Novel Gossip: The Chocolate Rose by Laura Florand

My good friend Michelle and I had fun doing a discussion type of review for Northlander and The King Commands by Meg Burden last year so we decided to do it again. We also thought it would be a good idea to make it a regular feature, alternating the posts in my blog and hers. Ladies and gentlemen, we now present you with our shiny, new feature called Novel Gossip.

The bloggers behind Chachic’s Book Nook and See Michelle Read chatting about books, thousands of miles apart.

We both love Laura Florand’s writing so for our first Novel Gossip discussion, we decided to read The Chocolate Rose together. This conversation happened in the span of a few days and some spoilery bits have been deleted.

Chachic: I really enjoyed the first few chapters. I wanted to start reading it right away because I curious but I only meant to read maybe a chapter or two and then for our readalong to continue. I read until chapter 8 and it’s a good thing I was able to stop myself from continuing. I like how we dove right into the story and we got to meet the two main characters right away. I found their first meeting hilarious. It’s funny how Gabriel is pretty clueless about women and has no idea how to react around Jolie. I’m really curious how the issue of Jolie’s father copying recipes will be resolved.

Michelle: So far, so good here as well. I agree, I like how the action immediately starts up and that we get into their ‘drama’ from the get go. I’m interested to see how Ms. Florand will handle Gabriel’s overt response to Jolie. If Ms. Florand pushes that too much, I feel like Gabriel might wind up just as another boring alpha male pounding his chest every time Jolie is near. But honestly, I really can’t see the author not giving him some softer parts (he is the one who created that lovely chocolate rose, you know). She always does such a great job making her male heroes multi-layered. And boy, do I ever WANT TO TRY SOME OF HIS FOOD.

Chachic: Yes, exactly. I love how all of Laura Florand’s male characters have softer sides and that aspect of their personality comes out in their creations. Can’t wait to see Gabriel cook for Jolie. I really don’t think we have to worry about Gabriel being and alpha male with no dimensions, I like that some background about him has already been shown – how he worked his butt off for Jolie’s dad but never get any recognition for all his hard work.

Michelle: I’m not really a fan of Jolie’s family at all. Her sisters seem selfish and her father, he doesn’t seem like a nice man either. I wonder too how she’s going to play out their relationship where the lawsuit is concerned.

Chachic: I’m not a fan of Jolie’s family either. Her dad seems like a jerk who only cares about himself and his work. And her sisters aren’t any better. I hope we get to see them in a better light but we’ll see.

Michelle: The back-n-forth dialog between Gabriel and Jolie is definitely my favorite part so far, especially how they keep mistaking each other’s meanings. The double entendres, they are a-plentiful.

Chachic: As always, I’m enjoying the tension between the two characters. It will be fun to see it all play out. I agree that it’s funny how they keep misunderstanding each other.

Michelle: And gee, can we talk about setting?! I feel like I’m walking along the streets of South France and seeing all those lovely flowers in bloom while the old ladies take their evening walk.

Chachic: The setting is lovely too! I love how the town (or city?) has been described so far, with its fountains and flowers. Seems like such a good place to take a vacation and relax. I think it’s great that Laura is highlighting various places in France for her novels. If I can’t go to France, at least I can read about it.

Michelle: I know! One of my favorite parts so far is actually from Chapter One where it is describing the different stages of love.

“In the fresh hope of new lovers clinging to each other, in the easy comfort of lovers of longer standing who lounged in chairs by each other reading, in the old, worn happiness of a white-haired couple walking hand in hand, whose love for each other had been used and worked like fifty-year-old shoes into something so exactly fitted to them that those bright new lovers wouldn’t recognize it in their high-heeled love. But oh, how they would be grateful for it, fifty years on, if they reached that perfect fit, too.”

Michelle: Let’s just say I gave a major le sigh after I read that chapter. I just love her way with words, don’t you?

Chachic: Haha we are such good friends, I highlighted that exact same passage in my Kindle because it stood out for me. I wanted to hug that section of the book. I hope we get more sections like it!

Michelle: I love it that you highlighted it too! I read that and thought “Man, THAT is the type of love I want after 50 years.” She just gets love and relationships and I really like her storytelling abilities.

Chachic: I want that kind of love too! She really just has a way with words. I’m so glad we discovered a new author to love. And that we feel the same way about her writing.

Chachic: Let’s talk about Jolie’s work, I’m glad we’re reading about a character who writes cookbooks for a living. I’ve always seen cookbooks featuring celebrity chefs in bookstores but never realized that a product like that involves collaboration between a chef and a writer. If I was any good at writing recipes, that would be an amazing job. As always, I love how passionate Laura’s characters are about what they do. I find passionate people fascinating, even more so when they’ve found their calling in life.

Michelle: I could totally see you as a cookbook writer! You are always posting great meals and treats you’ve gotten. I too like that Jolie wants to keep that part of her life separate and just for herself because she truly loves it. I find that most of the women in Ms. Florand’s books are quite driven and I appreciate it that they don’t totally freeze their lives for a relationship. Although they do eventually learn to make sacrifices when it counts.

Chachic: Aww seriously, you think I can be a cookbook writer? But I think you have to be a good cook in order to do that, because you’d have to have an idea of how easy or difficult the recipes would be. I’m hopeless in the kitchen. I like that Jolie is independent enough and secure in herself that she can spend time on her own, it fits in perfectly with Gabriel’s busy schedule. Although you’re right, both of them make sacrifices to make things work.

Michelle: I honestly didn’t even think that being a cookbook writer was a ‘thing’ until reading this book and you saying that it would be a cool job. Goes to show how clueless I am! I guess I figured the chefs just wrote down their recipes and that was it but it makes sense that food bloggers/writers would do a great job of making them more accessible to the general public. As for me, I love to cook – especially bake. I’m still waiting for Ms. Florand to write a book about a bakery and all that delicious bread cause that is my weakness. In fact, in between writing you tonight I made four loaves of French bread (this is my kryptonite and why I will never diet)!

Chachic: I found this passage really sweet:

“She might have to revisit her conviction that all the best textures and tastes and scents in the world were in food. His textures – the hard resilience of muscle, the soft cotton of his T-shirt, the smoothness of his skin, the silk of his hair, the whisper of roughness of a jaw shaved that morning – were incredible.”

Michelle: I remember the quote you mentioned and really liked it too. Here are a few I found.

“Maybe no one rose to greatness of any kind without being a narcissist. And no one rose to become a great chef without knowing how to make other people hungry. For more of them.”

Michelle: I think Ms. Florand really gets what it takes for someone to dedicate themselves so totally to something that it completely overshadows the rest of their life. And then conversely, the letdown that occurs when that talent or career is over and the depression that follows. It’s got to be awful. Which leads into this other section I liked, it’s really the only bit of sympathy I feel for her dad.

“Jolie tried to hide the profound sadness that winced through her whenever someone refereed to her father in the past tense, as if he was either no longer alive at all or, at best, he no longer deserved to call himself by his own name. No wonder her father believed the same thing.”

Chachic: I highlighted that quote as well – it’s a good one. I think you’re right, Laura does know what it’s like for a job or career or passion to take up so much space in a person’s life to the point where everything else – including family and friends – get pushed back. I admire people who are passionate but there really is a balance to it.

(TRANSITION)

Michelle: I just finished it — but it’s late here so the only thing I can say before I go crash is — she made a The Lord of the Rings joke!! I knew I loved this woman’s books!! Ha!

Chachic: Loved the LOTR reference as well. I knew you would notice that! That’s the beauty of doing a read along, there’s someone else who will be able to relate to details that you notice.

Michelle: I was a bit curious about the name choice of Jolie — which in French means ‘pretty or attractive’. Most of her books have been pretty accurate but I wonder if that is a common name in France cause it just seemed a funny choice to me — even though I liked it.

Chachic: Really? I had no idea that’s what Jolie meant. What were the meanings of the names of her other heroines? Have you noticed that all of her heroines so far have partly come from the States? I think that’s so the books won’t be too French, if that makes sense.

Michelle: As for the names: Malagie (from The Chocolate Kiss) is pretty French but Cade Corey (The Chocolate Thief) is obviously a play on the Hershey chocolate family (there is an actual town called Hershey, Pennsylvania where that family lives and has their factory), so I think hers is pretty Americanized and even a bit of a joke. Honestly, I’m glad all of Ms. Florand’s females have a bit American in them because the French really are so very different (especially at relationships) so I think it helps people relate to the characters more than when they are so completely foreign. Although it would be a nice change of pace to have the hero American and the heroine French.

Chachic: I figured that Corey was a play on Hershey. I knew there was a place in the US named after the family. Oh really? I had no idea that French dating would be very different compared to American ways. So maybe that’s why Laura makes her female characters grow up in the States. I would love to see a French female and American male as well, that would be a nice change.

Michelle: I don’t know if I ever told you but I studied French all through college and even spent a few weeks there on a study abroad (Paris, Nice and Dijon) so I absolutely love reading about all the varying touristy sites I went to. One place I never got to was Provence so I would love to one day go there as well. Although I do have a confession to make: I’ve never tried a French macaron and I am *dying* to! This book made me think of it again when Jolie talks about using Phillipe’s macaron recipe for her cookbook. I don’t know why I didn’t try one in France (I was prolly too busy eating all the chocolate and bread I could) but I so want to go back just for that almost. I know you like macarons – I should find a good bakery in LA that serves them sometime

Chachic: I never knew that about you! That must have been so cool, studying French and then going abroad to soak up the culture for a couple of weeks. I would have loved to do that. So does that mean you have a special place in your heart for French-themed books? I like reading about them because I’ve always wanted to visit Paris. I can’t believe you’ve never tried a macaron! I love macarons. Several restaurants here in Singapore sell them but not all of them are good. I hope you get to try one soon. Pretty sure macarons are available in LA.

Michelle: One thing that bugged me about this one was the formatting! Did you have issues with the fact that there were no spaces or marks to indicate that it was a new narrator? Sometimes I had to go back just to figure out who was speaking. It’s totally minor but I wish they would have done something to mark the flow for readers so it wasn’t always such an abrupt change. But maybe that’s just me

Chachic: Yes, the formatting bugged me as well! I ignored it the first time it happened and then I kept noticing that there aren’t any breaks in between sections, even when the POV changes. It got a bit confusing. I think it’s just a formatting issue – the extra spaces probably aren’t showing up in the Kindle edition.

Michelle: I’m glad I wasn’t the only one bugged with the formatting. I wasn’t sure if it was due to the fact that it was self-published that there were quirks that would normally have been ironed out by the publisher or what.

Michelle: So did you read the first chapter of The Chocolate Touch at the end of The Chocolate Rose? I’m all aflutter.

Chachic: I’ve read the first chapter of The Chocolate Touch when Laura posted it on her website. I really can’t wait to read it. I hope it goes up in NetGalley soon!

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There you have it, folks, our first Novel Gossip post! In conclusion, it’s pretty obvious that we enjoyed reading The Chocolate Rose, which isn’t surprising since we both loved the other novels in the Amour Et Chocolat series. Can’t wait to read more of Laura Florand’s writing. Stand by for more Novel Gossip discussions, the next one will be posted over at Michelle’s blog. Feel free to let us know what you think of this new feature.

Chachic and Michelle, March 2013 in Los Angeles

Reading order of the Amour et Chocolat books:
All’s Fair in Love and Chocolate
The Chocolate Thief
The Chocolate Kiss
The Chocolate Rose

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

I’ve been aware for a while that The Statistical Probably of Love at First Sight is a good book. I don’t know why I kept putting it off, maybe I just wasn’t in the right kind of mood for it. So I waited and I finally felt like reading it on my flight from Singapore to the States back in March. I thought it would be a very fitting read because I was also on my way to attend a wedding (although unlike Hadley, I was excited for the wedding that I was going to). It was fun to read a book about a character who was experiencing something similar to what I was going through.

Here’s the summary from Goodreads:

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan’s life. Having missed her flight, she’s stuck at JFK airport and late to her father’s second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley’s never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport’s cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he’s British, and he’s sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver’s story will make you believe that true love finds you when you’re least expecting it.

A draft for this review has been sitting in my dashboard for a while now. I don’t know why I’ve been having a hard time trying to capture how I felt about this book so let me keep it short and concise. I found it a little funny that I was traveling by myself and I was reading a book about a girl who meets a guy while traveling by herself. I mean how likely is that, right? Now that I’m based abroad, I mostly fly on my own whenever I travel and I’ve never had an experience like that. In spite of that, I think this is the perfect book while waiting to board a plane or during the flight itself. It’s a quick and fun read with just enough emotional depth to make things interesting. I liked the family dynamics in story, how complicated Hadley’s life is because her dad is about to marry the woman responsible for her parents’ divorce. Hadley’s reluctance to attend the wedding is understandable. But it’s a good thing she did because one flight becomes a turning point in her life. I really liked this passage about Hadley’s dad giving her books:

“It wasn’t that she was meant to read them all. Maybe someday she would, but for now, it was more the gesture itself. He was giving her the most important thing he could, the only way he knew how. He was a professor, a lover of stories, and he was building her a library in the same way other men might build their daughters houses.”

Every book lover will be able to appreciate the sentiment. Who wouldn’t want to receive books to slowly build a library? And it’s a great feeling to share a mutual love of books with someone that’s a huge part of your life. It’s nice that even though the title, the cover and the premise all suggest that this is a love story, it really is more than that. This is a short and sweet novel, recommended for fans of first loves, meet cutes and family interactions. Looking forward to Jennifer E. Smith’s next novel, This Is What Happy Looks Like.

The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding

Thank you so much to my friend Maggie of Young Adult Anonymous for giving me a signed copy of Amy Spalding’s debut novel, The Reece Malcolm List. I kept hearing good things about this contemporary YA novel so I was pretty excited to read it.

Here’s the summary from Goodreads:

Things I know about Reece Malcolm:

1. She graduated from New York University.
2. She lives in or near Los Angeles.
3. Since her first novel was released, she’s been on the New York Times bestseller list every week.
4. She likes strong coffee and bourbon.
5. She’s my mother.

Devan knows very little about Reece Malcolm, until the day her father dies and she’s shipped off to live with the mother she’s never met. All she has is a list of notebook entries that doesn’t add up to much.

L.A. offers a whole new world to Devan—a performing arts school allows her to pursue her passion for show choir and musicals, a new circle of friends helps to draw her out of her shell, and an intriguing boy opens up possibilities for her first love.

But then the Reece Malcolm list gets a surprising new entry. Now that Devan is so close to having it all, can she handle the possibility of losing everything?

I felt like I read this book at just the right time. I just came back from L.A. when I read this more than a month ago and I was able to appreciate all the references to L.A. in the book. I got excited whenever I recognized any of the places or things mentioned – like having a burger from In N Out, which is something that I always make a point of having whenever I visit L.A. I’m a fan of musicals although I’m not as into the whole thing as Devan is – I mean I would like to be but I obviously don’t have her talent. I just enjoy watching musicals and I try to watch as many as I can. I wish I was more familiar with Merrily We Roll Along because that was the musical featured in the book. I probably would have appreciated Devan’s rehearsals more if I’ve seen Merrily We Roll Along on stage or if I knew the songs. I also love having karaoke sessions (we call it videoke back home in Manila) with my friends though because I like to sing even if I’m all heart and no talent. So I could totally relate to the karaoke scene in the book, I find it interesting that for a seriously talented singer like Devan, a fun karaoke session lets her unwind.

I liked reading about the characters and how Devan slowly got to know them – her theater friends, her love interests, her mom and even her mom’s boyfriend. There were interesting characters and dynamics within the novel. I really, really enjoyed reading this book and I felt like I would have fallen in love with it if it just had a little more emotional depth. I felt like there was enough room to draw upon the characters’ feelings – maybe more grief or anger from Devan over all the bad things that have happened in her life. I guess I was expecting something like that since her father passed away and she suddenly has to move in with a mom she has never met. I think that this novel is a very good debut and I’m definitely curious about Amy Spalding’s next book – it’s just that I wanted more than the overall lighthearted tone presented in The Reece Malcolm List. If you’re a fan of contemporary YA, then you should definitely check this one out. I’m not surprised that I’ve seen so many rave reviews for it because it’s a really fun read.

Other reviews:
Young Adult Anonymous
Good Books and Good Wine
The Allure of Books

All’s Fair in Love and Chocolate by Laura Florand

All’s Fair in Love and Chocolate is a novella from the Kiss the Bride anthology. I read this after reading the two Amour Et Chocolat novels: The Chocolate Thief and The Chocolate Kiss. All three stories are loosely tied together in the sense that they’re about the top chocolatiers/dessert-makers of Paris but each book is about a different couple. I couldn’t get enough of Laura Florand’s writing so I gobbled up these novels (and one novella) one right after the other.

Here’s the summary from Goodreads:

Going undercover as a bride-to-be, food blogger Eloise Layne is determined to learn charismatic French chocolatier Simon Casset’s famously guarded secrets. But somehow her man of mystery is succeeding in uncovering her every desire, one smoldering kiss at a time.

Ellie is a food blogger, a girl after my own heart! There was a time when I was considering creating a food blog because I enjoy eating good food. You would know this if you follow me on Instagram because I mostly post pictures of food and books over there. At that time, I thought it would be fun to feature the restaurants that I tried in Manila (and now Singapore) but since I already had a book blog, I didn’t think I could maintain another blog. Isn’t it awesome that Laura Florand has a main character who is a blogger? I can definitely relate to Ellie because of that.

“It helped her, the blog, made her feel that when she flung herself out there to the world, well – the world liked her.”

I admire Ellie for her actions because blogging and pursuing your passion is something that I would love to do as well. She takes the huge risk in moving to Paris because she’s always dreamed of living there, knowing that it’s filled with places that would be a joy to discover for a food blogger like her. She’s the type of person who pours all of herself in everything that she does. Very enthusiastic and full of life, she draws the attention of Simon Casset, one of the top chocolatiers of Paris. It’s like a dream come true for her to meet him, discuss his work and get a peek inside his laboratoire. I like how Simon thinks of himself as a nerdy and anal chocolate-maker while Ellie sees him as an artist who creates whimsical works of art. It was so much fun reading about these two characters and watching their love story unfold. Here’s a sample of some of the beautiful words from this novella:

“A longing to taste what she had heard so much about, and what was physically so beautiful. She gestured helplessly toward the half-finished structure, so magical, as if something as earthbound as food could be transmorphed into an airy grace that touched the sky. He made her feel like she could fly. Like it was all worth it. Eating. Life. This was the kind of thing you lived for. Right?”

Yep, that is the kind of thing you lived for. Short and sweet, All’s Fair in Love and Chocolate is a perfect sample for anyone who wants a bite of Laura Florand’s delicious writing. I still prefer the two full-length Amour Et Chocolat novels over this one just because the romance has more depth. Read this if you’d like to give Laura Florand a try but you’re not sure if you’re willing to commit to reading a novel. This is a good novella for a relaxing afternoon or evening, paired with a chocolate dessert.

Also, just a heads up to fellow Laura Florand fans out there, The Chocolate Rose has just been released in Kindle format! If you’ve been waiting to devour another book from Laura, then hurry and grab a copy of this one. I’m planning to read it as soon as I can.

The Chocolate Kiss by Laura Florand

The Chocolate Kiss is the second book in Laura Florand’s Amour Et Chocolat series. Featuring top chocolatiers in Paris, these books focus on hot guys who make delectable desserts. What’s not to like? I loved The Chocolate Thief, the first book in the series, so I dove right into this one after finishing that. The books don’t have to be read in order, they’re standalone stories since they’re about different couples although Cade and Sylvain (the leads in The Chocolate Thief) have cameos in this one. I would like to note that one of my favorite restaurants when I was in college was The Chocolate Kiss Cafe. If I was in Manila, I would have visited the place after reading this book.

Here’s the summary from Laura Florand’s website:

Welcome to La Maison des Sorcieres. Where the window display is an enchanted forest of sweets, a collection of conical hats delights the eye and the habitués nibble chocolate witches from fanciful mismatched china. While in their tiny blue kitchen, Magalie Chaudron and her two aunts stir wishes into bubbling pots of heavenly chocolat chaud.

But no amount of wishing will rid them of interloper Philippe Lyonnais, who has the gall to open one of his world-famous pastry shops right down the street. Philippe’s creations seem to hold a magic of their own, drawing crowds of beautiful women to their little isle amidst the Seine, and tempting even Magalie to venture out of her ivory tower and take a chance, a taste… a kiss.

In case I haven’t mentioned it often enough here on the blog, let me say this again: I love macarons. And the male lead in The Chocolate Kiss makes amazing, world-renowned macarons. Sigh, if only I could grab a bite straight out of the book’s pages. Philippe’s artistic creations seemed not only beautiful but deliciously mouth-watering as well. Same with Magalie’s rich hot chocolate, with wishes stirred in specifically for the person the drink is meant for. Magalie seems to know exactly what a person needs, be it courage to seize the day or strength of spirit to handle life’s burdens. With that idea as well as the name of their tea room, La Maison des Sorcieres (The Witches’ House), the whole novel has a whimsical touch to it that makes it feel more like magic realism instead of contemporary romance. It reminded me of one of my favorite books, Sarah Addison Allen’s Garden Spells. Magalie was a character that I could easily relate to. She loves her little corner of Paris but has a hard time adjusting how the rest of the city makes her feel. So she arms herself with stylish outfits that make her feel stronger about facing the world outside their tea room. Here’s a passage that particularly resonated with me, I hope it’s not too spoilery to share it:

You couldn’t cure loneliness by wallowing in it, up above the world, on an island far removed from everything. She knew that. But she had such a hard time with all the cures. They seemed rough and brusque and brutal, as if they abused her skin with a pot scrubber, things like trying to go out with men she barely knew, or dancing in Paris nightclubs, or hanging out with friends in bars over in that world past the banks of the river.

She had been something of a party creature in her high schools, still was one to dance all night at New Year’s celebrations or weddings when she went back to Provence, but there was something harsher about dancing here, forcing herself into a mass of people, stranger among strangers. Occasionally, one of her friends from the university, the longest continuous friendship she had ever had, could talk her into it. But it was much more tempting to curl up with a book under her thick white comforter.

Still, sometimes after she curled up, she regretted her lack of courage and felt bleakly lonely.

It was important to have a really good book.

Yes, it’s really important to have a good book. The Chocolate Kiss can definitely be classified as one of those good books. I wouldn’t have minded giving up a night out with friends to stay in and read this novel. In fact, I did stay up later than usual to finish reading this, even though I had to get up early for work the next day. I thought the romance between Magalie and Philippe was done very well, there was obvious attraction between them that they kept denying so the tension just built up. I thought it was funny how they kept tempting each other with their specialties – Philippe with his macarons and Magalie with her hot chocolate – and how they both refuse to try and sample each other’s work even though everyone else is raving about them. It’s a symbol of how they can’t let the other person gain the upper hand by admitting that they even want a taste. And when they finally give in? Well, you just have to read the book and find out. Similar to The Chocolate Thief, I really enjoyed reading about the secondary characters in this story. I like how the romance isn’t just about the two leads but also about the people important in their lives as well as the work that they’re passionate about. Another excellent installment in Laura Florand’s romantic chocolate series. I think it’s pretty much a given that I’m excited to read The Chocolate Touch. Counting down the weeks until it becomes available.

Other reviews:
A Girl, Books and Other Things
Smexy Books
Dear Author
Nooks & Crannies

The Chocolate Thief by Laura Florand

I have to thank my good friend Michelle for introducing me to what has become one of my favorite contemporary romance series. I had a feeling that I would enjoy reading Laura Florand’s novels after my copies arrived and I saw how pretty they were. I’m pleased to report that I wasn’t disappointed.

Here’s the summary from Laura Florand’s website:

PARIS
Breathtakingly beautiful, the City of Light seduces the senses, its cobbled streets thrumming with possibility. For American Cade Corey, it’s a dream come true, if only she can get one infuriating French chocolatier to sign on the dotted line…

CHOCOLATE

Melting, yielding yet firm, exotic, its secrets are intimately known to Sylvain Marquis. But turn them over to a brash American waving a fistful of dollars? Jamais. Not unless there is something much more delectable on the table …

STOLEN PLEASURE

Whether confections taken from a locked shop or kisses in the dark, is there anything sweeter?

I LOVE desserts and I’m a big fan of chocolate. Some of my favorites are dark chocolate with nuts, mint chocolate and truffles. I know it’s not a healthy habit but I have chocolate almost everyday. I eat chocolate to cheer me up when I’m feeling a little low and I also eat chocolate to celebrate when something good happens. I feel like there’s always an excuse for me to indulge in chocolate. So imagine my delight at discovering that both the main characters in The Chocolate Thief are fellow chocolate-lovers. Cade is the heiress of Corey Chocolate, one of the largest chocolate corporations in the world (I think the surname Corey is a nod to Hershey). While Sylvain is one of the top chocolatiers in Paris. I wish I could afford to try chocolates that are as good as Sylvain’s masterpieces but I’m afraid they’re probably too expensive for me. I did find Sylvain’s reasons for choosing to work with chocolates intriguing:

He had been a gangly, awkward adolescent with shaggy hair, so it was a good thing he had discovered very early in his teenage years What Women Wanted.

Chocolat. If you wanted to lure a woman who wouldn’t otherwise have looked twice at you, good chocolate was better than a love potion.

Add the fact that the novel is set in Paris, a beautiful, romantic city that I’ve always wanted to visit and I’m one happy reader. We have here a chocolate-filled take of a love-hate relationship. Both of them love chocolate but in different ways. Cade is proud of her family’s heritage and how their products bring happiness to millions of people. She’s all about making chocolate more accessible to people. While Sylvain looks down on mass-produced chocolate and believes that creating chocolate is a fine art form. What I loved about these two characters is how passionate they both are about what they do. Cade knows that people rely on her and their company is responsible for providing much-needed jobs. Sylvain pours so much of himself in what he does that he takes total ownership of his creations, to the point that he feels that people are tasting a part of him whenever they devour his chocolates. This is why he takes so much pride in the fact that Cade can’t get enough of his work, which she doesn’t want to openly admit so she resorts to stealing them. I can certainly appreciate a girl resorting to thieving for the sake of the finest chocolate that she’s ever tasted. I like how the reader is given a full understanding of the characters’ background, how and why they became who they are when we meet them. I liked Cade and Sylvain’s warm interactions with their family and friends. The Chocolate Thief is a deliciously tempting work of fiction, I gobbled it up in just two days. I would have done it in one sitting if I didn’t have to go to work. Highly recommended for fans of chocolate, novels set in Paris and contemporary romance. Just make sure you have some chocolate on hand when you read this. I seriously cannot wait for the third book in the series, The Chocolate Touch, to be released in July. It will be about Cade’s sister and Sylvain’s rival.

On a side note, I’m delighted to put up a post on my birthday about a book that I loved. I wish I could do that every year. Yesterday, my lovely co-workers got me this yummy chocolate cake called Othello:

Happy 29th of March!

Other reviews:
Rachel Neumeier
Angieville
Smexy Books

A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge

I remember being fascinated by The Lost Conspiracy a few years ago and I’ve been meaning to read more of Frances Hardinge’s novels since then. But you know how it goes, you get distracted by other books in the TBR pile and you forget your intentions to read books by a certain author. Fortunately, I was attracted by the pretty cover of A Face Like Glass when I saw it in one of the bookstores here. I’ve been hearing good things about this book so I was pretty excited to read it.

Here’s the summary from Goodreads:

In the underground city of Caverna the world’s most skilled craftsmen toil in the darkness to create delicacies beyond compare – wines that can remove memories, cheeses that can make you hallucinate and perfumes that convince you to trust the wearer, even as they slit your throat. The people of Caverna are more ordinary, but for one thing: their faces are as blank as untouched snow. Expressions must be learned, and only the famous Facesmiths can teach a person to show (or fake) joy, despair or fear – at a price.

Into this dark and distrustful world comes Neverfell, a little girl with no memory of her past and a face so terrifying to those around her that she must wear a mask at all times. For Neverfell’s emotions are as obvious on her face as those of the most skilled Facesmiths, though entirely genuine. And that makes her very dangerous indeed…

At a little less than 500 pages, A Face Like Glass is quite lengthy compared to some of the other YA novels that I’ve been reading lately. Which is why it kept me captivated for several days. Towards the end of the book, I decided to stay up late one night to finish it, I was so curious about where the story would go. I can’t even remember the last time I did that, probably not since I moved from Manila to Singapore last year. I found A Face Like Glass engaging for several reasons:

- I found the idea of wearing Faces like most people wear clothes intriguing. You can never know what a person is feeling based on just the expression that they’re wearing because they can choose which Face to use at any given moment. I’m fascinated by characters who are unreadable because they can surprise you in so many ways. In this book, most of the characters are like that because you can’t even use facial expressions to gauge what they’re thinking of.

- I enjoy reading about how complicated court intrigue is. I love how subtle court movements are and how the smallest of things can be significant because everything means something. There are complicated rules that courtiers follow and it requires a highly intelligent person to navigate the tricky waters of court. I liked how the craftsmen are divided into mafia-like families that compete against each other.

“It is terribly bad form to admit to being terrified for one’s life, but nobody in their right mind would go to a Court banquet without making preparations. One must have the right costume, the right Faces, and at least eighty-two ways of avoiding assassination.”

- I’m a big fan of cheese so I found Neverfell’s apprenticeship with Cheesemaster Grandible interesting. I can’t imagine what it must be like to have to take care of cheese that has its own personality – they can explode and harm people if not handled properly. The same goes for wine and everything else that Caverna excels at making, here’s a passage that I really liked:

“They were masters of memory, its loss and recovery. They could brew Wine that would make you remember the face of your dead love so clearly you could count her eyelashes, or that would make you forget specific chapters of a book so that you could read them again with pleasure.”

- The underground setting because I’ve lived in tropical countries all my life and I can’t imagine living in a dreary world below ground with no sunlight. I would probably feel claustrophobic and suffocated most of the time. It was interesting how Caverna’s inhabitants functioned underground and how they were willing to suffer the consequences just to keep the secrets of their craftsmen.

- There’s a mysterious thief in this novel called the Kleptomancer. As you well know, sneaky thieves in fiction have a special place in my heart. So when bits and pieces about the Kleptomancer started showing up in this book, I was immediately curious. I wanted to know more about him and his reasons for stealing.

- Of course, Neverfell is also another intriguing character. She’s a bright and curious individual and has such a good heart. She genuinely cares for other people, even if she had an isolated childhood. She’s always interested in helping out whenever she can.

With all the reasons listed, I think it’s pretty obvious that I loved reading A Face Like Glass. This beautiful book will definitely make it to my best of 2013 list. Highly recommended for MG/YA fans of fantasy, political intrigue, class conflict and unique world-building. I look forward to reading the rest of Frances Hardinge’s books, I have a copy of Fly By Night waiting for me back home in Manila.

Other reviews:
The Book Smugglers
The Readventurer

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Gayle Forman’s If I Stay and Where She Went were two contemporary novels that I loved last year. Mia and Adam are even included in my list of Favorite Literary Couples in the past year. I couldn’t wait to read Just One Day as soon as I found out about it. I did consider waiting for the companion novel to be released before I read it but when rave reviews starting popping up in the blogosphere, I knew I wouldn’t be able to wait. I was delighted when Just One Day finally became available in bookstores here, I grabbed a copy and read it as soon as I could.

Here’s the summary from Goodreads:

When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

It’s been a couple of weeks since I finished reading Just One Day and I have no idea why I keep putting off writing my thoughts about it. I guess because I really enjoyed reading Just One Day but it felt incomplete without Just One Year. I wanted to get to know Willem more because obviously, meeting him was a turning point in Allyson’s life. In any case, it’s a lovely contemporary YA novel but I didn’t love it as much as If I Stay and Where She Went. While I was reading this, I kept thinking of how realistic Allyson’s situation is. I tend to be cautious while traveling so I was wondering if I ever found myself in her shoes, would I be willing to go off to Paris to spend the day with a guy I just met? Without a phone that has international roaming activated and without being familiar with the language of the country? If I push all of that aside and focus on the story, it’s all very romantic though. I get the feeling that Just One Day would make a great movie. I like how we see a different side of Paris in this novel. Like Allyson said, it’s not the “Paris of the movies.” I’ve always wanted to go to Paris but this novel made me want to explore the non-touristy sections of the city, to get lost and just see what I end up discovering. Here’s one of quote from the book that stood out for me:

“…being Lulu, it made me realize that all my life I’ve been living in a small, square room, with no windows and no doors. And I was fine. I was happy, even. I thought. Then someone came along and showed me there was a door in the room. One that I’d never even seen before. Then he opened it for me. Held my hand as I walked through it. And for one perfect day, I was on the other side. I was somewhere else. Someone else. And then he was gone, and I was thrown back into my little room. And now, no matter what I do, I can’t seem to find that door.”

I chose this passage because I like how it highlights how certain experiences can open our eyes to a wider world. I guess it reminds me of traveling and reading – how those activities make you realize that there’s so much more out there than what you know. I also really liked the college setting of the novel and could relate to Allyson’s situation – how she felt that she has to go the pre-med track because it’s what her parents want, even when she’s interested in classes like pottery or Shakespeare Out Loud. I’m jealous at the wide selection of classes available at her school. Allyson’s parents, her mom in particular, are very controlling people. While my parents weren’t like that, I had to take up a science or engineering degree in college because I was a scholar in a science high school that required all students to go into that field. I found science interesting but I wasn’t really passionate about it and I felt like it didn’t love me back because I had a hard time with some of my subjects. In spite of that, I felt like I had a great college experience and I wanted the same thing for Allyson. Other details in the book that I enjoyed reading about were: Shakespeare (made me realize that I’ve never seen a performance in person, now I want to watch one of his comedies on stage), Allyson’s buddy D’Angelo (he seems like an awesome friend), Paris and macarons (LOVE macarons! They’re not that common back home in Manila but several bakeries sell them here in Singapore). A pleasant read overall and one that I would recommend to fans of older contemporary YA, traveling, getting lost and finding yourself in the process. Really can’t wait to read Just One Year:

Other reviews:
The Readventurer
Good Books and Good Wine
Alexa Loves Books
Makeshift Bookmark

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

I’m not a huge fan of horror books or even horror movies or horror stories. What can I say, I’m a big scaredy-cat. So I don’t think I would have read Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff if it wasn’t the YAckers pick for this month. Since the book is available in the Singapore public library and I didn’t have to buy a copy, I thought I might as well give it a try. Plus, I didn’t want to miss a YAckers discussion two months in a row – last month’s discussion was about Anna Dressed in Blood, another horror book. Also, I haven’t read any of Brenna Yovanoff’s books and I’ve heard good things about her writing from other book bloggers.

Here’s the summary from Goodreads:

The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record. The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor’s peaceful suburban community is killing girls.

For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one. Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders? Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.

With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets. She realizes that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life — and it’s up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again.

How about that cover? Looks lovely, doesn’t it? It’s so pretty that I don’t think I would have realized it was a horror book just based on the cover. But now that I’ve read the book, I think the cover design is a good fit. It took a while for me to get into the story and it wasn’t because I found the book creepy. It was spooky but that’s expected since it’s a story that involves ghosts and a serial killer. I guess I just found the start a little slow and dragging. Even after a hundred pages or so, I felt like I was still getting to know the main character, Hannah. And I did care enough about Hannah to read on. I liked how creative she is in designing her own dresses because she wants to look bright and happy even if she doesn’t feel like that inside. She hasn’t gotten over her best friend’s death and that probably has to do with the fact that Lillian’s ghost is constantly haunting her. I also liked the start of Hannah’s love story because it was tentative and hesitant and she liked a guy that was an unusual choice for her. I just wish there was more time for the romance to develop fully. So yes, it wasn’t like I didn’t like Hannah as a character, I guess I just didn’t like her enough to get over everything else that didn’t work for me in the novel.

After I finished reading the book, I thought to myself, “That’s it?” because I guess I was expecting more from the story. It’s not that Brenna’s writing wasn’t good because it is, she has a way of vividly describing scenes and using beautiful phrases while she’s at it. I just felt like there was too much going on for me to like the whole thing. There’s the murder mystery, the ghosts haunting Hannah, Lillian’s death and how strong her hold on Hannah is, the romance, Hannah’s family and her interactions with so many other secondary characters. There were just too many bits and pieces struggling to be noticed that it felt like there weren’t enough pages to elaborate on all of them. Also, there was a build up to the murders but the revelation at the end was kind of a letdown for me. I don’t want to go into details for fear of spoilers but if you’ve read the book and want to hear about more in-depth thoughts, then please check out the YAckers discussion (will link to it once it’s up). It saddens me that I’m a little disappointed in my first Brenna Yovanoff but if you’ve read her other books, please let me know if they’re any good and whether I should pick them up. If you’re a fan of creepy ghost stories and murder mysteries then by all means, go ahead and read Paper Valentine. You might end up liking it a lot more than I did, it looks like that’s the case for other bloggers based on reviews that I’ve seen.

Other reviews:
Good Books and Good Wine
Charlotte’s Library
Emily’s Reading Room
The Nocturnal Library

Queen of the Clueless by Mina V. Esguerra

Queen of the Clueless by Mina V. Esguerra is the sequel to Interim Goddess of Love. Do the books need to be read in order? I think so because that will give the reader a better understanding of the story. In fact, I reread the first book before starting on this because I didn’t want to be confused about the characters and everything that happened before. These books are Filipino young adult fiction that has a hint of local mythology (so “goddess” in the title of the first book isn’t a metaphor). It’s going to be a trilogy and there’s no release date for the third book yet but I’m hoping it will be published soon.

Here’s the summary from Goodreads:

If you’ve been feeling neglected by the Goddess of Love lately, don’t worry – Hannah Maquiling, college sophomore, is in training to take over. The Original Goddess is missing, but Hannah is Interim Goddess now, and she should figure out how to solve humanity’s love problems soon. Quin (God of the Sun) is still her mentor, still really hot, but apparently isn’t as honest about his other earthly relationships as she thought. It’s frustrating, and enough to make her check out possibilities with Diego (God of the Sea) and Robbie (Cute Human).

In the meantime, she’s decided to spend some of her precious training time helping to break up a relationship, instead of putting one together. Why? Because the girl in question happens to be her best friend Sol, whose boyfriend is stealing not just from her, but from other people on campus. Sol didn’t exactly summon the Goddess, but this is what power over Love is for, right? Surely it’s not just about matchmaking, but ending doomed relationships too. (Even when it’s not what people want.)

Hannah is still the temporary Goddess of Love and while she’s still pretty clueless about certain aspects of the job, she’s learning slowly and surely. She gets regular training sessions with Quin, God of the Sun, on how to improve her game as a goddess. She enjoys these sessions with Quin but keeps hoping that they will lead to more than just doing “work” stuff. What’s funny about Hannah’s situation is, she helps other people navigate the tricky waters of love and yet she’s hopelessly in love with someone she can’t have. I think that’s what makes Hannah a relatable character – even if she’s part-time goddess now, she’s still a normal college girl in so many ways. Clearly, she doesn’t have things figured out and like any non-goddess person does, she just goes with her instincts and what she feels is right. I also think it’s ironic that the main plot thread in this installment is Hannah trying to break up a couple instead of bringing them together. I liked that Queen of the Clueless focused on Sol’s love story, it was nice to get to know Hannah’s best friend since we really didn’t get to do that in the first book. I also liked that we learn more about some of the other secondary characters, like Diego and Robbie. Although I wish there was more of Quin in the story, I felt like he didn’t get enough face time in this book. I would have liked to learn more about Quin’s character, a little more insight on how he is both as Quin the mortal guy and as God of the Sun.

I’m really, really curious about the third book in this series. If I had a copy of it right now, I’d dive into it right away. I have no idea how Hannah’s story arc will get resolved and I’m hoping it won’t feel rushed because these books are on the short side. I found Queen of the Clueless an enjoyable read but I definitely wouldn’t have minded if it was a little longer. I think it was a good idea on Mina’s part to try writing a different genre from her usual contemporary romance featuring women in their twenties. I’m all for Filipino fiction with a college setting, especially if it reminds me of my own college experience. I know I’ve mentioned this before but I really couldn’t help but feel that Hannah’s school is like a smaller version of my own alma mater. So many details about the school was reminiscent of my own school – the cafeteria, some of the classes, the rich kids and scholarship kids. I know that Mina attended the same college so maybe it served as an inspiration for her writing. Since I loved my school, I think that’s a good thing. I recommend this to fans of Mina’s writing and readers curious about Filipino fiction. I know I don’t feature enough of them here in my blog so I would gladly recommend this.

Some lomo shots of my college, which can pass off as Ford River: