Some Books That I Have Read (Shopaholic & Baby)

Shopaholic & Baby

Sophie Kinsella

Plot : Easy to Follow

Entertainment : Very entertaining

This is the fifth book in the 'Shopaholic' series. Becky is working in London’s newest store, The look and she is pregnant. She was so overjoyed when she found out that shopping could cure her morning sickness. She wants the best for her baby, from the designer nursery, the coolest pram to the celebrity obstetrician-Venetia Carter. But later, she found out that Venetia was Luke’s ex-girlfriend and she started to suspect and affair was going on between her husband and her obstetrician. So, she hires a detective to follow Luke, but the results were not what Becky was hoping to hear. Becky went to the hospital pretending to be in labor in order to confront with Venetia and the hospital called all of Becky’s family and friends. Luke told Venetia that he loves Becky and only her. The stress of the confrontation causes Becky’s water to break and she give birth to a girl named Minnie.

Book Review/ comment:

In this book, the format is still the same, Becky still goes crazy when shopping =) and Sophie Kinsella is still as good in making Becky the charmingly air-headed shopping maniac that make me laugh.

Some Books That I Have Read(Shopaholic & Sister)

Shopaholic & Sister

Sophie Kinsella

Plot : Easy to Follow

Entertainment : Light reading and exceptionally enjoyable

This is the fourth book in the 'Shopaholic' series. Rebecca Bloomwood (Becky) is now happily married to Luke Brandon, and they are happily on honeymoon using the ticket Rebecca has bought. They end their 10 months trip with a visit to Milan, where Becky met Nathan Temple, who helps her buy the angel bag that she dreamed of ever since it was released. Then, when they returned to London, Luke was shocked that Becky has bought so many souvenirs during their vacation, there are 2 truckloads of souvenirs and the bills for them are outrageous. This make Luke insists that becky go on a budget. This makes Becky a little blue but to make things worse, she found that Suze has found a new best friend while she is away. She is feeling rather depress when she gets the biggest shock of her life, she has a long lost sister- Jessica (Jess). Becky was so excited in meeting her new sister and only disappointed to find out that her sister hates shopping and is a total opposite of her. Becky and Luke start to have some problem when Luke is getting more involved with his business with Aracondas group. Their relationship went to become worse when Nathan Temples asked Luke for his advice and Becky promised to return his favor without realizing Nathan is a criminal. Finally, Becky went to Jess’s village and to try to patch things up after she think Jess will be able to assist her in solving her marriage problems, but Jess shut the door in Becky’s face. While she is waiting at the general store, she finds out that there’s a protest against a shopping complex being built in that village. She joins the protest and went on dangerous hike to try to bond up with Jess. During the hike, she fells and broke her ankle but this give the 2 sisters a chance to know each other better. Becky did not know the whole world was looking for her when she is away and Luke and Becky get back together after the accident and he eventually tells Becky that the centre was moved to another field.

Review/ comment:

In this book, Becky is still as naïve and as funny as ever. The format is still the same. Becky gets into trouble after she shops, and lies to cover up, and then the truth was revealed and crashing down on her and lastly a happy ending.If you like the other books of this series, you will like this one too

Some Books That I Have Read (Shopaholic Ties The Knot)

Shopaholic Ties The Knot

Sophie Kinsella

Plot :Easy to follow

Entertainment: Very entertaining

This is the 3^rd book in the ‘shopaholic’ series. The book opens with both Becky and Luke staying in New York. Becky is happily working as a personal shopper at Barney’s while helping suze to prepare her wedding. Luke proposed to Becky after Suze’s wedding. As in the last 2 books, Becky has problem in this one, her problem is her mother and her future mother in law are both planning a wedding for her and both of the wedding are on the same day. Her mother is planning a sophiscated wedding in the family garden while luke’s mother has arranged a wedding planner to plan a biggest and dreamiest wedding in a plaza. As becky does not know how to say no to either party, she needs to crack her head to find a best solution. So, the enchanted birch forest that take place in the plaza go 1^st while the warmth and home-welcome wedding go next.

Review/ Comment

This isn’t’ a deep book, neither it has any in-depth plot but none the less, it is still entertaining and will bring a smile on your face. In my opinion, one thing good about this book is that it does not focus as much on Becky’s spending as the last 2 books while it focus more on the wedding dilemma, and this is a really good change and it makes me enjoyed the book more.

Some Books That I Have Read (Shopaholic Abroad)

Shopaholic Abroad

- By Sophie Kinsella

Plot : Fast paced and Easy to Follow

Entertaining Value : Good

As people who read the confession of the shopaholic remembered, Becky is now on TV advising people on how to manage their finance. Becky ‘s boyfriend, Luke, asked Becky to go to New York with him. While in New York and with all the success going to her head, Becky lets things get totally out of control for a second time. All her private life, her spending details and her increasing debt were published back in UK.

After she was fired from the TV show, Becky found that Luke hasn’t call her even when he is back in London. She was depress and when she discovered that Alicia was behind something, she did not went to Luke but go to his partner, Muchael Ellis. Michael offer to help her put by providing her a job in Washington. But she refused and went to work in Barneys. Later, Luke went to the store and ask for forgiveness from Becky and the story ended happily.

Review and Comments

This book is as interesting and funny as the previous one. The storyline is simple and girly but I still get hook and wanted to read and finish of every single page. I like the concept where most chapters begin with letters from Becky’s bank manager or from some of the store manager. Also, I enjoyed the first person narrative as it allows me to feel more involved with becky’s thought.

Some Books That I Have Read (Confessions of a Shopaholic )

Confessions of a Shopaholic

- Sophie Kinsella

Plot : Fast paced and Easy to Follow

Entertaining Value : Very entertaining

I remembered I was in the cinema deciding what movie I should watch for that day when my friend and I came across this movie. Then, we thought, let’s just watch something light since the poster of the movie seems so funny. I enjoyed the movie so much that when I came out of the cinema, I decided to get the book and have a read. The main character of the story Rebecca Bloomwood (Becky), is a financial journalist of Succesful savings. Becky love to shop and when she shops, she is filled with excitement, especially when she is depress. She just couldn’t stop spending and ignored the shop. However, all these shopping have make her overspend and her income could no longer cover her bills. So, she makes excuse after excuses for her need to purchase and she will ignores all the letters that was sent to her from the bank and credit card company – she throws them away unopened, she hides them and she tells lies.Becky knows she should do something about this, so she starts to cut back on her spending but that does not work. So she gives up and keeps on shopping.

On a visit to her parents one weekend, the neighbors asked becky about her opinion of switching to a new type of investment suggested from their bank. Becky told them this is a good idea as she has vaguely heard something about this new company. Several weeks later, when Beacky is back home for her another visit, she discovered that it was a scam and her neighbors were swindled out of 20,000 pounds because they switch their investment. So, becky wrote an article detailing the incidence and what are the advice the financial company gave and this was published in the press. Becky was invited to give financial advice in Morning coffee ( a show on TV). By having this job, Becky was able to pay off her debts.

Review and Comments

This book is really interesting and funny and sometimes a little silly too. You wouldn’t notice how fast time pass when you read this book.

Some Books That I Have Read ( New Moon)

New Moon - Stephenie Meyer

Plot : Easy to Follow

Entertaining Value : Good

This is the 2^nd book of the twilight series. To celebrate Bella’s 18^th birthday, Edward took Bella to his house for a celebration party. However, an accident occurred and Bella was covered in blood and this nearly trigger the feeding frenzy of Jasper. This make Edward starts to distant from Bella in order to protect her.

Bella’s whole world fall apart when Edward told her that he wants to break up with her andthat his family and he decided to leave forks and never return. Bella grown to be lonelier and more isolated from her friends. She starts to do something dangerous as when she did all these dangerous activity, she starts hallucinating that Edward would be by her side telling her to back off and to be more careful. Bella become closer with Jacob and Jacob become her best friend and fill up some emptiness that Edward left behind. Later, Bella found out that Jacob is actuary a werewolf in response to the presence of the vampire in order to protect his tribe. Jacob and his pack of warewolf friend protected Bella from Laurent and Victoria, who seeks revenge for James, whom the cullens killed in Twilight.

One day, Alice return to Fork and asked Bella to save Edward from his self destruction in Italy by asking the Volturi to kill him. Bella flew with her to Italy and save Edward just in time. Before leaving Italy, The Volturi told Edward that Bella who knows the existence of the vampires, must be either killed or transformed into vampires.

Review and Comments

New moon is good enough to stand alone but I think if you read twilight first, you will get a better understanding of what is happening. This book is still using Bella ‘s perspective in the story- telling. The pain that Bella fell when Edward leave her is well written. The book is not as fast paced as Twilight and the middle part is a little slow and draggy.

Some Books That I Have Read ( Twilight)

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

Plot : Fast paced and Easy to Follow

Entertaining Value : Highly entertaining

This is the 1^st book of the twilight series ( a vampire – romance series). This book start with Isabella (Bella) swan moves from Phoenix to Forks to live with her father after her mother re-married. On her 1^st day in school, Bella attracts much attention of her new school mates. Bella was attracted to Edward Cullen , but he seems to hate her and could not stand to be next to her when they first meet. But later , he confessed that he avoided bella because bella’s blood is too nice for him. Their friendship starts to develop after Edward save Bella from being knock dawn in the parking lot and over time, they fell in love.

The Bella- Edward relationship face a huge obstacle when they meet another vampire covern . James ( the vampire from the other covern), tried to hunt bella dawn for fun. Bella was send back to phoenix to hide from James. However, james manage to find her and cheated her to surrender to him by claiming that he is holding her mother captive. Edward and Cullen manage to defeat James and save Bella.

Review and Comments

This book is unique when compare to other romance novels. I got hooked the moment I started it. The story is told in the perspective of Bella, a shy and lacking in confidence girl. From her view, we get to know the mysterious Edward and the other Cullen family. I absolutely love Edward’s mysterious, understanding and charm.

Some Books That I Have Read (Breaking Dawn)

Breaking Dawn – Stephanie Meyer

Plot : Easy to follow

Entertainment: Good

This is the fourth and final book of this series. The book is divided into 3 parts. The 1^st and the 3^rd section is written from the perspective of Bella Swan while the 2^nd part is written from the perspective of Jacob Black.

The 1^st part of the story started with Bella marrying Edward and their honeymoon on a private island (isle esme). Then, later, Bella found herself pregnant and her condition is progressing in an unnatural super fast rate. This makes Edward worried and after discussing with Carlisle, Edward suggest abortion but Bella declined and seek the support from Rosalie.

The 2^nd part of the story is from the perspective of Jacob. This part documented Bella’s pregnancy till her delivery. Jacob left his pack and forming a new one with seth and lean Clearwater after Jacob’s wolf pack suggest to kill Bella’s baby and Bella. Soon, Bella gave birth to the baby but in the delivery process, the baby breaks many of bella’s bones and causes her to loss a massive amount of blood. In order to save her life, Edward was forced to inject his venom into her heart and turning her into a vampire. The baby (Renesmee) is save since Jacob has an ‘imprint’ on her after her birth.

The 3^rd part of the story is regarding the new life of bella becoming a new vampire. Not long after the creation, Volturi decided to destroy Renessme as Irina reported her being an ‘ immortal child’. In order to save renesmee, the Cullen gathered allies and witnesses. After the meeting with the Cullen , the volturi found out that Renesmee is not an “immortal child’ but they are still afraid that she will pose a threat to the vampire society, and thus , undecided to attack the Cullen or not. At that time, Alice and Jasper return with Nahuel, a 150 years old vampire- human crossbread like renesmee. Nahuel shows the volturi that he pose no threat to the vampire society and the volturi retreated.

Review and comment:

I like this book the most out of the 4 books although it receives the most negative critics. The plot about the pregnancy took me by surprise but I think I enjoyed reading it although it is a bit scary and I was so afraid that bella couldn’t survive. I enjoyed the last part of the book the most. It is a pleasure reading the different unique talents that the vampire posses, the determination to protect their love one ( The love in between the Cullen family and towards renesmee) , and the almost break out war between the Cullen and the Volturi is really well written.

Some Books That I Have Read ( Eclipse)

Eclipse – Stephanie Mayer

Plot : Easy to follow

Entertaining : medium

This is the 3^rd book of the series. The primary focus is on Bella and edward’s realationship or should I say Bella, Edward and Jacob’s love triangle relationship.

The story starts with the mysterious happenings and killings in the town. Then, Bella and the cullens realize that all these murders are caused by an army of newborn vampires, controlled by Victoria, who wanted bella death. The Cullen join forces with the wolf pack in order to eliminate the threat. While they were waiting for the fight in the mountains , Jacobs become upset after hearing the discussion regarding Edward and Bella ‘s engagement. He threatens to get kill in the battle. Bella stops him by kissing him and she realize that she is in love with him as well. Later, however, Bella told Jacob although she loves him, she love Edward more.

Review and Comments

This book is good to read and it didn’t feel like it was over 600 pages long. However, I think eclipse lacked the magical quality that made twilight stand out from the crowd of vampire romances available in bookstores today.

Some Books That I Have Read ( A prisoner of brith)

A Prisoner of Birth - Jeffrey Archer

Plot: Easy To Follow
Entertainment Value: Medium

The story is of an East-Ender named Danny Cartwright and it all started the night when he proposed his childhood sweetheart. At that special night itself, he was charged or murdering his best friends – Bernie Wilson (his fiancée brother and his best friend since childhood). He was send to Belmarish Prison for 22 years despite Alex Redmayne( his lawyer), does his best to defend him as the four of the witness from the pub, who call themselves the Musketeers, swear that Danny had killed Bernie. The actual killer, ironically, is a barrister specializing in criminal law (Spencer Craig).

In the prison, Danny met the two person who change his fate - Nickolas Moncrieff and Alberd. When Nickokas was murdered, Danny took his identity and escape to seek his revenge.

Comment:

I like the story as Danny was given the opportunity to clear his name while taking revenge on the people who wronged him with a series of unforeseen events. Fate likes to play trick on us sometimes. Archer uses his fluid writing skills and storytelling to good use, however there are bits that feel a little dragged.