Reviews for TBR Lite Challenge (6/6):

• We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (coming soon!)
• The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
• The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
• Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop
• Goodbye Tsugumi by Banana Yoshimoto
• Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge

Reviews for the Manga Challenge:

Strobe Edge #2 & #3 by Io Sakisaka
Strobe Edge #1 by Io Sakisaka
Momoka Typhoon #1 by Fujita Kazuko
Note: I have finished reading Momoko Typhoon #2 and Strobe Edge #4 - #6 but just have not got around to reviewing them. My apologies!


And now, here are some of the challenges which I did not complete or have decided to give them up: The Harlequin/Silhouette Romance Reading Challenge, Buy One Book and Read It Challenge and Book Buddy Blogger Challenge.

Reviews for the Harlequin/Silhouette Romance Reading Challenge (2/5):

• Tangled Lies by Anne Stuart
• Her Real-Life Hero by Trish Wylie

Reviews for Buy One Book and Read It Challenge (there's no limitation of books required for this one):

• Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
• The Sweet Life of Stella Madison by Lara M. Zeises
• Ash by Malinda Lo
• The Heights by Brian James
• Looking for Alaska by John Green
• No One You Know by Michelle Richmond
• Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
• Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Reviews for Book Buddy Blogger Challenge (3/5):

• Heartsick by Chelsea Cain
• The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
• Gossamer by Lois Lowry

Despite I could not complete these challenges, I still want to thank the hostesses - Yvonne, Amy and Wisteria for hosting these fun challenges!

ISBN: 9780373200016
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: March 2009
256 pgs



Rachel Chandler has not seen her brother, Emmett, for fifteen years. Not after he appeared to be involved with a radical group of protesters and that the bomb had accidentally killed several people, including his girlfriend. And for these fifteen years, no one seemed to have heard of him but deep in Rachel's heart she knew he is very much alive since she always receive a package on her birthday every year from him. But she could never guess where he is because every year the package is post marked from a different country.

However, that does not stop Rachel from finding her brother so she decided to look for him in Hawaii since he was last heard to be in that place. Despite her fear of flying, she gritted her teeth and went through her ordeal, but with the help of a little diversion from a friendly priest who first struck a conversation with her.

Just as she is anxious and thrilled to meet Emmett again, she is somewhat intrigued by the man because he does not seem to be the same Emmett whom she has grown up with. He appeared to be tougher and meaner, but Rachel thought this has got to do with the missing years that had torn them apart from each other. And another thing that troubled Rachel is, Emmett seemed to be giving her the warm and cold treatments at times and she fears he is not the real Emmett but an impostor who is out to get the trust which was left for the real Emmett after their parents had passed away when they were younger.

On the other hand, "Emmett" definitely has an agenda in mind but he does not expect the man's sister would be there to complicate things for him. Yet everytime he wanted to push her away, the deeper he find himself entangled in the web of lies and he is not sure if he should keep her with him or just send her away.

Tangled Lies is one of Anne Stuart's older works and I am very glad that this book is reissued as part of Harlequin's 60th Anniversary celebration. Being a fan of Anne Stuart and having read several of her novels, I am always in awe of her ability of creating a dark hero whom I am sure most readers would not consider one to be due to his 'extraordinary' position, be it a hitman or a cult leader (just to name a few) but yet she managed to tempt us into liking the hero and send us a few surprises along the reading journey. Tangled Lies is one of them and I loved it that there are enough sizzling romance and suspense that had me enthralled from the beginning till the end.

Tara Devlin likes men to be tall, dark and good looking, but most of all she likes them fictional. For you see, she is a writer and moreover she does not think men with the above qualities would happen in reality anyway. Until her sexy neighbour moves right next to her.

Jack Lewis' Jeep has broken down and he is in need of a mechanic. Having just moved into his house and without any telephone connection, he thought his neighbour would be able to help with his difficulties but he was dead wrong. Not only did his neighbour proves to be not trusting, but she even accuses him of imposing as her hero as it happens that he and her fictional hero shared the same name!

Tara thought it was a joke initially, but it proves not when she realizes Jack and hre fictional Jack have too many similiar concidences. But what infuriates her further is his flirtatious attitude and his charm that seems to affecting on most women, including herself even though she does not want to admit it. Although she finds his annoying, she could not help notice him and how he manages to evoke the emotions she feels about him the more they are seeing and understanding each other. She could not imagine and believing herself about liking him until it happens. And then she would realize that the Jack in reality is nothing like her fictional Jack after all.

Her Real-Life Hero is a fun read. It is a heartwarming love story about two different people falling in love. Although there is nothing complicated about the plots, what I liked most about this story is the characters and the dialogues that had me smiling and chuckling. This book is a good read if you want something light and entertaining.