Book review: November 9 by Colleen Hoover

I wonder what kind of sound it would make if I were to smash this glass against the side of his head.

(..)

He's made such a huge difference in my life. More than he'll ever know. If it weren't good for him, I don't think I would have ever regained my confidence. I know I wouldn't have  had the courage to audition anywhere. Just having him in my life one day a year has had such a positive effect on me, I'd hate myself if I did the exact opposite for him.

(..)

I grin as I lower my mouth to hers. "Spoiler alert. They lived happily ever after."

And then I kiss her. 

And it's a twelve.

Not the end.

Far from it.

Not all people have such a privilege: to read a book of your birth date, so when I heard about November 9 by Colleen Hoover, I immediately knew- I have to read it (just like I have red book called by my birth year - 1984). 

Before I did not know anything about author, but now I definetely will read something more. Turns out - she's is the No.1 New York Times bestselling author.

I think this book will be definetely liked by booklovers - story is about guy who starts writing his first book and girl who loves reading. Books article is derived from date they met  - November 9. It's Fallon's last day in Los Angelos, she's moving away to start over after her career as actress has broken after she had burns in fire. They are young and Fallon has accepted her mothers opinion that people are ready for longtime relationship only when they are at least 23 years old. So they decide to test their relationship and meet in the same place, same date for five years: 

We'll both get to experience life we're supposed to at this age, but we also get to be with each other once a year.

Picture from november9book.com

Beginning of book is playful and light, full of love, but than Fallon finds out some information and she isn't sure anymore about fate and motive of their relathionship.
End of the book made my cry for many pages. It was not at all playful and light, it was like life happens.
Book is written from both Fallons and Bens perspectives, and possibly it is reason, I liked book so much.
If not my No.1 book of 2016, then absolutely on TOP.

Know yourself: VALS test

Although VALS test was developed for marketing segmentation, I think it is pretty interesting for getting to know yourself. People say: results of test doesn't change noticeably in couple years.

Music mood: Amy Winehouse

Thi girls voice was amazing. Sad she isn't among us.

Book review: Grey (Fifty Shades #4)

If You have read Fifty Sahdes Trilogy by E.L. James or even better - if you haven't read yet, but are interested in, I suggest you reading Grey (Fifty Shades #4) by same author.
The book is written from view of Christian Grey. And the reason I like it more than Fifty Shades: it is shorter and more psychological. This book let's you understand (or at least - you can try to understand) reason's of Christian's behavior and desires.
Reading this book I understood succes of trilogy: Christian is ome way is modern prince who can take care of girls needs (material) and make her feel like princes. Together with sex and desire, and easy readable speech - it becomes best book for housewoves.
It gets 3 stars of 5. Not excelent and not bad.

 Book in Latvian edition

Book review: Something Great, Something Wonderful & Something Forever by M. Clarke

Something Great, Something Wonderful & Something Forever are trilogy from American writer M. Clarke. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. And she writes amazing books.
Actually I don't remember how I chose this book to read but I'm glad it was one of the first books I read on my Kindle.
Trilogy is very good example of adults romance book. I don't know why there is so big hype about Fifty shades of Grey, because Clarke's trilogy would rather deserve it.
Book is about usual girl who meets charming guy who happens to be her employers son. Story is not only about butterflies in stomach when you fall in love, but also about difficulties in relationship, jealousy, trust issues. And about dreams come true :) With realistic, but positive happily ever after.
Rating: 5 of 5

 Photo from goodreads.com

First boardgame: Balloons by Amigo

Around age 2,5 years we started to play boardgames with our oldest son. Not playing with boardgame, it's details but really playing and respecting rules. The first board game of Jacob became Ballons. It is a card game suitable also for children aged 3, publisher - Amigo.
The game can be played by 2-5 people, and this is quite short (on the box written: ~ 10 minutes). Game mechanics is quite simple: each participant has 5 cards, they are placed on table face up.

Game action consists of drawing action cards. Possible actions are (1) loosing balloon (card is put face down) (2) gaining new card or opening face up the old card.
The winner is player with most balloons.
Playing the game with child, kid repeats and learns basic colours and counting till 5 or 6. It's also good way to teach child that you will sometimes something loose in life and you need to get along with it.
And, of course, game is a good opportunity for child to deal with loosing something, in this case, for example, cat snaps balloon or balloon flies away in the air.
When we had taught the game, the child asked to play it every night, but eventually dropped the child's initiative and now quite rare he pulls it out.
Comment to real boardgamers: in principle this is a simple luck game, because the ability to influence a game is minimal.

Book review: Fiona Neill - Friends, Lovers and other Indiscrestions

Fiona Neill - Friends, Lovers and other Indiscrestions 

Until eleven o`clock that morning in late February, Sam Diamond had considered himself a reasonably happily married man. It was his thirty-ninth birthday and every year since they had met, Laura had sprung a surprise on him. Admittedly these had become less inventive since they`d had children, and he always suspected she might be engaged in one-upmanship with his mother, but nevertheless he counted himself fortunate to be married to a woman who still went to such effort on her husband`s birthday.
(..)
As Hannah spoke, Laura wondered whether Hannah knew and was surprised to feel a vague sense of relief. Secrets were a burden. The fear of them unravelling a constant companion. She wondered how Hannah had discovered. Whether it was intuition or a process of elimination, because once you knew thatnit wasn`t Sam who had reduced her to that state of spent langour, then there were a finite number of men and women on the boat trip who could have been responsible.
(..)
'Unconventional,' said Dr Lieber drily. 'So who is going to kick off?" Sam and Laura looked at each other. Laura raised an eyebrow.
'It`s complicated,' said Sam.
'It always is,' said Dr Lieber.

At first, I have to admit that English isn`t my native language and reason I started this blog and switched from reading in my native language to reading in English is practise :)
And I don't know which modern authors are popular (ok, ok, E L James even I know).
This book was chosen quite randomly - saw it in book fairs cheap price basket, looked at cover and bought it.
Book is about couple (family) and their friends an life after happilly erver after. It is always so simple and predictable in romantic love stories/movies and also in life - to fall in love and to have pink glasses, butterflies in stomach et cetera.
But in real life and in this book you have inconvenient situations and choices, and sometimes indiscretions in circle of friends.
Book is humorous and with unpredictable turns.
I give to this book **** stars.
Enjoy reading!