Review: Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

Title: Sex and Vanity

Author: Kevin Kwan

Genre: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary

Publication Date: June 30, 2020

Publisher: Doubleday Canada

The iconic author of the bestselling phenomenon Crazy Rich Asians returns with a glittering tale of love and longing as a young woman finds herself torn between two worlds–the WASP establishment of her father’s family and George Zao, a man she is desperately trying to avoid falling in love with.

On her very first morning on the jewel-like island of Capri, Lucie Churchill sets eyes on George Zao and she instantly can’t stand him. She can’t stand it when he gallantly offers to trade hotel rooms with her so that she can have the view of the Tyrrhenian Sea, she can’t stand that he knows more about Curzio Malaparte than she does, and she really can’t stand it when he kisses her in the darkness of the ancient ruins of a Roman villa and they are caught by her snobbish, disapproving cousin, Charlotte. “Your mother is Chinese so it’s no surprise you’d be attracted to someone like him,” Charlotte teases. Daughter of an American-born-Chinese mother and blue-blooded New York father, Lucie has always sublimated the Asian side of herself in favor of the white side, and she adamantly denies having feelings for George. But several years later, when George unexpectedly appears in East Hampton where Lucie is weekending with her new fiancé, Lucie finds herself drawn to George again. Soon, Lucy is spinning a web of deceit that involves her family, her fiancé, the co-op board of her Fifth Avenue apartment, and ultimately herself as she tries mightily to deny George entry into her world–and her heart. Moving between summer playgrounds of privilege, peppered with decadent food and extravagant fashion, Sex and Vanity is a truly modern love story, a daring homage to A Room with a View, and a brilliantly funny comedy of manners set between two cultures

Kdrama Review: W

Title: W

Also Known As: W – Two Worlds , W-두 개의 세계 , W – Two Worlds Apart
Screenwriters: Jo Jung Joo
Directors: Cha Young Hoon
Genres: Action, Thriller, Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy

Cardiothoracic surgeon Oh Yeon Joo's father mysteriously went missing while writing the last chapter of his webtoon "W". Yeon Joo goes to his office and is shocked to see a scene of a bloodied Kang Cheol, the main character of W, on her father's monitor. While reading something left behind by her father, a hand from the monitor pulled her in. She found herself on the rooftop of a building, next to a man lying down in blood. She manages to save him and realizes that the person she saved was Kang Cheol. She later discovers she can only enter and leave the webtoon depending on Kang Cheol's feelings.

Kdrama Review: Are You Human Too?

Title: Are You Human Too?
Native Title: 너도 인간이니
Also Known As: Neodo Inganini , Are You Human?
Screenwriters: Jo Jung Joo
Directors: Cha Young Hoon
Genres: Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy

The drama tells of an android called Nam Shin III who must pretend to be the son of a rich family when the real Nam Shin falls into a coma. Nam Shin's mother, Oh Ro Ra, is a genius on brain technology and artificial intelligence (AI) so when her son, the real Nam Shin, is taken away from her at a young age, in her grief she creates an android that looks exactly like her son and has it grow up in the place of Nam Shin. But when Nam Shin, who is a third generation heir to PK group, gets in an accident and is comatose, the android Nam Shin III must learn how to take his place.

Kdrama review: Devilish Joy (2018)

Title: Devilish Joy (2018)
Native Title: 마성의 기쁨
Also Known As: Devilish Happiness , Diabolic Joy , Maseong-ui Gippeum , Devilish Charm
Screenwriters: Choi Ji Yeon
Directors: Kim Ga Ram
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama

Would you choose to love someone you could never remember?
Gong Ma Sung grew up in a difficult life and experienced some hardships, yet still made joy from it. He is the successor to the Sunwoo company and excels in anything to do with the cranial nerve. From his difficulties, he is respected and looked up to as a brilliant man. One day, his kindness destroys his life. Whilst trying to help a woman in trouble, he gets into an accident and life completely changes. He loses the ability to remember, his memory only limited to one day. Now, before he goes to sleep and forgets everything, he notes all events from that one day, for the next. He wakes up with no recollection of the past, and reads back on his notes to memorize.
His life changes further when he meets Joo Gi Bbeum, a once popular star, who was a celebrity and entertainer loved by all. She is not as revered as she once was, having going through a horrible experience that shaped who she is in the present, ruined her confidence and destroyed her future.

When they meet, Gong Ma sung falls in love with her and a connection is formed but how do you develop a love when every day seems like the beginning?

Review: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Title: The Handmaid's Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
Genre(s): Spectulative Fiction, Dystopian
Page Count: 311
Publication Date: March 16, 1998
Publisher: Anchor Books

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now...

Review: Sun Kissed by Jenny Mclachlan

Title: Sunkissed
Author: Jenny McLachlan
Series: Ladybirds (#3)
Genre(s): Contemporary, Young Adult
Publication Date: August 13, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury

Following on from Flirty Dancing and Love Bomb, Jenny McLachlan's next book is perfect summer holiday reading for fans of Geek Girl and Louise Rennison.

Kat can't believe her family are sending her to Sweden for the summer. But without her friends, or even a phone signal, can Kat make it on her own?

In a land of saunas, nudity and summer sun, Kat soon realises she has nowhere to hide. It's time to embrace who she really is, underneath what she's been thinking people want her to be. Especially if she's going to win the heart of mega fit Swede Leo! Can Kat find her inner strength and prove she's got what it takes?

Kat soon finds that when you're surrounded by phosphorescence and wonder it's easy to sparkle. Or maybe that's what happens when you fall in love . Or maybe you only shine when you're true to yourself.

Review: Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Queen of Shadows
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass (#4)
Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past...

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

Review: Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn

Title: Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mind
Author: Katie Finne
Genre(s): Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult
Series: Broken Hearts and Revenge (#1)
Publication Date: May 13, 2014
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Hot sun. Blue waves. New romances. Old secrets.

Gemma had her summer all planned out, but it takes a sharp turn when she gets dumped and finds herself back in the Hamptons after a five-year absence.

Being there puts her at risk of bumping into Hallie, her former best friends (that is, before Gemma ruined her life). But people don't hold grudges forever. Do they?

Gemma intends on making amends, but a small case of mistaken identity causes the people she knew years ago—including Hallie and her dreamy brother, Josh—to believe she's someone else. As though the summer wasn't complicated enough already.

Filled with summer sun, boys, and friendships gone sour, Katie Finn's first novel in the Broken Hearts and Revenge series sizzles and delights.

Review: Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Scorched
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Frigid (#2)
Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance, New Adult
Publication Date: June 16, 2015
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Sometimes life leaves a mark… Most days, Andrea doesn’t know whether she wants to kiss Tanner or punch him in the gut. He is seriously hot, with legit bedroom eyes and that firefighter body of his, but he’s a major player, and they can’t get along for more than a handful of minutes.

Until now. Tanner knows he and Andrea have had an epic love/hate relationship for as long as he can remember, but he wants more love than hate from her. He wants her. Now. Tomorrow. But the more he gets to know her, the more it becomes obvious that Andrea has a problem. She’s teetering on the edge and every time he tries to catch her, she slips through his fingers.

Andrea’s life is spiraling out of control, and it doesn’t matter that Tanner wants to save her, because when everything falls apart and she’s speeding toward rock bottom, only she can save herself.

Sometimes life makes you work for that happily ever after…

Review: Talon by Julie Kagawa

Title: Talon
Author: Julie Kawaga
Series: Talon (#1)
Genre(s): Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Publication Date: October 28, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Review: Every Last Breath by J.L. Armentrout

Title: Every Last Breath

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: The Dark Elements (#3)
Genre(s): Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, YA
Publication Date: July 28, 2015
Publisher: Harlequinn Teen

Some loves will last ’til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses (#1)
Genre(s): Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, YA/NA
Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down.

Review: Golden Son by Pierce Brown

Title: Golden Son
Author: Pierce Brown
Series: Red Rising (#2)
Genre(s): Science Fiction, Dystopian, Fantasy, Young Adult
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Publisher: Del Rey

With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown’s genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation.

Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within.

A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown’s continuing status as one of fiction’s most exciting new voices.

Review: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Ruin and Rising
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha Trilogy (#3)
Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Adventure, Young Adult
Publication Date: June 17, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt
Page Count: 442

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha (#1)
Page Count: 358
Publication Date; June 5, 2012
Publisher: Henry Holt

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.
Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.

Review: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Title: Ender's Game
Author: Orson Scott Card
Series: The Ender Quartet (#1)

Page Count: 324

Publication Date: July 15th 1994
Publisher: Tor Science Fiction

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

Duo Review: White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: White Hot Kiss

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: The Dark Elements (#1)

Page Count: 400

Publication Date: February 25, 2014

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

One kiss could be the last.
Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne… it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Heir of Fire
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance, Adventure, Paranormal, YA
Series: Throne of Glass (#3)
Page Count: 562
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsberry

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Drama, YA
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Publisher: Dutton Books

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Crown of Midnight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance, Adventure, Young Adult
Series: Throne of Glass (#2)
Page Count: 420
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached. It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.
Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.