Just Taking A Break (I'll be back!)

(PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE WEB)

It's been a while since I've been active on my blog. I'm sorry if I wasn't able to drop by, post a review, or participate in any of the memes. I didn't post anything for a couple of weeks now, and to tell you honestly, I really missed blogging so much. The reason I stopped blogging for a while is because I got pregnant with my second child, with my new son (yes it's a boy!). I am 18 weeks pregnant today, happy and excited and overwhelmed. We've been praying for another child since last year and God is so good that He gave us another one this year. Our first child turned four last September and by that time I was already two months pregnant. We're expecting our baby on April 2013 and I am so excited! But along with my pregnancy my priorities changed, my routines got affected, and my moods aren't the same as before. Since I got pregnant with my second child, my mood affects my interest to read books and much more to write reviews. It's been a while since I last visited the bookstore and buy books. It's been months! I miss it. I miss reading. I miss sleeping late at night just to finish a favorite book. I miss writing reviews afterwards. I miss finding new books to read on Goodreads. I miss talking to fellow bloggers. I miss having the chance to talk to different authors and do some guest posts and interviews and blog tours. I miss the whole book blogging community and I miss Books4Juliet. It's just that, I am always tired and sleepy and all I wanna do is lay down in bed or in the sofa, thinking... playing games on my phone or ipad. I've been busy with my son's schooling too--doing his costumes for school and accompanying him in their school activities, plus assignments and exams. All these got all my time and I hardly had enough energy to read during the night. I got sick and my allergies are in full force now that I got pregnant. It was irritating, actually. But over all these things, I'm happy and enjoying my journey. I love being a mom and nothing in the world could ever replace the fulfillment and happiness I get for being a wife to my hubby and a mother to my children. Slowly, I feel like I'm getting back the mood to read and write reviews again but I can't promise anything. For the last couple of weeks I only read a few books. I know I'm waaay behind my Reading Challenge this year, but I'm not losing hope that I will get through it by the end of December. I don't know but I will try.

By the way, here are the books I managed to squeezed in my schedule and moody days but wasn't able to write the reviews (sorry!):

If I Stay by Gayle Forman (2 Coffee Cups)

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry (5 Coffee Cups)

Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer Armentrout (5 Coffee Cups)

The Perfect Game by J. Sterling (5 Coffee Cups)

I started The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, but I'm not finished with it yet. It was slow for me. I still want to finish it but I don't know when.

Anyway, I finished Rebel Heart by Moira Young and posted my review here (yes, I wrote a review!) I'm not sure if I'm ready to return and blog again, but I will try to post a review (or maybe two) every once in a while. 

Until then, I wanna wish all of you in advance, a very Merry Christmas and I hope that you won't get tired of visiting my blog every now and then. I'll be back! Thank you for all your support and love and understanding. Keep reading. Keep dreaming. I miss you all. Xoxoxo.

P.S. Here's a picture of me and my son taken last week on my 17th week :)

Book Review: REBEL HEART by Moira Young

Rebel Heart (Dust Lands #2)

Author: Moira Young

Published: October 30th 2012

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Genre: YA, Dystopian

Summary | Add to TBR

It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise.

What is the truth about Jack? And how far will Saba go to get what she wants? In this much-anticipated follow-up to the riveting Blood Red Road, a fierce heroine finds herself at the crossroads of danger and destiny, betrayal and passion.

My Thoughts:

You couldn't find nobody more pig-headed if you tried. An she's always thinkin she knows best, even when she don't, especially when she don't. She's prickly an stubborn an everythin you'd put at the bottom of a list if you was makin a ... a list of that kind. Which I ain't. I didn't. but ohmigawd... she shines so bright. The fire of life burns strong in her. I never realized till I met her... I bin cold my whole life... - Jack

I couldn't even say any other word that would fit Saba's personality other than Jack's description of her. She's fierce, she's intense, she burns, she's Saba. I liked her more in this book than in Blood Red Road. I appreciate how Saba grow as a woman from being the immature Saba I met in the first book. She didn't irritate me like in Blood Red Road, and I loved how determined she was in proving that Jack  didn't betrayed them. She believed in him and even if it means hurting his brother and and her friends feelings, she knows what she needs to do and she's doing it no matter what.

Keys ain't her style. She kicked the door down. - Jack

I have mixed emotions about this book. I loved Blood Red Road so much that it became one of my most favorite books. Rebel Heart is good but I don't think it's as good as the first book. BRR is more action-packed, more thrilling, more exciting, more touching and romantic than RH. I only had Jack at the beginning and at the end, that's it. I wanted more of him, more of him and Saba together and I wanted romance too. So much had happened in this sequel but it felt like something is missing. And once again I was heartbroken and torn apart because one of my favorite characters just died. I got annoyed with Lugh more than anybody else in this book but I'm glad that Saba isn't as irritating as she was in BRR. Many characters died, but there are new ones that will touch your heart. I wanted to see the Free Hawks soar high again, I wanted them alive not dead. I don't want to give away anything but believe me, this book knows how to tear up a heart. It's not a light read and definitely not a happy one. It's for those who wants adventure in Dust Lands, a journey to fight for peace and for what is left of the world. It's a story full of losses, deaths, pains and harshness. But more than that, there's the story of friendship, family, companionship, love and survival.

There are some people... not many, who have within them the power to change things. The courage to act in the service of somethin greater than themselves. - Auriel

Emmi. When everybody seems down, she's the one left standing... for Saba.

Maev. What more can you ask for in a friend? You need her, she's there.

Lugh. The one I want to strangle from the very beginning. Tie him and throw him into the lake! Reeeeaaaaally!

Jack. I don't need a heartstone to find him. Loved this guy.

De Malo. Oh. My. Shocking. Goodness. I smell a love triangle brewing. (Or as my friend Jenny calls it, A LOVE SQUARE brewing.)

Molly, Tommo, Slim, Bram, Ash, Creed, Nero and Tracker. These amazing characters deserve more than a pat in the back. 

I still loved this book even though I didn't get exactly what I really hoped and wanted. It's worth reading and I will certainly read the next book or books to come no matter what.

What happens to you changes you. Fer good or ill, yer changed forever. There ain't no goin back. No matter how many tears you cry. - Saba

Blog Tour | Review & Giveaway: Reaping Me Softly by Kate Evangelista

Welcome to Reaping Me Softly Official Blog Tour hosted by AToMR Tours. Special thanks to the lovely author Kate Evangelista for letting me participate in this tour. Once again, I got the awesome opportunity to join. Thanks to ATOMR Tours for including me in the stop even in the last minute. Thanks to everyone of you for being here today and joining me in this tour stop. If you are all looking for a good read this Halloween Season, Reaping Me Softly, published by Omnific Publishing will be a perfect choice! It's available now, October 30th! 

About the Book:

REAPING ME SOFTLY by Kate Evangelista

Publisher: Omnific Publishing

Published Date: October 30, 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Add to TBR

Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

About the Author:

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels. (Find her in the following sites: Website | Goodreads | Twitter)

MY REVIEW:

The first word that came to my mind when I first heard about this book was "reaper". I was intrigued and I was hoping that I'd be able to get a copy as soon as possible. This book did not disappoint. From the time I started to read it, I was hooked. It wasn't something I'd expected either and I appreciate a bit of surprise. I enjoyed it and I'm happy that I got the chance to be one of the first people to read this book.

Arianne can hear and see the ghosts of the dead eversince her traumatic experience inside the operating room. This wasn't fun at all and seeing them naked doesn't help either. Crushing on the gorgeous boy in school, Arianne doesn't know that Nikolas is a reaper of Georgia. Actually one of the best reapers Death has in his care and command. Learning about Nico and his world doesn't help things about her ill sister either. Not when Nico is the reaper assigned to reap her sister's soul when she die. 

Reaping Me Softly is a fast read that is exciting and gripping. A good start for an interesting paranormal romance series. The pacing is good, not boring and it doesn't drag. The characters, though I can't say that I loved then just the same as I loved Phoenix and the gang in Taste, Arianne and Nikolas are both likable enough. Plus, the story has some unexpected twists that made me appreciate it more. I can't say that it's particularly a unique story but this book is actually good, and I know that those of you who likes to read paranormal romance will likely enjoy this one too. I also liked the ending of this book because it didn't feel like I was left hanging. But there was a sudden turn of event that makes me anxious to see what will happen to the characters. I loved how the author pulled everything together to create such memorable ending. It was touching, heartbreaking yet beautiful. The next book will surely be something to look forward to.

THE GIVEAWAY (International):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here's the list of the other blogs who are participating in the tour or you can also visit AToMR Tours.

Book Review: EMBERS & ECHOES by Karsten Knight

Embers & Echoes (Wildefire #2)

Author: Karsten Knight

Published: August 28th 2012

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Summary | Add to TBR

Fan the flames: A teen goddess fires up her search for love and family in this sequel to Wildefire.

Ashline Wilde may have needed school to learn that she is actually a reincarnated goddess, but she’s ready to move beyond books. She leaves her California boarding school behind and makes for Miami, where she meets a new group of deities and desperately seeks her sister Rose, the goddess of war. But she’s also looking for love—because even though her romance with Cole had to be snuffed, Ash is a volcano goddess—and she doesn’t get burned.

My Thoughts:

You can't run someplace new and not fill up the new space with the old stuff. The things you want to leave behind are the very things you can't. - Ash 

I'm indestructible, Ash. That doesn't mean I'm incapable of feeling. I still experience love, and I can still experience pain. - Colt 

When we reached the ending of Wildefire, the first book in the series, we learned that Colt isn't someone we thought he was. He isn't human. He isn't the same Colt. With this horrible realization, Ash ran away from him and decided to find her sisters--Rose, the youngest of the Wilde sisters who is known to be very dangerous and whom she never met, and Eve whom she learned isn't dead but in Nether, held captured by the Cloak. In the process of finding her sisters, she met Wes, the hot and gorgeous Aztec God of Night, and Aurora, the Roman Goddess of Dawn. 

Embers & Echoes started exactly where the first book ended, and with that huge cliffhanger ending in Wildefire, expect another thrill ride, lots of suspense, actions, mysteries and of course romance. 

This was the second time recently she'd saved a boy from being chained and tortured. 

"Let's hope I don't regret saving this one," she whispered to no one at all. 

The looks that you and Wes have been exchanging the last forty-eight hours are so hot that I'm surprised you don't need sunglasses to keep from getting pregnant. - Aurora 

What I loved about Karsten Knight's books is the humor and wit. This book doesn't lack of those. It balances the story especially when the book is full of suspense and heart-throbbing actions. There are old enemies, old foes, new friends--all these characters are amazing and very well-developed. You just can't help but love and care for them. So when a character died, well… of course it wasn't pretty, and it was absolutely not fun at all. I have to say that this book is even more heartbreaking for me than Wildefire 'cos once again I lost my favorite characters. The author isn't afraid to kill his characters--characters that I loved ever since Wildefire and I think it was a brave move. I just hope Karsten will continue to create beautiful Gods and Goddesses in the next books--characters that I will love as much as I love the others (may they rest in peace *wink). And please… oh dear Author, please, can you at least spare me some pain and heartache by not killing any more of my favorite characters?

Not as much as I loved Wildefire, but this one is really good. More suspenseful than the first. The mysteries and twists are even more intriguing. I am not fully satisfied with the ending because for me it's tragic. But overall, this book is amazing. The secrets and the revelations aren't what I expected either. There are more secrets from the past that are yet to unfold and I'm excited to see them revealed on the next book. Yes, sometimes I got frustrated because I didn't know who to trust anymore--the characters are unpredictable! So expect betrayal, revenge, and murders. I enjoyed it and I am eagerly anticipating the third. Full of actions, mysteries, suspense, wit and even drama, this book will put you at the edge of your seat. 

You make a decision whether you want to spend your life staring at the dark horizons…Or whether you want to spend it catching every sunrise that you can. - Wes

My Rating:

Book Review: SHATTERED SOULS by Mary Lindsey

Shattered Souls (Souls #1)

Author: Mary Lindsey

Published: December 8th 2011

Publisher: Philomel/Penguin

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

Summary | Add to TBR

A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

My Thoughts:

Lenzi can hear and feel the ghosts. She's trying to avoid them to the point of taking medicines to stop the hissing. Her boyfriend has been supportive to her eversince but even him couldn't understand and help her. It seems that only Alden, the mysterious boy he first saw at the cemetery is the only one that can truly help her. This created complications and ended up in a not so pretty situation with her boyfriend.

This book had been on my shelf for quite a while now and I'm glad that I finally knocked it off my shelf. It wasn't a super enjoyable read for me but over all it's still good. I just had too much expectations from the book so I was a bit disappointed when I ended up not loving it much. But as I said, this book is enjoyable and still good. The only thing that was off for me is the heroine--Lenzi Rose. From the beginning Lenzi didn't feel like a strong character for me. It was a little disappointing that I can't get myself to like her as much as I want to. For a reader like me, it is a great deal to be able to find myself connecting with the main characters and in this book sadly, it wasn't the case. When I finally meet Alden, it wasn't the super thrilling, extra-exciting kind of moment either. He is hot. Gorgeous. I get that. But the moment when they first meet didn't do it for me. It was ok, but not the memorable kind of thing for me. While I read the book I was hoping that Lenzi will come out of her shell and be the tough heroine I'm waiting to see. Alden is hot enough so I just need the female protagonist to compliment Alden's strong points. It didn't happen in this book and that disappoint me a little. I guess that's my only problem about this book. Nevertheless, the plot is intriguing, the pacing is ok, the setting is good. I still enjoyed it and I still liked it. Not a favorite book of mine but good enough.

My Rating:

TBR Intervention Challenge (51)

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

RefractedLight, Whatever you Can Still Betray, and Books4Juliet

This is going to be a sad post for me. TBRIC has been my regular post every Saturday with some of my awesomest friends in the blogsophere--Dani and Ayanami and Heather, too. And of course it wouldn't be possible to have this meme without your support, our fellow readers and bloggers who are so awesome for keeping up with us this whole time. I would like to especially give my thank yous to Lis @The Reader Lines and Brittani @Hope, Faith, & Books blogs, for being our constant companions ... doing this meme until the end. Thank you for your support. Thanks so much to everyone who joined and participated the TBR Intevervention Challenge--those who joined regularly, those who joined once or twice, those who joined a couple of more times, those who joined us when we started the meme, and to those who are still joining us up to the last time. THANK YOU SO MUCH. It wouldn't be successful without all your support and love. As much as I don't want to say this, and as much as I don't want this to end, I have to say that this would be my last post for the TBR Intervention Challenge. It's been a great journey doing this with all of you awesome bloggers. Thank you very much, once again.

Thank you Dani and Heather. Thank you Ayanami. Thank you everyone for those fantabulous times! See you around the blog-o-sphere! :)

.  .  .  .

OKAAAAAAY... 

Last Saturday I haven't put up my TBRIC post because Dani and I just talked about it and we're waiting for Ayanami's reply. So sorry if you haven't seen any linky... (I'm going to miss the linky too!).

 

So the last time, I committed reading Article 5 by Kristen Simmons and Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. I finished both books! Yay! Both are good but I enjoyed Graffiti Moon better. I'm not sure if I'm going to put up my review of Article 5, but if you want to see my thoughts about Graffiti Moon, you can read my review here.

Right now, I'm reading Reaping Me Softly by Kate Evangelista. I'm enjoying it so far, but not as much as I enjoyed Taste. I'm not even halfway through so I can't say anything more about the book. Please wait for my review to come up on October 30th as part of the Reaping Me Softly Blog Tour. 

That's it! Thank you for reading my post today and for being here in my blog for my last TBRIC post. I'm going to miss this meme. I loved this so much, it's our baby (right Dani, Ayanami?). But sometimes we can't keep something to last forever. Maybe in the near future we'll see each other again in a new meme... who knows. But right now, I just want to say that even if there is no more TBRIC every week, we can still share our books and our TBR list in a way or so. Keep reading. Keep sharing. Enjoy your books and remember that YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS A HUGE TBR PILE to manage. There is no such thing as too many books anyway. JUST RELAX & SMILE & KEEP READING.

Have a fantastic week everyone! See you around the blog-o-sphere! :) Xoxo.

My Never-Ending Booknotes: Shatter Me by Tehereh Mafi

My Never-Ending Booknotes features my favorite lines/dialogue/quotes from the books I already finished or currently reading. I'm going to post every Wednesday, and if you want to share your favorite quotes, please feel free to do so. I would be so happy and excited to read them. Who knows, we might have the same favorites! :)

.  .  .  .

It's been a while since I had my last NEBN. I have to thank my good friend Lis @The Reader Lines for reminding me that it's not yet too late to post my NEBN today. I've been out and busy lately. My pregnancy isn't a super easy one this time. I need a TON of rest, bed rest actually. Taking care of the house and the family especially my kid isn't making my situation less difficult too. So yeah, you get it, I am always tired and sleepy and hungry all the time. Sorry for the lack of posts these couple of weeks (not only with regards to my NEBN which is supposedly every Wednesday, but also reviews and other features). Anyway, if you're here, I wanna THANK YOU for keeping up with me all this time, and THANK YOU for not giving up visiting/reading my blog. 

So today/tonight, I chose SHATTER ME by Tehereh Mafi as the source of my Never-Ending Booknotes. There are lots to take note from this amazing book, and I chose a few to share with you. If you already read the book then these will be familiar to you. Here it goes...

Read Summary & Add to TBR

The world is flat.

I know because I was tossed right off the edge and I've been trying to hold on for 17 years. I've been trying to climb up for 17 years but it's nearly impossible to beat gravity when no one is willing to give you a hand.

.  .  .  .

Laughter comes from living. I've never really been alive before.

.  .  .  .

Every step is one I take because I want to. For the first time in my life, I walk forward because I want to, because I feel hope and love and the exhilaration of beauty, because I want to know what it's like to live.

Have any quotes to share?

Share them with us. Have a great day!

Book Review: GRAFFITI MOON by Cath Crowley

Graffiti Moon
Author: Cat Crowley
Published: August 1st 2010
Publisher: Pan McMillan Australia
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

Summary | Add to TBR

"Let me make it in time. Let me meet Shadow. The guy who paints in the dark. Paints birds trapped on brick walls and people lost in ghost forests. Paints guys with grass growing from their hearts and girls with buzzing lawn mowers."

It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.

His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.

Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.

But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.

My Thoughts:

Mum says when wanting collides with getting, that's the moment of truth. I want to collide. I want to run right into Shadow and let the force spill our thoughts so we can pick each other up and pass each other back like piles of shiny stones.

There are books that are easy to read and love but very hard to rate. This book is one of those. It's the kind of book that I like to read again but not wanting to review. Not because it wasn't good, actually it's the opposite and I really enjoyed it. It's just hard to write your feelings about a book that is so full of emotions. Graffiti Moon isn't a perfect book. It doesn't have a perfect love story. It doesn't have a happily-ever-after just like in fairy tales but it doesn't have a sad ending either. This book made me hope for something good to happen, it made me look at the good things behind the bad, and the happy things behind the sad ones. So why is it hard to rate this book? Because even though it's a beautiful story, there are times that I wanted to skip some lines because I just wanted to know the next scene. The pacing isn't slow but maybe I was just too excited to see the what will happen next, I don't know. But why did I give it a 5? Simply because for me, this book doesn't deserve any less. I love the characters, I enjoyed the one-night setting of the story, I like how the complications gave thrill in the love story of Ed and Lucy. The supporting characters and the variation of their personalities even made this book a lot of fun to read. And though I find the place and the setting a little sad, it gives hope and dreams to the characters. This book isn't perfect, but it made me feel.

I guess love's kind of like a marshmallow in a microwave on high. After it explodes it's still a marshmallow. But, you know, now it's a complicated marshmallow.

Characters. I can't love a book if I hate the characters and I think that's one of the reason why I love Graffiti Moon. Meet Shadow and Poet. Think about these two boys--one painting graffiti arts around the city walls and the other writing poems about them. Their arts are one of the best in the city but no one knows their real names. Then there's Lucy who once broke a guy's nose because he grabbed her arse on their first date, a girl who doesn't date ever since, a girl who thinks she can only fall for a guy like Shadow--a guy who thinks art is cool. And then they meet and he's there right in front of her face. And sometimes you can't see what's in front of you when you're busy looking for something else. 

In the story, I also see true friendship. I see true friendships. I see real relationships. I think that made this book so appealing to me. There is no annoying character, and I really appreciate that. There are two lovers who can't seem to get rid of each other though one of them throw eggs to his girl's head, and the girl constantly calling him an idiot. There's Jazz, Lucy's psychic bestfriend who loves lollipops and fall for a guy who writes and recites poems and who can eat sausage rolls in 30 seconds. They are funny, smart, talented. They're so entertaining to read about.

If you treat glass right, it doesn't crack. If you know the properties, you can make things; the color of dusk and night and love. But you can't control people like that and I really, really wish you could. I want the world to be glass.

There is something in the story and the characters altogether that made this book whole. It's a remarkable story, a bittersweet romance, a compelling journey of two people (and some) towards something that is unknown yet hopeful at the same time. Graffiti Moon will be hard to forget and it will stay in my memory for a very long time. I love this book and I think art is cool.

“For a while, for as long as you're looking at it, that painting is the world and you get to be in it.”

My Rating:

Blog Tour | Book Review & Giveaway: BRIGHTEST KIND OF DARKNESS by P.T. Michelle

Welcome to the next stop in the Brightest Kind of Darkness Official Blog Tour! I welcome you to my site today as much as I am honored to be part of the awesome lineup of bloggers for this amazing tour. I want to thank my Starbooks friend Dani and RLR Tours for letting me become part of this tour. And thanks to the very talented author of Brightest Kind of Darkness and Lucid--Ms. P.T. Michelle.

As part of the tour, I did a book review of the first book in the series, plus there is a giveaway somewhere in this post. Be sure to enter. Good luck and enjoy!

Brightest Kind of Darkness (Brightest Kind of Darkness #1)

Author: P.T. Michelle

Published: June 27th 2011

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

Summary:

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past. 

 Add to TBR 

Read an excerpt

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My Thoughts:

To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

I didn't know what to expect when I started this book. All I know was that it is said to be good. Well... this book isn't just good. It's really good! The concept reminds me a bit about Final Destination since it deals with cheating death or fate. Have you seen the movies yet? Yeah? Well, I think this book is a bit similar to that, minus the gross and the super horrible deaths, and then add a big dose of romance. I know that lots of us are suckers for good love stories and this book has it! More than anything, Brightest Kind of Darkness deals with Fate with a capital F. It is a story about a girl named Inara who has this extraordinary gift of seeing her future through her dreams. But she sees only what will happen to her the next day after she dreamed of it. This actually gives advantage to her during exams and soccer games until she challenged fate and tried to change the outcome of one of her dreams. When she saw what would happen to her school when she dreamed about a bomb planted in one of the student's locker, she didn't hesitated to call 911 and report the attempted bombing. She knew that she has to do something about it to save the school and the students. But then, one attempt and everything changes. Still, Nara believes that she has this gift for a reason and so she tried to save everyone from those horrible things that were supposed to happen. Then she met Ethan and later she realized that her dreams began to disappear, and she suspects that maybe this mysterious loner has something to do with it.

Ethan. The swoon-worthy Ethan who--rumor says--was expelled from his last school by beating up a guy. But Nara strongly feels that Ethan is a good guy despite the bad rumors she heard at school. There is something about him and his past that he isn't telling anyone, and though Nara have doubts, she still feels that he's the only one she can trust. He's the only person who remained solid to her when her bestfriend couldn't even stand up for her. With their growing attraction to each other, their journey in defeating Fate begins and no one knows how things will end for both of them and for those people they mostly care about...

This book takes the reader to a journey that is both dark and thrilling. It kept me guessing the whole time! Sometimes it was frustrating when I cannot tell what's "really" happening, but then it's the reason why I was rooted in the first place. It made me even more excited to see what comes next and I found myself flipping the pages until I reached the end of the book. The mystery that surrounds Ethan is very suspenseful, and most of the times I just wanted to jump into the book and investigate it myself. The flow of the story is very well executed, and though I got irritated with Nara a lot, I'd say that the characters remained strong and effective thus making them likable. 

With it's gripping storyline, beautiful plot, and interesting characters, this is surely a great start for a remarkable series. It was an exciting read, something you shouldn't want to miss. 

My Rating:

And now for the GIVEAWAY, just enter in the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

P.T. Michelle’s Brightest Kind of Darkness

Tour Schedule

September 24th

Confessions of a Bookaholic – Review (Lucid)

Nothing Better Than a Book – Review (BKoD)

Jelly Loves Books – Review (BKoD)

Deea’s Journal – Review (Lucid)

Some Like it Paranormal – Featured Post (Random Trivia about the BKoD series)

Beauty & the Bookshelf – Excerpt

The Bookish Babe – Guest Post + Review (Lucid)

Better Read Than Dead – Review (BKoD)

Hope, Faith & Books – Review (BKoD)

I’m a Book Shark – Featured Post (All about Parkour)

September 25th

The Bookish Brunette – Featured Post (Ethan & Nara character interview)

A Buckeye Girl Reads – Review (BKoD)

I Read Indie – Review (Lucid)

Readers Live A Thousand Lives – Review (BKoD)

Vendea’s Dream World of Books – Review (BKoD)

Seeing Night Reviews – Review (Lucid)

Fictional Distraction – Review (Lucid)

Creative Reads – Review (BKoD)

K-Books – Review (Lucid)

A Book Vacation – Featured Post (Ravens)

Stories of My Life – Excerpt

Winter Haven Books - Review (Lucid)

September 26th

Mundie Moms – Review (BKoD)

I Heart YA Books – Review (Lucid)

Serenity’s Lovely Reads – Review (Lucid)

Book Nerd – Review (BKoD)

Simply Infatuated – Review (BKoD) + Excerpt

Books Over Boys – Featured Post (Playlist)

Step Into Fiction – Review (Lucid)

Nomalicious Reads – Review (Lucid)

Reader’s Antidote – Review (BKoD)

Primrose Musings – Featured Post (BKoD: The Movie)

Panda Reads – Review (BKoD)

September 27th

Kindle Fever – Review (Lucid)

Always YA at Heart – Review (Lucid)

A Dream Within A Dream – Review (BKoD & Lucid)

Rampant Readers – Review (BKoD)

Book Briefs – Featured Post (Top 10: Little known facts about Nara)

Michelle Chew Writes – Review (BKoD)

Into the Hall of Books – Review (Lucid)

Book Passion for Life – Excerpt

Rhi Reading – Featured Post (Building a World)

Shortie Says – Featured Post (How Dreams Can Inspire…)

Jean BookNerd – Review (Lucid)

September 28th

Refracted Light Book Reviews – Featured Post (The RL girls discuss Ethan & Drystan)

Once Upon a Twilight – Review (BKoD)

Vamps and Stuff – Review (BKoD)

Young Adult BookReviews – Review (Lucid)

Sparkles and Lightning – Review (Lucid)

Books With Bite – Featured Post (Top 10: Little known facts about Ethan)

Little Hyuts – Review (Lucid)

Books 4 Juliet – Review (BKoD)

Rants ‘N Scribbles – Review (BKoD)

The YA Sisterhood – Excerpt

Random Acts of Books – Review (BKoD)

Book Review: IMMORTAL BELOVED by Cate Tiernan

Immortal Beloved (Immortal Beloved #1)
Author: Cate Tiernan
Published: September 7th 2010
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy

Summary | Add to TBR

Nastasya has spent the last century living as a spoiled, drugged-out party girl. She feels nothing and cares for no one. But when she witnesses her best friend, a Dark Immortal, torture a human, she realizes something's got to change. She seeks refuge at a rehab for wayward immortals, where she meets the gorgeous, undeniably sexy Reyn, who seems inexplicably linked to her past.

Nastasya finally begins to deal with life, and even feels safe--until the night she learns that someone wants her dead.

Cate Tiernan, author of the popular Sweep series, returns with an engaging story of a timeless struggle and inescapable romance, the first book in a stunning new fantasy trilogy.

My Thoughts:

...time itself was like a river, moving steadily forward, and you got to be in a new river every day, every hour. All my life I'd felt like--a lake. A lake where everything was contained, forever.

This book surprised me in many ways. I didn't know exactly what the story is about until past half-way through the book. It was nothing I've expected before I started this book but I'm glad that after what seems to be months or so, I finally abled to read it. The first half of the book was a bit slow for me and I've been waiting for something exciting to happen. I didn't get that until I reached the second half where it became hard for me to put down the book. Honestly, I don't like Nastasya at all, since she's so immature and selfish and spoiled-brat. She always rants about things around her and she seemed to see all the bad things and not the good things. It was irritating to hear her thoughts especially during the early part of the story. Thank goodness, her character developed (a little and slowly) as the story continue to unfold. There's also too little romance in this book, but I can see that there will be more in the next installments. I didn't get to see more of Reyn as much as I wanted but somehow their love-hate relationship is something that kept me rooted. I was so anxious to see the two let their emotions out and it was driving me crazy in a good, exciting way. I want to see them together but I think I still need to read the rest of the series to find out.

The very memories and experiences I'd tried to block out of my mind for the last four hundred years were sixteen feet away from me, in living color. It was like confronting the monster under my bed, only amped up a thousand times. There he was: the monster. My worst nightmare was wearing a dark green plaid flannel shirt and jeans and smelled like laundry detergent and fresh autumn air. 

The characters are good, though not all of them are very likable. Each of these characters has their own secrets and stories that are interesting enough. I love the teachers and the other wayward immortals that adds flavor to the story, except Nell who irritated me the whole time and who I want to send flying off across the Atlantic Ocean! 

Even though the plot was a little slow for me in the beginning, I appreciate how the second half was done. I liked how the story was written, including the flashbacks which made me shuddered most of the times. The story is really good and there is no doubt that it was written with depth. I enjoyed it and I recommend it to readers who love paranormal/fantasy stories.

My Rating:

Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: Derailed by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Welcome to the Release Day Blitz of the New YA Contemporary Romance book by Author Alyssa Rose Ivy entitled DERAILED. This new novel is now available at the following links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

Title: Derailed

Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Released: September 26, 2012

Genre: New YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

When you're lost, sometimes the only place you can go is home.

Broken over the death of her fiancé, Molly leaves law school to return to her childhood home in North Carolina. Expecting to lay low until she can figure out what else to do with her life, she finds herself in the arms of her high school sweetheart, the boy who represents everything from the past she tried to leave behind.Looking for an escape, she instead finds a way back to the girl she almost forgot existed and a future she never dreamed possible.

Isn't the cover lovely? This book sounds really good! And well, there's another treat for you for visiting this post! You can WIN either (1) PRINT COPY of Derailed if you are in the U.S. or one of the (2) ebook copies of the book for international readers. Just enter in the rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks once again to SupaGirl Tours for hosting this event and for letting me participate in this Release Day Blitz.

Cover Reveal: Just For Now by Abbi Glines

I am SO EXCITED to share with you the cover of the new book in the Sea Breeze Series by Author Abbi Glines. This is one of my most favorite series of all time and I can't wait for this book! It's amazing to be part of this cover reveal, and I wanna thank AToMR Tours for this awesome opportunity. And of course, a huge thanks to Author Abbi Glines for creating such a wonderful series!

Just for Now, the 4th book in the Sea Breeze Series is expected to be released on October 23, 2012. The cover was designed by Stephanie Mooney of Mooney Designs, and the book trailer by Hellion Works.

Title: Just for Now (Sea Breeze, #4) 

Age Group/Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance 

Expected Release: October 23, 2012 

Cover Design: Mooney Designs

Book trailer created by: Hellion Works

Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

Book Description:

The day Preston Drake figured out that wealthy women paid well for a set of tight abs and a pretty face his life turned around.

The run down rat-infested trailer he had shared with his alcoholic mother and three younger siblings was now only a place he visited to pay the bills and stock the pantry with food. 

He no longer worried about his family starving or living without electricity. The money he made entertaining rich older women more than covered his family’s needs and his own. He had it all figured out. Except…

There was this girl.

She was as innocent as he was tainted.

Amanda Hardy wished her knees didn’t get weak when Preston walked into a room. She hated the fact her heart raced when he flashed his smile in her direction. He had a different girl in his bed every night. He was the kind of boy a smart girl ran from. So, why was she coming up with ways to get close to him? Even when it was obvious he wanted to keep her at a distance.

Maybe her heart knew something the world didn’t. Maybe Preston Drake was more than just a pretty face.

Author's Bio:

Abbi Glines can be found hanging out with rockstars, taking out her yacht on weekends for a party cruise, sky diving, or surfing in Maui. Okay maybe she needs to keep her imagination focused on her writing only. In the real world, Abbi can be found hauling kids (several who seem to show up that don’t belong to her) to all their social events, hiding under the covers with her MacBook in hopes her husband won’t catch her watching Buffy on Netflix again, and sneaking off to Barnes and Noble to spend hours lost in the yummy goodness of books. If you want to find her then check Twitter first because she has a severe addiction to tweeting @abbiglines.   Facebook is also somewhere she visits a little too often. She blogs regularly but rarely about anything life changing. She also really enjoys talking about herself in third person.

Abbi Glines| Facebook| Twitter

TBR Intervention Challenge (50)

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

RefractedLight, Whatever you Can Still Betray, and Books4Juliet

Everyone is WELCOME to JOIN this meme. Just click the image TBR Intervention Button above to see the rules and read more about this feature.

LAST WEEK'S TBRIC:

Last week I've finished Shattered Souls by Marie Lindsey but sad to say I haven't finish Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris. Shattered Souls was good, Unraveling Me was a little slow. I still plan to finish the book but I don't know when, we'll see. Hehe. Anyway, aside from that, I also read and enjoyed Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan. It was really good and I'm looking forward to read the second book. It was slow in the beginning... full of flashbacks actually. The protagonist irritates me so much but the story is worth reading so I manage to stay on and finish the book. I really liked it.

THIS WEEK'S TBRIC:

This week I'm planning to finish Article 5 by Kristin Simmons and then start Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. I heard good things about these books and I'm so excited to finally be able to pick them for my TBRIC. They've been on my TBR for months now and I think it's time to get through these wonderful-sounding books.

What are you planning to read this week?

Book Review: EVERY DAY by David Levithan

Every Day
Author: David Levithan
Published: August 28th 2012
Publisher: Knopf Books
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Summary | Add to TBR

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl. 

Every morning, A wakes in a different person’s body, a different person’s life. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

My Thoughts:

Every relationship has a hard part in the beginning... It's not like a puzzle piece where there's an instant fit. With relationships, you have to shape the pieces on each end before they go perfectly together.

Every Day is an interesting book. The story is about A, who wakes up everyday in a different body of a sixteen year old, regardless of the gender. Sometimes he's a boy, sometimes she's a girl. A deals with the person's memories, family, and life for one day. And just when midnight strikes, A leaves the body and wakes up to a different one. 

Honestly, I find this book very intriguing. I haven't read anything like this before and it was truly a unique story that David Levithan created. No doubt that he's a talented writer. At first I didn't know where the story was heading and there are parts of the book that I find a little slow. Nevertheless, I can't deny the fact that the whole story is something that will stay in your mind for a very long time. It was remarkable. All the while I thought it was a 3 star book for me, but something in the last part made this book surprising and I've decided to give it a 4 star rating. I know from the beginning that this is a kind of book where I shouldn't expect a happy ending and I was right. The ending is sad and bittersweet,  and a little heartbreaking... I didn't expect to end it like that but for me it's really good. This may not appeal to everyone but I think it's a book worth reading. It's not a story that is full of rainbows and sunshines, but it's nice to read a book that makes you think and contemplate and feel something like sorrow and hope for the characters.

I wanted love to conquer all. But love can't conquer anything. It can't do anything on it's own. It relies on us to do the conquering on its behalf.

A isn't the typical fictional character we love and cheer for... I can't say I love him because I can't imagine what he really looks like and his personality isn't very well clear to me. There was no description whatsoever (as far as I remember) but I like him as a protagonist. On the other hand, I find it a little hard to connect with Rhiannon. She's the girl who captured A's heart, but I can't see what A sees in her. I see her as a girl who can't figure out what she wants and what she needs. Maybe it's just me, but I'm really not fond of characters who are not sure of themselves and her relationship with others. Though I felt that something is missing in the story, I really enjoyed it. David Levithan crafted a story that is unique, sad, heartbreaking, and remarkable. It will stay in your mind ( and in your heart) for a very long time just like what it did to mine.

When first love ends, most people eventually know there will be more to come. They are not through with love. Love is not through with them. It will never be the same as the first, but it will be better in different ways.

My Rating:

Blog Tour | Character Interview & Giveaway: Dust by Devon Ashley

Hello again! Welcome to the next stop of the DUST Blog Tour! Today, I am very much honored and humbled, not to mention being so excited and overwhelmed by my special guest. This fae has a lot of repercussions to deal with, and a whole lot of things to worry about, but he accepted my request to join us here and answer my interview. Honestly, I want to thank Ms. Devon Ashley for this opportunity to talk with her awesome character--Jack.

By the way, if you haven't join the Rafflecopter Giveaway of DUST, you can still enter at the end of this post. The prize is supa-awesome, don't miss it! If you've missed my previous post for this tour, you can still read it here. The rafflecopter is also available there. Don't forget to enter in the awesome giveaway because there are two awesome prize pack that you surely don't want to miss. Thank you for stopping by! Enjoy the rest of the tour!

Summary | Add to TBR

4. The number of times my delicate wings have been broken and clamped behind my back. 

68. The number inked upon my skin, marking me the sixty-eighth pixie to be stolen.

87. The number of days I’ve been wrongfully imprisoned.

88. The first day the faeries will regret stealing me.

Healthy. Cheery. Vivacious. All traits Rosalie has before becoming enslaved by the faeries to make an endless supply of pixie dust. Now that Rosalie has been traumatized by slave labor, extreme desolate conditions and multiple deaths, this hardened pixie is anything but. When this rebellious teenager attempts an escape, she’s isolated in cramped quarters until she learns her place. Just as she begins to let go of all that hope, she finds an unlikely friend in Jack, the faerie assigned to guard her. Interspecies dating is forbidden in the fae world, so their growing attraction is unacceptable. And even if Jack can find a way to free her, they know the prison is the only place they can truly be together.

So without further a-do... here's Jack from Dust (Of Dust and Darkness Trilogy).

* * * THE INTERVIEW * * *

Me: How will you describe yourself in three words? 

Jack: Well, I'm not really one to talk about myself, but I'll try. Protective. Non-conformist. Simplistic.

(Hmm, interesting...)

Me: Can you tell me a little about the day you first met Rosalie? 

Jack: Ugh...that's not a day I come off looking too good. To say the least, I was a bit of a jerk. Turns out that punishment of babysitting a pixie worked out for me in the end.

(A jerk. Yeah. Lol)

Me: How do you feel about her that time? Is it love at first sight? 

Jack: LOLOLOL. Absolutely not. She was a thin, scraggly thing with hollowed-out eyes. Not pretty, as she was literally knocking on Father Time's door. I can proudly admit this was the first attraction that was slow and had nothing to do with looks...although she's looking pretty good now that she's gaining weight again.

(Haha! Well said.)

Me: Have you been in loved before? (I'm curious *wink) 

Jack: Nope. Not. Even. Close. Most of the faeries I know are a little too privileged and used to getting what they want. FYI...not an attractive feature in a female. Rosalie's aggressive, but not in the ways I'm used to. And she's more into the forest than society life, just like me.

(Uhm... I'm not into the forest kind of life, but if you were there, I'll survive *wink.)

Me: If you and Rosalie could be together for one day free of risks and consequences, how will you spend your day with her?

Jack: I'm pretty sure it would involve a canopy tree house in the deepest part of the rain forest, rain pattering on the roof, isolating us from the rest of the world, the wind squeezing through the walls of dried, twisted vine, enveloping us with the musty smell of wet earth, lying together on a bed of fresh moss, feeding each other succulent berries, and just holding each other more and more tightly as the hours pass by. That would be my perfect day.

(And I bet, that would be Rosalie's perfect day, too.)

Me: What is your favorite past time aside from playing harmonica and uhm, well, playing tricks on other faeries? :P 

Jack: You can usually find me hanging out with my buddies, trying to do the complete opposite of what my parents expect of me. So that pretty much means anything I shouldn't be doing, in places I shouldn't be going.

(I thought so! lol)

Me: If we could rewind and change the past, would you prefer Rosalie to be captured again by the spriggans then meet her eventually or you'd rather choose her freedom even if it means that you'd lose the chance of knowing her?

Jack: Ugh...I think you just managed to rip a piece of my heart off with that question. I don't like to see her hurt. And I especially don't like to see her tortured by Finley and those stupid spriggans, but I don't think I could ever wish upon myself not meeting her. That's totally selfish, huh? I'm completed disgusted with myself at the moment for even thinking that, seeing how she'd have to suffer through starvation, intense labor and torture all over again.

(Aww, I think that's understandable. What she suffered was a taste of death. But then she have you now.)

Me: Rosalie loved it when you played harmonica during the times when she was imprisoned. Did you intentionally play for her?

Jack: In the beginning, I didn't really care if she liked it or if it annoyed her, so I played for myself. Later, when we were friends, I did it because I could tell it soothed her, and I wanted to give her what peace I could down in that black hole.

(That is so sweet!)

Me: You were a bit mysterious in DUST and we didn't see you until the second half of the story. Will we ever see more of you in the next books? Because we would *really* love that! 

Jack: I might make an appearance (wink) but I've got some repercussions to deal with before I'll ever have a chance to see Rosalie again. If I even get to...

(I feel heartbroken already.)

Me: Do you have a message for me, err.. I mean to your readers and fans? *winks. 

Jack: Uh, yeah. Don't judge me too harshly the first time you come across me in the story. It's not pretty and I cringe every time I think back on it.

(I didn't judge you, promise. I was so excited to finally see you descending from the top of the pit! It was a memorable moment for me! And I don't care if you've been a jerk, I think that many of us here loves a jerk, at least in books! lol)

* * * THE GIVEAWAY * * *

That's a whole lot awesomeness, don't you think? Here's the Rafflecopter for the Giveaway!

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About the Author

Devon Ashley has always had an active imagination, and found herself daydreaming her childhood away. She became interested in creative writing as a teenager and used writing as a stress-reliever - and a way to escape the real world for a few hours. It wasn't until a judge in a screenwriting competition suggested she turn her world into a fiction series that she actually began writing novels.

Find her at The Crazy Dream Blog | Dark Horse Books | Facebook | Goodreads