Review: PLAYING THE FIELD by Emma Heatherington ***

Donegal lass Cara McCarthy has always been a tomboy type of girl, who wouldn't care how to spell Versace, let alone have any desire to wear it. On a career break in London, she lands a job as a cleaner which is right up her street just then. Her new boss is Sophia Brannigan the fashionista girlfriend of gorgeous Fulton FC Premiership star, Dylan Summers, and her new place of work is their luxurious home, Summer Manor. Cara is determined to stay in the background, but life has other plans. Before she can say 'Manolo', she finds herself plunged in at the deep end of high fashion and posh parties. With a friendly father figure in gardener Sam and a delightful new arrival called Lola, Cara's new life is set to be both fun and challenging. But as Sophia's hunger for celebrity grows, so does Cara s bond with Dylan Summers and soon everything she does at Summer Manor seems destined to land her deeper and deeper into trouble ...

I've been wanting to read this book ever since I saw the cover posted at Chick Lit Reviews a few months ago. The plot sounded quite interesting too, but sadly the book didn't quite live up to my expectations.

The novel tells the story of Cara ("Irish for friend"), who moves to London to escape her "shady past" and start afresh. She lives in a flat with her friend Natalie and her brother Liam. One day, she gets a job as a cleaner/housekeeper of a hot football star Dylan and his fame-crazy girlfriend Sophia. The latter is determined to become a star WAG and uses Cara on her way to stardom and Cara mostly puts up with it since she benefits from it too. On the other hand, Dylan is a very nice guy and not too keen on being in the spotlight. Sooo the inevitable happens - Dylan and Cara find out that they have a lot in common ... Can you guess what happens next? ;)

Yeah, that's pretty much it. There are a couple of minor twists and turns and so called scandals, but very little actually happens. However, despite the fact that this book is not particularly exciting, I still found it enjoyable and read it quite fast. It's nicely written and there are a few witty scenes and I mostly liked reading about the luxurious lifestyle Cara found herself in.

What I disliked most about the novel were the characters, who I found quite one dimensional. Maybe Cara, Liam and Natalie were better portrayed, but I found especially Sophia rather cartoon-like (she was always acting like a textbook bitch - boring) and I thought Dylan was underdeveloped too (he was like an angel among footballers and we only got to see his nice side). I'm afraid none of the characters impressed me and sadly I remained quite indifferent to them.

All in all, I'd recommed this if you're looking for a very simple and an enjoyable quick read with a pretty cover. :)

overall rating: 3/5
plot: 3/5 | writing: 3/5 | characters: 2/5 | cover: 4/5

Waiting on Wednesday: ANXIOUS HEARTS

“Evangeline,” he repeated, calling at a whisper. “Evangeline.” He was not calling that she may hear, he was calling that somehow her soul might know that he was devoted entirely to her, only to her. “Evangeline, I will find you.”

Eva and Gabe explore the golden forest of their seaside Maine town, unknowingly tracing the footsteps of two teens, Evangeline and Gabriel, who once lived in the idyllic wooded village of Acadia more than one hundred years ago. On the day that Evangeline and Gabriel were be wed, their village was attacked and the two were separated. And now in the present, Gabe has mysteriously disappeared from Eva.

A dreamlike, loose retelling of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous love poem “Evangeline,” Anxious Hearts tells an epic tale of unrequited love and the hope that true love can be reunited.

This meme was started by Breaking the Spine. I learned about this novel when The Story Siren posted her latest edition of Books to Pine For and fell in love with it immediately. Who wouldn't? The title is lovely, the cover's gorgeous and the plot sounds really interesting (I'm quite surprised that it was written by a guy, hehe). Can't wait for May 2010 when this book finally comes out!

Review: THE BOOK OF TOMORROW by Cecelia Ahern *****

"Tamara Goodwin has always got everything she's ever wanted. Born into a family of wealth, she grew up in a mansion with its own private beach, a wardrobe full of designer clothes and all that a girl could ever wish for. She's always lived in the here and now, never giving a second thought to tomorrow. But then suddenly her dad is gone and life for Tamara and her mother changes forever. Left with a mountain of debt, they have no choice but to sell everything they own and move to the country. Nestled next to Kilsaney Castle, their gatehouse is a world away from Tamara's childhood. With her mother shut away with grief, and her aunt busy tending to her, Tamara is lonely and bored and longs to return to Dublin. When a travelling library passes through Kilsaney Demesne, Tamara is intrigued. Her eyes rest on a mysterious large leather bound tome locked with a gold clasp and padlock. What she discovers within the pages takes her breath away and shakes her world to its core."

This is actually the first book by Cecelia Ahern that I've read; I own three others, but they never really intrigued me enough to actually read them, I'm ashamed to say. This book however fascinated me as soon as I heard about it months ago. The story seemed great, but I somehow still expected the story to be cheesy - luckily, it was anything but that! In fact, in was absolutely fantastic (good win, very dead *wink wink*) and all I can say is W-O-W!!!

What I loved most about this book was definitely the narrative voice of Tamara Goodwin. I can't say she's the most likeable character ever as she even herself confesses she's a spoilt selfish mean brat among other things, but on the other hand I thought she was just a typical teenager, always arguing with her parents and moaning for no reason. For the first 16 years of her life, she led a very privileged life and took everything for granted, but after her father's death she is forced to learn a few hard life lessons. Despite all her flaws, I really really really enjoyed her narrative and her fantastic snarky remarks that had me in stitches several times (I still chuckle just thinking about some scenes, lol).

Luckily, Tamara's character wasn't the only one that was immensely well portrayed - I pretty much loved ALL the characters! My favourite was probably Marcus (even though that subplot wasn't quite resolved the way I hoped it would be) - the Bookman with his lovely Bookmobile, but how could you possibly not love the nuns who enjoy Mills & Boon books and drive around in a yellow Fiat Cinquicento (hey, I used to drive an orange Fiat Seicento so who am I to judge :p)?! Yep, Sister Ignatius was the best nun ever - talk about defying steretypes, hehe. Or the mysterious relatives, an uncle who rarely opens his mouth and a strange aunt? Honestly, you couldn't possibly wish for better characters, they were pretty much perfect!

The plot was also fantaaaaastic and I loved the whole mystery surrounding Tamara's new life, which is only increased by her new surrounding, a cottage in the middle of nowhere, next to the ruins of a mysterious deserted castle. There were all these questions that kept popping up: Why is Tamara's mother acting so strange, even for a grieving person? Why does uncle Arthur barely speak? Why is aunt Rosaleen so peculiar (you could tell there was more than meets the eye, but I was certainly not expecting the final twist!!)? What's in the garage? Who lives in the bungalow? What happened to the people in the castle when the fire broke out? What does Sister Ignatius know? Sooo many questions and I was pleased to say that everything was satisfactorily explained in the rather explosive conclusion which quite resembled an action film, hehe. Talk about a life-changing twist, whoooooa!

Ms Ahern is famous for her magical elements in her works and in this case it was this diary that contains the entries from the future, giving Tamara a chance to change it or act accordingly. (What would you do, huh? :)) It may sound a bit weird, but it worked out really well in the course of the book, I thought it was quite clever actually!
(By the way, do you think the last sentence in the book implies a sequel? Ooh, I'd love one!)

I'm not quite sure which genre the book belongs to though ... It's more YA than chicklit if anything, but I don't think it quite fits either so I've decided to label it as general as I think it would appeal to everyone!

Seriously, what's not to love about this book?! The narration/writing is fantastic, the characters are lovely, the plot is wonderfully mysterious (gripping stuff, honestly) and the cover is gorgeous! This EPIC WIN of a book blew my mind and jumped straight into my Top 5 reads of 2009! Surely Ms Ahern's previous can't be any better than this? But even if they're half as good, I'll definitely give them a try now! I'm so hyped up and can't stop raving about this book now so I think I better stop before I get slightly carried away - oh, wait, is it already too late for that? :)

overall rating: 5/5
plot: 5/5 | writing: 5/5 | characters: 5/5 | cover: 5/5

Additional reviews: Leah, Chloe, Dot - be sure to read those too! :)

In My Mailbox #16

This fantastic meme is hosted by The Story Siren so head over there if you're interested in what books other bloggers received in the past week (click to enlarge). On the right, you can see a picture of the lovely books I've acquired and if any of them tickle your fancy, then just click the covers below for more info on each title.

I'd like to thank Poolbeg for sending me the last four titles below (Jumping in Puddles & Ship of Dreams & Win Some, Love Some & Playing the Field) to review. I was so happy to receive these books and I must admit I haven't heard of this Irish publisher before, but they have some fantastic books in their range so do pay them a visit.

I'd also like to thank Rene aka The Book Girl for hosting a contest in which I won a shiny hardcover copy of Blue Plate Special, squeeee! Many thanks also to Chronicle Books for sending over my prize, yay! I've heard the book is great and I can't wait to read it!

Review: LUXURY by Jessica Ruston ****

"MAKE IT

Sexy, smart New Yorker Logan Barnes knew how to take what he wanted to get where he wanted to be. But you can’t win the girl, make the money and live the high life without picking up enemies along the way …

BREAK IT

There’s only one enemy who matters, and that’s the friend Logan betrayed years ago – Nicolo Flores. He got mad, but better still he got even, waiting in the wings to pull the plug on Logan and and see his fortunes come crashing down.

BUT SAVE THE BEST CARD FOR LAST

Now Logan’s back, in London with a perfect wife, perfect family, and the perfect jewel to crown his rebuilt hotel empire: a stunning island getaway for the truly über-rich. Niccolo’s crazy to find a way to crush him again – but with gambling, addiction, sex and scandal all knocking on the Barnes’ family door, maybe they’ll destroy themselves before he even has a chance to …
A DEVASTATINGLY GOOD LOOK AT LIFE LIVED IN THE LAP OF LUXURY"

I honestly had no idea what to expect from this novel. The blurb made it sound like it was about two men (?!) and the cover suggested something more chicklity (the cover is pretty but quite deceiving, by the way). I was confused but even more intrigued, especially after reading glowing reviews pretty much everywhere online. I wasn't entirely sure if this would be my cup of tea, but I decided to give it a try after being offered a review copy by Headline (Thank you!) and I certainly don't regret my decision - reading this book was one hell of a ride!

The story doesn't quite sound like something I typically go for, but I was surprised how quickly I was sucked into it and the pages just flew by ... I have no intention of posting the detailed summary as it would take forever - there's just too much going on! But to quickly recap: Once upon a time in the 1980s, there were 3 guys, Logan, Johnny and Nicolo. They were best friends with very big plans, but they fell apart after Logan stole Nicolo's girlfriend Maryanne. Nicolo vowed to get his revenge. His sabotaged his enemy a few times in the next couple of decades, but hasn't quite managed to ruin him despite his best attempts. However, when Logan embarks on his most ambitious project yet, the opening of the exclusive and private hotel on a picture perfect island called Luxury (hence the title), Nicolo recognizes this as the perfect opportunity to finally get even for the pain he suffered years ago, but he will need quite a bit of help to succeed ...

I could be said that this is mainly a story about revenge and rivalry between two incredibly successful and ruthless men. In this story of betrayal, manipulation, blackmail, dark secrets and sinister plans among other things, the stakes are high and absolutely nothing is off limits. The ultimate revenge plot severely affects many lifelong friendships and seemingly perfect families; by the end of the book, the lives of everyone involved are changed forever and only a few survive the consequences of the devastating actions ...
The main story may be about two middle-aged men (it's honestly far more interesting than it sounds!), but on the other hand, there are also numerous subplots regarding Logan's wife Maryanne and her addiction problems, their children Charlie and Lucia, Logan's friends Johnny and Mark, a mother and daughter who have their own reason for revenge, a woman's who's trying to escape her violent husband and many others.

This is certainly not a fairytale about the lives of the rich and the famous - if anything, it's more a tragedy and shows that the lives of these people are less enviable than they may seem ... Nonetheless, the novel does provide fascinating insight into the lives of the incredibly rich people and your jaw's bound to drop several times when you read about the "things" these people come up with, hehe. Being richer than rich may have plenty of advantages, but on the whole it may not be all it's cracked up to be seeing how the price these people have to pay to solve their problems is sometimes even more than they can afford.

All in all, I really enjoyed the book far more than I expected. The writing as such may be just above average, but the fascinating story with its twists & turns and the passionate characters make this bonkbuster unputdownable - escapism at its best!

overall rating: 4/5
plot: 4/5 | writing: 3/5 | characters: 4/5 | cover: 3/5

Teaser Tuesday: THE BOOK OF TOMORROW

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"You're a strange man who travels in a bus full of books. Do you think I'm going to tell you where I live? I've heard about your kind," I said, walking away from the house and towards the bus.

This week's teaser was taken from my current read - The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern. I've just started it today and I'm really enjoying it so far. I quite like the sassy narrator Tamara and this book guy Marcus who's just showed up. They have some good chemistry and I wonder what the story has in store for them ... Stay tuned for my review in the next few days!

Review: CONFESSIONS OF A RELUCTANT RECESSIONISTA ****

"Cassie Cavanagh has never minded being 'just a PA'. In fact she's quite content with her lot. She has a city job she kind of enjoys - after all she is indispensable, you know. She has a boyfriend who showers her with gifts - what more could a girl want? And she earns enough to (just about ) finance the luxuries she's become used to. But Cassie hadn't banked on being made redundant. Nor had she pictured her boyfriend leaving her for an older woman! Nor had she ever imagined needing to take financial advice from her student flatmate. Reluctant to embrace the art of being thrifty, if Cassie's going to survive the recession in style, she's a lot to learn about budgeting. And even more to learn about herself..."

The lovely Carolyn from Book Chick City offered me to guest review this book for her blog and since it's a title I've been looking forward to for months (proof), I was more than happy to take up the mission. The book took ages to arrive, but now the review is finally up - you can see my rating for it below, but you'll just have to head over to Book Chick City to read the whole thing. :)

overall rating: 4/5
plot: 4/5 | writing: 4/5 | characters: 4/5 | cover: 3/5

In My Mailbox #15

This meme is hosted by The Story Siren and it's meant for showing the books we've received in the past week. Here's what I got:

~ The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

~ A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper

~ Anyone for Seconds? by Fiona Cassidy

~ Luxury by Jessica Ruston

(The last two titles were sent for review by Poolbeg and Headline respectively.)


Hope everyone else had a great book week too! :)