Bagging Alice (Babes of Brighton #3) by Laura Barnard | ARC | A Book Review

First paragraph into the story and I felt like I was scandalized. The first few lines were not exactly what I expected to welcome me. It was so graphic and I wished the story did not start literally that way. Of course, this is an adult story and I know that there will be mature content. I just did not expect that it would be literally the first thing I would encounter.

As the chapter progresses, that graphic start of the story explained a lot. That actually was a crucial part of the main character's dilemma here. So, I do understand the author wanting to put that there but I think it was too much too soon. Anyway, as I have said, in some way it was justified but it just did not sit well with me. That's just me.

Moving on into the rest of the story, it was actually entertaining. A set of very varied characters and some of them even involved with each other is fun to read. Though there were times you tend to lose track of who's who, which character is which, because there was quite a number of them to remember. And I think, even the author in a way felt a little that way too because I noticed an inconsistency. There was a part where one character said something and then when that character was referred to again, it was a different person altogether. In a way, it was chaotic because of these host of characters but it was also fun. It was like watching this big group of friends getting together and exchanging antics. Imagine that and in the center of it all is Alice. Alice is not exactly the best of the bunch but rather the one with the most problems. If she could magically disappear from the face of the earth to save herself from all the troubles she's bombarded with, she would have. Thankfully, these set of friends are here to the rescue and make sure she gets back her life.

Alice, not exactly a female gifted with a douche-detection system, unfortunately always ends up with douche bags and more than her heart broken. The last one, broke the internet because of the salacious picture of Alice shared on social media. Yes, Alice scored big time on this one. M-A-J-O-R douche bag. And here comes the best part, the only way to start getting back control of her life from slipping into oblivion is to let another douche bag live with her-as her roommate. Yes, good luck with that.

Well, as you may have expected, the roommate did actually prove that Alice was not a magnet for douche bags. This one actually realized he needs to change his ways and Alice made him see that. With that said, the story ended quite how I wanted. I actually really liked the part how Tom's issue with his boss who was harassing him was resolved. Yes, good thing Tom was man enough to refuse her advances. I too thought that with his reputation as a man-whore, he would sleep with just about anyone. Please excuse the word. That was how he was called in the story most of the time by Alice and some of her girlfriends. Apparently, Tom has some decency left in him because he actually does not sleep with cougars even if it could help his career. God job Tom!

So, except for the shocking beginning, this story turned out to be so entertaining. I am glad that both main characters, Alice and Tom, actually developed as the story progresses. As it came to the end of the story, both characters were way a lot better than where they started in their relationships, personal life, and career. Most shocking of all was the real culprit who was responsible for the downfall of Alice. Evidently, not all douche bags are out of Alice's life. One unfortunately can't be rid of. How can you get rid of an evil blood relation? Well, killing them is definitely not a viable option but tempting. But Alice can still live her life according to her own terms and screw her family. She can be what she wants and she will prove just that without their help. She has great friends anyway who have been very supportive to her more than her family. That's all she needs.

With that, I give this book 3.5/5 cute dogs. Yes, there's actually a really cute dog in this story. Pickles actually proved that Tom, the imbecile, can actually be responsible for a dog and can change into a better man because he has found the right woman. Love does change a man for the better and in so may ways.

And just like that, when you think your life has already hit rock bottom it goes and shows you there's a basement.

- Laura Barnard, Bagging Alice - 

Thanks again, Laura Barnard for the ARC. Sorry for the delayed posting of the review.

Happily Ever After Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology) by Various Aurthors | A Book Review

I got this from iamareader.com. This is a collection of retellings of famous fairy tales The Six Swans, Rumpeltstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Beauty and the Beast, Little Red Riding Hood, and The Snow Queen. I read this in January of this year and haven't been able to write a review right away because I wanted to review each story individually and not review the whole collection as a whole. The task seemed daunting, so I pushed it off and wrote other reviews. It didn't help that I have a lot of things going on and have to deal with physically, emotionally, and mentally. I am not where I want to be and a lot of things have been hitting me from all corners and all I want to do is just crawl into a ball and sleep till eternity.

I have always enjoyed reading Timeless Romance anthologies and when I saw this one was up for review, I just couldn't resist. I didn't have any challenge writing reviews for the other collections before. After this one, I don't think I'm set to review a collection of stories. I think my patience and perseverance is wearing thin these days and I have to find inspiration where I can just to keep writing reviews because my moods have never been helpful lately. 

Here are the six stories and the authors:

Mail-order Princess by Jessica Day George

This is a retelling of the Grimm's fairy tale The Six Swans only in this story it's seven swans. I am not very familiar with this fairy tale. I think it's the first time I've really heard of it. I enjoyed it. Princess Elise's strong determination to undo the curse of his brothers was very admirable. She developed a really good friendship with Daniel who was The Count's right hand in the farm. 

I liked the ending. It was so cute, especially with what happened to the last brother when he turned back into a human. It's a very nice retelling because even though Elise started out as a foreigner and alone in a new place, she had found really good people who she can trust and who were ready to help her. And part of her success in breaking the curse of her brothers was Daniel's undying support and friendship. And they both lived happily ever after. 

The Miller's Daughter by Julie Wright

This is a retelling of Rumpelstiltkin's story but in here thankfully Rumplestiltskin isn't a small and mean man but rather Thomas Rumple who helped Isa. In this story, there was no magic but rather just the beautiful brains of Thomas Rumple that helped Isa turn straw into gold. Isa's father was her ruin. She offered Isa to the king to save himself from the gallows. Good thing Isa has Thomas Rumple to save the day. 

I also enjoyed the story. I think I liked this version from the original one. No magic or fairies, just plain outwitting the king. Thomas Rumple thinking smart so he could save Isa. It was very clever how they outsmarted the king every time he topped his request for more gold. This story makes you wish you have your own Thomas Rumple who has a very cunning and brilliant plan to save you from greedy and vicious kings or any other situations. And of course, Isa and Thomas lived happily ever after. The end.

But I suspect every heart has a shadow or two lurking within; don't you agree?

- Julie Wright, The Miller's Daughter - 

The Peebled Path by Sarah M. Eden

This is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel's story. In this story, they are not siblings. Gretel's father was under the spell of an enchantress. So, for her father to be released from the spell, Gretel offered herself up in return as a servant. 

I liked how Hansel and Gretel met here and how they were able to vanquished the enchantress. And instead of the breadcrumbs, Gretel used peebles. Very cute and creative. 

Black Fern by Julie Daines

This is a retelling for Beauty and the Beast. Ros had to find work in order to feed her sisters, so she asked for work at Black Fern Manor. The owner, who no one has seen accepted her offer but gave her two conditions. She had stay at the manor for 4 months which is the end of the harvest moon and she can't go home within that period. 

I liked how the story incorporated herbs like lavender which is the flower of peace and rosemary which means loyalty. I also love that it mentioned the tragic story of Tristan and Iseult. Tristan was sent to Ireland to pick up Iseult to be married to the Cornish King but they fell in love with each other. The Cornish King had Iseult's hand but not her heart. I can hear Gavin DeGraw singing the theme song "We Belong Together" for the movie who starred James Franco. Oh, I love that song. It's also adorable that Brannan the Beast can actually play a harp. Unlike also the more popular Disney version, Ros is not an educated girl and it was Brannan who taught her to read and write. Very sweet, right? I also liked that there was no magical transformation in the story. Brannan stayed ugly but his heart was changed.

How can you know if you love someone by merely glancing at them? Even devils can smile.

I see you are naught but a hedgehog. Prickly, to be sure, but underneath there is nothing but fluff.

- Julie Daines, Black Fern - 

Scarlet by Heather B. Moore

This is the story of Little Red Riding Hood. In here, Little Red is August's nickname for Scarlet. Scarlet's mom is the village midwife. Mrs. Ivy has a blood disease and Scarlet's mom need the tonic from the apothecary. Scarlet need to get to the tonic to save Mrs. Ivy. She had to go into the forest where it's not safe to venture at night. August accompanied Scarlet in order to keep her safe. 

I think of all the six stories, I liked this the best because it's as far away from the real story. Having August as the village's protector from the wolves is a very daunting yet very brave duty. Putting yourself on the line to protect the lives of other people everyday is very noble. The only thing I didn't really like was the fact that August's Dad made a pact with the wolves to keep them out of the village. It may make sense but I don't really agree to it. As Scarlet said, wolves are animals and I don't think they honor any pact. It's also really cute that August and Scarlet started as not really friends because August used to tease her when they were younger. Then, just because of that one fateful night where she had to get to the apothecary, she and August developed an instant kinship as what happens to most people who share the same life-threatening experience together. It somehow created a special bond for both of them that is very unique and drew them close.

So A Rare Power by Annette Lyon

This is the story of the Snow Queen. Patrick was taken by the Snow Queen because she thought that Patrick had powers and could make her powerful. Stella finding that Patrick was gone, decided to find Patrick. On her quest to find Patrick, she meet an old lady who helped her and lent her Remi, the reindeer to bring Patrick back. 

This is also a nice story. This reminds me of the animated movie Frozen. I could still hear Elsa singing "Let it go." I loved that movie. And originally, it was about the story of the Snow Queen but Disney decided to make the story more child-friendly and the decision was the best thing because the movie was a hit. So, here music is the key also. Two people in love do make really good music together and that was how they defeated the Snow Queen. Truly, no force is more powerful than love. Just like in the movie, Anna's love broke Elsa's curse. Love in all its form is really powerful. It could move mountains and tame a savage beast like Beast in Beauty and the Beast. 


All in all. These stories are all really good. I enjoyed all of them. There were certain elements that were unique to each retelling from the original story which is also the key in a retelling. To try to change or add something to the story to make it stand out and different from the original, if not, it's just merely copying the original tale, right? Best of all, they all ended happily which is what I really needed today. Happy thoughts and happy stories after a very very bad day. I too hope that I could have days that would end happily. Not exactly having to do with a prince charming but at least, somehow a day that would make me look forward to waking up the next day. But I wouldn't say no also if a knight or a prince charming comes to my rescue. There haven't been a lot of that for me. Not prince charmings, but nice days. It has been a long time and if there were, those happy times were very momentary. Very short-lived. I wanted something more lasting. Something that could sustain me even in those darkest days. I actually know what I really need to battle the dark days, but I just don't know where I can find it. Maybe I'll have to start not being too hard on myself and loving myself more. 

I give this collection 3.5/5 sprigs of lavender. I just love lavender and they smell really good. It reminds me of a time when we were in the US for a training for work. We went to Puget Sound and there was a yard with lavender and I just can't help myself. I picked a few stalks and took them home with me to the hotel. I was just so happy to see a real live lavender. We don't have them here in the Philippines. I'm sure, the owner wouldn't have minded. I enjoyed the stories because they all represent that there's always hope and that not all days are going to be dark. The sun will come out and melt all the ice and bring warmth. Yes, warmth and love wouldn't be such a bad thing to wish for. Isn't it?

Thank you again Kathy of I am a reader and I apologize for the delay.

The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay | A Book Review

I got this book from Netgalley. Just by the title alone, my attention was already captured. Like all readers, I too am curious and enamored by Jane Austen's works. Who wouldn't, right? I haven't read a lot of Miss Austen's books. So far, I've only read Pride and Prejudice. I have to read more of her books, especially after reading this book. It got me curious about the other characters in her books mentioned here. I would try to include her books in my TBR this year. 

Have you seen the movie of Keri Russel, Austenland? This book is a lot like the movie. The characters here traveled to Bath, England to immerse in all things Austen. Wear costumes, play a character of Austen's in her novels, and get to live in a mansion which is like a set in the time of Austen's stories. This is a different kind of vacation. A getaway from the daily stress and grind and live in Austen's world and characters for a week or so and forget about modern day troubles. 

The main character in this book is Mary Davies. She's a very talented and creative industrial engineer. She works in a company she loves and she loves her job even more. She also enjoys working with the adorable, hilarious, and intelligent consultant at their office, who also seemed to be taken with Mary. Everything seems to be working out with Mary until her pet and most beloved project failed. The costs and the failure of that project is threatening Mary to lose her job. One other thorn in her side is her childhood best friend, Isabel, who had invited her to go on a two-week vacation to Bath, England. This vacation may be what Mary needs in order to relieve some stress at work and probably put some things into perspective.

I really enjoyed the story. Mary Davies is one very lovable character. I think I can relate to Mary in many ways. She's a nerd but a very impressive nerd with her talent in creating gizmos and gadgets. I also love her special talent of creating animals and stuff from electrical wires. She is a modern inventor and she loves what she's doing. Mary reminded me of my frustration of wanting to be an engineer. Deep within, I always wanted to be one. A computer engineer. I am tech-savvy and how I ended up in Accounting is a story which I might have told in one of my posts here. Maybe, in my next life, I could be that or I can still be one. It's never too late for anything, right? Anyway, I love Accounting too. Thinking back, I also couldn't think of not having done that. 

The other important character here is Isabel. I honestly hate her just by the descriptions and the stories Mary has related about her. She has not been a good best friend to Mary but she had her moments too. And once you get a picture of Isabel's life, you will feel sorry for her. The same way Mary's Mom and Dad had taken in Isabel like a real daughter, you too will feel like making allowances for Isabel's very unforgivable flaws. In the end, at least, she found her spot and eventually got out from under her father's claws and was able to live a life of freedom. Freedom to be herself and be happy. By end of the story, I still did not love Isabel but I came to understand her character more. She represents a lot of real persons in my life. Some, I am still friends with to this day and some have been a part of my life and have done me some torment of some kind. Hopefully, like Isabel, they too will find happiness so they would stop making other people as miserable as they are.

Nathan, a.k.a TCG. I just love him. He might just be the guy I want to have in real life. He's sensitive, smart, and caring. The thing I love about him the most is the fact that he wasn't sure if Mary even feels the same way about him. In a way, he's clueless and that is so cute for someone who works as a consultant who's supposed to be so intelligent and smart and should be able to notice nuances about people. I guess, not all nuances because he never read Mary's signals clearly and the same goes for Mary too. Good thing, these two were finally able to get everything cleared out. I think they complement each other. 

There are a lot of very memorable parts in the story. I would never forget the part when Clara said, "Sense and Senseless" instead of Sense and Sensibility. That really cracked me up. Also, the part about Mary pointing out that Austen hated Mary's. "She hated all the Mary's the same way she hated Bath." That was a very smart observation and realization which made me more curious to actually read all of Austen's stories with Mary's in them. I can relate to Austen. I too have a name or names I would associate with a mean person. I did meet a few people with the same name and they proved to be different so, they are exemptions to that. 

The story pointed out a lot of truths about relationships and human nature. I had to nod my  head a lot of times in agreement to a lot of the statements. There were also some that hit like cold water on the face. It hurts to accept but they're true. The same way, Mary felt about a lot of realities and realizations that dawned on her brought about by her stay in Bath. 

I love the book and I'm sure I'm going to start looking for books of Katherine Reay. I need to read more of her books, the same way I felt I've missed a lot not having read a lot of Austen. With that said, obviously I'm giving this book 5/5 wire animals. In a lot of ways, I can relate to Mary. I felt I could just be her in this story. There are a lot of similarities especially about work. And I felt the same disappointment and sadness when it dawned on Mary that Austen did not like Mary's and what all the Mary's represent to her. Whether, they'd be the characters in her book which are representations of maybe real persons in Austen's life. Knowing that her namesake may have done Austen some injustice or grave ill, somehow affected Mary the same way as if she shares some blame. I had one co-worker who honestly told me that he didn't like my name. He said my name reminds him of someone or some not so nice experience. I appreciated his honesty. It wasn't that he did not like me but I understand what he meant. He's uncomfortable that I remind him of something he doesn't want to be reminded of. I too don't like my name. If I were given the chance, I would have named myself something else. This story also reminded me of the animated story by Disney- Home on the Range. It's about farm animals, cows to be exact, who had banded together to save their farm "Little Patch of Heaven." I really love one of the songs on the OST- "Will the Sun Ever Shine Again." So, this story reminded me of a lot of different things and it's very honest and real, even if a lot of metaphors and things about Austen are used in here. It is a very relevant story which examines a lot about the different relationships we have. Just as Austen's stories are like a study on human behavior and human nature, this story too tackled that subject. I am so fortunate that I found this book and Miss Reay. Thank you again, Netgalley.

No one wants to be third choice, even if they couldn't care less about being any choice.

- Katherine Reay, The Austen Escape - 

Yesterday's Promise (Scottish Historical ) by Michelle Paige Holmes | A Book Review

I got this from ebooksforreview.com. I love historical fiction and this one falls under the same genre. This is the second book that talks about Scotland and the Scots that I have read one after the other. Yes, imagine kilts and tartans. Accents that are a bit hard to understand and highlanders. All that are in this story.

This story will take us back to Scotland in 1761. Yes, that far back. A time when clans are in play and England is trying to takeover the Scots. Katherine is about to meet her future-husband Laird Collin McDonald. She was promised to marry this Scottish lord whom she hasn't seen before. She can't seem to refuse because a settlement will be give to her family in return, which they badly needed at this time.

I was imagining my reaction if I were in Katherine's place. Would I runaway or face my future bravely, even with dread? I don't think any girl would fancy meeting her future-husband on the day of the wedding itself. I don't think it is romantic at all. It is very scary. Lucky for Katherine, she is not marrying a total stranger after all. In fact, she might just be marrying her sort-of childhood sweetheart. 

I love little Katie! She is just full of spunk and so brutally honest. I really liked the first thing he said to young Collin--I will wipe my grandpa's face and now, you can apologize. You should be nice. A very smart thing to say for such a very young child. I didn't think words like that would come from such a young mouth. And the rest of the her words were cleverer still. I would love to adopt little Katie for her being honest and direct. We all could take a lesson from her.

Collin, on the other hand, is an epitome of a gentleman. He kept his promise, even if it meant putting his life in danger. He would protect Katherine with his life until she would claim what is rightfully hers. Her claim to her Scottish heritage is not going to be easy but Collin will make sure that the promise he made to Katie's grandpa will be done, for it would also mean the peace for all of the clans in the Scottish highlands. 

I also love the about Katie's special ability. It added more appeal and magic to the already mysterious highlands and moor. 

I give the book 4.5/5 tartan colors. A tartan stands for a clan, or like the colors of a Scottish clan. According to wikipedia, a plaid is a tartan cloth slung over the shoulder as a kilt accessory, or a plain ordinary blanket such as one would have on a bed. Like in the story, a tartan is sort of an emblem for each Scottish clan. It is very important. I learned a lot of the Scottish culture from the story. The Scots are very brave and loyal people. And it isn't a wonder why until today they may seem like a separate race from the Brits. 

I will give you my heart at the rising of the moon and the settling of the stars. To love and honor through all that may come.

- Michelle Paige Holmes, Yesterday's Promise -  

Paperlesspost.com | Online Invitations | Experience Review

I got a message on my comments portion on one of my review posts asking if I wanted to collaborate with a site and talk about my experience using it. This is a first time for me to be approached for a possible collaboration. I was shocked, at the same time honored. I thought, this might be my chance of expanding my book blog and finally pave the way to get paid in bucks. Maybe, finally this is my chance to earn from blogging, aside from just getting free books and goodies. So, I immediately emailed the person back and asked for details. I agreed. This seemed like a great opportunity to let pass. 

As you can see on my post banner, I was asked to review paperlesspost.com. Yes, it's a legit company with offices in New York. They specialized in online invitations for all occasions. If you sign up and make use of their services, your invitation would also include a tracker for all those who agreed to attend and those that declined. Seems pretty convenient, right? This is very useful especially for those occasions like weddings and conferences where you have a lot of people attending. You need not worry of keeping track of who's going or not. It also includes a registry for gifts if you prefer to include one. Not only that, it will also provide directions so your guests won't get lost in going to the appointed venue. So, what are you waiting for, the next time you want to have a birthday party and want to send invites, just go to paperlesspost.com.

To have a real feel of what the site offers, I decided to try it myself as that was what was required of me. This collab offer came to me before my birthday so I thought I might have to pretend I'm going to have a party and send invites (Birthday Invitations). I started to choose probable designs for the invites. I even favorited those I really like. Unfortunately, I didn't get to finish to customize the invite. In the end, I decided to pretend that I am getting married. Yes, it's every girl's dream, right? I dreamed of that day too. So, I seized the opportunity to make my Save the Date cards and my Wedding Invitations. I'm so excited!

I am imagining my future husband looks like Taylor Kitsch (Tim Riggins of Friday Night Lights) or Chris Evans (Captain America). The wedding would be in an island resort here in my city. I wanted so much a beach wedding. This is what I came up with for the save the date cards. I need to send save the date invites since the location is about a three-hour ride from the city and also so my friends would be able to mark their calendars early and not miss this greatest event of my life. And since my some of my friends and my husband is not from the same country, they need their passports. I don't plan to invite a lot of people. I want an intimate celebration so only really close friends are invited, maybe around 50 guests. A hundred would be the limit, that is taking into account the number of close friends and family of my husband to-be.

The invite can be customized according to your tastes. There are free templates you can use. There are even templates designed by famous designers like Kate Spade, Oscar de la Renta and many more. You can take your pick. I first browsed through the selections of designs and then marked or favorited those I liked. I then decided to pick one for the occasion I have in mind. You can create your own text you want to put in the invite. You can even include your couple photos. I actually wanted to put one of me and Taylor but it required a lot of editing so I skipped it. You can also upload you own design if you have a very specific design in mind for your invitation. 

Navigating the site is so easy. It's a no brainer. It's very user-friendly and you can go back easily to the previous screen if you want to change something. You also see how the invite will look like instantly right after you make any particular changes. The best thing, the site auto-saves the last edit you made to the invite. I played around with the design elements they incorporated like the envelops, the font, color, envelop liners and it was so much fun. You do not need to be a designer or require the services of a card designer to come up with the card that is up to your standards. Just browse through the wide selections of invites for all occasions and you're good to go. One more thing, you can also opt to send printed invitations. There is an option that allows you to have the invites printed and you can send them to your friends' addresses via post or hand-deliver them. 

So, here is how I created my save the date card.

This is the screen where you edit the text of the card. There are options for a motif and a logo, an additional card if you wanted to include more text and a photo card. The card costs at least 2 coins for each guest to be sent the invite. If you want to add more customization elements to the card, you will be charged accordingly for each design element.

The online invitations also include envelops. I wanted to have my envelops with liners and I chose a design with fireworks. Duh, big event, wedding!

You can also choose from among the stamp and postmark designs to put on the back of the envelop. I chose a stamp with two champagne glasses and the postmark of my favorite city. If you are from Seattle, Washington or San Francisco, they also have customized postmarks for those cities.

You can track the number of invited guests attending. The invite includes an RSVP reply card or you can choose from the other options provided.

The site will then ask you to fill in your details and the guest list and their addresses (email or physical) depending on your choice of type of invite. The site will take care of tracking the number of those who RSVP'd. You can also check if some of your friends sent you messages or inquiries about the party. Your friends, will receive an animated online invitation when you send your invite. They will see all the elements you have included in your design like the envelop and the liners and additional pages that contain photos and other texts. Amazing, isn't? It's not some flat lay invite but with animation. The site provides a preview of the card you have created. You can also watch a preview of what your guests will see once they get your invite. 

Just click on the picture below and you will be directed to paperlesspost.com. Click on the preview guest experience link to find out what it feels to get an invite from paperlesspost.com.

Here is the wedding invite that I have created. I dreamed of a beach wedding so I added a water backdrop to the invite. The template I chose is also a beach theme.

For the RSVP card, I added a design of blue flowers. Yes, my motif is blue. 

And since it's a wedding, I added flowers for the envelop liner for a more romantic feel and because to me weddings mean more flowers.

I added another New York City postmark and a beach stamp. You can also choose from various font styles.

All in all, it was a fun experience designing my save the date and wedding invitations, though it was just make-believe. As I said, the site was so easy to navigate and there were no delays or gap between choosing a design or an additional element and seeing how it will look like. The application of an added liner or change of font style is instantaneous. If you have questions pertaining to shipping of printed paper cards or the fees, they also provide links to answer those questions. For now, Paperless Post is only available in the US, Canada, UK and Australia. Since, I am from the Philippines, I can't have printed cards sent out yet. As to the payment, what is so good about the site is that it shows how many coins each card will cost you for each recipient. Every time you change or add a design element, and if there's an added charge for it, it will immediately reflect on the upper right side of your screen. You won't be misled or anything. You can readily see how much each card will cost you but keep in mind that the cost is per recipient. The site offers the coins in packages from 20 coins for USD6 to 5000 coins for USD325. Credit cards can be used to buy the coins.

Paperless Post is a very convenient way to DIY your invitation cards for whatever occasions. You can add your own photos to customize it or you can even upload your own design. Tracking the sent invites and the responses is also an added ease the site will readily take care for you. Now, managing parties and events you organize will be such a breeze with Paperless Post. So, log into the site now and sign up. You can start customizing on the invitations you need for the next party or celebration you are having. 

If I have known of this site when we were planning for the opening of my sister's small store. I would have done the store opening invites and the fliers on paperlesspost.com. The next time my sister or someone asked me to create an invite for an occasion I will definitely go to paperlesspost.com and create the invitations from there. It would totally be less stressful and a lot easier. 

Rosie Colored Glasses by Brianna Wolfson | ARC | A Book Review

The first thing that beckoned me to this book was the title. Who wouldn't be curious with that? What kind of glasses are rosie colored ones? What magic does it possess?

This is probably the most heart-wrenching and heartbreaking tale I read for this year. This story would remain with me for long just like Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us. This story had the same kind of effect. It affected me very deeply and even until now, days after reading it, I can't help but feel sad and sorry for Rosie. Yes, Rosie is a character in this book. She is a mom of two very adorable kids--Willow (what a lovely name!) and Asher. Rosie is a person bursting with life and personality. She is like always high with life. She loves wholly and with all of her. She does everything with great abandon. She goes all out.

Life is not all sunshines and roses, exactly what Rosie's life was. Everything started out great until she can no longer sustain the happiness and the energy that life demands of her. No amount of love that she gives and got back would keep her strong enough. In the end, depression proved to be a very daunting and formidable force that held her. Even her love for her kids was not enough weapon to fight against it. She succumbed and surrendered, leaving her kids heartbroken and lost, like a rudderless ship being tossed and thrown by the tempest.

This story squeezed my heart out until all that was left is pulp. I felt like I was Willow- lost and clueless; hoping that the nightmare she was in was just a nightmare. When she wakes up, everything will be sunny, and she can play Marshmallow City again. Her mom will shower her with love, hugs, and kisses. Everything will be all right because her mom is there. Unfortunately, it was not. The nightmare continues even when Willow is wide awake. And it seemed like the fear and pain is not going to ever go away. What's worst is her dad is not even seeing all the torment she is going through. Her innocence is slowly crumbling and fading. She is unbelievably lost and she needs a hand to hold on to keep her sane, to keep her anchored, but her dad seems to be oblivious to all that. 

This is a very sad story. This dealt about the battle against depression and its aftermath, whether that person won the battle or not. Especially, if the person affected succumbed to the dark void of depression. Rosie, the main character was a very bubbly person and it was so unbelievable that she did not have enough inside her to cast out depression out of her system. Which just proves that depression is a very serious condition and not a lot of people survive it. Fun-filled and loving Rosie wasn't even spared by it. In a way, she was deep in the grip of depression and her choice of weapon to fight it was addiction. It was a very wrong choice. And the casualty of that choice were Willow and Asher. These two adorable and lively kids grew up with Rosie's abundant and generous love. Her creative spirit nurtured these kids. When Rosie became powerless against her monsters, even her kids' love and presence were not enough to keep her from tumbling down into the rabbit hole of no return.

Rex, the other half of Rosie, who was not blameless in all of this. I can't blame him for divorcing Rosie. He did try his best to keep his family but he was not totally there for his children. He did not love his children as much as Rosie did. Rosie's love was always bigger  and she was closer and more attuned to the needs of their kids, like every mother should be. Rex, in some way was selfish and too inflexible. It took such a tragic event to shake him and be really present for his kids. It was almost too late for him to overcome his fear and embrace the reality that he and Willow were totally different individuals and that it was his duty to reach out and close the gap between them. 

If there was one character in this story that touched me greatly, it was Willow. A very vulnerable kid, yet very lovable and cute. How dare the other kids bully her! She is not weird as some kids in school would like to believe. She is smart and creative just like Rosie and she needs all the hugs, kisses, and love she can get, just like every other kid. I just wanted to hug Willow and assure her that everything will be alright. She can depend on me if her father won't be there for her. I wanted to adopt her and Asher, so they won't feel lost and abandoned. 

Arg! Even writing this review felt heavy in the chest. It's as if I am experiencing again the pains of what the characters of this story had to go through. All these emotions are running amok inside me and I had to let them out of my chest. This story calls for packs of marshmallows. I don't care how many, as long as it will be enough to make Willow feel better. Thankfully, Rex came to his senses and vowed to keep his family together. He promised to make his kids feel loved and special just like Rosie did. So, everything ended well. Now, I can stop worrying for Willow because she can still have a love most mad and moonly through his dad. The world does not end with it not being rosie colored anymore and love can come in all other forms. 

Willow had become a leaky faucet of sadness. She dripped, dripped, dripped with it. It never gushed out in spurts or sprayed anyone around her.

- Brianna Wolfson, Rosie Colored Glasses -  

Thank you again, Netgalley for the copy. 

Publish Date: February 20, 2018

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan | A Book Review

I had the chance to read this book because a friend had it. It was still wrapped in plastic fresh from the store when he handed it to me to read. Thank you Dars for lending me this book. I was so amused and entertained. You are a master Kevin Kwan. I finished this book in one sitting, probably around 4-5 hours. I could not let it go until I reached the end of the book.

This book was such a hoot. There were a lot of very funny lines that I just can't help but laugh out loud. My friend, who was watching TV beside me was raising her eyebrows at my noisy reaction to this book. I just can't suppress the sound of my laughter. Since, this was not my book, I had to take pictures of my favorite lines. My most favorite was the one about bok choy. I had to stop and laugh to my heart's content after reading that line. It was just so freaking hilarious. I can vividly picture it in my mind and the picture was just so funny.

This is a glimpse into the life of crazy rich asians. Their lifestyles, mind set, biases and how they see the world of ordinary people separate from their own. They are super rich that it will drive you mental. The older generation of these unassumingly rich Asians are way more frugal and wise in spending their wealth. They don't like to make a fuss. They want their lives to be a secret, a mystery. They do not want to be plastered in the papers or talk about their businesses. For example, they would rather walk nine blocks from the airport to the hotel than get on a taxi even though, they have tons of money that they can actually afford to buy the hotel if they have to. On the other hand, the younger generation of this ultra rich Asian families splurge as much as they can. They thrive on luxuries and comfort. The enjoy their jet-setting lifestyle and lavish parties. They are connoisseur of designer brands and expensive cars. They spend money faster than you can blink.

The two main characters of this story Rachel and Nick are both of Chinese descent but they met in the US. Rachel grew up in the US while Nick was schooled in London. These two are from opposite ends of the wealth hierarchy. Rachel had the surprise of her life when she met the family of Nick in Singapore. The phrase "crazy rich asians" came from Rachel's mouth. No word could be more appropriate to describe the complications that came with meeting Nick's family and all other things attached to them.

No wonder this book is such a hit. This is hilarious, witty and very realistic. I felt even more attuned to the story because I happen to be in Singapore at the time of reading this book. The ambiance added more to the drama and the entertainment value of the story. The mention of places and food in this book which I have become familiar with made me more connected to the story. It was such an experience and I am looking forward to the other books from this author. Definitely, Kevin Kwan can charm his audience.

I give this book 5/5 sticks of chicken satay or no, make that a whole stretch of hawker stalls of delicious Malay, Indian and Chinese food. This book was truly a treat. Congratulations Kevin Kwan!

NEVER, EVER wear green chiffon unless you want to look like bok choy that got ganged-raped.

- Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians - 

Love's Shadow (Brothers Maledetti #2) by Nichole Van | A Book Review

This is one of those reviews that were due last week. Finally, I am able to slowly catch up with my overdue reviews. It was sad to not be able to do my book reviews and post on Instagram. I hope I won't get the flu ever and the laptop would not go crazy again. Well, it's still with the technician so it's still to be determined. I am using the other laptop which is painstakingly slow compared to the other one. Better than no computer at all.

Love's Shadow is a very good surprise. I am so in love with the very unique story and the D' Angelo brothers. I was so caught up in the twist, the history and the landscape. Who would not fall in love with the picturesque Italy? Its name alone makes me want for mouth-watering gelato, hand-made pasta and authentic Italian pizza. 

This book felt like a cross between a Steve Berry and a Clive Cussler. Yes, two of my favorite mystery and historical fiction writers. This story just had the complete ingredients of what I so love. History, archaeology, old legends, magic, powers and a love story that promises an unhappy ending. All these elements thrown in, mix well then stir and you will surely end up engrossed and unable to let go until the end. And the best thing? I just realized that this story is part of a series so I could have a few more helpings of this delightful and talented author. This is my first of Nichole Van and I am so impressed. You know what this means? I will be hunting for her other stories because I just can't get over the pleasure of having found this story and this amazing author.

Are you the type of reader who likes to guess what the story is just by looking at the title? I am one. It's not an exact science. Often I feel disappointed to not figure out why the story is entitled as such after reading it. And what an exhilaration it is to be able to grasp and understand why the title fits the story. For this story, I had no idea why it's called Love's Shadow. I don't have any theories. But after reading it, I totally get why the author called this one as it is and I totally agree with it. I book no arguments or any comments. I think the title is very curious. Just as curious as the story is.

This is without a doubt one of the best stories I have read this 2017. Stories like these are what I would die for. The marriage of the past and current events in this story was perfect. How the past events were connected to the present time in this story was seamlessly done. I just loved it. 

No questions asked, I give this book 5/5 pairs of leather gloves. This is just perfect for me. It fits like a glove. Nice to meet you Nichole Van. Looking forward to the next stories in the series.

Why did it have to be this man? Of all the men on Planet Earth? Literally, the one person who would be utterly off limits? Figured I would fall prey to some demented god who got off on cruel ironies.

- Nichole Van, Love's Shadow -  

Thank you again, Kathy of ebooksforreview.com for the copy. 

Other books in the series:

Gladly Beyond (Brothers Maledetti #1)

Lightning Struck (Brothers Maledetti #3)