Kaseys Korner

China Rich Girlfriend

It's been almost a year since I read the first book in this series and the second book was a better "trip" than the first one!!! No way was I going to let another year go by before I got to the final book so I've already downloaded it & I'm finishing this trilogy STAT!

The world of the ultra rich is fantastical & sublime. If you want a reality escape, what are you waiting for ~ jump in! Page after page of sumptuous, opulent living, phenomenal food, haute couture, jet-setting on a whim, every delicious detail of that life is contained herein. A surreal existence to the ordinary people of the world but carry me away Kevin Kwan!!

I was happy to find all my favorite characters were back ~ Rachel & Nick (of course!), Astrid & Peik Lin plus there's some additional new ones (like this series needed even more characters to keep track of!!!) I really liked Carlton and Colette. Colette kinda bombed out a bit in the end but is she really finished??? I get the feeling NOT! and "Puh leese" let Astrid find her stride in 'Rich People Problems' because I like her so much but she's been doing nothing but self-sabotaging her potential. Trying to make less of herself in the first book just to keep Michael from being insecure and then in this book letting him run rough shod all over her. ugh. Be the Queen you are girl!!

There are at least three storylines in 'China Rich Girlfriend' and I thought Kitty Pongs might not have been necessary?? She played a much bigger role than she did in 'Crazy Rich Asians' so now I'm wondering if her character is evolving into an even more central player for book three?? You can bet I'm gonna find out!

btw, the movie based off the first book was great ~ I can't wait for the sequel to hit the big screen too. It's sure to be every bit as good as the first one!

House on Endless Waters

There's an extremely worthy story in this book that warrants telling. No doubt about it. It's a horribly sad one too ~ involving Jewish children that were hidden (given up voluntarily) by their parents to a Dutch underground network during WWII in an effort to save their lives. Tragically that well-intentioned effort resulted in many of those children being "lost" in the process with only a small fraction ever reunited with their biological parents once the War ended. It's quite a moving and important piece of Amsterdam history.

Unfortunately, the format the author chose to relate it, fell dismally short. At least in my opinion. It's so convoluted, the protagonist seems to be pulling his past out of thin air & relaying it as fact. I spent much of the time wondering "where did he get that?? "Did he just make that up??" There's some explanation toward the end of the book where his information was derived but by then I was teetering on the edge of disinterest (which is horrible considering the subject matter.) What Yoel learns about his boyhood explains much of his personality but I still had the hardest time liking him and getting into the story.

Not a book I'll be quick to recommend.

The Winter Ghosts

** spoiler alert ** Beautifully written but very melancholy.

Reading Kate Mosse is how I first became aware of the Cathars and how they were so despised and persecuted by the Catholic Church. This book another unveiling of that despicable behavior wrapped up in a mystery and uncovered by a grieving man.

It's a sad tale, be in the right frame of mind but this authors books are never a waste of time.