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I have to admit I wasn’t as consistent in my reading as I normally am. Large thanks to the Olympics being on for two weeks. I cared more about twizzles and axel jumps than opening a book. I am pleasantly surprised I even finished three. Everything I read played around with the theme of fate vs. free will. That life always has a way of working out. Here is everything I read in February.
Cassia Park believes in soulmates. Those that are fated to be with each other in every lifetime. As part of her family’s century owned match-making business, Cassia also has the ability to look into the clients past to find out who their fated is. That is why One and Only is so successful. Cassia, herself, has known who she is going to marry for 10 years now. And for 10 years she has been searching for her fated, Daniel Nam. However, on the eve of her 40th birthday she decides to do something out of the ordinary. She impulsively has a fling with a much younger guy named Ellis. Cassia surprised by her deep connection with Ellis, now must choose between fate and chance.
4 stars
Review
I enjoyed this book but I really wanted to love it. I just couldn’t get over how much younger Ellis was. I understand that it’s suppose to make him that much more of a contrast to Daniel, and to make it a contriving situation. It just isn’t my cup of tea. However, if I ignore the age gap I really enjoyed the book. I loved her family and friends. I swooned a lot from both Daniel and Ellis. I would 100% have gone to One and Only for match-making if it were a real business. I love the idea of past loves that reunite each lifetime. It’s nice, and bit romantic, to think about.
The women in the Novak family have an unusual gift. They can turn back time… but only once. Lauren has known since she was a teenager that her mother saved her father’s life from a deadly car crash. He is now alive and surfing the waves of Malibu. However, ever since the crash Lauren and her mother, Marcella, have lived life in fear. Marcella knowing she can never turn back time again. Lauren fearing that something awful will happen again. And for Sophie, Marcella’s mother, she lives life like the next day will never come. Carefree. When Lauren’s husband takes a job in New York, she spends the summer at her parent’s house. She was excited for the summer surfing with her dad and dinners with her family. What she didn’t expect is her first love Stone to also be in town. Through consequential choices, and family secrets revealed, Lauren comes to a crossroad- should she use her token.
4 stars
Review
This was an interesting, thought-provoking read. At first it seems like such a gift to have a token where you can turn back the hands of time. However, when do you know use it? Do you use it over something that seems monumental at the moment or will something even far more devastating happen in the future? The way each woman chose to deal with the token felt right; fear and freedom. I wasn’t sure at first if I thought Lauren’s choice of using the token was correct, but ultimately it was. It took away her fear, and brought her full freedom to live life and make your own choice.
Journalist Christine Morrison takes us on a fashionable journey of her style evolution. Starting back from her love of fashion magazines as a teenager to her preppy college days to her chic NYC style while working at Calvin Klein to the comforts of motherhood. Christine shows how we use clothes for different reasons; for armor, for self-expression, for trial and error. How we reinvent ourselves as we evolve into new chapters of our lives.
4.5 stars
Review
If you are into fashion then this book is for you! I thoroughly enjoyed Christine’s style evolution; finding her signature style, trying out trends, and going back to the basics. Her style was a mark of the times. Both nostalgic and relevant. We have all tried trends that didn’t look good on us. We all have tried to dress better than what we can afford. And we have all found pieces that we will never give up. I mostly enjoyed Christine’s time in New York City working for Calvin Klein. As a New Yorker who talks about fashion on the blog, and wants to work in fashion, this was inspiring and exciting to read about.