WWW Wednesdays (#6)

This is regular meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Here are my answers for WWW Wednesdays (August 31, 2011):

Waiting On Wednesday (#2)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials are both fascinating to me. This series is on my top favorites and I can't wait to read the final book soon. There were no dull moments and every turn of events put me on the edge of my seat. If you like dystopian/sci-fi novel, you should check this series. 

Happy Wednesday!

Special Guest Post: Author Martin King

Hello fellow readers, bloggers and writers! Today, I am honored to have Author Martin King as a special guest on my blog site. This post is part of Martin's "100 Blogs As A Child" August Tour, where he writes 100 blogs in 100 different websites in the single month of August. Enjoy the post, and make sure you check his site and the other awesome blogs of #100BLOGFEST. Happy Reading!

JOKES by Martin King

So when you were younger you visited the Holy Grail of all shops – the Joke shop! I was fortunate to grow up in a shop with a fully fledged joke shop. Nowadays they are hard to come by, but even back then they didn’t encompass every street corner.

Do you remember the fake finger, the one with the nail straight through it and the blood painted on it? How was it even possible to believe that you could convince your parents that you had actually got a nail sticking in your finger? Looking back it was so fake.

Then there was Captain Windybottoms Fart Powder. And believe it or not, it actually worked. It was easy dropping it into your parent’s cuppa when they weren’t looking, but near on impossible getting anywhere near your mates drink.

This brings me nicely onto the whoopee cushion. The one item you hid under the cushion on the settee in time for the visit of Aunt Muriel. It seemed I was the only one who appreciated it. Why are parents so boring and fuddy-duddy?

Then there was blood capsules and snapits, those little white things you chucked on the ground and they made a faint ‘snap’ sound. Or what about the fake chewing gum, the one where you offered it to your friend and as they pulled it out, a spring snapped out and slammed on their finger.

But the ultimate joke has to be the fake dog turd!! Every kids perfect trick, placing it in the middle of the living room carpet. And to be totally honest, it was pretty real looking as well. But I’m not going to mention every joke, I will leave that to you.

These blogs are all about fun and sharing. Thank you for reading a ‘#100blogfest’ blog. Please follow this link to find the next blog in the series: http://martinkingauthor.com/blog/7094550076

Teaser Tuesday (#6)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along. You just have to:

Grab your current read.

Open to a random page.

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

What are you reading? I would love to see your teaser...

Happy Teaser Tuesday!

In My Mailbox (#5)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Ms. Kristi of The Story Siren. 

Everyone is welcome to participate.

If you want to know how you can join, you may visit IMM Page at The Story Siren's website.

I only got four books:

HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire

WILDEFIRE by Karsten Knight

POSSESSION by Elana Johnson (DONE)

FOREVER by Maggie Stiefvater

Among the four books, this one is the most special to me... you can see why =) This was sent to me by one of my FB-BFF Kim Mathwig all the way from Minnesota, USA! She sent it to me signed by one of my most favorite author Maggie Stiefvater! =)

(Thanks again so much Kim!)

What's in your mailbox today?

Book Review: Jezebel's Wish by AJ Nuest

Jezebel’s Wish
Author: AJ Nuest
Publication Date: March 14, 2011
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre/Category: Adult Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Summary on Goodreads:

Haunted by nightmares, tormented by guilt, Jezebel came to Redemption Ranch to escape the past—except now she's stuck in the middle of nowhere with no redemption in sight. When her mother pushes her into riding lessons with local veterinarian Matthias Saunders, Jezebel balks. Sure, the doctor is gorgeous, but he’s completely obnoxious and knows how to push every one of her buttons.

Only her deep connection with The Reverend, a gentle stallion who guards her darkest secrets, has her agreeing to spend any more time with Dr. Saunders. Caring for the stallion is the first bright spot in her life in months, and if being around the horse means she has to deal with Matthias Saunders, then so be it. Surely a city girl like her can handle one country vet—even one with disturbing blue eyes. Can't she?

My Thoughts:

This is the first book I received for review from author AJ Nuest. I was so excited to read it though I was nervous that I may not like it and end up writing a so-so review.  That is hard to write and definitely one thing I hate to do. Every book deserves an honest review and so here's what I thought:

This book started with a bang! and I was immediately submerged to Jezebel's emotional struggle. Tormented by guilt and unbearable pain, Jezzy returned to her mother and sister, hoping that somehow she'll find peace at the Redemption Ranch, leaving her usual life in the city... for a while. But she never imagined her life with a new man. And as Jezzy found friendship with the gentle dark-mane stallion "The Reverend", she soon found love in the arms of Dr. Matthias Saunders. It's a good combination when the author created a broken heroine with a strong and kind hero. Every woman needs a hero like Matty! He's kind and smart, and ever-so-patient that it will make you love him even more as you progress in your reading. Surely, love comes in mysterious ways--in times when you least expect it. Most especially during the times when you don't think you deserve it. 

There were a few parts in the story that I found to be a little slow but I was really surprised by the turn of events during the last part. I love how the author created the beautiful ending that it made me smile (a big smile actually =) and sleep happily after the emotional and heart-wrenching feeling I had throughout the entire book. I think about it every time, and I still smile whenever I remember it. I think that is the best part--after all the pain and the hardships, there's still a happily ever after for Matty and Jezzy. It was inspiringly beautiful.

"Isolation isn't about where you are. It's about the choices you make."

I'd say that more than anything, this is about forgiveness and love. The truth is that everyone, even you, despite your dark and painful past, deserves forgiveness, redemption, and most of all... love. 

My Rating:

TGIF, Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop!

TGIF is a weekly meme hosted by 

Ms. Ginger @GReads . Anyone can participate. 

If you want to join, just do the following:

Re-cap your posts for the week

Answer the weekly question

Make sure to link back at the bottom of GReads TGIF Post. 

Please check this week's posts on Books4Juliet:

In My Mailbox (#4)

Book Review: Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready

Teaser Tuesday (#5)

Waiting on Wednesday (#1)

Best Books Blog Award

This Friday's Question:

Book Associations: Which genre, authors, or particular books do you think people associate with your reading style?

This is my 4th time joining TGIF @Greads and to tell you honestly, this is the hardest question among the three I participated in. Maybe I am associated with young adult books--mostly paranormal/urban fantasy, dystopian and contemporary romance. But I can't pick one in particular. I am hoping you can help me :) What do you think?

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel @ Parajunkee and Alison @ Alison Can Read. If you want to join and see how this meme works, be sure to click the image above.  Happy Follow Friday!

Check out this week's Feature Blogs:

Jenni Elyse

Caught in the Pages

Q. In some books like the Sookie Stackhouse series the paranormal creature in question "comes out of the closet" and makes itself known to the world. Which mythical creature do you wish this would happen with in real life?

I think Faeries would be interesting creatures! And I would particularly choose Ethan, Kimber and Keane from Jenna Black's Faeriewalker series. They are the awesome trio I wish to come out from my closet! =)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy for Books. This is where book bloggers and book readers connect and support each other or just chat about books. This is super crazy fun and all readers and bloggers can join! If you want to know how to participate, just click the image above to visit Crazy for Books Blog.

This week's topic:

“Non-book-related this week!! Do you have pets?”

I don't particularly remember owning one which is exclusively mine. Since I was little, my family owned at least one dog. When they die, we adopt new ones. Shaquille is the last dog we owned... he died last year :( Since then we didn't adopt a new pet except for a couple of stray cats that my mother take care of and are now living around the house. I am now living with my hubby and little son and we have some companies living  inside the garage of our own home--one dalmatian and one german shepherd. =)

Best Books Blog Award (Yay!)

Just this afternoon, I told my friends how tired and exhausted I was... and that I apologized for not responding to their posts in a while. Then I received an awesome news from Author & Illustrator Ms. Deirdra Eden Coppel, the beautiful lady behind A Storybook World , telling me I have an award! Yes, an award! and I suddenly felt so energized! =)

Writing book reviews is fun and overwhelming... but being recognized for your work is truly SOMETHING. I cannot thank enough the wonderful people who acknowledge writers and bloggers like us, giving us more reasons to be inspired and feel important. 

This post is for Ms. Deirdra, for being so kind and generous to give me the "Best Books Blog Award". I hope I'll be more of a help to you and to others. It's a wonderful feeling to share the love. Thanks so much!

Waiting On Wednesday (#1)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Matched, the first book on the series is one of my most favorite books and that's why I'm so excited to read Crossed. I enjoy dystopian novels and this is one of the best series in the genre. Heartbreaking and compelling story about love and sacrifice--all depending on the choice you make.

Teaser Tuesday (#5)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along. You just have to:

Grab your current read.

Open to a random page.

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I am reading Jezebel's Wish by AJ Nuest. I started it last night and I'm so enjoying it...

What are you reading? I'd love to hear your teaser =)

Book Review: SHIFT by Jeri Smith-Ready

Shift (Shade #2)
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Publication Date: May 3, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre/Category: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Mystery

Summary on Goodreads:

Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever.

She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

My Thoughts:

I finished Shift early this morning but I couldn't put it down even after I closed the book. I actually kept this book with me everywhere I went--from the bedroom to the living room, to the kitchen and to my hubby's office later this afternoon... ok... except during my bath ;)

If you haven't read Shade, do so! You can read my review HERE. 

Shade ended with a huge cliff hanger so I needed to read the next book right away. The story pick up exactly where it left off in the first book, so I was even happier that I had Shift at my bedside table the time I finished Shade. And once more, I immediately dived in and felt like I'll be shattered again knowing that Logan is still very much part of the story, especially of Aura and Zach. All throughout the book I felt the same throbbing feeling in my chest... I keep hoping that Logan will soon find peace and will let go Aura so she can finally have a future with Zach. But then again, every time I think of Logan passing on, I feel broken and sad again. It felt like he died over and over again.

Heartbreaking and compelling as the first book... Shift didn't disappoint me. I love Shade but I love this book even more! The story just keeps getting better. I've seen how these characters matures as the story unfolds. As some of the secrets revealed, it made the story more haunting and exciting at the same time. I didn't want this story to end... not now and maybe not even after the final book.

What more can I say? I truly enjoyed it. I read in every spare minute I could find. I was totally absorbed from the beginning up to the last page. I never felt settled and calm, instead I always prepared myself for a roller coaster ride of emotions which the author never failed to imposed. I didn't expect the ending would be more satisfying either... because I knew that something bigger could still happen. But this time I was even more surprised by how the author pulled the story together to make a perfect ending for Shift. I love how things turned out for all the characters-- for Logan's family and friends, for Zach, for Aura, and especially for Logan. The ending was too overwhelming--it made me read the last three chapters again and again until I was able to tell myself, "Ok, It's time to write your review now!" =)

(SHINE, the final book in Shade Trilogy will be available: Summer 2012) 

I can't wait!

My Rating:

In My Mailbox (#4)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Ms. Kristi of The Story Siren. 

Everyone is welcome to participate.

If you want to know how you can join, you may visit IMM Page at The Story Siren's website.

Last week I promised myself that I won't be buying any more books until I finished those I bought in the previous weeks. But when I saw that there's a book sale at one of our local bookstore, I didn't hesitate buying the rest of the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead. What can I do? I wasn't able to resist... I'm only human ;)  And since I already have my copy of the Vampire Academy #1, I took home with me the following:

FROSTBITE

SHADOW KISS

BLOOD PROMISE

SPIRIT BOUND

( Too bad, Last Sacrifice is sold out!) 

I hope I can start this series right away, but since I have a few more books to finish, I need to set them aside for a while... 

So what have you got in your mailbox?

TGIF #3 & Follow Friday #3

TGIF is a weekly meme hosted by Ms. Ginger @ GReads

Anyone can participate. If you want to join, just do the following:

Re-cap your posts for the week

Answer the weekly question

Make sure to link back at the bottom of GReads TGIF Post.

This week on Books 4 Juliet:

W...W...W... Wednesday (#5)

Teaser Tuesday (#4)

Book Review: GONE (Wake #3) by Lisa McMann

Book Review: SHADE (Shade #1) by Jeri Smith-Ready

This Friday's Question:

The Reviews We Don't Write: 

Have you ever read a book and not wanted to review it? Are some books too personal that we want to keep our thoughts our own? 

My Answer:

Yes and I'd say it's a bit frustrating on my part. 

I can easily write a book review when:

#1 - The book is amazing an I can't wait to post my thoughts about it!

#2 - The book is disappointing and I need to let the words out! 

But there are books which I find so difficult to review 

and sometimes don't want to post at all--those books 

that falls between "I LOVE" and "I HATE". The "Just OK" books! 

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by 

Rachel @ Parajunkee and Alison @ Alison Can Read. 

If you want to join and see how this meme works, 

be sure to click the image above. 

Happy Follow Friday!

Check out this week's Feature Blogs:

Stuck In Books

BelleBooks

Q. If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be and what role would you play in that book?

This is a very interesting question! 

#1 - I want to be Bella's sister if I can't be Bella :) 

I always loved Twilight that's why! 

#2 - I don't like Clary much so I'd rather be another Shadowhunter so I can steal Jace. 

The thing is, I don't want to face demons! 

#3 - I can also be part of a dystopian world just like Divergent, 

and if I could be Tris, then why not? I'll have Four! ;)

#4 - I want to be Anna in Anna and the French Kiss. 

I love St. Clair and the setting is so ideal and romantic. Paris plus Etienne is just perfect!

Book Review: SHADE by Jeri Smith-Ready

Shade (Shade #1)
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Publication Date: May 4, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre/Category: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Mystery

Summary on Goodreads:

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

My Thoughts:

I'm so excited to share my thoughts about this book and I can't wait to tell you how much I enjoyed reading Shade.

Last week, the final matched in YA Crush Tourney (hosted by YA Sisterhood) rocked the whole blogosphere. That was the first time I participated in the event since Jace of TMI was in the final match. I so love Jace and I was sure that time, that he'll definitely won the competition! Who by the way is Zach? I never heard of him! But then the votes came and my confidence was slowly replaced by doubt... votes are pouring in for Jace but also for Zach! It was a real close match! I began to wonder about this Zachary Moore... and because of my tremendous curiosity, I was desperate to get the book to meet this Scottish guy who ended up competing with Jace. And so my  journey in meeting Zach began...

I can't explain how I felt the time I started reading Shade. I was too excited to read it and the fact that I was finally holding the book in my hand, made my heart palpitates while I read the first chapter. What do you call that feeling when you're heart palpitates and you seem to be out of breath? Well, if there is something like JHSBS (Just Holding Shade Book Syndrome), then I think I have one now! It was a weird feeling but I really liked it.

"I knew that everything would change the next night. It was like time had folded in on itself, and I could remember the future. A future I already hated." - Aura

I love the story because it's UNIQUE. At first I thought it will be a little creepy (and I'm a bit hesitant to read it during the night), but no... it's not creepy at all even though it mentions a lot about ghosts. It was actually amazing how the author created a world full of ghosts and yet doesn't give you the creepy feeling... nothing like that at all. Instead, what I felt is purely excitement--for Aura and Zach, sadness--for Aura and Logan. I felt mixture of emotions when I read this book. It was fun and exciting to read especially when it's about Aura and Zach. Their wit and humor kept me entertained. I can't tell you how much I giggled when they're together! Aura's thoughts about Zach made me laugh all the time! And yeah, what kind of dork notices ankles? Seriously? I DO! ;)

This was Bad with a capital Hell No... 

Get a grip Aura, it's just the accent.

Now I understand what TeamKilt means! lol! And I'm loving the Scottish accent too! But since I read this book to meet Zach, I never thought that I would end up loving not only one guy but two! I can't tell you yet who I love the most--Logan or Zach. I love them both! 

I tell you, it's not all the time that I find a good heroine even though a book is good. And I'd say, Aura is one of my most favorite heroines. The author created a character that not only possess beauty but also has depth and strong personality. I like the way she express herself, not liberated but not too conservative either. She's real and I like how she deals with everything in her life, and most importantly, she's not annoying. 

I have to let you go, so that one of us can live. -Logan

I hope I'm not giving too much away. I love to write reviews with some of my favorite lines from the book and I'm telling you that I found plenty in Shade. This made my reading a lot more special and meaningful to me. I don't know how I could write my emotions as exactly as how I feel it, but I hope somehow I gave this book even a little justice. It was intriguing and engrossing at the same time. I couldn't put it down the moment I started reading. I was on the verge of tears every time I read about Aura and Logan. It's just so so sad that I'm always teary-eyed. If I wasn't reading this book with my son and hubby on my side last night, I'm sure I cried a lot. I'm too emotional and I'm not really good at saying good bye, no matter how. There are just things that we can no longer possess even though they were once ours. This story is so good--sad and heartbreaking, but hauntingly beautiful.

Once again, I'd say I love this book, I love the characters, and I love the author who wrote it! The keyword is obviously--Love.

My Rating:

WWW Wednesdays (#5)

This is regular meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Here are my answers for WWW Wednesdays (August 17, 2011):

What's yours?

Happy W...W...W... Wednesday!

Teaser Tuesday (#4)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along. You just have to:

Grab your current read.

Open to a random page.

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

What's your Teaser Tuesday for this week?

Book Review: GONE by Lisa McMann

Gone (Wake #3)
Author: Lisa McMann
Publication Date: February 9, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre/Category: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Mystery

Summary on Goodreads:

Janie thought she knew what her future held. And she thought she’d made her peace with it. But she can’t handle dragging Cabel down with her.

She knows he will stay with her, despite what she sees in his dreams. He’s amazing. And she’s a train wreck. Janie sees only one way to give him the life he deserves: She has to disappear. And it’s going to kill them both.

Then a stranger enters her life — and everything unravels. The future Janie once faced now has an ominous twist, and her choices are more dire than she’d ever thought possible. She alone must decide between the lesser of two evils. And time is running out. . . .

My Thoughts:

I love both Wake and Fade, the first two books in this series. And though I enjoyed reading Gone, I'd say that this is my least favorite in the Wake trilogy books.

I became hesitant to read Gone when I saw the negative reviews from other readers, especially those who are fans of the series. But when I heard that it was optioned for a movie, I knew that I need to read the final book.

Janie and Cabel were back, but this time, there is no more mind-blowing case and mysteries to solve which I enjoyed in the last two books. The story is now focused on Janie's problems--her future being a dream catcher and her future with Cabel. Cabel on the other hand is not as prominent in this book, I missed the old Cabel--the sexy, bad boy from Wake and Fade which I loved. And just like what the other readers mentioned on their reviews, Gone has no definite complication that I can considered as the climax of the story... no electrifying or heart-throbbing moment at all. But I'd say that the story is still good despite the absence of those hard-gripping parts, exciting enough to make me want to finish the book, plus the appearance of Janie's father made the third book a bit emotional for me...

I think the author wrote a satisfying conclusion for this remarkable series. It has good ending and yet still open for a possible sequel. I'm glad that I finally finished the novels and now I'm ready and excited to see this series comes to life when the movie hit the big screen!  

My Rating:

In My Mailbox (#3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Ms. Kristi of The Story Siren. 

Everyone is welcome to participate.

If you want to know how you can join, you may visit IMM Page at The Story Siren's website.

These are the few grabs I had for the last two weeks. I finally got my hardcover copy of Anna and the French Kiss! It took me a month before I received the copy. I already read this wonderful book of Stephanie Perkins on my kindle a few months ago and it became a favorite book of mine. So that's why I ordered a hardcover for my collection.

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs is what I've finished recently (here's my review) along with Gone by Lisa McMann.

And these 3 more books I'm so excited to read:

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Forgotten by Cat Patrick
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

About Vampire Academy, I know I'm so left behind! I haven't read this series and it took me weeks before I finally found a copy... I want to read Bloodlines that's why I decided to read Vampire Academy first. I know I have lots of reading to do before I can catch up. Wish me luck!