Sparkles by Louise Bagshawe

Synopsis from the back cover of the book :

From the U.K. mega-bestselling author Louise Bagshawe comes a delicious story of a diamond heiress in Paris

Fabulously wealthy, internationally adored, the aristocratic Massot family owns one of the last great jewelry firms in Paris. But seven years have passed since the disappearance of the patriarch, Pierre Massot. With hope of his return all but extinguished, his beautiful young widow, Sophie, reluctantly declares her husband dead and takes control of the family business. But even as Sophie begins to look to the future, forces are conspiring to destroy the Massots by unearthing the devastating secret from their past that Pierre may have died trying to protect.

Bagshawe's sweeping story takes readers from the murky diamond mines of Soviet Russia to the cultural whirl of modern-day Paris, unraveling the mystery of Pierre Massot's fate and the scandal and deceit that lies behind the Massot family fortune. Spanning continents and decades, Louise Bagshawe's Sparkles is an addictive tale of ambition, betrayal, and romance.



My Comments :

Does anyone know if there is a connection between Louise Bagshawe and Tilly Bagshawe? Are they the same person? I tried to google it but without much result.

Anyway, books from both authors are pretty similar though I would love Louise Bagshawe more currently as  I feel that the story have more depth to it and her books are more consistence in terms of reading pleasure for me.

This books is not excluded. It was fun to read how the weak Sophie Massot turned into someone strong and able to put her presence forward after her husband was declared dead. It was quite amazing to see her transformation.

I love the way the author slot in the story about Sophie's husband alternate life in between of the chapters. In the beginning I did not know what the connection is but it was later explained fully near the ending.

I didn't really like the ending as it was too perfect. But then let's just say everyone got what they have just deserved.

Am looking forward to read more of Louise Bagshawe's books.

The Mummy or Ramses The Damned by Anne Rice

Synopsis :-

 Ramses is doomed to walk the earth after he drank the elixir of life. He decide to retreat from life after his doomed romance with his beloved Cleopatra.

All was fine till one day his "tomb" was dug up by Lawrence Stratford. Awaken in the modern era, he became Dr Ramsey an expert in Egyptology and the constant companion of Julie Stratford who is Lawrence daughter.

He thirst of learning can never be quenched. But as he awaken, memories of his past affair with Cleopatra came to back to haunt him. As during a visit to the museum he came across the mummified Cleopatra and there he made a horrible mistake that would changed the fate of many.

My comments:-

Many years go I love Anne Rice books. I love her Witching Hour and Lasher. But when I tried reading her Vampire series, I found that it's hard to understand. Hence I stopped buying her books.

Then I saw this book up for 50% discount at BookXcess the last round that I went there. Well, who says people won't buy books? if the price is low enough, people like me would buy. No harm buying if it's less than RM10.

Am glad to say that I liked this book a lot. It's easy to read very a page turner.

What I like about this book is that the pace is quite fast. It kept me wondering what would happen to the "bad guys" of as the heroine had ban Ramsey from "taking care of him".

Then comes to his relationship with Cleopatra of the old days and the new Cleopatra...it was interesting. The author managed to rise some point of concern on what is happening to Cleopatra now as a result of Ramses' action.

What I dislike about this book is the ending. It was a bit abrupt. Could is be due to editing and trimming off the excess wording in the book? Am not sure what is the reason but I feel that a slightly longer explanation of the ending would have been nicer.

Overall, it's a good read for me. Am giving it 4 stars out of 5.

Tiger Hills by Sarita Mandanna

Synopsis

Devi is the first female child born into the Nachimanda family in over thirty-five years. She was the apple of every ones eyes.

Devanna is a shy boy whose mother had died in a tragic circumstances and he had some how formed an attachment to Devi and her family the first time he set eyes on her. From young she had always protected him fro his tormentors. Those who saw the two of them would assumed that they will be married to each other when they grew up.

But then one night they attended a"Tiger Wedding" and Devi fell in love with the tiger killer, Manchu. Although he is much older than her but she vowed to marry him when she is of age. It's a love triangle in the making with Devi, Devanna and Manchu lives entwine. 


This tangle had a far more devastation as it involves the life of their children.


My Comment:


I found that this book is a hard book to start reading as the beginning was a bit to poetic and long winded for me; with the sunset, the birds and the omen.


But the pace picks up after the first few chapters.


I felt so sorry for Devi and Devanna. It seems that fate is not helping them at all especially Devanna. In the beginning, I pitied Devi for what she had to go through but later on when comes to the kids part, she had lost my sympathy. Near the end of the book she felt like a self centered woman. But then after all that she had gone through and the hatred that she had inside of her all these year, it's not a great wonder that she changed into something ugly.

I salute Devanna's determination despite lack of response from Devi.

The supporting character who was the missionary whose name I had forgotten (just to show how unimportant to me he was) does not really helps the story. His rejection Devanna after Devanna asked for his help doesn't really improve the story.


Anyway, this book was a passable read for me. It could have been better if the author had shaved off a few chapters. This book is great for those who loves sword play with words. The author is good at describing things in  a romantic way



 

Scandalous by Tilly Bagshawe

Synopsis by www.goodreads.com

Sasha Miller comes to Cambridge with a dream and leaves on a mission. After falling for the lies and charms of her Director of Studies ′Theo Dexter′ she finds herself betrayed, humiliated and nursing a bundle of broken dreams. Heading to the US she is determined to rebuild her life.

Years later, Sasha emerges from Harvard Business School with one thing on her mind, the downfall of the now famous Professor Theo Dexter.

Meanwhile Theo′s long suffering wife Theresa also finds herself betrayed and cast aside for a younger and prettier model. Unable to cope she returns to Cambridge a broken woman and tries to rebuild her life away from the scheming Theo Dexter.

One night Sasha turns up at Theresa′s door, she wants revenge at any cost, will Theresa help her?

From the deepest betrayal comes a shocking alliance.

Two vengeful women, one very unlucky man ...

My Comments :

I have been a fan of Tilly Bagshawe books since I read  "Sidney Sheldon's Mistress of the Game". After that, I have been buying her books non-stop or at least on those that is of afforable price to me. 


Found this book at Bookxcess last week . The synopsis sound interesting.

 The story was intersting and fun. However, the plot was rather predictable to me solely because I had read too many of her books. For new readers or fans, am sure this is a gripping read . After all who wouldn't wanna know what happens when a woman wants to seek revenge.

The pace was a bit slow for me as the first 3/4 of the book was mostly about Sasha and how she claws her way back to begin a new life after being "devastated" by what Theo Dexter did to her.

The juicy parts only begins atthe last quarter of the books.


For me this may not be one of her best work but it certainly captured enough interest for me to finish it in a few sitting. 

I didn't like the ending as I don't feel like they deserve what they have got as in the process they had inadverttently hurt another person and I don't mean Theo Dexter.


Hopefully, the plot of her new books would not be so predictable.




because I had read too many of her books, I found that the plot was rather predictable for me

Nanyang The Lure of the Southern Ocean to Lands of Opportunity & Danger by Khoo Kheng Hor

Synopsis at www.goodreads.com

In this absorbing historical saga, Khoo weaves and engaging tale linking the multi-racial peoples who inhabit [Malaysia and Singapore] : the orang asli (ie. The aborigines), the people from various parts of Southeast Asia collectively known as the Malays, the Chinese (migrants and Straits-born Peranakan), the Indians, and of course, the Eurasians, descendants of intermarriages of the natives and the Europeans, such as the early Portuguese who came to colonize the wealthy Malacca Sultanate, before being chased out by the Dutch, who, in turn were outmaneuvered by the British, who thereafter systematically colonized the land to be known as British Malaya and the Crown Colony of Singapore until they too were driven out by the invading Japanese

My Comments

For me, I fell in love with his book since I read "Mamasan". All his books are well researched and storyline blend into the history of Malaya/Malaysia. I can't help loving them 


This book is of no exception. It's the story of three generation of the Yap family from the time where Yap Kee came to "Tanah Melayu"(Malay Land) till the time of his grandchildren during the inception of Malaysia.


The plot is good and fast paced. 


The only down side of this book is that there are too many characters involved. I tend to get confused on who is who. However, the three family chart at the beginning of the book helps a lot to countering the problem.


Some parts of the political scenerio is an eye opening "experience" for me. Yes, I have read Malaysian History during school time and I can say that history is not one of my strong subject. I read and memorize the dates just to pass History examination and have no thorough understanding of what I memorize. 


When reading the part about the Communist and the political situation in this bout there were several times when my brain just went "TING!!". Like I finally got what the history books have been trying to say about the war and stuffs like that.


To me this book is fantastic and a must read

That Gallagher Girl by Kate Thompson

Synopsis from www.goodreads.com

Times are hard in the village of Lissamore on Ireland's West Coast. So it's lucky that free-spirited Cat Gallagher knows a thing or two about breaking and entering.

Times are hard in the village of Lissamore on Ireland's West Coast. So it's lucky that free-spirited Cat Gallagher knows a thing or two about breaking and entering. When her beloved houseboat burns down she finds herself eyeing up the abandoned Villa which seems to suit her purposes admirably. But when a mystery buyer turns up, Cat is in a quandary. She needs money, a roof over her head and for the first time in her life Cat needs a helping hand…?Rio Kinsella is also in a predicament. She is in possession of a secret that has the potential to transform not only her own life, but the lives of those dearest to her. Before long, Rio finds herself lost in a labyrinth of lies, deceit and good intentions gone wrong. Can the two women find a way through their problems? That Gallagher Girl takes us back to the wonderful world of Lissamore with another heart-warming tale filled with a wonderful cast of characters.

My Comments:

Bought this book sometime last month from Bookxcess for RM9-90. The price not bad considering this is a new author for me and I have never read her books before. 

I would say I am lucky to have bought this book as it gave me much needed entertainment after reading some depressing books. 

Unlike the usual Chick-lit. This book have romance and mystery.

I fell in love with the character Cat as she is so daring. On one side she seems to be vunerable and at others her innocent and guts really flare up my imagination.

 What I love about this book is that the characters in it have extreme opposites. Its hard for me to describe.


Anyway, I look forward to reading more books from this author.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars

The Death of Vishnu by Manil Suri

Synopsis

Vishnu was an odd job man for the residents of an apartment building in Bombay.

This is the story of Vishnu as he lies dying on his abode which is the staircase landing of the building. It's also the story of his life when he was young with his mother and later on with the love of his life.

Entwined in the story are the lives of the residents of the building; the warring housewives, the lone widower, lovesick teens from different religion and the Muslim man looking for enlightenment.

My Comments:

I've bought this book from the Big Bookshop Clearance Sale some time ago and had forgotten about it .Last vacation, I encountered this book again in a Cafe. Just the other day, as I was digging out some books to read...I found it again and so the journeys begin

It was rather difficult for me to understand what I was reading as the story flash from one person to another. However, the part that is most difficult for me to understand and imagine was the Vishnu. At times he was the alcoholic dying man, then it flashes to his childhood. After a few chapters it tells of the love of his life, Padmini. The author lost me at the part where Vishnu turn God like.

Despite everything, I still enjoyed reading the part about the residents of the building. Each family have its own woes and crisis.

For me it was a bit of a sad read.

i give it 3 stars out of 5.