Book Review: Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews

Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm a huge Ilona Andrews fan, anything they write.. I generally enjoy.
I'm happy to say the statement above applies to this wonderful book as well. While I wouldn't rate it a solid 5 on an Ilona Andrews scale, its a 5 when compared to a book written by any other author.

What I Liked
*Nevada and Rogan aren't forgotten, they're still there and their absence is explained as well as why Catalina and not Nevada is head of the house.

* Pace of the novel

* Strong female protagonist

* Easy to like male protagonist

* Interesting and well thought out plot


What I Didn't
I had a slight issue with the insta-love/relationship between Catalina and Alessandro.They're not together, don't worry I'm not spoiling the plot, this point addresses what happened before the book and how it justifies Catalina's attraction to him. I would have preferred if her attraction to Alessandro wasn't so instant or encouraged by everyone around her.

Cannot wait for the sequel!


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Book Review: The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

FIRST REACTION: This book had heart. So much heart and it was so cute. I'm missing out on sleep because of it but I have no regrets

Full Review
I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book just after I finished The Kiss Quotient. I devoured this book and enjoyed it much more than its predecessor. The book has a lot of elements that I enjoy and I will list them out in detail below:

The arranged marriage trope

I'm a sucker for the arranged marriage trope as it generally leads to hilarious situations. This book took it up a notch and made the trope super fun yet did not take the attention away from the heart of the book, its characters.

Characters

I loved both the protagonists of this novel. As it is told from a duel point of view, the reader gets insight into the minds of both the unique characters. Unlike Stella (from The Kiss Quotient), Khai's voice seemed more natural and his autism more unpretentious. His raw emotions jump off the screen, despite his belief that he has none. Esme is a breath of fresh air. She is a feminist at heart despite being a victim of her circumstances. She isn't money hungry or an opportunist willing to do whatever it takes for a green card. She is a genuine female with wants and needs who is loyal to a fault. It was a pleasure reading this book because of the well etched out and humane characters, belonging to diverse backgrounds.

Vietnamese Culture

I loved reading To All The Boys I loved... because it introduced me to Korean culture. Similarly, this book focuses more on Vietnamese culture and heritage. While it doesn't take centre stage, I loved this tiny insight into the Vietnamese culture.

Overall, this book is cotton candy with substance. As it combines all the elements of a beautiful HEA romance and gives it a unique twist. I would highly recommend it to romance lovers as well as individuals who occasionally read romance.


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