Books 4 Juliet

Book Review: PURE by Julianna Baggott

2012-02-27T21:46:00.001+08:00

Pure (Pure #1)
Author: Julianna Baggott
Publication Date: February 8th 2012
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian/Scifi

Summary | Add to TBR

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.

My Thoughts:

In the world of Pure, there are two kinds of people. The Pure and the wretches. The Pures are people who made it inside the Dome before the Detonations, and the wretches are those who were left behind. The Pures are unscarred, living in a very controlled environment where they are kept healthy, fit, and perfect. While the wretches, those who are outside the Dome, are living with deformed bodies, scarred--strangely fused with something--either a machine, an animal, or even another human being. Pressia lives among the wretches. She has a hand that is made up of a doll's head which became her fist, and she has a burn scar on one side of her face. Partridge, on the other hand, lives among the Pures. He used to be inside the Dome until he escaped to find her mother whom he believed is still alive and living outside the Dome. So when Pressia hit 16, the time when she needs to surrender herself to either serve or become a living bait to the OSR (Operations Sacred Revolution), she escaped and she had no choice but to find Bradwell--the leader of the Resistance who seemed to know more about the Before, the life before the Detonations. Along the way, she met Partridge and together they seek Bradwell's help.

The story was a bit slow for me in the beginning of the book and I need to reread some of the passages to understand what they were talking about. There are terms and things that were not explained fully and it made me confused most of the time during the first half of the book. Halfway through, the story became interesting and I got the answers that I was looking for. It made me even more eager to know what will happen next especially to the characters that I loved.

"I remember how the ugliness is what makes the beautiful things beautiful." - Partridge

I've read a lot of dystopian books before but nothing delivers a world as eery and as frightening as the world in Pure. The world was startling, overwhelming, and horrible. If you have a vivid imagination and a weak stomach, then you might find yourself wincing while reading this book. The writing was effective and the images were so vivid that I can actually picture them in my mind. Imagine humans fused with animals, metals or plastics. Some are fused with machines, toys, and even another human being. Everything is mutated and death is everywhere. It's a dangerous world, and it's like survival of the fittest.

I find this book a bit different from other dystopian books I've read. I can't describe how my stomach felt while I read this book, but I remember eagerly turning the page to see what will happen next. I stopped reading many times just to let the everything sink in before I continue with the next scene. There were exciting and surprising twists that made this book even more engaging. And not only that, this book is full of heart stopping actions that will keep you rooted in your seat until the last page.

But you might ask, why only 3/5? Well, it's actually 3.5/5 though. And as I've mentioned on the first part of my review, it took me halfway through before I completely pulled into the story. The first half of the book was a bit slow and confusing and I needed to reread some parts to get it. Maybe I'm a bit slow, too *wink. But anyway, I could have given it a much higher rating if not for the slow part.

So do I still recommend it? Absolutely.

Pure is blended with alive characters, intriguing story line and unexpected surprises. If you like dystopian novels then you might as well grab a copy of this one. It's good and unique on it's own way. It's very intense, breathtaking and most of all frightening. It might be a little disturbing due to the images that you'll get while reading it, but the story itself was fascinating.

"It's all a game now," El Capitan says, unlocking the trap. "You lose and you're dead. Winning means you just keep playing. Sometimes I wish I'd lose. Tired. I get tired, that's all..."

3.5 Coffee Cups!

My Rating:

TBR Intervention Challenge (22)

2012-02-25T09:30:00.000+08:00

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray,

and April@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.

MY LAST WEEK'S TBRIC:

Last week, I've decided to read Crossed by Ally Condie but I hate to admit that I haven't finish the book yet. BUT I've read Pure by Julianna Baggott and I really liked it. It was different from any other dystopian novel I've read before. It's very apocalyptic... frightening and breathtaking. I don't have my review yet but I'm planning to post it within the week.

THIS WEEK'S TBRIC:

I'm going to finish Crossed this week while also reading If I Can't Have You by Lauren Hammond. If I still have enough time, I'm going to read the book 3 of the Soul Creamers series: My Soul To Keep by Rachel Vincent. I'm not sure if I'm going to be productive but I'll try to find some reading time.

I hope everyone had a great week. How's your TBR pile? Did you knocked out some books? :)

Get the InLinkz code here.

Transcend Time Title Hunt

2012-02-24T12:00:00.000+08:00

Welcome to the Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt! The title hunt is the reveal of the title for the final novel in the Transcend Time Saga. Each of the bloggers participating in the hunt have been given a letter. Hop around to the blogs participating to hunt for the letters. (And remember that two of the letters are used twice, so the title is eight letters long.)

Once you've unscrambled the title, go to Michelle Madow's blog and use the title name to enter the giveaway for a voucher for an advanced e-copy of the final Transcend Time novel! (She is giving away a voucher because the novel is planned to be released at the end of the year, and she hasn't finished writing it yet! This voucher will ensure that you will receive an advance e-copy once they are available).

So now, my Letter for you is: E

What do you hope to happen in the final book?

As much as I want Lizzie and Drew to have their happy ending as soon as possible, I know that I can't hope for that, right? It was never been easy for them in their past lives and I'm sure it wouldn't be easy now even though they're together again. I know it will be a struggle for Lizzie and Drew to get their happily ever after, but soon it will come for both of them. (Michelle won't kill us by not giving us a HEA, right? *wink)

Oh wait, there's another good news!

The e-version of Remembrance (Transcend Time Saga #1) is on sale for $0.99 on Barnes & Noble until Michelle's USA tour ends in April. So grab a copy now before you miss it! :)

Read about the books in the saga:

Remembrance (Transcend Time #1) | Vengeance (Transcend Time #1.5)

Buy Remembrance (#1): Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository | iBooks

Buy Vengeance (#1.5): Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository | iBooks

About the Author:

Michelle Madow was inspired to write Remembrance after seeing Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video while a junior at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. The song and video gave her the story idea about a high school girl reincarnated from Regency Era, England. She handed in the first chapter as a homework assignment for class, and when her teacher and fellow classmates wanted her to continue writing, she decided to go for it. By the end of the school year, her first novel was completed!

For more information on Michelle and her books, please visit www.michellemadow.com.

I am so thrilled to be part of the Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt. I'm sure you are excited as well to know the title for the final book. I hope you'll join us and help us find the letters to unravel the mysterious title. :) So don't forget to visit the rest of the participating blogs to complete the word or words maybe? :) Good luck!

Thursday Revisits (8): The Host by Stephenie Meyer

2012-02-23T08:41:00.000+08:00

Thursday Revisits is a new meme hosted by my friend Sam @ Books For All Seasons.

It's a weekly feature of book discussions about the characters, scenes, and plot of the book we read. It’s featured every Thursday.

Hello again everyone! It's been a week since our last revisit and I'm excited (again) to share another discussion with you. I'm not sure if you've all read The Host by Stephenie Meyer. If you haven't come across with this book, I'd say, "What are you waiting for?". Come on, pick it up and try it. It's really really good! And now, let me introduce to you my beautiful guest for today's revisit. A fellow book blogger, a book addict, a fellow Christian... my sweet and lovely friend:

Brittani Elyse Rukstela @ Hope, Faith & Books

If you haven't been at her blog, go and check it out. (just click her blog button to visit her site). We first met here at the blog-o-sphere and she became one my most treasured book lover friend. She's one of my FBBFF and it's a pleasure to have her here with me at Books4Juliet. I know she's kinda busy with studies and reading and blogging and with other stuff too, and yet she agreed to make this discussion with me. Thanks so much Brit <3

The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Publication Date: May 6th 2008
Publisher: Little Brown
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy/Sci-fi/Dystopia

Summary | Add to TBR

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.

1. What was your impression when you finished reading The Host?

April: Wow. This book just blew me away! I can't tell you well enough how much I loved it. I didn't expect that I would cry over this book. Just wow.

Brittani: Why did I wait so long to read this!?!?! As soon as I finished it I had to ask myself that because I really couldn't figure out why I waited so long to read such an amazing book! And I totally agree with you April, I didn't expect to cry over it either!!!

2. What did you like most about the book?

April: The story is unique and I didn't expect to love a soul like Wanda and to sympathize with her. The characters are amazing, the story is moving and touching. I specifically liked how the author named the souls. It's cute and unique. I loved everything about this book. Stephenie Meyer is an amazing author. She writes beautifully and effectively and it reminds me of how much I adored her stories.

Brittani: I totally agree with everything you said April! I loved the names of the Souls! But what I enjoyed most was the fact that the story took place mostly in Tucson, Arizona and the surrounding area! I live in Tucson and it made me extra happy to finally read a book that used Tucson as the setting! And not to mention I knew exactly where certain things were happening when they brought up certain roads I drive on almost daily (Ina Rd & I-10) and certain places (Picacho Peak). It made my reading experience so much better to be able to picture it more vividly since I live around the area it was set in. :D

April: Oh wow! That is so cool! I can imagine now why you appreciate the book so much. Sadly, I've never been in the States... hehe

Brittani: Maybe you'll be able to visit the states someday! :)

April: I really hope so! :)

3. The Wanderer have lived many lives in different planets before she possess Melanie's body. If you could choose a world where you can live in, what kind of world would that be?

April: I'd say I choose a planet where everything lives under water and I want to be a mermaid :) Then after living in that planet, I'll move to another where everything just fly and I'll live like a bird =) Maybe I can have a name like Bubbles Flying Guppy *lol weird name haha

Brittani: A planet living underwater would be fun. Especially if you get to swim with Dolphins. How cool would that be?? But I think it'd also be fun to live on the planet "Pet (Petals Open to the Moon)" came from, the flower planet. Who doesn't love flowers? And maybe I could spend my days skipping among the flowers singing. Both of those sound so peaceful. Lol.

April: You'll definitely fit in Brittani! I can see you as a flower. That's a very awesome choice!

Brittani: Thanks! I could totally see you living like a bird! :)

April: Oh my, lol.

4. What is your most favorite part in the story?

April: I have many favorites but what I love most is the ending. There could be no better ending than that. I can't say more without giving away too much, so I won't tell anything more. Except that it was beautiful and satisfying. Plus, meeting Burns Living Flowers makes the ending even more interesting, and it made me want to read the next book right away. I can't wait for The Soul to come out.

Brittani: I agree. The ending was amazing! I really loved reading the Epilouge, it made for a fantastic ending to the book but also left things open for The Soul! AHH! I definitely cant wait for The Soul to come out either!

April: I hope that the book comes out before the movie at least. It's going to be a looong wait.

Brittani: I know!!! Why must we be tortured with all the waiting!?!

5. Who is your most favorite male character?

April: I actually have three. Ian, Jamie and Jared. But I loved Jamie the most not just because he's Melanie's little brother but because he's so adorable and he made me cry a lot of times. He suffered a lot at a young age but then he love even more. I also like Jared, but I got angry with him a lot of times because of the way he treats Wanda. But Ian--he loves Wanda when everyone else seems to hate her and that made me love him more.

Brittani: Ian!!! I couldn't get enough of Ian! I loved how he was always there for Wanda when no one else was. I mean, I got that Wanda was a soul but that doesn't mean she's a bad person and I'm glad Ian saw that. And because of that I couldn't help but love him!

April: Haha. We both love him! Yay. At first I thought I want Jared, but then he's being so difficult and I felt heartbroken... Thank goodness, Ian became the knight in shining armor! :D

6. Melanie or Wanda?

April: Wanda.

Brittani: So hard to choose either or. I mean I absolutely Wanda but I gotta give Melanie credit for how strong she is both Emotionally and Physically. I still have to choose Wanda though. :)

April: Yes, you're absolutely right about Melanie. She's a strong girl considering what she'd been through. I loved them both.

7. A Seeker or a Healer?

April: A Healer. I can't be a Seeker. It seems too cruel. But if I'm a Healer, I can put and take away soul from a host. That would be much more handy considering the kind of world they live in now.

Brittani: I agree with you April. Definitely a Healer. I mean, I can be a little mean sometimes (I think we all can be) but nothing compared to how cruel and mean the Seekers are. I definitely wouldn't be able to be a Seeker.

April: Hehe. We're both Healers then!

8. A Host or a Soul?

April: A Host--but a human. Though being a Soul seem kinda cool, I just can't imagine moving on to different hosts over and over again, take their lives so I can live in... and then transfer to another body when the host expires. It's just a continuous cycle but without moving on. I don't want a life like that.

Brittani: A Soul! It'd be so cool to live on different planets and experience so many different things. Though I wouldn't want my Soul put into a Host unless I knew the Host wasn't able to come back into its own mind and body.

April: I can't believe you've chosen to be a Soul! That's a brave thing! :)

9. What do you think about the setting and the world which Stephenie Meyer created?

April: Strange but interesting. And scary at the same time.

Brittani: Beautiful! So many aspects about this book and the world in it were so beautiful (like how she described Wanda's past lives on other planets) but I agree, definitely scary, especially with that Seeker out there!

10. Rate the book 1-5, 5 being the highest.

April: Definitely 5 and more! :)

Brittani: 5+!!!!!!! :D

11. Do you recommend it?

April: YES! It's a must read. Don't ever miss this book!

Brittani: OMG YES!!!! Definitely a must read!

12. What's the most exotic food you have ever eaten?

April: Frog legs =B

Brittani: Frog Legs? Cant say I've ever tried that and I'm sure I want to. Lol. I haven't really ate anything exotic, or at least not that I remember. Lol.

April: Okay, now I sound like a freak again! LOL. It's a delicacy in Asia, and it's really good. =D Just don't make me eat maggots or snakes or even a mouse! Yikes.

Brittani: LOL! You're not a freak April!!! You just eat more exotic foods than I do. Lol. I totally agree though; Snakes, Maggots and Mice definitely don't sound appetizing to me either! Eewww! LOL.

April: Hahaha. Maybe I can stomach eating some, IF and ONLY, I can eat them with you girls in Starbooks! LOL.

Thank you so much, Brittani! I'm grateful that you've agreed to do this discussion with me.

Thanks everyone for spending your precious time with us! It means so much to me!

Lovelots!

I've Been Tagged!

2012-02-21T17:31:00.001+08:00

Hey there! So, I've been tagged by a sweet friend of mine, Lis @ The Reader Lines.

Here are the rules:

1. You must post the rules.

2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create eleven new questions to ask the people that you have tagged.

3. Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.

4. Let them know you've tagged them!

And here are the questions for me:
1. Do you read for fun or to learn?

Definitely for fun.

2. Who's your favorite author?

I have a couple of favorite authors. Is it ok to mention more than one? Stephenie Meyer, Jeri Smith-Ready, Veronica Roth, Stephenie Perkins, Cassandra Clare, Maggie Stiefvater, Jennifer Armentrout, Sarah Dessen and Jennifer Echols.

3. Which is the most hated book?

I don't have any right now... I enjoyed almost every book I've read in the past. There are some "just ok" books but I can't say I hate them. Nothing really...

4. Which is the book you loved more or one of them?

Divergent by Veronica Roth. I can't make it go away. haha. It's tattoed on my mind (and heart) already. Though Twilight Saga will always be special and meaningful to me 'cos it's the reason why I became a book addict and gone into blogging. I guess they will always be my forever favorites along with The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Shade series by Jeri Smith-Ready, The Host by Stephenie Meyer, The Wolves of Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater, Blood Red Road by Moira Young, Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma, Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephenie Perkins.

Oh my, you only asked for a book and I end up with eleven (not mentioning each book in the series) lol.

5. Have you cried over a book lately?

I always cry over a sad book. The most recent book that made me cried was Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry. But among all the books that I've read, Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma was the one that shattered my heart so much. It was a very heart-wrenching book, beautiful but very heartbreaking.

6. What book would you like to be a part of?

Anna and the French Kiss.

7. If the fictional boys were reals, whom would you like to meet?

Four. Four. Four. Four.

8. Reality books or fantasy books?

Oh no, I can't choose. It depends. I won't live without the other.

9. Do you judge a book by its cover?

Yeah, sometimes... But I am mostly drawn by the summary of the book.

10. What book would you like to become a movie?

Almost all of my fave books are going to be on the big screen soon... first was Twilight, then The Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments, Divergent and The Host. I think Anna and the French Kiss would be an awesome movie.

11. Have you been disappointed by some book?

Yes. There were some. But it happens rarely so I think it's ok. I guess we still benefit from those books even though they didn't lived up to our expectations.

I hope I've answered them well enough. Now it's time to choose the bloggers I want to tag.

I'm tagging these awesome bloggers and their amazing blogs:

Andrea @ The Busy Bibliophile

Carina @ Fictional Distraction

Giselle @ Xpresso Reads

Jen @ Jen Ryland/YA Romantics

Juhina & Farah @ Maji Bookshelf

Kathy @ I Write I Read I Review

Kristi @ The Book Faery

Natalia @ Dazzling Reads

Ron @ Stories of My Life

Samual @ Books For All Seasons

Tara @ Taming the Bookshelf

My questions for you guys:

1. How do you usually spend your time if you're not reading or blogging?

2. How many books can you read in week?

3. What is your favorite book genre?

4. What is the title of your most favorite book?

5. Are there any books that you wished you didn't read?

6. Have you ever cried over a book?

7. Have you ever felt being so angry over a book or a main character?

8 If you will be asked to give away all your books except one, which one will you keep?

9. Name 4 female characters that you would want to exchange your life with.

10. Who is your most favorite fictional boy?

11. If there's a book that you want to recommend to me, what book would that be?

I know that all of you are super busy and hardly has time for something like this ~~but you must answer anyway~~, so I understand if you choose not to answer. It's totally ~~not~~ fine and ~~not~~ ok and seriously ~~a big deal~~ not a big deal to me =) Lol. Just kidding! You can answer if you want to, but otherwise, it's really ok =) (see I'm smiling)

Have a great day and a (',_________,') wide smile everyday! xoxo!

Award, Award

2012-02-21T11:24:00.001+08:00

I want to thank Annabelle @ Sparkles and Lightning for giving me the "One Lovely Blog Award" and to Amanda @ Born Bookish for the "Kreativ Blog Award". I am truly grateful.

I am happy to bestow the following awards to the following deserving blogs. I listed them in alphabetical order :) You can pass this along if you want to and if you have some spare time. But I don't require you to. I just want to say that I love each and every blog I listed here and I want you to know that you're appreciated for your hard work. :)

One Lovely Blog Award

Alison @ Alison Can Read, Amanda @ Stuck in YA Books, Ayanami @ Whatever You Can Still Betray, Bailey @ IB Book Blogging, Brittani @ Hope, Faith and Books, Giselle @ Xpresso Reads, Gwyneth @ Rants N Scribbles, Kristin @ Kristin Can Read, Lis @ The Reader Lines, Mariana @ Book Travels, Natalia @ Dazzling Reads, Samual @ Books For All Seasons, Shanan @ The Book Addict, Steph @ Five Alarm Book Reviews, TheJay2xA @ We Fancy Books

The rules are simple. They are so, so simple. They are unbelievably simple, so take a moment to read them and be amazed at their simplicity. ;) Participation is optional, but smiled upon greatly. :D

1. Link back to the person that bestowed the award upon you.

2. Follow the person that bestowed the award upon you.
3. Pass along to 15 Lovely Bloggers!

Kreativ Blogger Award

Amy and Jen @ Fictitious Delicious,
Angela @ Reading Angel,
Dani @ Refracted Light Reviews,
Kristin @ Better Read Than Dead,
Mocha @ A Cupcake and A Latte,
Ron @ Stories of My Life,

The rules for this award are to list 10 things about myself and award the blog to 6 other deserving bloggers.

10 Things About Myself

1. When I was young, I told myself that I'll get married at 25. I did.
2. I love Starbucks! Okay, you probably know that already. I love coffee shops in general, not because of the coffee but because of the ambiance. It's relaxing and it's a nice place to hang-out with family and friends.
3. I stand 5'2.
4. I love Spaghetti that is sweet and spicy.
5. I want everything to be organized.
6. Scents reminds me of certain people I've met in my life and that's one of the reasons why I love perfumes. They said that scents say something about you, too. Well, here's my personal favorites: Burberry Brit, L'eau Par Kenzo and Bvlgari Omnia Amethyste (This would give you a hint of how I smell lol).
7. I can go out without jewelries except earrings.
8. I talk during sleep (when I'm too stressed out).
9. I still keep my favorite barbie dolls inside my closet.
10. I don't drink milk but I love hot cocoa.

Book Review: TOUCH by Jus Accardo

2012-02-20T00:48:00.002+08:00

Touch (Denazen #1)

Author: Jus Accardo
Publication Date: October 9th 2011
Publisher:Entangled Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Summary:

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there’s something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she’ll turn to dust if he touches her. It’s not until Dez’s father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there’s more to this boy—and her father’s “law firm”—than she realized.

Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting “special” kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they’re caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe. Add to TBR.

My Thoughts:

I've been wanting to read this book for a long time now since it's released last year. Pre-ordered it until it came just this February. So was it worth the wait then? Let me tell you.

The setting: Good.
The characters: Good.
The story: Good.

So yeah, overall it was a good read for me. I actually enjoyed it though there were times that I felt I was fighting to finish the book. It reminds me of Shatter Me by Tehereh Mafi and X-Men because of the super powers that the characters possess. It wasn't a let down but I admit that it didn't reached up to the potential I was hoping for. I expected a lot from this book and I anticipated for something incredible and outstanding and remarkable to happen, sadly it wasn't like that for me. It's good but not good enough for me to really want the next book.

People with awesome abilities are called "sixes". The Denazen corporation where Deznee's dad worked, kidnaps kids who have unique abilities and trained them and used them to kill people. They become assassins and that's what Kale was until he escaped from Denazen and found Dez.

I loved Kale. He's hot, gorgeous and dangerous, too. It's interesting to see how he adapts to the world he barely knew and remains strong and smart despite of his innocence and lack of knowledge about the life outside of Denazen. He might not be the strongest character or the most swoon-worthy type of guy (I think), because honestly, I like male characters to be strong and dependable, all-knowing and snarky and sometimes mysterious. I didn't find him like that, but he is definitely a guy to root for. Maybe if he catch up fully with the world, he'll be one perfect hero. The heroine--Dez, is a strong, bad-ass heroine. She likes the adrenaline when she do something wild and adventurous, she's snarky, stubborn, a rebel and a fighter. The rest of the characters are good enough and likable, and the powers which these characters have are impressive. The touch that could kill, the power to stop a human heart, the ability to mimic things and even a person, and the soul jumper (which intrigued me the most). They may not be unique but it's actually amazing how the author crafted such ideas and put them in a story like Touch. I may not have enjoyed it as much as other readers did, but I still recommend this book. I honestly think that there will be more exciting things that awaits for us in the next installment. So don't let my review stop you from buying this book. It's good and it's worth reading.

With all the hype and the high ratings of this book, I know that I'm one of the very few who didn't rate it with 5 stars. It's just my opinion anyway (don't shoot me).

3.5 coffee cups!

My Rating:

Book Review: MY SOUL TO SAVE by Rachel Vincent

2012-02-19T23:26:00.001+08:00

My Soul To Save (Soul Screamers #2)
Author: Rachel Vincent

Publication Date: December 29th 2009

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

Summary | Add to TBR
When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies. So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry for someone who has no soul. The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can't possibly understand. Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk….

My Thoughts:

Good but not as good as the first book.

The story started at Eden's concert, where Kaylee, Nash and Tod saw Eden fell and die. They learned that Addison Paige--Tod's ex-girlfriend also sold her soul to a hellion and is now next on the list. Tod will do everything to save Addison's soul and once again, Kaylee became so concerned of helping Addison and Tod. Nash couldn't let Kaylee go to the Netherworld without him so he agreed to help his brother and Kaylee save Addison's soul from the hellion.

In book two, readers will finally see what the Netherworld really look like. The setting and the world building is really good and Rachel Vincent nailed it. I liked the idea of the Netherworld, because it was different from what I'd expected. Not just a barren land but an actual place or city just like ours but it was the horrible and dangerous side of it. It was interesting and scary to read about. The writing is still good, the concept is ok. And it was nice to see how Nash and Kaylee's relationship develops though I wish there was more to see about Nash. Tod was always present but I liked him more in My Soul To Save. I was a bit irritated with him for putting Kaylee at risk just to save Addison. It wasn't also Kaylee's strongest point in the series because there were times when I want to hit her in the head. I don't like her messing with things she's not actually involved with, and I hate it when she's being so stubborn especially with her dad.

I wish this book has something more than saving Addison's and Regan's souls from the hellion. There's just something missing or lacking in the story that made it less entertaining for me. I admit, there are times that I almost give up and thought of picking up another book to read, but then I really wanted to see how the story will shape the characters and prepare them for the next books in the series. Many times I struggled to finish the book but I'm glad that I did.

Don't hesitate to pick up My Soul to Save if you enjoyed and loved My Soul To Take. It's still good, just not the best in the series, I think.

3.5 coffee cups!

My Rating:

Cover Reveal: TASTE by Kate Evangelista

2012-02-18T09:26:00.000+08:00

Beautiful isn't it?

I want to thank the lovely author herself, for including me on the Cover Reveal of her upcoming YA Paranormal Romance book. Be sure to add this book on your TBR. :)

About the Book:

Publication Date: TBA

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

Summary | Add to TBR

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Yuri has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Yuri the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

About the Author:

Author Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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.

TBR Intervention Challenge (19)

2012-02-18T08:50:00.001+08:00

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray,

and April@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:

My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

I finished this last night and it was good. But I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the first book. Honestly, I even enjoyed the novella more than this book. Well anyway, I'll try to write my review soon.

THIS WEEK'S TBRIC:

I haven't decided what to read next... I'm still listening to Divergent (audiobook) by Veronica Roth. I loved this book so much and decided to get the audio instead of reading the book. It's truly enjoyable and fun to hear Tris and Four again. It reminds me of how much I loved Divergent. Anyway, before I get sidetracked, these are the books I consider for my next TBRIC. These books have been sitting on my shelf for a long time now and if you've noticed, I always put these books in my TBRIC post but haven't started any of them yet.

How is your Valentine's week? I hope you all had a wonderful *hearts* day! How's your TBRIC by the way? Hehe. I hope it went good. Let's hop!

Get the InLinkz code here

Thursday Revisits (7) : Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

2012-02-16T10:10:00.000+08:00

Thursday Revisits is a new meme hosted by Sam @ Books For All Seasons.

It's a weekly feature of book discussions about the characters, scenes, and plot of the book we read. It’s featured every Thursday.

Hello to my followers, readers and friends! Thanks so much for another Thursday that you come and visit my blog. I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day, full of love and hearts and chocolates or maybe flowers? =) The book I'm going to feature for today fits perfectly for Valentine's Day. I know that lots of you have read this book by Stephanie Perkins, and who wouldn't love Anna and Etienne? I guess everyone of us who devoured the book grown to love these two amazing characters. If you haven't read this book, I hope you'll pick it up as soon as you finished reading our revisit today.

Anna and the French Kiss is one of my all time favorite YA Contemporary novel and definitely one of the few books that is on top of my favorite list. It's the kind of story that you want to read over and over and over again.

Today, I will be joining by one of my bestest friend in FB and Starbooks (if you want to join our ~~crazy~~ amazing book club, you can always come and visit us on FB. You're welcome to join us! I know that the girls will love you to come over and have fun chatting with us. We don't bite, UNLESS you're a drop-dead gorgeous and swoon-worthy type of guy like the characters in the books we loved lol. See the button at the bottom right corner of my page).

Anyway, as I've said, a friend of mine will join me again today to discuss Anna and the French Kiss. Don't be shocked because my friend is some kind of a fighter... you know, a badass warrior who practice ninjutsu and throws shuriken. Yeah... she's a ninja, so be very afraid or else she'll show you her ninja fighting skills and might throw you some of her ninja stars! LOL. Kidding! Well, she's a kickass alright, but she's a sweet, thoughtful, and very kind ninja friend of mine. I'm sure you'll love to know her... so here she is, with all her ninja glory:

I love this pic! She likes to stay hidden but for the sake of this discussion, I guess it's ok to post her picture (right, Kim?)

Here's my FBBFF Kim Weihe Mathwig

Anna and the French Kiss

Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publication Date: December 2, 2010
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Genre: Young Adult, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance

Summary on Goodreads:
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited? Add to TBR | Read my review here.

Describe the book in one or two words.

April: Astonishingly beautiful!

Kim: Refreshing and Fun!

What's one thing you love most about Anna and the French Kiss?

April: There are so much to love about this book--the romantic setting (PARIS. What's not to love?), the amazing characters, and the beautiful story that made me laughed, giggled, smiled widely, dreamed and remembered my own love story. For me, everything is just perfect.

Kim: I agree April! I loved everything about this book. I loved the setting. Paris, come on!!! I loved loved loved Anna and St. Clair. I loved their friends, the topics they studied in school, the movies they saw, the places they went, and the food they ate.

April: The food they ate??? Haha! Kim, I don't even know how to pronounce the name of those foods. I'm going to have a big problem ordering at a French cafeteria! Unless I have you there with me... at least we'll suffer together! lol.

Kim: We will just point and nod. That way we won't starve. Lol!

April: Oh my golly... good luck with us! Haha

What's one thing you didn't like?

April: None at all. I loved loved loved this book.

Kim: That is so funny you said you loved this x 3!!!! I did the same thing with the previous answer. I loved everything.

April: Yes Kim. I don't know how to express the love I feel about this book. I just loved it. Okay, the"love" word again :P

What is your most favorite scene?

April: The last part, at the top of the Notre-Dame. Where Etienne found Anna and declares his love for her. It's so beautiful and I can't even describe the feeling. I loved their conversation and this: 'I love you as certain dark things are loved, secretly, between the shadow and the soul.'

Kim: That is a beautiful scene April. I loved the romance and the humor in this book. One of my favorite scenes is St.Clair talking on the phone with Anna over Christmas break. Anna is upset with her best friend and St.Clair asks her what he can do to help. Anna says, “Wanna come beat her up for me?” and St. Clair says, “I’m packing my throwing stars right now.” I just knew SC and I had a special bad-ass ninja bond. Ha ha

April: Oh my goodness! The ninja bond?! LOL. I didn't realized that St. Clair is a ninja! Okay, now I know.

Kim: Yep, It is a well kept secret. :)

Who is your favorite character in the book?

April: I loved Anna and I loved Etienne. Can I say both?

Kim: You can say both April because I want to say both. Their chemistry was wonderful.

April: It's cheating... Lol. I should've asked "Who are your favorite characters?".

Which character do you like to hang out with?

April: I want to hang out with Anna but I would love to be with Etienne <3

Kim: Can I say a group instead of one person? I would love to hang out at their lunch table.

April: Oh yes Kim, you can do that! I would love that, too!

If you can be a new character in this book, who do you think you'll gonna be?

April: I want to be Anna so I can have Etienne, but that won't work, right? Hmm... I think I'd rather be Anna's sister and study in Paris too. I will find my own Etienne and create my own love story. He he.

Kim: Ha ha! No, that wouldn't work. But I like your sister idea. Maybe Anna can bring a friend with her to Paris? I’ll be the fun friend who charms everyone into loving her. (A friend who makes Anna open up her eyes!) A girl can dream, right?

April: So we're going to be in Paris. Both of us. I hope Anna won't have a problem when she see us ~~drooling~~ staring at her boyfriend.

Kim: Yay! we are going to Paris!! I am sure it will be hard to keep our eyes off of St.Clair.

If you would be given the opportunity to change one part in the story, what will it be and why?

April: I won't change a thing. I'll just make it loooonger cos I don't want the story to end.

Kim: I would want the story to be longer. I couldn't get enough of this story.

Are you satisfied with the ending?

April: Yes! it's beautiful and oh-so-romantic! I wish there's more and I wish there's Anna and the French Kiss Part 2.

Kim: I loved the ending! It was very charming and romantic. I love that we can see Anna and St.Clair in Lola and the Boy Next Door.

April: You're right. At least there's Lola and the Boy Next Door. I hope we can see them again in Isla and the Happily Ever After. Can't wait!

Kim: I hope so too!

Do you recommend this book?

April: Definitely. It's a must read!

Kim: Yes! You will want to read it again and again.

April: Speaking of re-reading... I am planning to re-read it again. Skimming through this book isn't enough. It makes me want to read the story again. St. Clair is so lovable and Anna is amazing. The rest of the characters are so fun to read about. You just want to hang out with them and be their friends too.

Kim: I've read it twice.

April: Wow! *me jealous

Imagine that you're in Paris and you can have your Point Zero wish just like Anna. What will it be?

April: I wish that everyone can have a beautiful love story of their own. To love and be loved. *wink

Kim: I would wish for a happy and healthy life for my family and friends.

April: Okay, I wish that, too! :) We can have as many wishes as we can, right?

Kim: Right!

Thank you so much Kim for joining me here today. I had so much fun!

Thanks everyone for dropping by! 'Til next time! xoxo.

TBR Intervention Challenge (18)

2012-02-11T09:51:00.000+08:00

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray,

and April@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.

MY LAST WEEK'S TBRIC:

I committed My Soul to Save and promised to finish Touch in my last TBRIC. I'm done with Touch last night, but I haven't even started My Soul To Save :,( So, I guess it'll still be my book for this coming week.

I liked and enjoyed Touch by Jus Accardo, but it wasn't the kind of book I expected it to be. It was good but I'm still undecided about the rating yet. I'm still waiting for it to really sink in. I wish I could love this book as much as everybody does so I can give this a 5/5 but maybe 3 or 4 or in between... Hmm. It's hard for me to rate this book! Review will be up soon, I hope :P

Touch (Denazen #1)
by Jus Accardo

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there’s something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she’ll turn to dust if he touches her. It’s not until Dez’s father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there’s more to this boy—and her father’s “law firm”—than she realized.

Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting “special” kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they’re caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

THIS WEEK'S TBRIC:

I haven't even started this book... I know, I feel bad about it, but I've been too occupied and I had a hard time getting into my books last week. So, this week, it's still my book to commit. I hope I'd be able to read and finish it this time.

You can grab the Linky Code here: get the InLinkz code

Blue Sky Days Blog Tour: Guest Post from Author Marie Landry

2012-02-10T08:28:00.003+08:00

My mood is as blue and as beautiful as the sky today. Simply because there are lots of things to be thankful for, and so many good things to be happy about. One thing that makes me so excited is because of today's post from the author of the Blue Sky Days--Marie Landry.

Have you read the book yet? If not, YOU MUST. It's beautiful, it's touching, it's one of the most meaningful book I've read in years. I hope you'll find time to pick this book and enjoy the story... In the mean time, cherish your life, treasure your love ones, and enjoy this post =)

How's the weather?
by Marie Landry

In Canada, talking about the weather is like a national pastime. When people greet each other, one of the first things you’ll often hear them comment on is the weather - “a lot of rain we’re having”, or “can you believe all this snow”, or “we’re getting spoiled with all this sunshine”. I’ve heard the same said about places like Ireland and England, and other places where the weather is changeable and often unpredictable.

Weather has an enormous impact on some people. For me, I feel much more motivated and energized when the sun is shining. When it rains for days at a time, I usually feel sluggish and find it harder to be productive. Many people dread the short, dark days of winter because of the dreary days that can seem never-ending.

In Blue Sky Days, the weather sets the tone for many scenes. Think along the lines of the old classic line “it was a dark and stormy night”. Doesn’t that evoke a clear picture in your mind - something creepy and possibly sinister? I didn’t use anything quite as dramatic as that, but the weather definitely added to the mood of many scenes. For example, at the beginning of the book when Emma is making her journey from her old home to Riverview, it’s been raining for weeks and she thinks that people have been bogged down by the weather, allowing the grayness to seep into their lives. When she arrives in Riverview, the clouds part and the sun appears like a beacon - a sign of hope. When Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer, Emma realizes Nicholas’s moods reflect the weather, and his good days become known as blue sky days.

The funny thing is, it wasn’t even really a conscious decision to use the weather as a metaphor. It just sort of happened, but since the weather often reflects my own moods, I suppose it’s fitting. Does the weather reflect your mood? Are you one of those people who want to do absolutely nothing on a rainy day, except maybe curl up with a good book? Or does the rain invigorate you? How about sunny blue sky days, do they leave you feeling rejuvenated?

BLUE SKY DAYS by Marie Landry

Read my review here

Add this book to TBR (Goodreads)

BUY the book: Amazon | Smashwords | B & N

A year after graduating from high school, nineteen-year-old Emma Ward feels lost. She has spent most of her life trying to please her frigid, miserable mother - studying hard, getting good grades, avoiding the whole teenage rebellion thing - and now she feels she has no identity beyond that. Because she spent so many years working hard and planning every moment of her life, she doesn't have any friends, has never had a boyfriend, and basically doesn't know who she is or what she really wants from life. Working two part-time jobs to save money for college hasn't helped her make decisions about her future, so she decides it's time for a change. She leaves home to live with her free-spirited, slightly eccentric Aunt Daisy in a small town that makes Emma feel like she's stepped back in time.

When Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, everything changes - he's unlike anyone she's ever met before, the kind of man she didn't even know existed in the 21st century. Carefree and spirited like Daisy, Nicholas teaches Emma to appreciate life, the beauty around her, and to just let go and live. Between Daisy and Nicholas, Emma feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in her life, and realizes that you don't always need a plan - sometimes life steers you where you're meant to be.

Life is wonderful, an endless string of blue sky days, until Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer, and life changes once again for Emma in ways she never thought possible. Now it's time for her to help Nicholas the way he's helped her. Emma will have to use her new-found strength, and discover along the way if love really is enough to get you through.

Marie would like to thank the people who have supported her by showing her appreciation in some small way. So, for every person who buys a copy of Blue Sky Days during the tour and sends Marie proof of purchase via email to irishstar_83{at}hotmail{dot}com she will enter you into a giveaway to win a book of your choice up to $12 CAN from The Book Depository.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Facebook: Marie Landry, Writer | Blue Sky Days
Twitter: @SweetMarie83

Blog: Ramblings of A Daydreamer

Author's Site: Marie Landry, Author

Marie Landry has always been a daydreamer. She has created imaginary worlds for as long as she can remember, so it only seemed natural that she would become a writer. With a passion for words that started in early childhood, Marie has written a varied range of works, and has been freelance writing since 2009. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, or having grand adventures with her two precious nephews.

Here's the link and schedule of the Blue Sky Days Blog Tour:

Tuesday January 17th: Jessica from Thoughts at One in the Morning {Review, Excerpt & giveaway}
Wednesday January 18th: Michelle from Much Loved Books {Review and giveaway}
Thursday January 19th: Molli from Once Upon a Prologue {Review and mini interview}
Friday January 20th: Michelle from Much Loved Books {Guest post and excerpt}
Saturday January 21st: Tana from Tana Rae Reads {Interview and giveaway}
Sunday January 22nd: Michelle from Book Briefs {Review}
Monday January 23rd: Sharon from Obsession With Books {Review}
Tuesday January 24th: Sharon from Obsession With Books {Guest post and excerpt}
Wednesday January 25th: Christy from Love of Books {Review}
Thursday January 26th: Mist from Bookaholics Book Club {Guest post}
Thursday January 26th: Kimberlly from Ultimo Romance {Review and interview}
Friday January 27th: LizzieBeth from Lissette E. Manning {Review and interview}
Saturday January 28th: Michelle from Book Briefs {Guest post and giveaway}
Sunday January 29th: Clare from Faery Ink Press {Review}
Monday January 30th: Christy from Love of Books {Guest post and giveaway}
Thursday February 2nd: Giselle from Xpresso Reads {Interview + giveaway}
Friday February 3rd: Asher from Paranormal Indulgence {Review}
Saturday February 4th: Asher from Paranormal Indulgence {Fact Fusion and giveaway}
Sunday February 5th: Hayley from Booking it With Hayley G {Review and interview}
Monday February 6th: Dani from Pen to Paper {Review}
Tuesday February 7th: Amanda from Letters Inside Out {Excerpt}
Tuesday February 7th: Dani from Pen to Paper {Interview and giveaway}
Wednesday February 8th: Patricia from My Journey Through the Pages {Guest post and giveaway}
Wednesday February 8th: Bree from The Magic Attic {Interview and giveaway}
Thursday February 9th: Amanda from Letters Inside Out {Review and giveaway}
Thursday February 9th: MaryBeth from Keystrokes and Word Counts {Review}
Friday February 10th: Kathy from I Write, I Read, I Review {Review}
Friday February 10th: April from Books 4 Juliet {Guest post}
Saturday February 11th: Sarita from The Fabulous Gift of Life. A Journal for My Daughter {Guest post and interview}
Saturday February 11th: Kathy from I Write, I Read, I Review {Guest Post}
Sunday February 12th: Sarita from The Fabulous Gift of Life. A Journal for My Daughter{Review and giveaway}
Monday February 13th: Ecey from Ece Red: YA Book Blog {Review}
Tuesday February 14th: Ecey from Ece Red: YA Book Blog {Guest post}

Book Review: BLUE SKY DAYS by Marie Landry

2012-02-10T08:23:00.004+08:00

Blue Sky Days

Author: Marie Landry

Publication Date: January 17th 2012

Format: eBook
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Family

Summary on Goodreads:

A year after graduating from high school, nineteen-year-old Emma Ward feels lost. She has spent most of her life trying to please her frigid, miserable mother - studying hard, getting good grades, avoiding the whole teenage rebellion thing - and now she feels she has no identity beyond that. Because she spent so many years working hard and planning every moment of her life, she doesn't have any friends, has never had a boyfriend, and basically doesn't know who she is or what she really wants from life. Working two part-time jobs to save money for college hasn't helped her make decisions about her future, so she decides it's time for a change. She leaves home to live with her free-spirited, slightly eccentric Aunt Daisy in a small town that makes Emma feel like she's stepped back in time.

When Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, everything changes - he's unlike anyone she's ever met before, the kind of man she didn't even know existed in the 21st century. Carefree and spirited like Daisy, Nicholas teaches Emma to appreciate life, the beauty around her, and to just let go and live. Between Daisy and Nicholas, Emma feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in her life, and realizes that you don't always need a plan - sometimes life steers you where you're meant to be.

Life is wonderful, an endless string of blue sky days, until Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer, and life changes once again for Emma in ways she never thought possible. Now it's time for her to help Nicholas the way he's helped her. Emma will have to use her new-found strength, and discover along the way if love really is enough to get you through. Add to TBR

My Thoughts:

I always love a happy ending.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book but happy ending was certainly not one of them. From the summary to the excerpt, it looks like a really emotional and sad story and I prepared myself for a heavy reading and heartbreaking one.

When I started the book, I had a strong feeling that I’m going to be one heck of a heart broken for the next couple of hours or days.

But the ending…

Marie Landry made it beautiful. She made it worthwhile.

I knew it didn't matter that I couldn't go back and change things. I was right where I was supposed to be at just the right time. – Emma

The story started when Emma decided to spend her summer with her Aunt Daisy and start her journey of self-discovery. Leaving her dad and her difficult and selfish mother, she went to Riverview and was overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery and friendly neighborhood. Living with her Aunt Daisy who is vibrant, always full of life, and a total opposite of her mom, Emma began to feel how much time she wasted trying to be a better person to please her mom but lost herself in the process.

Then she met Nicholas.

Kind, caring, thoughtful, and selfless Nicholas. The color of his eyes is the beautiful kind of blue and he always seems to radiate goodness and happiness and beauty. Who wouldn’t fall in love with a guy like Nicholas Shaw? From the moment Emma met him, she was attracted to him immediately and though their relationship happened so fast, it feels like they’ve been together for a lifetime. Even Emma couldn’t believe that a guy “to-good-to-be-true” like Nicholas exist in real life. I can’t help but smile whenever I imagine him and his blue eyes. He was so charming and beautiful and everybody loves him. He was the kind of man you would want to marry and spend your lifetime with. Maybe that’s the reason it was even more painful to see him dying. To see how little by little their blue sky days was taken away from them.

The journey I went through by reading this book was a mixture of happiness, hope, love, sadness and heartbreaking moments. The author wrote the book so well and her words were beautiful, the writing was detailed, the setting was wonderful and vivid that you would want to live in that place and experience the beauty in it. The characters are so real, there’s so much goodness in them, they’re not perfect but their presence will make you feel all the love and care you need to feel life… to live. Many times I wished that I have Aunt Daisy with me. You can’t even ask for more with friends like Vince and Maggie. It was a refreshing breath of air to be surrounded by amazing characters whom I want to pull out from the book and surrounded myself by their kindness and love. I can relate with Emma. I actually saw a bit of my old self in her from what she'd gone through—the uncertainty of the future, the obstacles of dealing with family crisis and finding love. Emma seems even more real to me than any characters in this book.

"And I promise that if I make it through this, I will be there for you for the rest of our lives. If you'll have me... If I beat this thing, I want you to marry me."

I buried my face in his chest, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. I wanted to jump and scream and dance around because I was in love and had found the man of my dreams, someone I didn't think even existed outside of fairytales. But at the same time, that dream man had just been diagnosed with cancer.

I couldn’t believe I cried too early over this book. I know it was expected that Nicholas would be diagnosed by cancer, but at that moment, I felt like I died with Emma. I experienced everything that Emma and Nicholas went through and as if I was with them in every step of the way. I was surrounded by emotions—from Emma and Nicholas, from their family and friends. It felt so real.

"You're going to give him all you have, just like you've been doing, and when you don't think you've got anything left to give you're going to dig deeper and somehow find more strength..." - Daisy

I know it won’t be enough for me to say that this book is really good. I really enjoyed it from the beginning up to the last page. Especially the last page. The sadness, the heartbreak, the sorrow of the possibility of losing someone you love—it will make you appreciate life, it will make you love more, and it will give you the strength to hold on. And miracles… I always believe in miracles. And from now on, whenever I look at the sky, no matter what the season is, I will always remember the blue sky days.

My Rating:

Thursday Revisits (6): There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

2012-02-09T10:07:00.002+08:00

Thursday Revisits is a new meme hosted by Sam @ Books For All Seasons.

It's a weekly feature of book discussions about the characters, scenes, and plot of the book we read. It’s featured every Thursday.

Hi everyone! Thank you for dropping by! I am so happy to know that you all come here to see this post. Today, I featured There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones and I am honored to have here today, my very lovely friend Jenny Vasquez. She's very sweet and loving and I'm blessed to have her in my life. She's one of my most treasured FBBFF and book lover friend. Thank you Jenny for this lovely and meaningful discussion. Your answers are truly inspiring..

There You'll Find Me
Author: Jenny B. Jones
Publication Date: October 4, 2011
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Religious and Inspirational

Summary on Goodreads:

Grief brought Finley to Ireland. LOVE WILL LEAD HER HOME.

Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.

She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.

Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.

Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?

Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along? Add to TBR | Read my Review

1. How many times have you read There You'll Find Me?

Jenny: Twice so far. I originally borrowed it from the library, but I liked it so much I had to buy a copy so I could read it again whenever I wanted to.

April: Once. Though I like skimming my favorite parts =)

2. What inspire you to read this book?

Jenny: April, you had given it such a great review, I had to read it too. And I'm so glad I did. It inspired me to read three other books by Jenny B. Jones as well.

April: Aww. Thank you Jenny. I’m glad that you liked my review and that you loved the book. I immediately requested for a copy when I saw this on NetGalley and like Jenny, I’m so glad that I did! =)

3. What did you appreciate most about the story?

Jenny: I loved that this story had so many facets to it. Finley was a broken mess when she arrived in Ireland and was entirely focused on her own issues with her brother's death and not feeling close to God. But she quickly became a part of Beckett's and Mrs. Sweeney's own complicated lives as well. I loved reading how they all had to deal with and process the hurts and disappointments in their lives, and how they came together and helped try to heal one another. It was a beautiful story of finding God and healing.

April: Honestly, what I loved most was the romance between Finley and Beckett =) It was very enjoyable and it lightened up the mood in the story. You see, this book is a deep read, it’s full of drama, full of issues in life… The love story made it a little lighter though it has complications on its own. I was surprised that Beckett, despite of being popular and a hearthrob is one of the most sensible persons I’ve met in this book. I loved how the author incorporate the beautiful verses from the Bible without being preachy. It’s hard to write a Christian/Religious book without sounding like you're rebuking or blaming the readers for their different views.

Jenny: I agree, April. I loved reading about Finley and Beckett. Their scenes were highlights to me because, like you said, there were deeper issues they were dealing with and I needed to see their sparks of love to lighten it up. The process of their relationship - Beckett's persistence in particular - helped me be hopeful that things would look up for both of them. Honestly, I'm just a sucker for a good love story.

April: Yes, me too! And I always want a happy ending.

4. What's your favorite part/scene in the book?

Jenny: There were so many great scenes in the book. Beckett and Finley had many wonderful scenes together, but I'll go with their scene dancing in the pub, because it's where they first let down their walls with each other. Actually, I loved their dialogue and chemistry from the very beginning. As for breakthrough moments, I loved the scene at Clonmacnoise because it was so healing and hopeful, but I can't say more because I don't want to spoil it. Loved Finley and Beckett!!

April: Hehe. I loved the scene in the pub, too! That’s the time when Finley and Beckett had their first kiss! What’s not to love?! Lol. But what I loved and enjoyed most in the story was the time when Beckett asked Frankie… Flossie… I mean Finley, to help him rehearse his part in the movie he’s making. I don’t know why I loved that scene. There’s actually nothing that happened there, but I really enjoyed their conversation because it was light and funny to read about. Here’s the conversation they had. Sorry, it’s seems nonsense and too long, but hey, I really enjoyed it. It won’t spoil your reading, promise.

“I’m about to ask you a favor.”

“And I’m about to tell you no.”

“It’s not a make-out scene. Though I’d be willing to rehearse that.”

“Still, no.”

“Dig deep into that cold, callous heart of yours, Frankie.”

“It’s Finley.”

“Dig deep and find some kindness.”

“Selena the mutating vampire duchess? The woman who eats frogs, whose lower body is covered in scales because her mom had a fling with a merman?”

“I knew you were a fan.”

Dumbest movies ever.

“I won’t tell your friends about your sleeping attire… Nice bunnies.”

“Fine. But tomorrow we go back to ignoring one another.”

“Page fifty-one. And as for girls who try to stay away from me—my charm always wears them down.”

“I’m up-to-date on my shots, so I’m pretty much immune to everything.”

“Famous last words, Flossie. Famous last words.”

5. What is the part you didn't like?

Jenny: It was hard reading Finley's doubts and struggles with God, but we've all been there or will be there, so it's important to not get stuck in those moments, but move forward, like Finley. So those difficult parts were just as important as the hopeful, healing parts of the book. So I wouldn't change a thing.

April: I loved everything about this book. There’s no part that I didn’t like. =)

6. Who is your favorite character and why?

Jenny: I loved Beckett. Not just because he's a cutie, but he had so much more depth to him that was straining to come out. Despite his upbringing and dad/manager, he was a true gentleman. He wanted to do the right thing, but didn't know how to get out of the restraints of his life. But he was real with Finley, appreciated her "realness", and sought for the truth himself, seeking God more and more, and helping Finley in such a loving way. He was quite selfless. His next movie role should be as a knight, not a vampire. Here's one of Beckett's gentlemanly scenes:

"It's important. That's all I know."

He nodded. "'Tis enough."

"Enough for what?

He walked down the steps, then faced me again. "Enough for me to help you."

I dogged his heels, following him to the truck. "I didn't ask you to."

"I know." He opened my door with a lopsided grin. "That's just the kind, generous type of guy I am."

April: Oh yes, he's definitely a CUTIE! I loved Beckett Rush, too! He’s so adorable and like Jenny said, he’s a true gentleman. NO MORE Vampire roles for Beckett Rush, for goodness sake. Jenny’s right, he’s a knight in shining armor!

7. The story let the readers see how devastated Finley feels about losing her brother. How do you feel when she said: 'Some peace. Some healing. To hear God's voice again. I wanted to find my brother's Ireland. To put it into a song.'

Jenny: I haven't lost a family member as close as a brother before, but I have had dark times in my life. In those moments I would strain for just a glimmer of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel, a desperation to see God's purpose and not lose myself before that. I appreciate Finley not completely giving up on God and hearing his voice. It can be so tempting to give up, but the true battle is to push on and push ahead, to not give up on a relationship with God. The Bible is also full of music, including the entire book of Psalms. I love music and singing, and it completely makes sense to me that music would be part of seeking God and healing.

April: Just like Finley, every one is fighting her own battle… and I believe that every person needs some kind of healing, not just physically but emotionally and spiritually. This phrase reminds me of my own experiences during the times when I can’t seem to hear God’s voice or feel His presence in my life. I had my fair share of TOUGH TIMES. I had plenty of dark times in my life and without God, I could’ve lost my battles a long time ago. Life is tough but God is faithful. With the help of God’s words and His promises, plus the Christian songs I listen to everytime I was down, it’s less difficult to find that glimmer of hope. I can totally relate with this quote from the book where Finley says:

“I was that kite. Fragile against the wind. Soaring one minute. Spiraling straight down the next. Just looking for something to hold me up. Before I spun out of control and flew away.”

Jenny: So true, April. I think whether we're going through good times, tough times, or any times, we need a constant in our lives, and that's God. God is definitely faithful to us, and we need to stay faithful to Him. I loved when Sister Maria said, "I believe God spoke to you at the cliffs...But perhaps you weren't truly listening." Like Finley, we need to seek Him and listen.

8. What do you think made this story remarkable?

Jenny: I loved that this story can relate to anyone, from loss of loved ones, to insecurities with our bodies, to hurtful schoomates or co-workers or family members, to bitterness over the past, to seeking forgiveness for your mistakes, to heartache and misunderstanding, to control issues, to life and death, to healing and love. I loved what Sister Maria said to Finley, "Closing your heart to God and the rest of the world won't fill those raw places. It just makes more room for Satan to settle in your heart. Makes his lies easier to believe - that you're not worthy, that God doesn't truly care. That he didn't care about your brother, your family, or you. Finley, you can't hear the Lord's voice over all that distraction...You can't walk on water holding all that weight. It makes you sink right down. Let it go, my dear. Your anger isn't keeping Will's memory alive...You both think you're controlling things. But really, you control nothing. Mrs. Sweeney wasn't brave enough to surrender, and neither was her sister. Choose you this day, life or death. Be a victory story. Don't just be another life claimed by that bomb...Let God change yours." I think anyone can relate to that and learn from it.

April: I loved that Jenny! Those are very meaningful words. I can totally relate with the story and that makes it remarkable to me. The setting is so vivid, so beautiful that I want to go there and experience the awesomeness of God’s love and power. The scriptures from the Bible made me appreciate the beauty of things and the goodness of God even more. I’ve never been so inspired with a fictional book before. I hope everyone would grab a chance to read it.

9. If you can take Finley to a place other than Ireland, what place would that be?

Jenny: I would take her anywhere you can see the ocean. The ocean always reminds me of God's vastness, His power, His presence, His forgiveness. I was baptized in the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara, California when I was 18, so that place will always be special to me. It's a place of cleansing, healing, renewal.

April: Oh, I love the ocean, too, Jenny. But I was baptized in a pool! Hehe. I was 15 then. Anyway, I’m thinking about taking her to Disneyland (Oh, yeah) . I love Disneyland, why not? Hehe. But seriously, other than Disney, I want to take her along for a hike to the top of the mountain. I haven’t done it myself but I always wanted to. I think that’s an awesome place where you can see the grandeur of God’s love and faithfulness to us.

Jenny: Oh yes, tops of mountains are amazing. I hiked to the top of Mount Whitney in California and the view was amazing. Very inspirational.

10. There You'll Find Me mentioned a lot of Bible verses. If you would pick one verse from the Bible that will help Finley in her moment of loss and depression, what verse will you give to her?

Jenny: There are so many great scriptures, but I will limit myself to two. They give me great hope, encouragement, and inspiration about God's love and faithfulness.

I Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'"

April: I love Bible verses and it’s hard to choose when there are too many of them to choose from. But of course I need to pick something. I have lots of favorites but I will choose two (lol, Jenny, we’re cheating!). Anyway, these two verses have been my source of inspiration too when I was in one of those trying times.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

11. "It's a beautiful place. Full of life. Everywhere I look, I see God." Does it remind you of a certain place?

Jenny: I think nature is a beautiful place that reminds me of God. Whether it be the ocean, the mountains, the snow, the open fields, the forest: God is everywhere, we just have to see Him.

April: Everywhere. Just like Jenny, I try to see God everywhere—especially at home where I see my son. He reminds me of heaven and God’s love to me.

Jenny: Yes, you're right, our children are a great way to see God as well. They are such precious gifts.

12. Do you recommend this book?

Jenny: I highly recommend this book. It is inspiring, romantic, heart-warming. And although it is Christian fiction, I don't think that should deter anyone from reading it because it is such a great story and so well-written. It could be appreciated by anyone.

April: It’s one of the great books I’ve read last year and I highly recommend it. Jenny Jones has written such a beautiful story that is so inspiring and touching . There’s always something to love about There You’ll Find Me. You don’t have to be a Christian to appreciate this book.

13. At the end of the book it says: "The only thing scarier than living on the edge is stepping off it." What does it mean to you?

Jenny: So many decisions in life require faith, and that's what stepping off the edge feels like to me. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." We must take leaps of faith in our lives, not knowing what the outcome will be, but stepping out of our comfort zone and going for it anyway.

April: For me it’s about holding on and not giving up. Life sometimes stretch us, it crushed us and there are times when we feel miserable and helpless. Sometimes we can’t feel God’s presence, and it seems easier if we give up. But God doesn’t want us to feel like that. He wants us to let go of our fears, let go of our burdens, let go of the things that weighing us down. He wants us to know that we don’t suffer alone. He wants us to have faith in Him. We don’t have reasons to give up when we have an omnipotent God. Nothing can be worse than being faithless and hopeless.

Jenny: Life certainly is challenging. With the joys and victories there is also loss and heartache. But God wants us to be victorious and not lose hope and not lose faith. In the moment, our troubles can be completely overwhelming. But God wants us to turn to Him and not give up on our circumstances or on Him. I love the verse in II Corinthians 4:16-18: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day, For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

14. Raid That Purse: Five things we'll most likely find in your purse/bag? :D

Jenny: Wallet with small bills for when I visit our local used bookstores, lotion for my dry hands, hairbrush for my long hair, compact for my shiny nose (the only make-up I wear), and of course whatever book/Kindle I'm currently reading.

April: Okay, so the usual stuffs in my bag are:

Bag organizer (contains hand lotion, hand sanitizer, perfume, make-up kit, medicines, panty liners, facial tissues (dry and wet ones), and a hair brush), wallet, cellphone, Tristan’s extra shirt, small towel for Tristan and one of these three: iPad/Kindle/Book. But when I need to leave the rest and pick just a few, then here’s the top 5 I won’t leave behind:

1 - Wallet (with my money, ID’s and credit cards)

2 - Face powder,

3 - Lip gloss

4 - Hair brush

5 - Cellphone :)

Thank you Jenny, for doing this discussion with me.

And thank you everyone for being here today!

God bless you all richly everyday!

Book Review: DARK SEEKER by Taryn Browning

2012-02-07T23:03:00.002+08:00

Dark Seeker (Seeker, #1)
Author: Taryn Browning
Publication Date: October 14th 2011
Publisher:
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy

Summary on Goodreads:

For 17-year-old Seeker, Janie Grey, ridding the Baltimore streets of the undead is an inherited duty passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. Seeker Training Lesson #1: Never trust the undead. After her father’s tragic death, Janie creates her own life lesson: Love isn’t worth the risk. Both lessons are easy to follow until she encounters the flawed Kai Sterdam. At first, she believes he is the hybrid she is trained to hunt. But, when he has human traits, she determines she doesn’t know what he is. As Janie’s intrigue over who Kai is pushes her deeper into his mysterious past, she discovers a shocking truth that is even more harrowing than the evil they are up against. It’s a secret Kai wants to keep hidden, especially from Janie.

My Thoughts:

"Will you ever tell me why your heart beats?"
"No--" His green eyes turned steely.
"You know I'm going to ask you again," she pushed.
"I know, you're annoyingly persistent. My answer's going to be the same." His voice deepened, making it obvious he wasn't playing around.
She continued anyway. "One day you'll tell me."
Kai's face tightened. "We won't ever be that close."

I'll start my review with Janie Grey because I know that most of us like strong and effective heroines. As much as possible we like them to be smart, independent and sensible. Janie certainly fits those description. She doesn't only know how to kick butts, but she's smart and sexy at the same time. Not all main characters are like her. She's definitely one of the most kick ass heroine I've ever met.

The story started with Janie fighting with a demon at Baltimore. Well, that's basically her job as a Seeker--to get rid of demons including vampires. She's quite good at her job as a Seeker, in fact, she's more than committed to her job. Then he met Kai, a mysterious guy who always appear out of nowhere, and who always end up saving her. Dark, mysterious, good looking and swoon-worthy. Aside from his good looks and oozing sex appeal, he's also funny and sarcastic *grin*. Janie and Kai are perfect match since they compliment each others personality thus, making them very likable and fun to read about. They're both tough and sensible and most of all, they're not annoying.

This might not be the first and only book about vampires and demons and demon-killing heroes. But this book isn't just "another" book. Though it has the same flavor that you can find in other urban fantasy stories, I'd say that there are still lots of reasons to enjoy it. It's action-packed, full of suspense and with lots of humor! There's no way you'll get bored to death when reading this book. I was giggling a lot of times because Kai and Janie are so fun and good together. They'll make sure that you'll be entertained by their snarky conversations and sweet, delicious romance. My only concern was the narrating style which I find a bit confusing, but other than that I find the book really enjoyable and definitely worth my time.

"I told you to come in. What else do you want me to do? I don't beg to get a girl." He glanced down at hid bare chest and smirked. "They come willingly." - Kai

"I'll help you to the couch."

"Is that what you're doing?" she said. "It feels more like you're dragging me." - Janie

With strong, butt-kicking heroes and interesting storyline, this book will keep you rooted on your seat until the last page. The book is very hard to put down! And the ending? Very satisfying.

My Rating:

TBR Intervention Challenge (17)

2012-02-04T10:00:00.000+08:00

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray,

and April@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.

MY LAST WEEK'S TBRIC:

I'm proud to say that I finished all three of my books last week! Yay! And in addition to that, I also finished The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines! Yay again! It rarely happens, so I am really glad that I was able to read and review my books. I'm halfway through TOUCH so I hope I could finish it soon. I did enjoy my books! It was fun and exciting reading week for me =) You can see my reviews below:

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

My Soul To Lose by Rachel Vincent

My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent

The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

THIS WEEK'S TBRIC:

This week I'll choose My Soul To Save (Soul Screamers #2) by Rachel Vincent for my TBRIC because it's part of the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge.

Plus, I'm going to finish Touch (Denazen #1) by Jus Accardo.

Hopefully I could squeeze in some other books, so wish me luck!

You can grab the linky here: get the InLinkz code

Book Review: THE VINCENT BOYS by Abbi Glines

2012-02-03T23:39:00.000+08:00

The Vincent Boys

Author: Abbi Glines

Publication Date: October 12th 2011

Format: eBook

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

Summary on Goodreads:

Being the good girl isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ashton Gray has grown weary of playing the part to please her parents, and to be worthy of the town’s prince charming, Sawyer Vincent. Maybe That’s why she’s found herself spending time with Sawyer’s cousin, Beau, while he’s away for the summer camping with his family. Beau is nothing like her perfect boyfriend. He’s the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, dangerous in ways she’s only day dreamed about, and the one guy she should stay away from.

Beau never envied Sawyer his loving parents, his big nice home, or his position as quarterback. He loves him like a brother. Which is why he's tried everything in his power to keep his distance from Sawyer’s girlfriend. Even if he has loved her since the age of five, Ashton is Sawyer’s girl, so therefore she’s off limits. But when Sawyer leaves for the summer, Ashton, the one girl Beau would move Heaven and Earth for, decides she wants to get into trouble. Stabbing the one person who’s always accepted him and stood by him in the back, is the cost of finally holding Ashton Gray in his arms. Is she worth losing his cousin over?.... Hell Yeah. Add to TBR

My Thoughts:

I didn't expect to love this book so much. It was free during the time I downloaded it to my Kindle and the moment I started reading it, I was hooked and couldn't put it down. It was exhilaratingly fun and enjoyable! I want more of Ashton and the Vincent boys!

Cousins Sawyer and Beau Vincent were Ashon Gray's childhood best friends. They grew up and protected each other ever since they were five. And even from that time, Beau has always cared and loved Ashton until she became Sawyer's girlfriend. Since then, Beau and Ashton relationship grew apart despite the fact that they were practically the best of friends. For three years of Ashton's relationship with Sawyer, she tried to be good, to be descent, to be worthy of Sawyer's love and affection. She did her best to be the perfect girl for Sawyer--the good and the perfect (well, almost) of the two Vincent boys. Beau on the other hand, has always been the bad boy, the dangerous one. He was once her partner in crime, and he is the one who knows the real Ashton, the boy who love the girl she's trying to conceal. After spending time with Beau, Ash suddenly realized that she must have chosen the wrong Vincent boy after all...

There are lots of things I loved about this book. First of all, the characters. Ash is very real to me. She's an average girl whom you usually meet at school or in your neighborhood. She's not perfect, she's flawed, she has shortcomings, she has mistakes in life like the rest of us. The good thing about her is that she tried to fix things even though it would cost her her own happiness. She didn't deny her mistakes, she accepted the consequences and lived through it. That made me loved her despite of her weaknesses.

Sawyer and Beau are the best cousins ever! They loved each other like true brothers and I admired them for so many reasons. I don't want to spill anything about these two boys cos I don't want to spoil your future reading. You'll just have to find out for yourself. The two Vincent boys will make your heart go ponder and your stomach flutter, especially Beau Vincent. You wouldn't want to miss this guy. Your heart will ache for him, care for him, and you'll love him!

The setting and the plot are good and there was never a single moment that I got bored. I really appreciate the narrating style because it let me see both Ash and Beau's thoughts. I always liked the alternating POV style of writing. Overall, it was an entertaining read for me, and I enjoyed every single moment I had with this book. I just loved everything about it. The oh-so-sweet and ~~oh-so-yummy Beau~~ oh-so-sexy love story will keep your eyes on the book and your nose sticking on it too! The drama and the tension are so good, I didn't want to stop reading.

I just want to share a few of those memorable lines I quoted from the book:

I'd never envied anything of Sawyers. I loved him like a brother. He was the only family I truly loved... He'd always have the things I didn't have... but none of that had mattered because I had Ashton... She'd been my partner in crime... my soul mate. Then just like everything else in Saywer's perfect life he got my girl. The only thing I'd thought I could call mine had become his... - Beau

"Ash, I'm trying real hard to be good... Please remember I've got my limits and you studying my mouth like you want a taste is pushing me dangerously close to the edge of those limits." - Beau

"The real Ashton Gray is perfect and I'm crazy in love with her." - Beau

"I didn't ask for the perfect Ashton to be my girlfriend... I asked the only Ash I'd ever known... I was proud of the girl you had become... I let myself forget the other girl you once were. Beau didn't forget her." - Sawyer

Just once I wanted to be selfish and take what I wanted... I wanted to tell him I loved him... I wanted to claim Beau as mine but I couldn't do any of those things. - Ash

Those who enjoy YA contemporary with a sexy romance that might be suitable only for mature Young Adult readers, then go for this book. I enjoyed it so much and I want more!

My Rating:

Book Review: MY SOUL TO TAKE by Rachel Vincent

2012-02-03T16:16:00.000+08:00

My Soul To Take (Soul Screamers #1)
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publication Date: August 1st 2009
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

Summary on Goodreads:

She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

My Thoughts:

I've already heard good things about this series but not until the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge came up that I was able to (finally) read it. I've started with My Soul To Lose (see my review here) and immediately jumped into this book. I find the story unique and interesting because I haven't read anything like it before. The term bean sidhe hadn't occured to me before until I came across this book. According to legend, Bean sidhe (in Scottish) or what referred to as banshee, is a fairy woman who begins to wail if someone is about to die. But here in the story, there are also male banshee who has different abilities than the female banshee. Female banshee wail for a person who is about to die while the male banshee can guide the soul of the dead back to it's body.

I really enjoyed reading this book because of several reasons. One thing is the pacing of the story. It doesn't drag and it kept me occupied up to the last page. The premise is good and it build up a strong foundation for the series. Whatever it is that the next books will have to offer are surely something that would be worth your time in the end. Not only the world-building is good, but also the characters. I liked Kaylee and her best friend Emma. Finally, not a best friend who is like a slut, and care nothing but her looks and her lovelife. It's good that Kaylee have someone like her. I really liked Nash Hudson. The gorgeous and swoon worthy type of guy whom you can't resist to admire. And I'm fond of Tod--the mysterious, beautiful, angelic-face grim reaper who works at the hospital and stays at Nash house. This seems unusual to Kaylee and to me, too. But the mystery is really good. Both boys are adorable and I love them both. Their presence just made the story even more entertaining. Kaylee, Tod and Nash made me feel so curious and anxious since I'm anticipating some delicious love triangle that could blossom in the next books.

There is so much to appreciate about My Soul To Take and almost nothing to hate. Except maybe for Kaylee's occasional whining about feeling guilty and responsible for those deaths. She's risking too much especially the lives of those people she loves for doing the things she doesn't fully understand. It's the only thing that I didn't like, but the rest are surprisingly good.

With beautiful writing and clear description from the author, fans of paranormal/fantasy novels will surely enjoy this one. The romantic flavor and the mysteries that surround the characters' lives will keep you reading and wanting for more. I just love this book and I'm glad that I've finally picked this up. I do recommend it.

My Rating:

Thursday Revisits (5): Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout

2012-02-02T10:00:00.000+08:00

Thursday Revisits is a new meme hosted by Sam @ Books For All Seasons.

It's a weekly feature of book discussions about the characters, scenes, and plot of the book we read. It’s featured every Thursday.

Hello! Welcome to Thursday Revisits! This is my 5th post and I am so happy that you drop by to see it. I hope you'll enjoy my today's post.

Now, meet Heather:

I know that it's rare to find a friend (from across the sea) who is beautiful inside and out, that's why I'm happy that I've met her. I'm excited to introduce to you one of my FBBFF Heather Townsend. She's from Maine (uhm.. I haven't been there), and we met at Facebook because we both love to read and we love TMI (no doubt, we both love Jace). She's going to be a bride soon (yay!) and now she's here to talk about one of our favorite topic in Facebook, and one of our favorite book: Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout.

Half-Blood (Covenant #1)

Author: Jennifer Armentrout
Published Date: October 18th 2011
Published By: Spencer Hill Press
Genre: Young Adult, Mythology

Summary from Goodreads:

“Could you kill the one you love?"

Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi—pure-bloods—have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals—well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:

Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.

Unfortunately, she’s crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of sucks. Add to TBR.

You can read my 5-coffee cups review here.

1. How many times have you read Half-Blood?

Heather: 3

April: Once. Really? 3x? That's a lot! Impressive.

Heather: Yeah I loved it so much I read it again immediately after, and then again after I read Pure!

2. Describe the book in one word.

Heather: Flabbergasting!

April: AWESOMENESS.

3. What was your first impression after you finished the book?

Heather: I loved it, It quickly became one of my favorite series. I couldn't wait for the next book, I turned into a Author stalker and wanted more details about the rest of the series!

April: I was totally impressed and speechless. It's one of the best book I've read last year. It's gripping and very entertaining. The romance, action and humor blended with fantasy/paranormal stuff is just exhilarating and fun.

4. Describe your favorite heroine from Half-Blood.

Heather: Alex. She is so strong, quick witted, snarky, sarcastic and a bit irrational. She never shows weakness. She's a bada**! lol

April: Alex. Because she's a kick ass :D

5. Aiden or Seth?

Heather: Aiden all the way!!! He's fierce, protective, passionate, and lets not forget those muscles!

April: Aiden. I agree with Heather. All those characteristics make him swoon-worthy. Plus he's hot and gorgeous.. and don't forget those eyes… Heather and I agreed that we'll gonna share. Right, Heather? lol.

Heather: Yes we can share, as long as we share Four too : )

April: Oh my Four! Of course we can always share! *grin*

6. Half-blood or Pure-blood?

Heather: Both! You can't have one without the other!

April: If I'm Alex and I have the chance to choose, then I'll choose to be Pure-Blood so I can be with Aiden without complications. Being a half-blood when you can't be with the one you love is maddening. But since Alex is an _________ and for sure the author has her way to make them together, then Half-Blood is ok =) Hehe.

Heather: I have faith they'll end up together! I kind of like the forbidden love aspect in this book, it adds to the chemistry between Alex and Aiden. But it would definitely make things a bit easier for them!

7. Is there any specific part of the book that is memorable to you?

Heather: I'd have to say right after she found out she'd be the next ____, and went to _____'s. Stupid Leon and his stupid timing...

April: Haha! I loved that part too! Who wouldn't miss that? And yeah, Leon, really bad timing. Just seconds! He should've slowed down so Aiden and Alex can have their moment!

Heather: Right, so irritating!

8. What did you liked best in the story?

Heather: Hmm. I like the twist. Pures and Half bloods. I get sick of the typical Vampire, Werewolf, and Angel books. The writing is great, and theres also alot of humor ( my fiancee thought i was crazy with how many times i laughed out loud during this book)

April: I laughed a lot over this book too! :) And I totally like the romantic flavor more than anything else. The "push and pull" kind of relationship between Aiden and Alex plus Seth getting into the picture. That's so entertaining.

Heather: I agree April, sometimes the chemistry just isn't there enough in some books for me. But she has very real connections with both Aiden and Seth.

9. Is there any part of the book that you want to change?

Heather: Leon's timing. Haha ; )

April: Hahaha. It seems that you can't forget that part. You hold a grudge against Leon, I can tell hehe. But I agree, he's timing sucks. Big time.

Heather: Haha yup I do!

10. If you were Alex, what kind of special power would you like to possess?

Heather: Well, isn't she going to have access to all elements? that sounds good to me, i get bored!

April: Invisibility. So I can sneak up to Aiden whenever I want to and slap Leah's face-hard! I want to do those things without getting caught. Haha!

Heather: Thats a good one! And imagine Leah's facial expression after she gets slapped or punched and there's no one there! Priceless.

April: Hahaha! I think so, too. She's so irritating.

11. If you meet Alex for the first time, what do you think you'll say to her?

Heather: Your my hero? lol. Oh yes, and Team Aiden!

April: You're pretty and definitely kick-ass, but I wish you're generous enough to give Aiden to me.

12. Do you recommend the book?

Heather: Absolutely, I think its a must read!

April: Absolutely, too. Go buy and read it!

13. Ok, so what's favorite flavor of ice cream? I'm just curious! =P

Heather: Lol that certainly was unexpected! Well I'll first say that theres NO wrong flavor of ice cream. But I love vanilla with almonds and toffee bits, its delightful! Whats YOUR favorite flavor?

April: I like chocolate and cheese. But it has to be plain cheese (can have cheese bits) or chocolate with chocolate bits. No nuts. No almonds. No marshmallows. Just plain chocolate =) Yum.

Heather: Chocolate is amazing too! Can't do the cheese tho, I'm lactose intolerant : (

April: Oh. Maybe there's a lactose-free cheese flavored ice cream??? =D

Thank you so much Heather! I had fun doing this discussion with you. *HUGS*

Thank you everyone for dropping by! God bless...

Book Review: MY SOUL TO LOSE by Rachel Vincent

2012-02-01T16:48:00.000+08:00

My Soul To Lose (Soul Screamers #0.5)

Author: Rachel Vincent

Publication Date: July 1st 2009

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

Summary on Goodreads:
It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life.

Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit.

She tries to convince everyone she's fine--despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities....

My Thoughts:

My Soul To Lose is a good introduction to the first book in the Soul Screamers series. It's not necessary that you read it before My Soul To Take, but I do recommended it.

This book tells us the story of Kaylee and her life at the mental institution where she was admitted after a certain incident at the mall with her bestfriend Emma. I easily sympathized with her and I easily loved Emma for being a very supportive friend. I am curious with one character in this book though--Lydia. She's mysterious and yet she seems to know Kaylee's secret and she's the only person in the institute who can understand her. I'm curious about what happened to her after she helped Kaylee and it would be great to know more about her in the next books. Though it's short and easy read, this book give us glimpse of Kaylee's life before she knows the truth behind her so called "panic attacks". You'll be able to understand her better and it will answer some of the questions you might have when you read the first book in the series.

I hope you'll take the time to read this novella. I can't say anything more about it and I don't want to give anything away that may spoil your future reading. It's good and it's enjoyable. I recommend it and I think it's best to read it before you start My Soul To Take. Nevertheless, you can still start the series and read it afterwards. :)

My Rating:

Project Tell Taylor Huge Giveaway Hop!

2012-02-01T10:00:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! It's time for the PROJECT TELL TAYLOR big hop and giveaway hosted by Michelle Madow, the lovely author of Remembrance (Time Transcend Saga). I am so happy to be part of this event and I can't wait to share this with you!

Michelle Madow's debut novel Remembrance was inspired by Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video. She talked all about it in a blog entry a few months ago, discussing how Remembrance was inspired by Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video. She even wrote a letter to Taylor Swift and sent it to her, along with a signed book!

It's been a few months now, and she has yet to hear back from Taylor that she received the letter and book. She really wants to tell Taylor about how inspiring she and her music have been to her, but since Taylor Swift is an international superstar, she’s a little hard to reach. This is where YOUR help comes into play! Michelle is giving away the biggest prize pack she's offered yet, and the ways to enter to win are by telling Taylor Swift about Remembrance.

The Goal: Get Taylor Swift to Tweet about Remembrance!

Remembrance (Transcend Time #1)

Author: Michelle Madow
Publication Date: July 27th 2011
Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction/Fantasy

Summary on Goodreads:

New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy. Add to your TBR on Goodreads.

If you haven't read Remembrance, then I guess it's time to pick up this book. It's a beautiful story with a beautiful romance. It's a story of true love and reincarnation. I enjoyed and loved this book more than I thought I would. You can read my review on Remembrance here. Don't miss it :)

Along with this post, author Michelle Madow asked us this question: "What inspires you?"

My answer: God, family and friends are my true inspirations. They keep me alive. They keep me whole. They keep me happy. Little things in life can be my source of inspiration, too--a quote or a verse, and a song. My latest inspiration which I'm listening to over and over again for the last few days is the song:

What Faith Can Do by Kutless

....
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains

Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

That's what faith can do

Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise

...

And now, for the GIVEAWAY...

This one is really BIG and this is INTERNATIONAL.

Here's the video of Author Michelle Madow announcing the prize pack:

Want a better view? Here it is:

Wohoo! So if you want to win this huge prize pack from Michelle Madow (I know you want to!), then all you have to do is TWEET ABOUT REMEMBRANCE TO TAYLOR SWIFT and ENTER IN THE RAFFLECOPTER below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

There are more participating blogs who have extra giveaways so make sure to visit them. Thank you and enjoy the hop! Good luck!

Book Review: CLOCKWORK PRINCE by Cassandra Clare

2012-01-31T22:37:00.000+08:00

Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices #2)

Author: Cassandra Clare
Publication Date: December 6th 2011

Publisher: McElderry Books

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy

Summary on Goodreads:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart. Add to TBR.

My Thoughts:

I didn't plan to write a review about this book because I know that it would be very difficult to write one. I know for sure that I won't be able to write the perfect words to describe it. I love love love Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments Series and Clockwork Angel but this is my first attempt to review her book.

In this second book of the Infernal Devices, Tessa, along with the shadowhunters are determined to find the Magister in order to save Charlotte's position as the head of the London Institute. Tessa will do anything to help her friends whom she considers now as her family, and to find the Magister in order to know the truth about her identity. In the process, some secrets are revealed and finding the Magister means risking their lives and the people they love. On the other hand, Will is willing to do everything to free himself of the demon's curse that he carries for over five years...

Clockwork Prince has the same dose of action, suspense, mystery and romance and even humor that I've found in Clockwork Angel, though I can't say that I loved it more than the first book. Still, Clockwork Prince did not disappoint.

One of the many things I loved about this book--humor. And Will is the master of all.

"Reparations," said Jem very suddenly, setting down the pen he was holding.
Will looked at him in puzzlement. "Is this a game? We just blurt out whatever word comes next to mind? In that case mine's 'genuphobia.' It means an unreasonable fear of knees."
"What's the word for a perfectly reasonable fear of annoying idiots?" inquired Jessamine.

"Meet me in the courtyard in half an hour, then," said Will. "I'll wake Cyril. And be prepared to swoon at my finery." - Will

"Well, I suppose it's hard to meddle in someone's brains if they've got no brains to start with." -Will

And then there's sweetness and yumminess...

"And," he went on without answering her question, " in the event that something goes awry, I will be there. Even if you don't see me, Tess, I'll be there. Remember that." -Will

"Shall we go, then? Or would you rather stay here and take your chances? You can start up with the kissing where you left off when you get back to the Institute." - Magnus t

And then the turmoil...

"I feel myself diminished, parts of me spiraling away into the darkness, that which is good and honest and true- If you hold it away from yourself long enough, do you lose it entirely? If no one cares for you at all, do you even really exist?" - Will

If Jem died, she could not help feel, he would take all that was still human about Will with him when he went. - Charlotte

I can't help but love Cassie's books and the amazing characters that she created. All of them are remarkable, no matter how bad or good they appear. I love the ever so gentle and ever so kind James Carstairs. His love for Tessa is exactly the same as how Sophie describes him--the steady flame. More than anyone else, I love William Herondale, the most alive of all the people Magnus said he'd met on his lifetime, the brightest star, too beautiful to be human. Of all the characters, Will is the most broken one and has the most tortured soul. My heart breaks for him. This book finally let us see Will beyond the image he was trying to project and the revelations are heart pounding and electrifying. I wonder why the Herondale boys are always the one who suffer much. They deserve to be happy.

"...Master Will has always been the brighter burning star, the one to catch attention-- but Jem is a steady flame, unwavering and honest..." - Sophie

"...There is a soul under all that bravado. And he is really alive, one of the most alive people I have ever met. When he feels something, it is as bright and sharp as lightning." - Magnus

Another character that I love is Magnus Bane. If you've met and loved him in Mortal Instruments series, you'll gonna love him in Infernal Devices, too! This warlock has so much more in his character and that will make you love him even more!

The rest of the characters are back and there are exciting twists and secrets that you'll be thrilled to find out. It's one of the things I love about Cassie's writing, she never fail to surprise her readers. She'll never make you feel settled or relieved. You might get mad and hurt when a character you love suffered too much, but she'll write it anyway and it's always worth it in the end. And with the head-banging, heart-thumping, cliff-hanger ending, you'll be amazed and tortured at the same time. That's what makes Cassie a remarkable writer. She knows how to emotionally tortured her readers while leaving them anticipating and hungry for more. If you haven't tried reading one of her stories, YOU SHOULD TRY READING THEM NOW and be prepared for the ultimate emotional ride! Her books are amazing!

Clockwork Prince is a must read. I highly recommend it. It's heart wrenching and brain-damaging! Err, okay, I might be exaggerating, but seriously, this book will give you too much heartache just by reading about all the turmoil which the characters endured. But ironically, it was half the fun and you'll end up wanting for more.

My Rating:

TBR Intervention Challenge (16)

2012-01-28T08:00:00.002+08:00

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray,

and April@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.

MY LAST WEEK'S TBRIC:

I've been too ambitious last week, but sadly I only finished Clockwork Prince last night. I was too busy redesigning my blog (I don't know why I suddenly decided to change it) and I'm happy that I did. Anyway, have you seen my review of Remembrance? You can see it here: Remembrance by Michelle Madow.

I'm not sure yet if I'm going to post a review about Clockwork Prince. Simply because I've never written a single review about any of Cassie's books (which I loved and devoured). I've read them before I started my blog and I'm not sure if I can write the ~~perfect~~ ~~right~~ exact words to describe her books. How did she do it? I mean, all her books are just amazing! I can't help but love the characters and the stories she created. I SO LOVE Clockwork Prince! Once again, I was tortured but mesmerized by her book. I can't tell you how much I love her works from The Mortal Instruments up to the Infernal Devices. They will always be on my top favorite list!

THIS WEEK'S TBRIC:

Since I haven't finish the Soul Screamers, My Soul to Lose and My Soul to Take will still be my books for the week.

How about you? :)

Oh, did you missed Mr. inLinkz last week? He's back! Sorry for the last time he's been absent hehe. Thanks again Dani for doing the linky last week! :)

>>You can grab him again here: get the InLinkz code

Thursday Revisits (4): The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000+08:00

Thursday Revisits is a new meme hosted by Sam @ Books For All Seasons.

It's a weekly feature of book discussions about the characters, scenes, and plot of the book we read. It’s featured every Thursday.

Hey there everyone! Thank you for dropping by again today. I hope you are as excited as me as I feature one of the latest and best book I've read and loved. And right here with me today is another awesome friend of mine...

all the way from El Salvador...

one of the nicest...

sweetest...

funniest...

and probably the most innocent-looking friend...

(yeah, I bet she's not that innocent, peace Lis!)

Lee Seth Krkmo "Lis" @ Nox-Invictus

And the book we are about to discuss is something we both enjoyed and loved:

The Pledge (The Pledge #1)

by Kimberly Derting

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime. Add to TBR.

Read my review here.

Read Lis' review here (if you can read Spanish :)

1. How many times have you read The Pledge?

April: Once.

Lis: Once, too.

2. Do you think you will read it again in the future?

April: Probably, but I have too many books to read right now so I'm not sure when I'd be able to read it again.

Lis: Yes, I think next year I'll make some re-reading challenge, by myself!

April: Haha! Goodluck with the challenge Lis :P

Lis: Thanks! you can always join if you want =)

3. What is your most favorite part in the story?

April: I don't want to give too much away, so I'll try to avoid spoilers. My most favorite part is when Max, Charlie and her sister were underground. Then the soldiers came to take Max and Charlie found out that Max is _______. I loved that part! =P

Lis: Oh my God! That was my favorite part, too! I don't remember, but I think I shouted when I read that part. And I said "Why I did not notice this? what happened to my literary premonitions? LOL! It was funny.

April: Haha! I actually thought he really was ____. Lol! Can't believe you actually missed that part!

Lis: Wow! I still don't know what happened to me!

4. What is one thing you didn't like about the book?

April: There's nothing I can think of right now (I need some caffeine on my system. Coffee please!). Okay, so maybe Lis would give me some ideas. lol

Lis: I don't know... maybe the good stage created by the author, or the sexy soldiers... yes, the sexy soldiers!

April: Oh my! Really? The sexy soldiers?! You cracked me up! Lol

Lis: Yeah! sexy soldiers, like Max!

April: oops, I forgot he's a soldier, too! Hehe

5. Who is your favorite character?

April: Charlie!

Lis: Brook, she is strong, and she is a kick-ass, just like you!

April: Why, thank you :)

Lis: You said why?... well, she is a kick ass! (you too, remember!)

April: Haha! Ok, forget I said "why" :)

6. If you could have one special power that only you can possess, what would it be and why?

April: I want Angelina's power. Knowing who to trust and healing. I also want the ability to fly and travel through time--these four combined. =)

Lis: OMG! April! you want Karou and Emmerson's powers! Well, me too. But I'd love to understand all the languages. It could be great!

April: You like Charlie's power. That would be great too.

7. What language do you wish you understand and speak?

April: French.

Lis: I wish I could finally speak german. I understand and write this language, but I can't speak! It's so frustrating!

April: I like German language too! It's great that you understand it.

8. Did you like the ending of The Pledge?

April: Yes. It's always nice to read a book with a satisfying ending. Sometimes you don't need a big cliff-hanger ending to anticipate the next book. You just need a promising, engaging plot and a set of amazing characters to continue with the series.

Lis: Yes, but I think it was a little weird. I don't know, I love cliff-hanger, melodramatic and heart-breaker endings. And it wasn't any of them, but I still love it!

9. If you would make a vow and give it to someone, what would it be and to whom are you willing to give that pledge?

April: I didn't realized it was a tough question (I shouldn't have asked) hehe. Anyway, I think it would be for my hubby: "I will walk with you faithfully and I will love you forever."

Lis: Aw! so sweet! (I think I need a hubby!) Mine, would be for myself "if need glasses, I shall not complain for having read so much"

April: LOL. Find a boyfriend first :P

Lis: Help me!!!

9. Over all, what do you liked most about the book?

April: *Spoiler* The seemingly dystopian world blended with evil queen with special powers just like in fairy tales, a strong heroine, and a handsome prince that will sweep you off your feet.

Lis: (You put 9 twice, but I loved it!) I loved that my psychic side died in the book and it gave me many good surprises!

April: Oops I overlooked! Hehe.

10. Do you recommend the book?

April: YES.

Lis: Of course!

April: Thank you Lis for doing this discussion with me!

And that's it! That's our silly but fun discussion. Thank you for spending your time with us =) Oh, wait... Lis has something more to say!

Lis:.... Oh, wait! this is the part where I thank you for inviting me! Xoxo!

April: Aww, thank you too, Lis. It's always a pleasure to have you here. You know that! Xoxo2!

Book Review: REMEMBRANCE by Michelle Madow

2012-01-25T17:37:00.005+08:00

Remembrance (Transcend Time #1)

Author: Michelle Madow
Publication Date: July 27th 2011
Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction/Fantasy

Summary on Goodreads:

New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy. Add to TBR

As I write this review, I listen to Across the Oceans - Worth the Fight song that was used in the unofficial book trailer video of Remembrance. You can find the book trailer video in the last part of this review. I hope you'll watch it, it's very beautiful and you'll even more appreciate it once you read and finish the book.

I learned that Remembrance was inspired by Taylor's Swift's Love Story music video and I became even more excited to read it. Love Story is one of my favorites and probably my most favorite of all Taylor Swift's songs. (If you haven't seen the music video, you might want to check it in YouTube. I cannot post it here due to copyright issue, sorry.)

We were both young when I first saw you.
I close my eyes, and the flashback starts,
I'm standing there,
On the balcony in summer air...
(from "Love Story" by Taylor Swift)...

My Thoughts:

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book and I'm glad to say that I'm not disappointed. Remembrance is well written and very engrossing, it even kept me awake way past my bed time. Ok, to be more precise, I read this book until past two in the morning. I was immediately absorbed by the story and I couldn't sleep until I knew what happened next. I really liked it and enjoyed it so much. This book was unputdownable!

Lizzie and Drew were two souls that reincarnated and were given a second chance to right the mistakes they did on their past lives. But with Lizzie's boyfriend Jeremy and her best friend Chelsea, rewriting the past would never be that easy. Even though Lizzie and Drew were strongly attracted to each other, they couldn't be together since Lizzie has a boyfriend and Chelsea was determined to get Drew.

Lizzie's character is easy to love and relate with. She tried to do what is right but her feelings with Drew cannot be ignored. I can't help feeling sad for her. Her relationship with Jeremy was once perfect but he became proud and controlling. And though I felt bad for Chelsea, I don't think she's been a good friend either. She's selfish and absolutely not a 'best friend' type of person to me. Well, as for Drew… he's gorgeous and swoon-worthy, who wouldn't love such a guy? The only thing is, he drives me crazy most of the time. He keeps pushing Lizzie away even though there is no doubt that he loves her. It was so frustrating to see how he's being so nice then turns cold and rude afterwards. The mystery behind Drew's behavior will keep you guessing and wondering all throughout the book. It makes the story exciting but frustrating at the same time. Reading this book to the end was entertaining and I wish there was more. Now, I'm excited to see what the next book has in store for us.

If you're going to ask me whether I will recommend this book, I'd say YES. Simply because it surpassed my expectations. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. If you like love stories about reincarnation and past lives, a long lost love and second chances, Pride and Prejudice and minuet... then you'll always have something to love about this book. So yes, I recommend it because it's beautiful and it will captivate your heart. Just give this book a try.

My Rating:

Since I posted my review of Remembrance today, I would like to take this opportunity to announce that I'll be joining the PROJECT TELL TAYLOR Meme/Giveaway Hop that will be hosted by the lovely Author Michelle Madow. There's a big giveaway that I'm sure you don't want to miss! To know more about this event and how you can participate, just click the Project Tell Taylor link or the banner below. The hop will start on February 1st 2012.

Always and Forever.

TBR Intervention Challenge (15)

2012-01-21T14:56:00.000+08:00

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray,

and April@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.

MY LAST WEEK'S TBRIC:

I finished both books this week and I'm happy because I enjoyed them a lot. I think I've read a pretty good set of books this January. I can't post the review for Blue Sky Days here on my blog until my schedule for the Blog Tour comes on February 10th. But you can read my review on Goodreads: Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry.

I'll try to post my review on Remembrance (Transcend Time #1) by Michelle Madow next week and there will be huge giveaway coming on February 1st so I hope you can drop by and enter. PROJECT TELL TAYLOR is hosted by Author Michelle Madow and if you want to join, you can sign up for the hop too.

THIS WEEK'S TBRIC:

For this week's TBRIC, I think I'm going to start The Soul Screamers series: My Soul To Lose and/or My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent since I'm joining the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge with our friend Ron @ Stories of My Life (Ron, we can do this!) If you guys want to join in, you can still sign up!

I'll be reading Clockwork Prince too and I'll start it today! Yay! I'm too ambitious this week picking up three books. I'm not sure if I could finish them all within a week (considering my previous TBRIC reputation) but I will try my best! =)

So, what are you guys planning to commit this coming week?

P.S. So sorry, my post was delayed. I scheduled it last night and noticed that I entered Jan 22 instead of 21! Anyway, you can find Mr. LINKY at Dani's TBR IC post today. =)

Thursday Revisits (3): Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000+08:00

Thursday Revisits is a new meme hosted by Sam @ Books For All Seasons.

It's a weekly feature of book discussions about the characters, scenes, and plot of the book we read. It’s featured every Thursday.

Hey everyone! Welcome to my third Thursday Revisits post. I am so thrilled and excited to share with you another book that I absolutely loved. Today I'm going to feature FORBIDDEN by Tabitha Suzuma.

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
Read My Review Here
Add to TBR

She is pretty and talented - sweet sixteen and never been kissed. He is seventeen; gorgeous and on the brink of a bright future. And now they have fallen in love. But... they are brother and sister.

Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives—and the way they understand each other so completely—has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.

And now, I am honored to have one of my loveliest, prettiest, smartest, nicest and sexiest friend of mine to discuss this book with me. Meet my FBBFF Mariam Jones:

Oops.. sorry. This is not her (obviously), he's actually one of Mariam's ~~warm~~ hot ~~zombie-boyfriend~~ book-boyfriend =P

Okay, here she is:

1. How many times have you read Forbidden?

April: Once. But I've read the last 2 or 3 chapters of the book many times.

Mariam: Just once , that's all my heart ( and stomach ) could handle !

April: Haha! I want to read it again but I don't have enough time. Mariam certainly had a heart and stomach for brain-eating zombies than this book! Lol

Mariam : brain eating zombies are so much easier to stomach than incest haha

2. What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the book Forbidden?

April: The image of the book (?!) Honestly, that's the first thing I can think of. I easily picture the book with the red cover in my mind! hehe. But the second thing is sibling incest.

Mariam: Incest !

3. Describe Forbidden in one word.

April: Heartbreaking. (That's one word, right?)

Mariam: Disturbing ! I do totally agree with April , it was certainly heart breaking but more than anything , it was disturbing !

4. What is your most favorite part in the story?

April: The most favorite part (do I have to be honest?) hehe... The scene with Maya and Lochan in the bedroom. You know what I'm talking about. Okay, so I'm twisted! I'm sure I'm not alone.

Mariam: The bedroom scene would've normally been my favorite part because , let's face it , as gross as it was , it was also hot lol but I think my most favorite ( and also the part where I began to cry hysterically ) is when Lochan decided what he was going to do at the end to save his family . It showed what a tortured but selfless soul he was.

April: Yeah, I remember, we both cried in the bathroom because of that part. That was depressing and utterly sad.

Mariam : that will always be a moment we shared , even across the sea !

5. What part of the book you wish you didn't read?

April: I can't think of any :)

Mariam: None - the whole book was worth reading .

6. Forbidden tackled a very sensitive issue. What is your personal stand on sibling incest?

April: I've heard stories like this before on news and television and it's kind of gross. How much more when I imagine them kissing or touching. I don't want to judge other people (and I know I don't have the right to do so) but personally, I don't agree on incest at any kind.

Mariam: I say it's a big NO NO ! It's completely revolting.

7. If you would be given the opportunity to change some parts in the story, what will it be and why?

April: I would want Lochan and Maya to be together and live happily ever after instead of suffering such terrible fate. But if I change that it won't have the same impact anymore. I think that being so devastatingly sad and heartbreaking made this book remarkable. That makes the story hard to let go.

Mariam: I would change the fact that they were actually related. As much as it disgusted me , I wanted them to somehow be together.

8. Let's say you're a fairy godmother (oh my goodness, what a question) and you can grant one wish for Maya and Lochan, but you are not allowed to change their relationship, what would be that ONE wish?

April: Serious answer: I would give them a chance of having a normal and happy home.
Not-so-serious answer: I would sacrifice Jace and give him to Maya. Who could ever resist JACE? Huh. And let Logan fall in love with someone else like Maya's bestfriend (what's her name again?)

Mariam: To fall in love with other people and be happy. And April, stop giving Jace away, he's mine ; )

April: Mariam, you practically agreed on everything except giving Jace away. Lol! But yeah, I might be devastated to give him away too. I'll think of somebody else then...

9. If you can be a character in Forbidden, who do you think you'll be?

April: Logan's girlfriend. What ?

Mariam: Maya's best friend , everyone else is royally screwed up.

April: *Spoiler* Hey! Maya has a bestfriend already! You can be Lochan's cellmate and probably help him escape? =P

Mariam: I thought that you meant if I could be one character that was already in the book...my bad !! I'd be a smoking hot chick that convinced Lochan that incest wasn't the way to go ; )

April: Smoking hot chick! Oh my. Maybe we can convince Tabitha to put us in her book! That would be exciting and disastrous! If I'm his gf and you're the smoking hot chick who will seduce him! LOL

10. Do you think the author made a satisfying ending with Forbidden?

April: *Spoiler* Yes. The ending is totally heartbreaking and I didn't expect that to happen. But I can't think of any better way to end the story. Even from the start, their love was never meant to be.

Mariam: Satisfying??? No , I wasn't satisfied , I was heart broken and devastated ! But personal feelings aside , yes , it was a good ending for the type of book it was.

11. If you are going to re-write the ending of Forbidden, how do you think it will end?

April: Okay, don't laugh. Lochan and Maya are not really related. Lochan is adopted, probably son of one of the rich people in London. He was bailed out of prison by her very influential parents and then he was able to help Maya and her siblings financially and they live happily ever after in the end. Haha! I was kinda hoping for that.Hey, I can dream :P

Mariam: I believe April and I have the same idea , I'd make them not related somehow and able to be together . They'd graduate school and both be able to move away and take their siblings with them and start a new life together.

April: Mariam and I are suckers for happy endings :)

12. Do you recommend this book?

April: Yes but not to everyone. Only to those who are not easily disgusted by stories that deals with this kind of issue--sibling incest. It might be disturbing and disgusting to some readers. Please read my review! =)

Mariam: to certain people I would but not everyone. The content is incredibly disturbing and many people probably wouldn't enjoy it.

That's it! =) I hope you guys enjoyed our short conversation. We had fun doing this little chat and I'm so happy that you came here to visit the post.

Thank you so much Mariam for doing the discussion with me. Sending you my *HUGS* =) and lots of smooches! XOXO!

Waiting On Wednesdays (18)

2012-01-18T09:00:00.000+08:00

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

BLOOD RED ROAD is one of my most favorite book ever and I can't tell you how much I anticipate this sequel. I was surprised and shocked (in a very good way) when I saw the cover of Dust Lands #2 and isn't it enticing? Jack is on the cover! Wohoo! =) If you enjoyed (devoured) and loved Hunger Games, Maze Runner, and other dystopian books but yet to read Blood Red Road by Moira Young, I urge you to do so. It's an awesome book! You can read my review here >> Blood Red Road (only if you want to, but I hope you will =).

Rebel Heart (Dust Lands #2)

Author: Moira Young

Publication Date: October 30th 2012

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Summary on Goodreads:
The Tonton have been defeated. Lugh has been rescued.
The heartstone has brought Saba and Jack together
Now, Saba and her family head west to meet him and start a new life. All should be well.
But shadows of the dead are stalking Saba.
And another kind of shadow is creeping over the dustlands.
Then a messenger shows up.
With news of Jack.
Add to TBR.

Book Review: SHATTER ME by Tehereh Mafi

2012-01-17T18:50:00.001+08:00

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1)

Author: Tehereh Mafi

Publication Date: November 15th 2011

Publisher: Harper Collins

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Paranormal, Romance

Summary on Goodreads:
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

My Thoughts:

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 back up for 17 years but it's nearly impossible to beat gravity when no one is willing to give you a hand. - Juliette

This book ~~shattered my heart~~ captured my heart from the very beginning up to the end. The writing is powerful and captivating, it was hard to put down.

264 days of isolation. Juliette has been locked up in a cell consisting of 4 walls and 1 window. She hadn't seen or touched a single human being for 3 years until Adam Kent was sent to be her cellmate. That's where the story began and I was hooked immediately, excited to know who the boy was, and his connection to Juliette. I was excited to know why The Reestablishment put Juliette in the institution and why they suddenly put a boy in her room. I loved how the story was written in such a way that it became even more effective to see what's in Juliette's head and the things she had been thinking and feeling and I hope I could see Adam in the same way.

"Of course I remember you." My voice strangled whisper. I squeeze my eyes shut. ~~I remember you every day forever in every broken moment of my life.~~ "You were the only one who ever looked at me like a human being." - Juliette

You're going to love Adam Kent. It is always one of the things I look for in a story. A guy whom I can see myself rooting for. He's one of those sweet, sexy and dependable guy that you will put on your list of swoon-worthy book boyfriends that will make you fall in love over again. With a strong hero comes a strong heroine and a book is dull without them. Juliette is definitely one tough girl and I liked her because she has a good heart. I don't think I can describe Juliette in a more effective way than this, so I chose Adam's exact words as she said this words to her.

"A million times... I saw you do things like that a million times. But you never said a word unless it was forced out of you... You never asked for anything from anyone... But no one ever gave you a chance." -Adam

I always loved a character with goodness in their heart because they inspire me... to do good, to think right. Juliette is one of those heroines that I tend to love because of that. Not just a kick-ass, but also kind-hearted.

What I liked most about this book is the love story and that the words were written beautifully and effectively. It was surprisingly good and refreshing since I didn't expected it to be some kind of superhero thing. I realized that Juliette actually reminds me of Rogue. ~~I wonder if Tehereh Mafi is a fan of X-Men and if she, too (like me) is fascinated by Rogue.~~ It was quite interesting and I am excited to see how the things will turn out in the next books.

I loved everything about this book except for the world-building which I think is lacking. I hope that the author gave us a clear picture of the "The Reestablishment", the leaders, and the society. Dystopian novels is one of my favorite genre, and it's important (I think) that we are given a clear image of the dystopian world and what it takes to live in that horrific period. Other than that, this book is great in many ways.

An engaging book like this with strong characters and amazing story line will win the hearts of readers who enjoy paranormal-dystopian novels with deliciously crafted romance. The whole story is gripping, the ending is satisfying, and the experience... shattering.

My Rating:

Cheaper Mondays (2)

2012-01-16T11:46:00.002+08:00

Cheaper Mondays is a feature hosted by Books4Juliet that showcases cheap e-books that are available for purchase or download. You can join me on this feature by writing your own post on your blog and leave us a link, or share us your cheaper finds by leaving comments on this post. By doing so, we can help readers and bloggers find amazing books to buy and read without spending too much.

This is my second post for Cheaper Mondays and right here I'm sharing you some cheap eBooks I found in Amazon.com. These books gathered lots of good reviews and I'm excited to read these too. Hope you like them!

Waterfall (River of Time, Book 1)
by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Buy Kindle eBook

What do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives among the romantic hills with their archaelogist parents. Stuck among the rubble of the medieval castles in rural Tuscany, on yet another hot, dusty archaeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds...until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

Suddenly Gabi's summer in Italy is much, much more interesting.

Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have)
by Sarah Mlynowski

See My 5 - Coffee Cup Review Here

Buy Kindle eBook

2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.

If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.

In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.

Significance (Significance, Book 1)
by Shelly Crane
Buy Kindle eBook

Maggie is a seventeen year old girl who's had a bad year. She was smart and on track but then her mom left, her dad is depressed, she's graduating, barely, and her boyfriend of almost three years dumped her for a college football scholarship. Lately she thinks life is all about hanging on by a thread and is gripping tight with everything she has. Then she meets Caleb. She saves his life and instantly knows there's something about him that's intriguing but she is supposed to be on her way to a date with his cousin. But things change when they touch, sparks ignite. Literally. They imprint with each other and she sees their future life together flash before her eyes. She learns that not only is she his soul mate, and can feel his heartbeat in her chest, but there is a whole other world of people with gifts and abilities that she never knew existed. She herself is experiencing supernatural changes unlike anything she's ever felt before and she needs the touch of his skin to survive. Now, not only has her dad come out of his depression to be a father again, and a pain as well, but Caleb's enemies know he's imprinted and are after Maggie to stop them both from gaining their abilities and take her from him. Can Caleb save her or will they be forced to live without each other after just finding one another?

Chasing Rainbows

by Kathleen Long

Buy Kindle eBook

What's that saying about the devil you know? For Bernadette Murphy, it's the devil she never expected that changes everything. Her father's sudden death leaves a gaping void in her life and is one in a series of events that rock her world. But with the discovery of her father's book of cryptograms, Bernie realizes his encoded lessons in living may be exactly what she needs to survive.

When Bernie finds herself in trouble at home, out of work and banned from the mall after a confrontation at the cosmetic counter, she discovers what her father always knew. In life, you either choose to sing a rainbow, or you don't.

For Bernie, the singing is about to begin.

Do you have some books to share?

TBR Intervention Challenge (14)

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000+08:00

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray,

and April@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.

MY LAST WEEK'S TBRIC:
I'm not done with Blue Sky Days but I finished Shatter Me by Tehereh Mafi last night (Yay!) and I'm so glad that I read it. I'll be posting my review soon. As promised, here's my review of New Girl by Paige Harbison.

THIS WEEK'S TBRIC:

For this week's TBRIC, I will continue with Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry. I'm also considering these books that has been waiting on my bookshelf for a while now and has been always included in my TBRIC books-to-choose-from list :) Yet, I won't promise anything since I also got Clockwork Prince, Remembrance, Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Soul Screamers Vol.1 waiting to be devoured. I hope I can read at least two books these week and be able to write my pending reviews. 2012 started quite well, but my reading is still kinda slow and unproductive. How about you guys?

You can also grab the Linky Code here: get the InLinkz code

Book Review: NEW GIRL by Paige Harbison

2012-01-13T20:14:00.001+08:00

New Girl
Author: Paige Harbison
Publication Date: January 31st 2012
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Summary on Goodreads:

They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back. Add to TBR

My Thoughts:

I never thought that I would enjoy this book so much. I didn't know it was scary until I started reading it and felt like I was going to have a heart attack since I was controlling my breath all throughout the story. I didn't read the reviews beforehand to avoid any spoilers and I didn't realized that it was a spooky book (if I knew, I wouldn't pick it up) but then I'm glad I read it.

New Girl is a retelling of the classic story Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I'm not familiar with the book and I haven't read it yet, so I can't really compare the two. I heard it was good though. Anyway, New Girl is a story about the girl who transferred to Manderly Academy in her senior year of high school after a spot became available for a new student. She didn't know that she was replacing Becca Normandy, the missing popular girl who is greatly-adored, idolized and loved by almost all of the students attending the academy. Becca's sudden disappearance was a mystery to the school and to all the Manderly students except for the very unwelcoming Dana--Becca's bestfriend and soon-to-be the New Girl's roommate. The story follows the mystery behind Becca's disappearance and the New Girl's struggle to fit with the students who accused her of trying to replace their perfect and well-loved Becca. Being the New Girl doesn't end there... With Max Holloway (Becca's ex-boyfriend) and Johnny Parker, she was caught in the game of secrets and lies, a game created by Becca to get the attention she'd desperately desired.

I can't write everything I wanted to tell about this book without giving away too much. The story is scary in a good way and the mysteries kept me turning the pages in desperate hope of unraveling the secrets behind Becca and her games. The characters are good, even though I can't say that they were easy to connect with. I can't tell who I liked more between the two gorgeous guys, Max and Johnny. They both have deeper personality and I find both boys to be mysterious especially Max. I hate Dana. So. Much. She's a bitch. She will do everything to make the New Girl's life miserable. Becca is a bitch for doing things that are unacceptable, but she, too was miserable and felt unloved. Somehow I understand her. She would die for attention and she's willing to do everything and anything to get what she wants. Maybe, both girls are just... desperate, troubled. I don't understand why the whole school acted like that too. It was weird and sometimes unbelievable. I felt sad for the New Girl though I can't fully understand her feelings and her actions. I can't totally connect with her, but I didn't hate her. I can't see the connection between Max and the New Girl but I wanted them to be together. It would be really nice to see what will happen to them and to Johnny after their life at Manderly. Yes, I am hoping that there is another book to continue the story, but I was satisfied nonetheless.

The author wrote with such beautiful structure and I appreciate how she made the story scary and yet enjoyable for me to read. I used to avoid stories like these but as I've said a while ago, I'm glad that I read it. You'll never know the truth until you reach the last part, and that's what got me hooked from the beginning. I didn't even realized that I didn't know the main character's name until Max said it in the end. It was a shocking surprise! I wondered why I didn't notice that at all. I guess I was really absorbed by the story that I didn't realized I was missing that one!

If you were going to ask me if I would recommend this book, my answer is yes. I know it has mixed reviews but you'll never know it until you read it. So yes, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy novels with twisted characters and mysterious plot.

My Rating:

Thursday Revisits (2): SHADE by Jeri Smith-Ready

2012-01-12T10:00:00.000+08:00

Thursday Revisits is a new meme hosted by Sam @ Books For All Seasons.

It's a weekly feature of book discussions about the characters, scenes, and plot of the book we read. It’s featured every Thursday.

Today, I am so excited to share with you my second Thursday Revisits post. It's not only because of the book I'm going to feature, but because I have here with me, a very good friend and FBBFF of mine:

Kristin @ Better Read Than Dead

If you haven't know her or visited her blog, you must do so... she's nice, very kind, thoughtful, generous and I'd say... selfless. I am happy to be her friend and I'm glad that she agreed to do this discussion with me.

Add to TBR

Read Books4Juliet's Review on Shade

Read Kristin's Review on Shade @ Better Read Than Dead

1. How many times did you read Shade?

April: Once. But I plan to read it again (in the future, I hope).

Kristin: I have actually read it twice. When I really get into a book, I tend to fly through the pages so I reread it immediately to figure out what I missed. I always miss something good too.

April: Twice! Wow! I am jealous!

Kristin: Oh don't be jealous, if I didn't read like a maniac, I wouldn't have to read books twice...LOL!

2. What do you like most about this book?

April: Logan and Zach :) hehe. I guess, it's the way the story and the characters touched my heart. It's sad and it's heart-breaking, but then it's also beautiful and full of love.

Kristin: There's so much that I love about this story it's hard to decide what I like best. Jeri created such a moving and beautiful tale in an extraordinary world. There are so many lessons to be learned from Shade on a much deeper level.However, Logan and Zach definitely rate right at the top. :) What's not to love about two hot guys?

April: Oh, I remember, there are three hot guys! Dylan... You love Dylan!

3. What's one thing you didn't like?

April: I can't think of any... hmm.. how about you Kristin?

Kristin: There's truly not anything I didn't like about Shade. I was certainly disappointed in a certain hot boy's behavior but that is what made the book...right?

April: I agree ;)

4. What is your most favorite scene?

April: I have lots of favorite scenes. One scene I won't forget is when Logan sang his song for Aura. It's very sad and I almost cried. Then the other part is when Logan was in the courtroom and he confessed his feelings for Aura. That was just the most romantic thing ever. I loved him even more that time. Let me quote this one part I so love and remember, "I can't touch, but I can still feel. And I tell you, if this were my life... I wouldn't want to live." (Logan).

Kristin: April, you took the words right out of my mouth, there are so many great scenes. I love the two you mentioned, although, I do love Logan's going away performance but I really can't say anymore about that without spoiling everything.

April: Oh, right. Are we spoiling anything? hehe...

Kristin: I don't think so...there's so much more that happens in every scene...it's all good

5. Who is your favorite female character?

April: Aura.

Kristin: Yeah...I agree, April. Aura is super awesome.

6. Kilt or Keeley?

April: Kilt for Aura. Keeley for ME. Hahaha!

Kristin: Thank goodness April wants Keeley because I call Kilt. Luckily, this is one thing April and I don't have in common.

April: Haha! Lots of competition when it comes to Zach. Everybody loves him.. in kilt or even kiltless.

Kristin: Did you say kiltless...where?

April: Oh my goodness. Lol!

7. A pre-shifter or a post-shifter?

April: A post-shifter. When everybody around me can see ghosts and will point at me saying "there's someone beside you" who I can't see, then it will just freak me out even more. So I think I prefer to see the ghosts rather than not seeing them but knowing they are there.

Kristin: So true April. I want to know who's standing behind me or beside me. I don't want to be guessing if there's a ghost lurking nearby. Creepy...

April: I thought so, too! I wish I could see Logan, too :P

Kristin: Oh, Logan would definitely be the first ghost I would want to see...and possibly the last. LOL

8. If you're going to be a post-shifter, whose ghost do you want to see?

April: My grandmother. She always seemed to be proud of me when I was little, and she loved me very much. I want to see her again and see what she thinks of me now.

Kristin: Me, well, I would love to see my son again. He was the happiest little boy ever and I would like to know that he is still happy.

April: I knew it, Kristin :) I would wish it for you, too.

Kristin: Thanks April. I would want you to see your grandma also.

9. Did Shade end the way you wanted?

April: Yes. A cliff-hanger, but really good. I can't think of a better ending.

Kristin: The only thing I would have changed is to release all three books simultaneously...HeHeHe

April: That would be awesome! I'll grab the books right away!

Kristin: Right?

10. If you're going to be a character in Shade, who do you think you'll be?

April: Hmm... A ghost? haha. So Logan and I can have a happily ever after! I'm just concerned about Logan, having no partner at all. See, I'm a nice person. LOL.

Kristin: I want to be Dylan's girlfriend because next to Logan (who's dead) and Zach (who's taken), I love him the most. Just wait to see him in Shift. WOW!

April: Hahaha! You're a cradle snatcher! He's too young! But I agree, he's so adorable and I'm sure he'll be a hot grown-up man.

Kristin: I just love him in Shift. He's so...spunky...LOL

11. Do you recommend the book?

April: DEFINITELY. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. So, if you haven't picked up this book, go get it!

Kristin: GO. RUN. IMMEDIATELY. GET IT...You won't be sorry!

Thank you Kristin for doing this meme with me. *Hugs*

Waiting On Wednesdays (17)

2012-01-11T10:00:00.000+08:00

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

This is one of my most FAVORITE series of all time...

The Mortal Instruments, Book 5 by Cassandra Clare

CITY OF LOST SOULS

May 8th 2012

In Book 5: City of Lost Souls, the Shadowhunters struggle to piece together their shattered world after a betrayal by one of their own leaves them reeling.

Cheaper Mondays (1)

2012-01-09T09:17:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone!

If you've noticed, this feature isn't new at all. I used to post this same feature back when I just started blogging and I called it Cheaper Tuesdays. I hadn't posted for a very long time and I decided to give it another shot, but this time I choose to post this feature on Mondays. So for my first Cheaper Mondays post, I want to share with you the following books:

DESTINED by Jessie Harrell

Buy the ebook (0.99 USD as of Jan 8th 2012)

Available in different format.

Synopsis:

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Destined is a fresh and heartachingly romantic retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth from debut novelist, Jessie Harrell.

SLUMBER (The Fade #1) by Samantha Young

Buy the ebook (0.00 USD as of Jan 9th 2012)

Kindle Format

Synopsis:

When Haydyn, the last of the Dyzvati, falls victim to the mysterious Sleeping Disease, the world of Phaedra is thrown into Chaos.

Rogan, Haydyn’s best friend and handmaiden, is the only one who can save her. Together, with the Royal Guard and their young Captain, Wolfe Stovia, Rogan must set off across the provinces to find the Somna Plant that will wake Haydyn from her dying sleep.

Beset on all sides by the chaos, Rogan tumbles into a dark world of kidnapping, prejudice, betrayal and love… a journey that will change her forever, and a journey that will change their world forever if she does not retrieve the cure.

SMOKELESS FIRE (Fire Spirits #1) by Samantha Young

Buy the ebook (0.00 USD as of Jan 9th 2012)

Kindle Format

Synopsis:

FEAR THE HEAT...

For the last two years Ari’s life has been anything but normal and on her 18th birthday, when her friends surprise her with a gimmick genie claiming to grant wishes, Ari discovers the truth. The tragic and strange occurrences surrounding her 16th birthday were not coincidental and her life is never going to be the same again.

Ari’s real parents are not normal. They are not loving. They are not human.

They are myth.

They are Smokeless Fire.

They are Jinn.

BRIGHTEST KIND OF DARKNESS (Brightest Kind of Darkness #1) by P.T. Michelle

Buy the ebook (2.99 USD as of Jan 9th 2012)

Kindle Format

Synopsis:

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.

MARKED (Soul Guardians #1) by Kim Richardson

Buy the ebook (0.00 USD as of Jan 9th 2012)

Kindle Format

Synopsis:

Sixteen year-old Kara Nightingale’s ordinary life is suddenly turned upside-down when she dies in a freak accident, and she wakes up in a strange new world with a new career—as a rookie for the Guardian Angel Legion. Kara is pulled into the supernatural, where warrior Angels crusade against Demons.

But falling for her Petty Officer, the incredibly handsome, David, isn't even the worst of her problems. Suddenly, the Legion turns against her, and David starts to pull away. Hunted by Demons, Kara hurtles towards dangerous missions and faces her most dangerous challenge yet—to save the Legion. But can she do it?

DEVOUR (The Devoured #1) by Shelly Crane

Buy the ebook (2.99 USD as of Jan 9th 2012)

Kindle Format

Synopsis:

Clara has it all. A wrestling star boyfriend, popular friends, all the right school activities...pretty much a perfect life...up until her parents died. Now she lives with the Pastor and his family and though they take good care of her, she feels alone. Then her boyfriend, Tate, starts to show signs of trouble when a new guy, Eli, comes to town. Clara is fascinated with him but hides it until something happens. Eli confesses to her that she gives him something he's never had before...something he needs. Everything is about to change for this normal, pretty, popular girl in a supernatural way.

STARDUST by Misty Jean

Buy the ebook (2.99 USD as of Jan 9th 2012)

Kindle Format

Synopsis:

Trinity is a seemingly ordinary girl with a not-so-ordinary destiny. In this tale of two worlds, of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, figuring out the secrets of her past becomes a matter of life and death. As Trinity begins to find the answers she soon discovers that her true identity may be the greatest secret of all...

How about you? Do you have cheap books you wanna share with us? We'd love to see it, too!

In My Mailbox (12)

2012-01-08T09:00:00.000+08:00

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.

Here's what I got in my mailbox today! Finally, my copy of Clockwork Prince has arrived! I've been waiting for it since like forever. I also got Destined by Jessie Harrell for only 0.99 USD from Smashwords. If you haven't got your copy, you can purchase the ebook HERE. The rest of the book I've got are in Kindle format and I've got them for FREE! Yes, free from Amazon.com.

You can click the book image to see and read the synopsis on Goodreads.

What have you got on your mailbox? =)

TBR Intervention Challenge (13)

2012-01-07T09:00:00.000+08:00

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray,

and April@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.

MY LAST WEEK'S TBRIC:

New Girl
Author: Paige Harbison

I'm still halfway through the book but I'm enjoying it. The mystery and the secrets are so intriguing that sometimes it made me a bit scary and nervous even though I'm not sure if this book is supposed to be scary. There's no scary moments, but my mind is giving me some weird ideas about the book. Honestly, I haven't read any reviews prior to my reading, I don't want to spoil it. This is making me even more curious and intrigued to discover the truth behind the story. I'm excited to know and I hope to finish it. I will post my review once I'm done.

By the way, have you seen my review on FIRST DATE? It's my first book review for 2012. It was good and you can read my thoughts here.

THIS WEEK'S TBRIC:

This week I'm not sure what to read next. I'll probably choose one from the books below (click the book to read the synopsis in Goodreads):

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (on my shelf since July 2011), Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick (on my shelf since October 2011). Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry is part of the tour that I'd be joining this month and I received this book from the author herself.

How's your TBR pick last week? and how's the first week of 2012? I hope everyone is doing great. I'm looking forward to your TBR IC post today. Let's hop! =)

You can grab the linky code here: get the InLinkz code

Waiting On Wednesday (16)

2012-01-04T10:00:00.000+08:00

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

This is the first WOW for 2012 and I'm excited to post about this book. I so love love love Anna and the French Kiss, and eversince I read that book, I've been craving for more delicious contemporary romance novels. I am a huge fan of Stephanie Perkins and I love Lola and the Boy Next Door too! I also became a fan of Sarah Dessen and Jenifer Echols and now I want to try this book by Melissa Jensen.

The Fine Art of Truth Or Dare
Author: Melissa Jensen
Publication Date: February 16th 2012
Publisher: Speak
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Chick-lit

Summary in Goodreads:

Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss in this charming romantic comedy

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl? Add to TBR

Book Review: FIRST DATE by Krista McGee

2012-01-03T16:40:00.000+08:00

First Date

Author: Krista McGee

Published Date: January 10th 2012

Published By: Thomas Nelson

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Religious/Inspirational

Summary from Goodreads:

Addy Davidson discovers God's unexpected plans for her life when a reality TV show turns her quiet existence on its head. The orphaned daughter of missionaries, Addy is quite content to stay in the shadows and never draw attention to herself. But when she's selected for a reality TV show to try to become the President son's prom date-a show she didn't audition for-she's suddenly in America's spotlight. The lights, the make-up, the competitions, and the blogs discussing every move she makes all make Addy incredibly uncomfortable. But through her time at The Mansion, Addy comes to realize that first impressions aren't always right, that hiding out may not be what God had planned for her life, and that her faith should affect everything she does. It may just be that her selection wasn't random at all and that she's on this show "for such a time as this." Add to TBR

Note: This book is provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts:

[God] You are why I'm here.

What will you do when you were chosen to represent your school in a reality TV show to win the heart of the President's handsome son and be his date on the prom? Most girls would jump up with the idea but Addy was different. She preferred studying and reading her books over life in the spotlight. She's a quiet girl contented with her simple life. She's also a Christian and God has a bigger, much better plan.

The story of Addy is a modern retelling of the story of Esther in the Bible--the good, wise and very beautiful Israelite who became Queen and wife of King Xerxes of Persia. In this modern retelling of the story, the author has written an inspiring novel that will grab hold of your heart. It will make you happy and sad at the same time. There is no dragging parts and the characters are nice to read about. The moments Addy stepped into the spotlight, you'll find yourself wanting to know what will happen to her and her relationship with Jonathon. I just wish there was more of Jonathon in the story because I enjoyed every part when they were together. I wish those moments were a lot longer.

Mean girls are just mean. I hate them. But the story tells us to love our enemies more. Addy were surrounded by people who seemed to hate her even more everyday, but yet she managed to survive and do what God asked her to do. There are moments when I find myself in her shoes, because just like her, I experience those times when I feel like God is talking to me, but it's just isn't the right time for me (that's what I thought) and I try to ignore Him. Maybe you are like me, or like Addy but this book will inspire you. I think that people will enjoy this story and somehow they will be able to relate with Addy or with some other character that the author created. Though others may find it a bit preachy in some parts, I don't doubt that it will somehow capture not only the hearts of Christian teenagers but also the hearts of those who are just looking for a light and refreshing read.

The message of this book is clear: we may have to risk the things that are important to us when we speak up for what is right and for what God asks us to do in order to fulfill His plan. It will take a lot of courage to do that, but it will always be worth it in the end. God has a greater plan for each of us and we just need to trust Him and believe in His promises.

My Rating:

TBR Intervention Challenge (12)

2011-12-31T10:00:00.000+08:00

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray,

and April@Books4Juliet

The goal of this challenge is to help each other (fellow readers and bloggers) manage our enormous and constantly growing TBR (To-Be-Read) List. The rules are simple and everyone is encouraged to participate. It does not force you to commit to more than what you can manage to read in a week or so, but participants are encouraged to read at least one book within a week. You are free to choose the book you want to read and commit to this challenge. You may post your entry every Saturday, at the frequency of your choice--EVERY WEEK or EVERY TWO WEEKS. However, we will sponsor this event regularly every Saturday.

Here are the rules:

1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it. Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one).

2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer). Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week.

3. Grab the TBR Intervention Button and post it on your blog sidebar so you will be constantly reminded of the challenge, making it easier for you to commit. This will also encourage other readers/bloggers/visitors to join the challenge.

4. Add the link to your post in the Linky below and make sure to visit the other blogs. Comment, encourage, and spread the love to our fellow readers.

MY LAST WEEK'S TBRIC:

First Date
Author: Krista McGee

I finally finished this book (just yesterday) and it was good. I will post my review soon (I hope).

THIS WEEK'S TBRIC:

New Girl

Author: Paige Harbison
Publication Date: January 31, 2012

Summary from Goodreads:
They call me 'New Girl'...
Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.
Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.
Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.
And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

Hey, How's your Christmas? I hope you all had a wonderful time.

By the way, I noticed that only four or five of us were able to post our TBR Intervention last week. I guess we were all very busy during the Christmas season, and now that the new year is coming, I bet we'll all be too occupied again. I wish everyone to have a great weekend and a great holiday. Good luck with all our books and Happy and Joyous New Year to all!

Lovelots!

Grab the linky code here: InLinkz code

TBR Intervention Challenge (11)

2011-12-24T09:00:00.000+08:00

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray,

and April@Books4Juliet

Here are the rules:

4. Add the link to your post in the Linky below and make sure to visit the other blogs. Comment, encourage, and spread the love to our fellow readers.

MY LAST WEEK'S TBRIC:

First Date
By: Krista McGee

I finished Dark Seeker but I will write my review next year (yes, yes, next year!). I'm still reading FIRST DATE. I haven't finish it, but I hope to find time while on vacation. It's a wonderful book and I'm trying to squeeze it between shopping and packing for the holiday. I'm half-way through the book and I'm loving it.

This coming week would be a little different. I won't commit another book until I finish FIRST DATE. I think it's the only book I can manage to read since I'll be on vacation for the rest of the week. As of now, I am probably in Hong Kong already with my family. I'll be back in time for our TBRIC next Saturday =)

I hope you all have a Joyous and Blessed Christmas Season! Merry Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it. God bless us all!

Grab Linky Code Here