Kinsella's Latest: Remember Me?

I was in Kinokuniya, and I caught a glimpse of this and uttered “OMG”…..

Oh yes, been months since I visited Kinsella’s website, and I didn’t know this book was in the making. True as it is, one book a year, and the wait…? Worthy :-)

But it cost thirty over dollars, the last bought I book at thirty over dollars was Shopaholic & Baby, last year. :-p I hardly rent anymore, to reduce cost. Cost of living is rising, I have to try to save more. :-p

Confessions of a Shopaholic movie is in the making. I am suppressing my hope and expectation. Seeing it on movie and reading it will be totally different, this I must plant in my mind before feeling disappointed again, just like what Memoirs of a Geisha and Da Vinci code did. :-(

But then, it’s something to look forward to…. :-) Long live Kinsella….

A Question of Love by Isabel Wolff

Remember I borrowed this book before my Italy trip, with 1001 excuses so I can read yet another book? This is it…

A Question of Love by Isabel Wolff

The story started off with Laura being hurt by her husband, Nick, and she grieved for long time. At first I thought Nick’s dead. When I read further, I got to know Nick actually left. Left just like that, one fine day….

3 years on, Laura finally decided to move on with her life and bang… suddenly her college sweetheart Luke came into picture. Luke, married, with a separated wife Magda and a daughter Jessica. Luke obsessed with Jessica would do anything to please his (ex) wife so he can spend time with Jess. Sometimes, to the extent of playing a happy family show so Jess is happy.

Getting back together wasn’t easy especially for Laura. Luke is manipulated by Magda who has a boyfriend but kept “leeching” on Luke. The final call was when Luke hid the fact that he went to Venice with Jess and Magda. So coincidentally, Laura called the hotel room and Magda answered the call.

Realizing she seized yesterday, instead of today, Laura’s life turned into new chapter when she learned that she misunderstood her boss Tom for 3 whole years. And yup, she happy seize TODAY and live happily ever after. :-)

Not going to give the book a high rate, coz it’s slow pace and too long-winded, in my opinion. 2/10.

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

Honestly, I told myself I am not supposed to read anymore novel. I am not supposed to borrow or buy anymore fiction. I should be reading something to add value to my self-improvement instead. Well, the moment I stepped into Popular and saw that this book was on 20% sale, I went all crazy. Ok, maybe it wouldn’t hurt me if I break my own promise, just this once perhaps.

I heard that the show was good. How good, I am not sure, because I have yet watched, I was not really into the title till a movie lover told me I should watch it.

Let me just comment on the book, the set-up was something like Ugly Betty’s, in a glamorous, everybody wears branded stuffs kind of environment. And I can’t imagine how Andrea looks like. I can only imagine her as having the good enough body with a quite plain Jane wardrobe. Something different from Betty huh.

Well, maybe because I am very into Becky in Shopaholic series, I kinda expecting something smarter from An-dre-ah. Andrea got stucked in tough situation, while smart Becky bluffed her way through. The difference is significant, and I really hate the character. Biased…I admit.

The only thing in the book I like, the ‘privilege” she’s got because she is the famous Miranda’s assistant. Guess what, she can change into anything, from accessories to Jimmy Choo’s whenever she likes, at work, then drop the clothes back into the laundry basket when she changed them. And she gets to travel, with a very well organized Be-All, End-All Cosmetic Catchall.

There was every imaginable type of shadow, lotion, gloss, cream, liner and type of makeup. Lipsticks came in matte, high-shine, long-lasting and clear. Six shades of mascara-ranging in colour from a light blue to black, were accompanied by an eyelash curler and two eyelash combs in case of clumps. She was given the choice whether to add that healthy brush in the form of a liquid, solid, powder or a combination. Packed separately, were the suppliers of cotton balls, cotton squares, Q-tips, sponges, two dozen different size application brushes, washcloths, two different types of eye makeup remover, ie. moisturizing and oil-free and no less than twelve kind of moisturizer, ie. facial, body, deep-conditioning, with SPF 15, glimmering, tinted, scented, non-scented, hypo-allergic, with alpha-hydroxy, antibacterial, and sunburn lotion with aloe vera.

Also included in her package would be sketches of how she should get her make up done should she be attending anything from a not formal cocktail to a black tie function. Of course, not to mention the clothes she has to change into to give that look.
Envy…. Hahaha… I wish for the cosmetic catchall part, because I am absolutely hopeless in personal grooming, but then, wouldn’t the luggage me too much to bear? Gosh… Hahahaha…

I Did (But I Wouldn’t Now) by Cara Lockwood

This book is lighthearted and entertaining. I had good laughs and enjoyed myself.

Lily was the main character, flees the country from her problematic marriage and legal charges to London to her old flame. She was married to Ted, a rock star and caught him cheating on her.

Several reasons to divorce a rock star, Lily reasoned:-
1) He’s got thousands of groupies. And they’re all skinner than you are.
2) He looks better in leather pants than you do.
3) You can stop pretending to like his music.
4) His idea of romantic date is you, him, and thirty thousand screaming fans. :-p
5) Because he will never treat you as well as he treat his guitar.
6) Because you want to see your husband in person and not just on MTV.
7) So you don’t have to worry if ‘baby’ is a term of endearment he uses to avoid calling you by another woman’s name.
8) Their idea of family is to have one in every state.

Her ex boyfriend, Carter is a young, hot bone doctor. To cut story short, after much hurdles, obstacles, they realized they are meant for each other and they L word each other very much. That’s what everyone says right? You’ll know if he/she is THE ONE if you guys can overcome obstacles together.

Perhaps I should lookout for Lockwood’s other book I do (But I don’t) about Lauren and Nick, Lily’s sister and brother in law. ;-) I read that Lauren is a super organized woman, and do you believe that she actually has a Birth Plan for her second child? She actually planned what Nick should be wearing when she gives birth. Haaha…..

If I Were You by Julia Llewellyn

Natasha has a successful career, a gorgeous penthouse flat, has a personal shopper and seemed like having the best in the world. Trouble is, she is in love with a man who already has a girlfriend.

Sophie is beautiful, has a model-like body, and has a man she loves to marry. He’s gorgeous and they have been together for four years. Trouble is, he won’t propose.

Natasha in her journey to search for her true love, stucked in a problematic situation she didn’t realize, until she has to have abortion. That wasn’t the end, the bloody man kept buzzing around her giving her false hope time after time.

Sophie left Andy, got together with Olly but soon find herself not as in love as she thought. Engagement ring on the finger, wedding is in the plan but her heart doesn’t belong to Olly.

In the end, Natasha was sacked from her successful job, chose to live a low profile life with Andy, going to war zone country to be with beloved. While Sophie found an interesting job, succeed in it, and contented with her life.

Can’t help thinking, there’s nothing as important as own happiness. You can be doing something low profile, earning nothing, but you are happy. Isn’t that good enough?

Turning Thirty...

Just before this, I have finished reading Best of Friends and Just Between Us by Cathy Kelly. I have a silence confession to make, by the time I was reading the second book, I kinda needed some motivation to keep moving. Perhaps 2 books from the same author are a bit too much to digest.

Ok, so, now I am reading this book, “Turning Thirty” by Mike Gayle. Well, I have to admit that this is the first time, in the recent decade I am reading a man author’s writing. I am not sure I have read any during school time, you know, those literature books, I supposed we all did…

From this book, I learned what Matt thinks when he turns thirty, a significant age for an individual. And I am not surprised to notice that Martians and Venusians think differently in this matter.

Martians for instance, thinking of if they have the thirty-year-old job with a matching thirty-year-old pay, with a car only thirty-year-old would drive and of course, the significant better half he will be celebrating this big turnover.

Venusians, less complicated, though as demanding, but in my opinion, feminine. I read in LFL’s a list of to-do before a girl turns thirty, ie. own a piece of descent jewellery, been to a descent holiday alone once in her life, etc and etc. Less significant things in the whole picture, but quite significant for Venusians, I guess.

Well, it’s definitely not the end, it’s just the beginning of good life. I still have 2 years to go before thirty.

What have I accomplished so far?

Suddenly Sexy – Linda Francis Lee

Finished reading the 361 pages book in less than 24 hours, confirming that Linda Francis Lee is also a hilarious author, but, she is HOTTER than Sophie Kinsella.

LFL can write about making passionate love, from foreplay to the end. After reading 2 books of hers, I see some similarity in the characters. The female main character mainly, too vulnerable, and the male main character are too good to be true, gentleman, and protective.

Well, I intend to get another 2 books of the same series, Sinfully Sexy and Simply Sexy. I am expecting the same familiar feelings for the female and male characters. Though I am praying hard, please do not disappoint me. :-p

I do not remember, but there was an author who wrote about falling in love with the family. Most of her book, falling in love with the oh-so-right people in the beginning, to realize that he/she is blood related, revealed great stories buried beneath, then to realize that they are not blood related, and can be happily ever after. Not fair to mention her name, coz I honestly do not remember. I read her books like 10 years ago.

But I promise, one day when I remember, I will definitely share. In fact, I do not mind reading the same plot. Oh, so Korean…….