton, against the world champion Nolan. The game between them gets really intense and guess what? Mallory defeated Nolan. YES! A world champion was defeated. I don’t know but part of me was really happy for Mallory’s victory.

PublisherG.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Published DateNovember 7, 2023
LanugageEnglish
Hardcover368 Pages
AwardsWinner for Best Young Adult Fiction (2023)
Age Rating14+
ISBN-100593619919
ISBN-13978-0593619919

After this contest, Mallory’s love for the game is relighted as she is offered a job at a club in New York but she is constantly torn between the options of choosing to play her dream game again or leaving it once and for all. Other than the crushing defeat, this game was also connected to some family destruction which was one of the reasons for saying goodbye to this game. She is struggling to decide if she is ready to face all those past bitter memories and return to her chess world. What do you think Mallory would choose? Or what would you choose if you were at Mallory’s place?

PROS
  • A slow-burning Romance and exciting love story with proper dialog delivery.
  • Goes deeply down in the mixture of love, care, and shedding tears.
  • ability to create strong yet flawed female main characters (FMCs) that are relatable and lovable
  • The Male character in the story support and respect for female character
  • I gave 10/10 rating to this YA Romance
CONS
  • A some Chess part is little bit confusing

Finally, Mallory takes up the job just for the sake of money because she is the sole breadwinner of her family. She has two younger sisters and an ill mother to take care of. Mallory is working really hard to meet both ends meet and gets much mature than usual 18 years old girls. Her younger sisters see her more like a parent than a sister for the discipline she’s trying to instill in them.

God bless libraries.

After the win, Mallory’s ratings skyrocketed. She keeps running into Nolan who has a wish to play chess with her again. She becomes friends with Nolan and gradually Nolan develops something more than friendship for her. Mallory, who is buried under tons of responsibilities does not reciprocate this love as she has given so much to her family that she is left with little or almost no love to give it to anyone else, let alone Nolan.

Writing style:

Mixed Feelings on Age Representation:

Ali Hazelwood’s writing is a bit hard to understand, but I like her stories more when they talk about 18-year-old kids than those in their late twenties. The book’s mood seems less worried and avoids being too cute or funny. This helps her grown-up characters feel more natural, like adults, not just kids dressed up as older people. Unlike older people, young ones show more true and easy-to-understand actions.

A Perfect YA Romance:

Check and Mate” felt like being in a chess competition with some romance added. I thought it would be a big love story, but gee whiz – instead, it is all about how to play chess. Nolan and Mallory’s love story is like waiting for a slow dance; it gets better by 40%. Even though they are called romantic rivals, their connection feels more like being good pals in the chess world. Now, Nolan’s crush on Mallory?

Galaxies pass through his black eyes, and I wonder whether this second could last a century. Whether the universe could be just me and him, understanding each other on a forever loop

Ali Hazelwood, Check & Mate

Everyone else knew about it except her. What’s interesting is the book doesn’t include those steamy scenes. Instead, it has a chill vibe. That made me happy. Although love was not the main thing because of chess, it still made us happy. If you enjoy chess games and some romance, “Check and Mate” is the choice. My experience? A bit surprised, but overall, it’s a good trip.

Check & Mate Quotes

Persistent Writing Quirks:

But, some bad habits in Hazelwood’s writing don’t go away completely. Using too many italics, a total of 700 in just one book with only 362 pages, is still hard to ignore. There are too many italic words, making them the main story instead of the plot. There’s a lasting doubt that other ways of making words more important can work better.

Pop Culture References and Potential Age Dissonance:

Many pop culture mentions in the book worry us about what young people might think when they see it. It’s like a grown-up trying to bond with the cool kids, making the story seem old as pop life changes fast. The problem is in finding an equilibrium that stays important over time.

Character Detail and Repetitive Patterns:

One common request is for Hazelwood to give more detailed character descriptions. Part of this includes using various and complex adjectives. The “small girl, big guy” pattern for the main characters is used a lot. It gets boring if there isn’t a change in it because that would make the stories better and more enjoyable. We can’t wait to see a change from using words like “big,” “large,” or similar words for male characters in stories. That is yet to happen.

Review:

“Check and Mate” is a wonderful fiction story about the game chess, family, love, responsibilities, and sacrifices. The book is appropriate for young adults and adult readers who are fond of easy-going reads.

The story is straightforward without any complications within the storyline and the characters. Few characters have clear roles and personalities. Although Mallory’s character is inspiring and has done so much for her family she has ignored herself in this struggle. It is good to be hard working and active but one should not become lifeless in this journey. What is your take on it?

The book talks about the rules and strategies of chess. Chess game lovers would better have an idea about how those pieces move on the board and how those strategies made by Mallory are a hit or a miss. A layman wouldn’t find it too interesting and would want to skip those parts feeling lost in the middle of the story.

Overall, I had a good time reading it. Not to mention, any surprise at the end of the story could’ve added a thrill to this simple storyline.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):

What is check and mate Ali Hazelwood about?

The main focus is on the world of chess, blending strategic gameplay with the dynamics of life and relationships.

Is “Check and Mate” primarily a romance novel?

No, while romance is present, the book leans more towards exploring chess strategy and the characters’ personal journeys.

Is “Check and Mate” suitable for a younger audience?

Yes, the book’s tone and characters, being 14-year-olds, may resonate better with a younger audience.

Conclusion:

“Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood” is a soothing read without too many surprises and revelations. It talks about the life of a young girl who didn’t spend her teenage years in college with her friends roaming in shopping malls. Rather she had a pile of responsibilities on her shoulders. She has to pay the bills of her house, school fees of her younger sisters and get medicines for her sick mother. Isn’t that too much for an 18 years old girl?

Mallory loves to play chess. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say she is madly in love with chess. But unfortunately, she has to bid farewell to the game due to responsibilities and family issues. The story highlights the sacrifices made by a young girl for her family. While providing everything for her family, she did nothing for herself. She was too drained doing everything for others that when it comes to give love to someone who has affection for her, Mallory’s pot is empty which leaves the reader’s heavy hearted.

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