Book Review #3

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

I bought this book as an impulse buy on one of my many trips to Shopper's. This one focuses on the main character named Julia Beckett. The story opens when she's 5 years old and staring at an old 17th century farmhouse named Greyweathers. Julia is oddly intrigued and drawn to Greyweathers, and she knows she will find herself there again in the future. 20 years later Julia returns to the sleepy English town, Wiltshire, where Greyweathers is located and buys the old, historical farmhouse. She quickly develops friendly relationships with the town gardner- Iain, and Geoff de Morney ; handsome and mysterious, with a deep and enriching past living in a centuries-old mansion, Crofton Hall.
Soon Julia has visions that wisk her back in time to the 1600s and she becomes Mariana, a young and beautiful girl who lived in Greyweathers after fleeing London from the plague. As the world's of Julia and Mariana's overlap, Julia struggles to differentiate between past and present, and that maybe, in her case, they are the same.
This book has such amazing imagery and the descriptions in themselves are definitley worth the read. I was kept interested throughout the story: especially in the lives of the characters and the descriptions of the English countryside and the buildings. The only negative aspect of this book is the lack of romance in Julia's present-day life. Yes, I do enjoy romance in novels, and this book lacked any chemistry between any of the characters.
Kearsley has a real talent for developing a real and engaging atmosphere, and throughout the novel, I felt like I was right there with the characters.
Very good book! Not perfect, but very good! 7.5/10!

Oscar de la Renta Pre Fall 2010

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Book Review #2

Dear John by Nicolas Sparks

This book is a gem of a romantic novel. I immediately fell in love with the character of John Tyree and the amazing descriptions of his person.
This book centers around the life of John, living a somewhat meaningless life until he enrolls in the US Forces following High School. On one of his summers back home to visit his distracted & withdrawn father in Wilmington, North Carolina, John meets Savannah Curtis, a deeply spiritual and passionate girl working for Habitat for Humanity. They end up falling in love within 1 week and before John is deployed, he promises Savannah he will marry her when he returns the following summer. Unfortunately, the greatest love stories are the ones that never turn out the way you want them to, and after September 11, John is again deployed and doesn't return to Savannah that year. This book was extremely sad, and the ending is even more heartbreaking! The character of John is so realistic, and that's the best part of this book. Everything he goes through in the course of the novel is relate able to so many people. Despite his bad habits and arrogance in his teenage years, his hard facade melts away to reveal a warm, kind and passionate individual that truly deserves happiness. I read this book in 3 days it was so good, definitely a 8-9/10! Despite it being a very easy read, the storyline is one that I will never forget. I am so excited for the movie adaptation that will be released next year! Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried are perfect for the leading roles!
This book is perfect for any hopeless romantic that won't be dissappointed for it's sombre ending.

Book Review #1

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Ever since I read The Time Travelers Wife, I have been anticipating Niffenegger's next book! I was so excited to read this one because it's based on such an intriguing topic- a modern ghost story. It focuses on twin sisters, Julia and Valentina, that inherit their late grandmother, Elspeth's London flat, which happens to be across the street from the spooky, factual and extremely old Highgate Cemetery (Karl Marx, John Dickens & William Rossetti are buried there *its THAT old). What ensues is the instigating of relations between Valentina and Elspeth's lover, Robert (who looks like John Lennon) and a intriguing turn of events that reveals a shocking family secret. The amazing descriptions in this book make it so easy to picture the entire story in your head, and the setting is perfect for a modern ghost story. The backdrop of Highgate Cemetery is perfect, and the fact that it's a factual place makes it all the more intriguing. Towards the end of the book I grew a little weary about the story's plot line and was unsure if I should continue, but there is an amazing turn-of-events- a great twist that makes the story so interesting and leaves you with goosebumps.
I read this novel in about 2 weeks. I think I would rate it about a 7/10. The descriptions of the characters are superb, and the overall story line is so original, it leaves the reader holding on till the last minute! Perfect stocking stuffer just in time for the Holidays! Every avid reader should definitely read this one!

Highgate Cemetery- London, UK