If I were asked to name one great male romantic fiction author 2 years ago, I would have said “None comes to my mind.”

However, having read A Walk to Remember and watched the movie (on YouTube, no less!), and recently followed that up with the heart-achingly sweet war romance (well, sort of), I can confidently name Nichols Sparks as a favourite male author now. I gladly recommend Dear John to all die-hard romantics.  Here’re the reasons why …

Synopsis:

A rebel in his younger days, John Tyree joined the army “because he needed to” and to make something out of an aimless life with an uncommunicative father. While on home leave one summer knowing he’s ready to turn over a new leaf, he met the lively Savannah Lynn Curtis, the girl of his dreams. The attraction is mutual, and the budding romance quickly turned into a serious vow, on John’s part to marry her when his tour of duty is over, and on Savannah’s part to wait for him.

However, none of them could foresee the great change that 9/11 would wrought to their lives and their love. Faced with the choice of country or love, John made a decision that changed their future. Now, finally returned, he would finally learn the transformational power of  love.

Reading these two historical fiction works is like witnessing the scandalous affairs of King Henry VIII unfolding before my very eyes!

Philippa Gregory’s attention to the minutiae of Tudor court life and her lively retelling of the circumstances which drove the Boleyn sisters to rival each other for the King’s favour in The Other Boleyn Girl riveted me from the first to the last page. Told in the first person perspective through Mary Boleyn, the novel spans over 15 years, and takes the reader from Mary’s youth right through to Anne Boleyn’s execution.

Seen through the eyes of Mary, Anne’s fate seems [to] smack of treachery and is simply the results of an over-indulged and slightly mad monarch who will stoop at nothing to gain and then destroy the women who drifted in and out his life. It doesn’t paint Henry VIII in a very flattering light, but then we already learnt that from European history taught in school.

For the month of August, we’re supposed to read a non-romance book from our TBR pile.  I’ve originally planned to review An Elegant Madness by Venetia Murray.  However, mid-way through it, I was sidetracked into reading The Gorgeous Georgians and The Vile Victorians by Terry Dreary and Martin Brown.

Well, both books discuss the Regency period, but boy they’re both so different and equally fascinating.  Let’s see …

Title: The Gorgeous Georgians and The Vile Victorians
Author: Terry Dreary and Martin Brown
Year published: 2005

Why did you get this book?
Since I read a lot of Regency romances, I figured this book would be a hoot. I mean, I’ve heard of the Horrible Science and the Horrible Histories series by Scholastic, so even though this book is aimed at younger readers, I couldn’t resist.

Do you like the cover?
It was a funny cover. So, yeah I guess it worked.

Over the last five Tuesdays I spent reading Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom had me reduced to a weepy, maudlin woman, whose eyes mist over every touching line she reads.

I had already been forewarned by my colleague, “You’ll cry over the book.” she said.  So, I thought I could harden my heart and just breeze through the book. But there’s no way you can escape the heartrending and sincere narration of Albom’s last few months at his college professor’, Morrie Schwartz’s side, learning life’s greatest mysteries and simplest truths.

This month, we’re supposed to read a book that was recommended by someone I know (another blogger, author, friend, family member) or that got a lot of buzz. 

Prior to joining the challenge, I’ve already heard a lot about Mitch Albom  from some friends and my brother. What’s more, a friend from work gave me Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven as Christmas gifts last year. When Angie came up with this challenge, I immediately earmarked this for June’s challenge.

Title: The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Author: Mitch Albom

Year published: 2003

Why did you get this book?
I’ve been hearing about this from friends and family, and besides, since it was given to me as a Christmas gift, I simply have to read it.

Do you like the cover?
The simple cover of the book belies the profound wisdom found inside its pages.