Daniella Brodsky

Although this book took me a while to get through, It was through no fault of its own. This book was actually right up my alley, and was probably one of my favorite chick-lit books i've read in a long time. I could relate to Lorianne (the main character) because i'm almost done with hairdressing school right now, and have big dreams for my future, similar to what she had for herself.

Lorianne's romantic situation, although fustrating at times, was relatable, everyone has either gone through or knows someone who can't get over a relationship that was toxic in nature, and that always ends in hurt, because of disapointment, cheating, etc. I like how Lorianne's decisions played out in the end though.

The aspect of the Princesses in this book was a bit mean girl-esqe, which was ok with me because I loved that movie, but it also reminded me of the show "You're Cut Off", and showed this level of society girls that are used to getting whatever their hearts desired, whenever they wanted it. I love that high-society kind of story, maybe because thats so far from my own life, but I enjoy reading stories that involve that kind of character for some reason.

Overall, I really enjoyed the storyline, Lorianne's career was one that intrigued me, I've never read a chick-lit novel that's main character was in the beauty industry, in fact I feel like they are always in the jouralism or editorial fields, and thats about it, which personally gets a bit dull after a while, because it's so repetitive. I also loved the characters as well as Lorianne's romantic interests. If you like fun, hilarious, and a modern chick-lit story you'll love this one.… (meer)

You can also read my review here: http://www.turningthepages.ca/2012/01/review-princess-of-park-avenue.html

"Jenny from the block" is a perfect song to listen to while reading Princess of Park Avenue. A girl from the 'other side of the tracks' making her way to the big city with nothing but hope and a prayer.

We have all been there, snubbed by someone who we have put our everything into, someone we invested more than just blood, sweat and tears. Lorraine is not the first girl who has run away from her problems and shown them who's boss. This was one of my favourite parts of the novel. I loved how strong (even though sometimes wavering) Lorraine was. To pick up and start fresh in the 'unknown' just seems so scary. To see her move up the ranks to the upper-crust of Manhattan was a journey made of dreams.

Putting Lorraine aside, I found the characters in this novel to be a bit over-the-top. A group of almost thirty-somethings still hanging out at the school? Guido, the owner of an amazing salon who just 'lets' a newbie take over and rise to the top. The 'Princesses' drove me bonkers... I wanted to punch them in the face everytime they were mentioned. But no character made me as mad as Tommy. That boy makes the stuff on the bottom of my shoes look good. All-in-all, it felt a lot like an episode of Jersey Shore gone bad.

Overall, the whole story felt a bit too long, I felt that this book has a lot of promise and with some refining, it could become a definite must-read.… (meer)

The question "What am I going to do?" is simply too intense for Viv to answer with Grams dead on the other side of the door.

Vivian Skylar, food journalist and aspiring author, spent the majority of her life leaning on her grandmother's confidence and strength. After Viv's dad died and her mom decided abandonment was the answer, Grams became Viv's mother figure and best friend. That dependability, that love, puts Viv in a bad spot when Grams dies...the bad spot being the bathroom in Gram's hospital room. There, her attempts at coping with her grandmother's death isn't any easier.

It's not surprising that a neon, pigeon shaped that reads 'Pigeon Astrology' grabbed Viv's attention. What is surprising, definitely for a character who doubts the reliability of horoscopes, is that Viv would ring the apartment's second floor bell. The moment Astrologer Kavia explains Viv's horoscope, Vivian is hooked. Never has every corner of her soul been so bluntly spelled out.

In the beginning, her new dependency on Kavia's forecasts and guidance seem all good. Viv avoids getting on a train Kavia predicts will crash and meets a wonderful guy named Len. Soon, Len and her grow such a bond that when the stars tell Viv that Len and her are not meant to be, Viv is back asking the same question from page one.

What is she going to do? Should she finally take control of her life or should she keep depending on Kavia and her horoscopes?

Daniella Brodsky did a beautiful job with Vivian Rising. The writing style is clear and full of funny, yet insightful comparisons and thoughts. The narrative fits well with the qoutes/passages in the beginning of each chapter; in fact, some of them still make me smile when they come to mind. All the characters, even the ones that only made a few appearances, had a startling realisticness to them. When I first started reading, I expected astrology to take the story over. Not that I would have minded. I'm not a big astrology junkie, nor do I believe all of it is the absolute truth, but I do enjoy reading about virgos. I also have a bad habit of searching the compatibility between me and any new guy I grow a serious crush on. Daniella didn't let that happen, though. She made sure astrology was a back drop important to Vivian's development.

I enjoyed Len and Vivian's romance. Since I'm mostly a paranormal/fantasy reader, and much of the romance I've read in those genres often come across as over the top (I'm not big on romance), I found Len and Viv's growing love refreshingly complex and simple. I loved the odd gifts they left each other, the disagreements, the time they spent both apart and together. Not once did I roll my eyes.

Vivian Rising is a story about what it means to take charge, cope with grief, and live life -- all messages that none of us should miss out on.
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My name is Tiffany Cole, and I'm a book reviewer for Suspense Magazine. I am also an aspiring young writer. Savior of the Damned, the supernatural/dark urban fantasy novel I've been writing and editing for five years, is one step away from the agent/publisher hunt. You can find me in many places:

writergirllw@yahoo.com
tiffanyrambles.blogspot.com
http://suspensemagazine.com/
writershaven.tk
rhemalda.com/
http://tinyurl.com/27x9sdz {My Facebook}… (meer)