Raven: Sons of Fortune 

A novel by Jeffrey Archer

Publication date: January 8, 2003
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pages: 516
Target Audience: General 

Summary: In the late 1940s in Hartford, Connecticut a set of twins are parted at birth. Nat Cartwright goes home with his parents, a schoolteacher and an insurance salesman. But his twin is to begin his days as Fletcher Andrew Davenport, the only son of a multi-millionaire and his society wife.

During the years that follow, the two brothers grow up unaware of each other's existence. Nat leaves college at the University of Connecticut to serve in Vietnam. He returns a war hero, finishes school and becomes a successful banker. Fletcher, meanwhile, has graduated from Yale University and distinguishes himself as a criminal defense lawyer before he is elected a senator.

Even when Nat and Fletcher fall in love with the same girl they still don't meet. They continue on their separate paths until one has to defend the other for a murder he did not commit. But the final confrontation comes when Nat and Fletcher are selected to stand against each other for governor of the state.

This book like all other Jeffrey Archer books is great. The start of the book reminded me of his book The Fourth Estate (A book review that I have already done) but as you go on reading you will realise that it's nothing like that book at all. 

The story is set in the time between the 1940's and the end of the twentieth century. They have a common rival Elliot, who in my opinion is a total jerk (which is obviously what the author wanted us to feel). There is intense rivalry at different parts with different people which makes the book all the more interesting. 

Fletcher and Nat's devoted love towards their wife and child is adorable, which leads to the small intense action between one of the main characters and the rival (I am not telling who) which is awesome and as I was reading the action part I was rooting for the protagonist to punch the heck out of the other person.

The court proceedings for a murder (mentioned in summary) is very interesting, no doubt due to the authors history in Her Majesty's prison. 

The reason why the twins were not instantly pointed out when they both stand for election is revealed just before the ending. The revealing of the birth secret of the twins is so nerve-wreckingly cool that I almost peed my pants reading it.

If truth be told, I stopped reading the book from the second last chapter because I was scared that it was going to be finally over which was obviously something that I would not be able to handle. But curiosity took the better of me and I was back to reading the book after a couple of hours of grieving.

The ending is fantastic. Jeffrey Archer has a way of putting everything into place in the most awesomest ways. I am warning you though, read the ending carefully twice or thrice to get it right. At first you might think something else but if you read it again carefully you will attain the right answer.

I rate it 4.5 for its beautiful way of portraying things and also because I am a full on hater of racists and it seems like the author is too. Woohoo!

Lots of love and pasta,

Raven

Dream Cast!!

Tim Dekay as Fletcher, John Cusack as Nat, Leah Michele as Annie, Robin Thicke as Ralph, Michelle Yeoh as Su Ling

Raven: The Fourth Estate 

A novel by Jeffrey Archer

Publication date: July 1st, 1997
Publisher: HarperPaperbacks
Pages: 742
Target Audience: Anyone and everyone

Summary: Lubji Hoch survived World War II on luck, guts, and ruthlessness. At the war's end, renamed Richard Armstrong, he buys a floundering newspaper in Berlin and deviously puts his competitors out of business. But it isn't enough. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Keith Townsend, the Oxford-educated son of a millionaire newspaper owner, takes over his family's business. His energy and brilliant strategic thinking quickly make him the leading newspaper publisher in Australia. Still, he longs to move on to the world stage.

As both Armstrong and Townsend seize control of everything they see, their ambitions collide on a global scale. But suddenly they both find themselves threatened by financial disaster and enormous debt. Frantic to save his crumbling empire, each man turns desperate. One's quest will lead to triumph, the other's will end in tragedy in this awesome tale of wealth and corruption, desire and destruction.

This is another one of Jeffrey Archers great books but if you have read A Prisoner of Birth before then I don't think this will interest you. It is not as fast paced as his other books that I have read. The thing that reeled me into this book was the rivalry among newspaper companies. I had never given a second thought to the way the newspaper industry works but if it's anything like this book then it must be one hell of a roller coaster. It's got humor in the most unexpected situations which makes the reading fun. 

I liked the female characters that accompany the protagonists. They are smart, cunning and beautiful. This is also another reason why I love reading Jeffrey Archer books, he never degrades women by insulting them or making fun of them. He portrays them as someone who are smarter than men. Love you Mister Archer!

I rate this a 3.5 because compared to his other works, I know he can do better.

Lots of love and pasta,

Raven

Dream Cast!!

George Clooney as Kieth Townsend, Tom Hanks as Lubji Hoch

Beez: Faking it 

Cora Carmack

Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.
Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.

Let me be honest. I did not finish this book. It is totally cliche. Guy is hung up on best friend who's getting married to someone else. Meets girl- wild, failing music courier, beautiful, different and has boyfriend. But poor girl needs pretty boy to ____ parents for money. Of course, pretty boy agrees. Angry girls parents love him.  Even though they are pretending, pretty boy is utterly smitten and angry girl doesn't admit it but shots of electricity fly when he touched her. They share few secrets, connect, he watches her bare her soul and some magic happens. Then they do the "deed". Pretty boy is willing to do anything. But angry girl shoves him in a wall. Alas! she still needs him. -i stopped reading her, but i can tell you exactly what happens next- Lots of stammering apologies, admitting it was a mistakes, pretty boy's hurting all over again. Thick chemistry in the air. Angry girl just wants to forget but she needs him, her reasons now different then before. Situations change, they are forced into everything together. Neither of them can handle it but to each other they look like they are way past it. "Accidentally" some heated kisses happen. Now, last thing in this stew, rest will happen on its on. Distance. Angry girl finally admits she's over in love and pretty boy returns made up mind that he will pretend she does not exist to find- angry girl waiting for him on his doorstep.... 

Total cliche. 
Not that i didn't like it. 2 years ago i would have died over this book. I still am a sucker for them. But why i didn't like this book - Cade aka pretty boy. He's a nice guy, selfless, kind, very cute and in all your average good guy. What i din't like is how in the start of the book he was so pathetically in love with his best friend. Looking at her with puppy dog eyes, so not over her. Guys are strictly not sappy creatures. Then when he meets Max, he agrees to act like her boyfriend to her parents for- a date! That's it. Max's boyfriend literally fled when he heard her folks were coming down. But he simply agrees, only for a date. Fast forward to after the acting- Cade has been persuaded to come to a bar by flirty one-night-stand-kinda-guy Milo (tell me which guy in his right mind has to be persuaded to come to a bar with tons of girls- guys live for that such of a thing). Then a pretty blond attaches her to him and he feels nothing- no remote interest although he notices Max from across the room! There is a sexy blond on his arm clearly into him and he does not notice her! Lets be bland, guys are all about sex, they can't really say no to it(can't say no by Conor Maynard).  So as much as i like Cade i can't help but find his character ridiculous. 

 Now the good part- I like Max. She is full of this bursting anger and energy, so combustible. She wild and not afraid. And even though she is constantly in denial as far as Cade is concerned its human, i can imagine anybody being afraid of falling in love, putting herself out there and taking a risk of getting hurt. She's full of a vibrant energy and gives out that mysterious, shimmering, disappearing girl vibe. I'd like to think that in the future i have her personality, i mean who can refuse a "who's that girl?" kind of girl, even Cade can't.Another thing i like is how this book is written- its's visual and very real. It makes the whole cliche'd fantasy seem so real and fairy tale-y.

So my verdict. I'd say if you're into dreamy stuff and are a sucker for good guys falling for bad girl stories and want to cuddle up with some warm and other feelings- go for it. However if you're prefer more realistic stuff and get very exasperated at exaggerations and shots of electricity stay away- unless of course you're in a very bad mood and want to get out some wicked "really?" laughs.And lastly, if you're a girl in desperate need of unrequited love from an inanimate object, don't hesitate.;)

Lots of love and sex
Beez.

Dream Cast!!

Darren criss as Cade, Mila Kunis as Max, Javier Bardem as Milo. Victoria Justice as Bliss.