Category Archives: A history of Love (dazzled and confused)

A brief Summary

Posted on November 2, 2011 | 12 Comments

I can’t believe that my last post here was written more than one year ago!

For those of you who are interested here it’s a brief summary of my 2011:

* in february I moved back to Milan and for a while we had been renting a VERY little place in Milan;

* in may I had a baby, her name is Carola and she is almost six month old, here it’s a picture of us on vacation:

I had a natural childbirth because by the time I arrived to the hospital it was too late for an epidural, it was better & faster than expected…would I do it again? Next time I’ll make sure to be on time for my epidural :)

* I read a TON of books about babies (The baby whisperer by Tracy Hogg, a book by William and Marta Sears, Your Baby and Child by Penelope Leach and many others) , currently I am exclusively breastfeeding but weaning will be staring soon.  I am lucky because my little Caro is a very sweet baby who sleeps  through the night and sometimes takes a long nap in the early afternoon;

* during the summer we moved again (this time it’s our place, no more renting!) and we are currently decorating, we bought paint & stencils on-line, it’s hard work but great fun:

Right now I am on maternity leave but I don’t really have too much time for reading and reviewing,  here are a few books that I recently read:

Jane by April Lindner, Angie was right, I really enjoyed this retelling of Jane Eyre, although I am not crazy about the original one

You don’t have to say you love me by Sarra Manning, surprisingly I did not love this one, Neve and Max sort of got on my nerves but I must admit that I still haven’t come across a book by Sarra Manning that isn’t utterly compelling and somehow juicy

Pug Hill by Alison Pace, not my kind of story… I was bored from the beginning to the end

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire, I completely agree with a few reviews that I found on Goodreads: THIS BOOK IS LIKE CRACK

The Help by Kathryn Stockett, a keeper! Now I understand what all the fuss was about, I loved it

My one and only by Kristin Higgins, I regard myself as a very picky reader when it comes to contemporary romance… I love the concept but actual books often disappoint me, this was not the case with My one and only, it’s really really fun

Ciao

Em

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Posted in A history of Love (dazzled and confused), book reviews, Chick Lit, Romance

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Blog On Hiatus

Posted on September 30, 2010 | 16 Comments

You might have noticed that I’ve been lurking on your blogs but I have temporarily deserted mine.

This blog will be silent for a while (it could be one more week or one more month) I hope to be back soon and I look forward to catching up with you on your blogs.

Those days I am only reading 5 pages a day and no, it’s not a reading slump as Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour is painfully good but I am in the middle of far too many projects (and changes) so  I shamefully admit defeat , I am unable to keep up with everything so …  talk you soon!

Em

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Posted in A history of Love (dazzled and confused)

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Chick Lit September Giveaway: and the winner is….

Posted on September 18, 2010 | 7 Comments

Courtesy of Ste of Wide Shut Lens aka my significant other:

and the winner is Holly of BookHarbinger!

I love Holly’s blog, I don’t think she is into chick lit so I hope she will enjoy  If Andy Warhol had a girlfriend and The Family Fortune ... I am optimistic because Holly has two degrees in art history (her pick for the contest: The Condition of Humanity by Rene Magritte) and she loves Persuasion.

If you want to know more about Holly you can read her BBAW 2010 interview here on Savvy Verse & Wit.

Holly  just send me an address at emilyandherlittlepinknotes@gmail.com and I will find a way to post those books to you.

Have a great weekend

Em

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Posted in A history of Love (dazzled and confused)

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BBAW – Day 4 – Forgotten Treasure

Posted on September 16, 2010 | 19 Comments

Book Review

DAY 4: A forgotten Pleasure

I love this theme because I am sure today I will discover the most amazing books, this is where bloggers usually squeeze their brains and come up with the best answers.

Do I have a book that I wish got more attention from the book blogging community?

Yes I do, there are a few titles on my mind. First up it’s a delightful chick lit I read many years ago:

Book ReviewKate Saunders is an English author, actress and journalist, she writes children books and chick lit, Bachelor Boys really made an impression on me.

Then I would like to mention Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman (ya? dystopian?):

Book Review

I recommend this book because of its strength, it won’t leave you indifferent.

What’s your forgotten treasure?

Em

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Posted in A history of Love (dazzled and confused), book reviews

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Book Blogger Appreciation Week — Unexpected Treasure

Posted on September 15, 2010 | 6 Comments

Book review

Today’s treasure is an unexpected one. Please share a book or genre you tried due to the influence of another blogger. What made you cave in to try something new and what was the experience like?

I read most of my books based on bloggers’ recommendations, one genre I could never really appreciate is Urban Fantasy (while I love Fantasy), I think I was unlucky with my first selection and gave up far too easily.

The book that made me change my mind is Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews and of course I decided to pick it up because I read this review on Angieville.

I am also not really into historical romance and I haven’t changed my mind on this but following Sara’s advise on GoodReads I read The Viscount Who Loved me by Julia Quinn and absolutely adored it.

What’s your unexpected treasure?

Em

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Posted in A history of Love (dazzled and confused), book reviews

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Book Blogger Appreciation Week

Posted on September 13, 2010 | 12 Comments

Book Review

I consider myself a relatively new blogger who has received lots of encouragement from fellow bloggers so it’s pay back time!

First Question: For those you new to BBAW, what was the first book blog you discovered?

I don’t remember the first blog I discovered but the first one that truly mattered is Angieville by Angie.

Why? I adopted her beloved shelf as my TBR list and so far it hasn’t disappointed me, her reviews are the best because they say everything by saying nothing (significant but spoilers-free) plus she really makes an effort to get to know all her followers. I often associate unpretentiousness and talent, Angie has plenty of both.

Second Question: for those of you who participated in BBAW last year, what’s a great new book blog you’ve discovered since last year’s BBAW?

I didn’t participate last year because I wasn’t blogging but a great book blog I recently discovered is Lit Snit.

Erin, Janelle and Daniela appeared on the blogosphere a couple of months ago but their blog has quickly become one of my favorite, they mix a bit of everything which I like, their reviews are never bland.

Like me they are always on the lookout for a good chick lit, not too obvious, not overly dramatic.

Em

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Posted in A history of Love (dazzled and confused), book reviews

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Book Blogger Hop!

Posted on September 10, 2010 | 6 Comments

Book Review

The Book Blogger Hop is is hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books!

This Weeks Question: post a link to a favorite post or book review that you have written in the past three months.

My Answer: those reviews that I mentioned yesterday aren’t mine but they are truly remarkable and I highly recommend reading them.

Unluckily my reviews tend to contain spoilers that’s because I can’t keep my enthusiasm at bay, this is why a personal favorite of mine is this gushing review I wrote about The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner but if you are looking for something without spoilers I recommend the one I wrote about I wanna be your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert.

If you are here for the hop make sure to leave your link so I can come by and say hello.

Em


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A challenge! Oh what a Challenge!

Posted on September 9, 2010 | 13 Comments

Sometimes I find book reviews that are so passionate that physically hit me with their enthusiasm (in a good way) and make me restless, I am left with an immediate urgency of reading the book.

I usually spring into action ASAP, I have an account on amazon and one on bookdepository, every single book it’s just “one click away” (mostly) and this is how I ended up with more books that I can possibly read from here to Christmas.

Here in Dublin I share an apartment (my italo canadian family):

Book Review

it’s great but I have very little space for my books, this is why

I solemnly promised that I won’t buy more books until I read everything that’s already in the apartment

What a challenge! Those are the sort of reviews responsible for my compulsive behaviour:

Jane by April Lindneer reviewed by Angie

The absolutely true diary of a part time indian by Sherman Alexie reviewed by Katie

Freak Magnet by Andrew Auseon reviewed by Carla

Love Walked In by Marisa De Los Santos by Lit Snit

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier reviewed by Holly

Before I fall by Lauren Oliver reviewed by Jen

Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith reviewed by Chachic

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice reviewed by Meg (this one I read and is simply amazing, all I want is for you to read Meg’s review and consider reading this beautiful novel)

Just so you know,  I blame all of you :)

Em

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Posted in A history of Love (dazzled and confused), book reviews

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Waiting on Wednesday

Posted on September 8, 2010 | 13 Comments

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine

This week’s pre-publication “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers.

Release date: December 2010

It has the most amazing cover:

Book ReviewFrom Goodreads:

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. He seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on… but some questions should be left unanswered.

I can’t wait for this one.

What’s your pick?

Em

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Bad Books I read in 2010

Posted on September 6, 2010 | 14 Comments

Today I feel like organizing a list of some bad books I read in 201o, if you check my 5/5 list you might think that I am quite generous, truth to be told I am not … it’s just that when I read a book and it’s really bad either I give up (because life is too short) or I simply don’t feel  like sitting here and writing about it.

I bitch all day about all sort of things (office related things especially) and when it comes to books I just want to have fun but I am aware that Bad Reviews are also important,  so here it’s a list of books I read in 2010 and wouldn’t recommend to anybody:

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

A Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton

You are probably thinking that I am a prude, that’s not it! I selected those two books expecting some steamy Urban Fantasy but I found both books extremely dull and utterly boring

The Duke and I by Julia Quin

I enjoyed The Viscount Who Loved me so much but this one was a disappointment, I hate manipulations in all shapes so I was really annoyed by Daphne

Hostile Makeover by Wendy Wax

I deeply disliked the male character Ross, I failed to see his charming side. I should have know from the description: porsche-driving sales executive …urghhh…welcome to my personal nightmare

Schooled by Anisha Lakhani

I didn’t see the charm, one of those books that tries too hard to be smart, sometimes it works perfectly but this one left me completely unsympathetic

The Gatecrasher by Madeleine Wickham

Madeleine Wickham is in fact Sophie Kinsella but to me they are two completely different writers as I can’t help loving everything Kinsella publishes while hating everything that’s signed by Wickham.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

I am perfectly aware that most readers love this book but I really couldn’t get into it. I wasn’t impressed by Aislinn, fairies are cold sinister creatures  not half as fun as my beloved werewolves.

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

One of those books in which a character is meant to be dark, dangerous, sexy because the author says so, I like reaching my own conclusions not being told how each character is

What about you?

Em

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