Book Reviews (V)

Book Review:
Follow the White Pebbles by Lillian Summers

 
Book Description:   

Lizzie Wilburn is a riot. She is loud-mouthed, strong-minded and tough, as eighteen years surviving in the scum of Southside Jamaica’s ghettos have taught her. She is also outrageously wealthy. But the latter is news to her, as she wakes up on a hospital bed after a hit and run accident. Incidentally, she gets stuck with a pair of filthy-rich, infuriatingly haughty parents. To make things even worse, they force their ‘lowlife’ daughter to marry the son of another business magnate.

Lizzie’s new husband, Justin Winters, is handsome and as tempting as the most wicked of sins, but a serial womanizer whose only interest in his wife is limited to her business empire. Bound by a pre-nuptial agreement to remain faithful to his spouse, Justin tries every possible trick to go back to his playboy lifestyle. Lizzie, in turn, wants him badly, if only she could get him to even spare her a glance, let alone to come anywhere near her. Will any of them succeed in their quest?


MY REVIEW

A fast page turner that kept me glued to the pages. A touching story that runs on high octane fuel.

Lillian Summer's story is the kind of book you want to have with you when the blizzard howls outside, or the rain beats obstinately on your window sill. A book that gives you a warm, comforting feeling.

Arthur and Madeline Wilburn can't stop wondering what happened to their beloved daughter, Elisabeth, kidnapped eighteen years ago, when she was only one week old.  The unexpected news she was found turns their world upside down, as the young woman they welcome back is far from what they have ever imagined. I won't go into any further details because I really do hate spoilers. There are some amazing parts of this story that are worth reading, quoting and enjoying. I really liked the main characters as well. Lizz is the kind of person that is quirky enough for you to not get bored with and innocent and likable enough that you want to see her succeed.

I fell in love with Elisabeth and was enthralled by her fate. This modern Cinderella's destiny will win you to her side. I would have kicked Justin from here to the moon. And Madeleine, Lizz's mother, is the perfect embodiment of what a mother should be - caring, loving, and ready for the final sacrifice for her child's well being.

Mrs. Summer created a brilliant story in which she proves that, not only can she create excellent characters, but she can also lead them along a very well written and original story.

Follow the White Pebbles is emotionally charged and I felt every single moment. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel and I look forward to reading more works from this author. In my opinion it is a great story, worth sharing worldwide. I would have given it more than five stars but it's not possible. So, five stars!

Reviews (X)

March 16, 2013 - by ioniamartin

Shadows of the Past by Carmen Stefanescu

When Anne and Neil leave on a one-week holiday hoping to reconcile after a two-year separation, little do they know that destiny has other plans for them. Their discovery of human bones and a bejeweled cross in the hollow of a tree open the door to the supernatural realm and the anguished life of Genevieve, a nun from medieval England.
Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve her eternal rest?
The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.–Description from Goodreads.

ebook, 231 pages

Published December 4th 2012 by Wild Child Publishing edition language English

You can find this book here

Or you can go visit the author Carmen Stefanescu and find out more HERE

I am very proud to introduce “Shadows of the Past” By Romanian author Carmen Stefanescu. This is an amazing debut novel that really captured everything I love so much about history, paranormal and romance.

My thoughts on this novel:

It isn’t often that I put a book in my “I must read this again pile.” I read so much that I usually won’t read a book more than once because I am always ready to move on to the next one I haven’t experienced yet. This is one of those rare times when I know I will read this book again.I am a huge history buff and I adore historical fiction. This is historical plus a lot more. This book has an exciting plot with a paranormal twist that is so well done that it doesn’t leave you rolling your eyes like so many of the paranormal romances of recent memory have done. I fell into this book hard and never wanted to leave. Although I enjoyed Anne and her role in the book as a contemporary character, I was completely drawn into the story and fascinated all the way to the end by the story of Genevieve and Andrew. This is the kind of love story that is timeless and makes you feel warm inside. I was happy while reading this.
Although from the cover of this book it would seem that it is more adult in nature, this novel would also be appropriate for a YA audience. The romance is believable and beautiful, but is never too steamy. The mystery of the connection between Anne and Genevieve is really the heart of this book, and it is a supremely written mystery at that. You can’t quite figure it all out until the very end and even then, on the very last page there is more to think about.
Carmen Stefanescu has written a love story for those of us who know what that really means. If you have high expectations for your romance novels and expect to see characters with plenty of development, life and purpose then this is the book for you. When you read this novel, you feel you have entered another world. Stepping back in time through Carmen’s descriptions and research, this was an incredible journey.
I would recommend this book to everyone YA audience and over. One of the best romances ever.

***

Aș dori să-i mulțumesc lui Carmen pentru ca mi-a oferit sa citec această carte uimitoare. Am fost surprinsa și încântata de cât de mult mi-a placut. Carmen, esti o persoana minunata!
Nu de multe ori mi s-a intamplat ca am pus o carte pe care am citit-o în  teancul “Trebuie să citesc acest roman din nou.” Am  de citit atât de multe carti, că de obicei nu voi citi o carte mai mult decât o dată, pentru că sunt mereu gata pentru a trece la urmatoarea pe care nu am experimentat-o încă. Acum este una dintre acele rare ocazii când știu că voi citi aceasta carte din nou.
Sunt o mare admiratoare a istoriei si ador ficțiunea istorică. Acesta este un roman istoric, plus mult mai mult. Aceasta carte are un subiect incitant, o combinatie de paranormal cu iubire si istorie, cate putin din toate, care este atât de bine făcut încât să nu te faca sa dai  ochii peste cap de frustrare,  asa cum se intampla cu atât de multe dintre romanele paranormale recente.  Shadows of the Past este genul de carte care ai vrea sa nu se termine.
Deși mi-a placut de Anne și rolul ei în carte ca un personaj contemporan, am fost complet atrasa în actiune și fascinata până la sfârșit de povestea lui Genevieve și Andrew. Aceasta este un fel de poveste de dragoste, care este atemporala și iti da un sentiment placut de bine. Am fost fericita în timp ce citeam asta.
Deși, din coperta acestei cărți s-ar părea că este dedicata mai mult adulților, acest roman ar fi, de asemenea, adecvat pentru o audiență YA. Romantismul este credibil și frumos, dar nu este in nici un moment prea senzual. Misterul legăturii între Anne și Genevieve este într-adevăr miezul aceastei carti, și este un mister extrem de bine scris. Nu iti poti da seama de  adevar până la sfârșit și chiar și atunci, ultima pagină  lasa loc la intrebari.
Carmen Stefanescu a scris o poveste de dragoste pentru acei dintre noi care știu ce înseamnă aceasta cu adevărat. Dacă ai așteptări mari de la un roman de dragoste și așteapti să vezi personajele evoluand, atunci aceasta este cartea pentru tine. Când ai citit acest roman, ai impresia ca esti introdus in o altă lume. Pas cu pas, mergi înapoi în timp, prin descrierile lui Carmen; aceasta a fost o calatorie incredibila.
As recomanda această carte pentru toata lumea, audiență YA și peste. Unul dintre cele mai bune romane de dragoste din toate timpurile.

Reviews (VII)

February 13, 2013 - by Ankita S (http://booklokcoffee.blogspot.in/2013/02/review-shadows-of-past-by-carmen.html)

 

Title: Shadows of the Past
Author: Carmen Stefanescu 

Pages: 231, ebook
Publisher: Wild Child Publishing
Genre: Historical/Paranormal
Release: December 4th 2012

MeThinks:

Well at first look you would think "I don't normally read this", that was my first thought as well. I normally read Young-Adult books and occasionally switch the genre. So when Ms. Carmen approached, after reading the synopses I was indeed intrigued with paranormal and historical theme so I gave it a chance. And I must say it was different and Amazing!! 

The Book cover may seem Adult but story isn't so much, Yes there is romance but the sweet one. As Carmen said that she like to keep the romance sweet in her books.

 ‘Our past and our future are tea leaves in the cup of our present.’

Shadows of the past starts in the 14th century, with a medieval times girl Genevieve and alternatively introducing the modern times girl Anne. As the story proceeds the connection between both the girls gets more intricate. Where Anne is strong business women determined to reconcile with her love Neil, Genevieve is a victim of fate, terrible luck and forced to face the horrid world. As the medieval times story proceeds it creates an eerie atmosphere with a cursed forest, a strange stream, dark magic and many such things. Genevieve has faced many tragedies time and time again losing the people she loves then finally when circumstances made her a nun, the tragedies didn't cease. She fell in love with a Priest Father Andrew and he also loves her back but fate has again planned something dreadful for her.

Genevieve's heart breaking story seems very real. Carmen did a fantastic job in creating her character with such fineness and giving life to so many other characters.
The villain in the book is scary, spooky and very well created, her presence is there through out the book making every page more interesting, The villain has ruined Genevieve and is now disturbing Anne immensely.

 Here, Anne is set on to have a nice time with Neil, to reconcile but she encounters a tormented soul and visions and that changed everything for her.
Being a strong headed women she is determined to solve the mystery of that ghost which leads to many revelations. Can she set that tragic soul free... or burn in the same magic!!

I love the ballad by almost the end describing the tragic destiny of Genevieve and Andrew.
“Shadows of the Past” is a real page-turner and a dark spooky romantic story that is crafted masterfully. Despite all the evil, love wins by the end. I really liked that.