Review- Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover

Goodreads Summary:

This novella is a companion novel to the Hopeless series, but can be read as a standalone 

A chance encounter in the dark leads eighteen-year-old Daniel and the girl who stumbles across him to profess their love for each other. But this love comes with conditions: they agree it will only last one hour and it will only be make-believe.

When their hour is up and the girl rushes off like Cinderella, Daniel tries to convince himself that what happened between them only seemed perfect because they were pretending it was perfect. Moments like that with girls like her don’t happen outside of fairytales.

One year and one bad relationship later, his disbelief in insta-love is stripped away the day he meets Six: a girl with a strange name and an even stranger personality. Daniel soon realizes the way he pretended to feel about Cinderella and the way he really feels about Six may not be so different after all. Especially when the two loves of his life end up being one in the same.

Unfortunately for Daniel, finding Cinderella doesn’t guarantee their happily ever after…it only further threatens it.

Hopeless Series by Colleen Hoover:

My review of Hopeless (Hopeless #1)

My review of Losing Hope (Hopeless #2)

REVIEW:

Colleen Hoover is an amazing author and an even amazing person. It was super sweet of the author to write a novella for the funny, silly and adorable guy we met in Losing Hope, Daniel, who is Dean Holder's best friend. But what was even more super sweet of Colleen was to have this novella available as a free download for readers. Now which lover of the written world doesn't love free books? 
So as soon as Colleen announced that Finding Cinderella was up for download, I went and got my copy, 1) because I promised I'd read anything Colleen Hoover writes, 2) because I love love love the Hopeless series, 3) because Daniel sounded awesome and 4) because the novella was free. 
Well, so far Colleen Hoover has written some absolutely sparkling books with lots of laughter and tears in them. There has always been that serious issue behind each of her characters and stories. But Finding Cinderella is the author's cutest, most funniest and insanely adorable stories ever. 
God. Daniel is awesome. And so is his girl, Six, who happens to be Sky's best friend. They both made for, as Dean says, a crazy but totally right couple. It was their story entirely from the time they first interact with one another till they finally get together and fall crazily in love. I actually laughed out loud so many times while reading what goes on in Daniel's head. 
There's really not much that can be said about a novella but boy, this was so cute that cuteness might be an understatement for it now. I loved it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you haven't already, make sure you get your copy of Finding Cinderella and read it soon. 

RATING:

Author Interview + Giveaway (IN Only)- Love and Lokpal by Pooja Wanpal

Hello, guys! Today, we have author of Love and Lokpal, Pooja Wanpal on the blog for an Author Interview and a two copy giveaway. Without wasting much time, let's get onto the both the things after knowing a little about the book and the author. 

READ MY REVIEW OF LOVE AND LOKPAL

GOODREADS SUMMARY: 

Shlok Kulkarni, an architect by day and an Assassin's creed junkie by night is being bombarded with eligible girls by his matchmaking mama. In a bid to escape her and maybe check out a few hot girls while he’s at it, Shlok flees to Delhi, where a massive protest for the Lokpal Bill has been building up.

Kaveri Gokhale has been searching for a cause her whole life. When the winds of the Lokpal blow through the country, she eagerly catches the next train to Delhi to witness history.

When Shlok runs into Kaveri at Jantar Mantar, the sparks are undeniable. As their relationship blossoms, Kaveri discovers a dark secret that leaves her devastated . . . and endangers the fate of billion others. Will Shlok and Kaveri’s love wither or will it withstand the uncertainties of the corrupt politics? Can love truly conquer all ideologies?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Pooja Wanpal considers reading books the sole aim of her life. In addition to writing, she gives unsolicited advice to people and tries indefatigably to avoid her textbooks. She studies at Fergusson College, Pune and spends most of her time chatting with people over endless cups of coffee in the canteen. Owing to her almost unhealthy enthusiasm for politics, she was a part of the crowds that protested for the Lokpal Bill in 2011. The event left an indelible inspiration on her, and further conversations and debates about the movement culminated into this novel. She can be reached at her email. 

AUTHOR LINKS : BLOG / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / GOODREADS

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: 

Hi Pooja, welcome to The Readdicts! It's great to have you on our blog. 

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Twenty. Completely hooked on coffee. Essentially nocturnal. Reading, writing and listening to music come next to breathing in priorities. Pani Puris too are somewhere on the top too.

2) Tell us about your book, Love and Lokpal. 

'Love and Lokpal' is a love story set against the backdrop of the 2011 Lokpal Bill movement. It explores the relationship between Shlok and Kaveri, the protagonists, and their involvement with one of the biggest mass movement of the decade. 

3) How did the idea to write Love and Lokpal come up? 

My friend, Harsh Agarwal runs a literary agency, 'The Asylum'. While discussing the Lokpal Bill movement one day, the idea for the novel came along, and I decided to put the story on paper. 

4) Are any of your book characters based on people you know or are they completely based on your imagination?

People will be after me with pitchforks if I say yes. But well, I do draw inspiration from the people I see, but my characters are not based on a single person. They are an amalgamation of people I have met, things I have seen and felt. 

5) How interested are you in politics? Have you studied it and do you follow it on a regular basis? 

I am a fanatic, devoted to my daily ritual of reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee. I love reading about the political situation in India and around the world. This is one of the reasons why the Lokpal Bill featured so prominently in my novel. I had been a part of the Lokpal Bill movement, and it had left an indelible inspiration on my. 

I have also written about politics in India, both on my blog and on Blogcritics.

6) You are a student and your book is already published. How difficult or easy is it to maintain a balance between being a student and a writer? 

I haven't had much of a problem with it, honestly. I have been writing since I was 10 years old, and so it has always been a part of me. I do not find these two roles mutually exclusive - they're a part of who I am. Of course, I do have a lamentable tendency to leave aside my studies for writing, and vice versa. But on the whole, I manage. 

7) On a more personal level, give us a glimpse into a regular day of your life. 

I get up early, drag myself to college, attend a few lectures, hang out at the main circle or at the canteen - just the life of a normal Fergussonian, I guess. In my free time, I read books, haunt the local library, study Spanish, and on rare occasions, I study.   

8) I read that you are an avid reader. When you are not studying or reading or writing, what do you like to do? 

I like to watch cricket matches and hang out with my friends. 

9) Who are some of your favourite authors and which are some your most favourite books? 

I go through various phases during the year, so the answer to this question often changes. However, I absolutely love Oscar Wilde, George Orwell, Salman Rushdie, Ramchandra Guha, and Jane Austen. I also like reading novels by Julia Quinn. My favourite books include Pride and Prejudice, 1984, Last Song of Dusk, and Love in the time of Cholera. 

10) What's next in line for you? Future plans? 

An anthology, which I've contributed to, is set to hit the bookstores in December. 'Time's lost atlas' covers 11 most important events of the past decade, by leaving the reality behind, and taking a leap into fiction. 

We also have a fun this or that round lined up for you. All you have to do is select one choice from the following picks! 

1) Tea or coffee? Coffee. Always. (:P)

2) Sweet or salty? Sweet

3) Coke or Pepsi? Coke

4) This is an old one! Team Edward or Team Jacob? I prefer to stay out of the battle. I have never been a Twilight fan. 

5) In college... Main Circle or Kimaya? Main circle

6) Economics or politics? Economics

7) Novels or short stories? Novels

8) Black or White? Black

9) Day or night? Night

10) Beach or mountains? Mountains

Thank you so much for taking the time out to answer our questions and visit The Readdicts, Pooja. We wish you all the very best in life and happy writing! 

GIVEAWAY: 

Enter below to win one of two copies of the book! 

Giveaway rules are simple: 

*The giveaway is open only to INDIA residents. 

*Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. 

*Once the winners are picked, they will be emailed and announced here on the blog as well after which they will have 48 hours to respond or else we'll be compelled to pick other winners. 

*The book will be sent by the author. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, all! 

Once again, I'd like to thank Pooja for stopping by and for the generous giveaway. And thank you too, readers, for stopping by! 

Review- Asking For Trouble by Tessa Bailey

Summary-

Brent Mason and Hayden Winstead can't stand each other. She plans exclusive parties for her rich familys charities. He's a rough and tumble cop who rigs explosives for a living. Could two people be any less suited for conversation? They think not and prefer to keep it that way. 

Unfortunately, their two best friends are deeply, disgustingly in love. Forced together, the mutual attraction simmering beneath the surface of Brent and Hayden's non-relationship grows with every argument until it explodes into a scintillating night of mind-blowing sex. And it wont be the last, as far as Brent's concerned. 

Hayden has a secret, though. Her father's company is relying on a merger to save them from financial ruin, and only Hayden's marriage to the CEOs wealthy son can secure the deal. If she's to protect her family, she'll have to forget Brent. And he has no intention of being forgotten. 

Review-

Tessa Bailey has done it again! Asking for Trouble was my most anticipated book in the series cause with all that chemistry I really wanted to know Brent and Hayden's story. It was AMAZING! I loved it. Asking For Trouble had everything in it. It made for a fun read which I thoroughly devoured.

Brent and Hayden are poles apart and they cannot stand each other. Brent is a cop who likes to blow things up. Whereas, Hayden comes from a rich family where she plans exclusive parties. The two couldn't be more different and they know it. You can see tension when Hayden and Brent are in the same room. They fight, they argue and somehow they make it look hot.

Like we'd seen in the last book, Story and Daniel are Hayden and Brent's best friends so they always end up in each others company. When Brent and Hayden finally decide to let the steam out and get each other out of their systems, things get complicated. Both Brent and Hayden have so much more going on with them than what they show on the surface and each discovers that.

I loved the romance. Brent was possessive and he made no excuses for it. Hayden was vulnerable in her own ways but when she's with Brent things balance themselves out. Brent is one of the best dirty talking heroes. The intimate scenes between them were HOT. There are no other words to describe the intensity with which these two go at each other. I loved the banter.

With Story and Daniel we also get to see the mysterious and silent, Matt. I really he hopes he gets a story because he's not spilling anything. The ending was again, amazing. It was hilarious and it couldn't be more perfect for Brent and Hayden. Tessa Bailey has now officially become one of my favorite authors and you should definitely read Asking for Trouble.

Waiting On Wednesday #68

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Publication Date- March 18th 2014 

Goodreads Summary:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance—and the enchanting music that inspires one young woman to put her life back together.

At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, This Girl, and Losing Hope, Maybe Someday is destined to become another bestseller and long-lasting fan favorite.

It's Colleen Hoover, people! I don't even have to say anything else now, do I?

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? Link me up to your posts in the comments. 

P.S: We have an interesting INT giveaway going on so whilst you're here, make sure you take part in it right HERE. 

Top Ten Tuesday #10

Top Ten Tuesday is a bookish meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten 2014 releases we're dying to read.

My picks in no particular order are-

1. Before Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young

2. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

3. Cress by Marissa Meyer

4. Up From the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

5. Be With Me by J.Lynn

6. It Happened One Wedding by Julie James

7. What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

8. Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

9. Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh

10. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

I've mostly included my all time favorite authors here. There are a TON of more authors/books/genres I want to try out next year.

What are your picks?

Review- The Storm in My Mind by Ayaan Basu

Goodreads Summary:

The Storm in my Mind... is a collective narrative of events, habits, stereotypes and idiosyncrasies revolving around the contemporary society of Kolkata. It is a story of love as much as it is of hatred, passion, friendship, trust, misunderstandings, nostalgia and love for his city. It is the story of Aryan, his Kolkata and his mellowing heart that makes confessions of the times he has seen.

REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of The Storm in My Mind by Ayaan Basu from Srishti Publishers and Distributors in exchange for an honest review. We thank the publishing house for the book! 

The rustic cover of Ayaan Basu's The Storm in My Mind  had me thinking that the book would be a walk down the captivating and famous city of Kolkata. Although the book did have a lot of factual information on the streets, people and life of and in Kolkata, it was more the story of Kolkata boy Aryan Roy who finds himself learning something new each day from the three things that matter most during college days- friendship, love and relationships. 
Because of the genuine and simple plot of The Storm in my Mind, it's a book that's easy to relate to and understand. The confusion about what love is in the mind of Aryan as a college student is something that's absolutely understandable. For me, Aryan was a sweet and well mannered boy unrequitedly in love with Anushka, a girl he meets online and who goes on to become his best friend. He later starts developing feelings for Anushka's good friend, Kaira and when she and Aryan finally get together, Kaira goes and does something unforgivable. Between these two relationships and the way Aryan handles them, there was a lot of confusion and at times, unnecessary doings as well. 
I quite liked the open ending because for the time and age of characters portrayed in the book, I feel that open endings are the best. For me, The Storm in My Mind was like a coming of age book that I enjoyed sometimes and found a little stupid at other times. The writing didn't help much during the latter times as there was a very weird way in which dialogues were spoken among the characters, there was this urge to state the obvious and I didn't quite figure out how Aryan described the facial expressions of people he spoke to on the phone. 
Overall, The Storm in my Mind is a good effort on author Ayaan Basu's part. This book isn't all that great but it qualifies for an enjoyable, good, quick and short read on a lazy weekend and I love the title of the book- it's apt and perfect for Aryan's story. 

RATING:

Review- Longbourn by Jo Baker

Summary-

If Elizabeth Bennet had the washing of her own petticoats, Sarah thought, she would be more careful not to trudge through muddy fields.

It is wash-day for the housemaids at Longbourn House, and Sarah's hands are chapped and bleeding. Domestic life below stairs, ruled tenderly and forcefully by Mrs Hill the housekeeper, is about to be disturbed by the arrival of a new footman smelling of the sea, and bearing secrets.

For in Georgian England, there is a world the young ladies in the drawing room will never know, a world of poverty, love, and brutal war.

Review-

Longbourn by Jo Baker looked really interesting. It is Pride and Prejudice from the servant's point of view. I have read and liked Pride and Prejudice and I also like Jane Austen so I was excited about getting started on Longbourn. Longbourn turned out to be a good read.

Sarah is the maid at Longbourn. She does all the work in the house. There may be a lot of activity going on upstairs with Mr. and Mrs. Bennett and the Bennett sisters but things below remain the same. I really liked Sarah. She might be a servant but she wanted so much more from life. She is a hardworking girl and just wants to be noticed for it.

Things change in Sarah's life when a new footman James arrives. Sarah knows James is hiding something. But it just seems like no one in the house hold can see this except her. I liked James. He was quiet and just wanted everyone to overlook his presence. He wanted to earn his meals and go to bed. Having seeing too much during war, he has no intention of letting anyone in. But Sarah finds a way.

Sarah and James' story is just a thread in Longbourn. The book is divided into three volumes. The first two being the present with Sarah's story from the beginning. Here we get to meet the housekeeper Mrs. Hill and the young Polly. The third volume we get the most from James' point of view seeing what he had been through.

Longbourn reads like a classic. Its pacing is slow but if you're in the mood for this kind of read it makes for an excellent pick. Jo Baker's writing is descriptive and it makes you feel as though you're living in those times. Overall, I enjoyed reading Longbourn.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by Random House India in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.