Thursday, December 12, 2013

Holiday Release Blitz: SAVOR by Kate Evangelista


Welcome to SAVOR Holiday Release Blitz! Today, we celebrate the release of the first book of the Viscious Feast by Author Kate Evangelista. 

Taste is one of my favorite books and that is where I first met Luka Visraya. He has captured my heart and I wouldn't miss the chance to read more about him. It's about time for Luka to have his own love story and maybe have his own happily ever after. Let's find out more in Savor! Be sure to add this book on your TBR. You can actually do that right now, right HERE---> Add SAVOR to Goodreads link.

Now let's take a look at the book:


SAVOR (Viscious Feast #1)
By Kate Evangelista
Publication Date: December 2, 2013

Blurb:
Mature and explicit content. Not recommended for readers below 18-years-old. Yup, you’ve got to be that old to read my story. Consider yourself warned. 

I’m Dakota Collins, a tough talking, eye patch wearing, workaholic photography student. Why am I important? Well, maybe because I get to spend an entire month with Vicious, only the sickest indie rock band out there. 

You see, I needed a subject for my Spring Showcase introspective in order to graduate. During a chance encounter at a club I’d been sent to cover for the Daily Gossip, our ironically named college paper, the features writer I usually teamed up with introduced me to the band—by accident, I might add. It involved a run in with a scary, bald bodyguard. Anyway, long story short, I signed a contract to take pictures of Vicious. 

I should have known their handsome yet way too serious for his own good bassist, Luka Visraya, wouldn’t be able to keep his hands to himself. He’s gorgeous and all, but the way he smiles spelled trouble with a capital L. I’m in for a long month with him around. 

Crazy shit happens and then some. So, if you want the skinny on Vicious and the events revolving around my stay at Lunar Manor, read my story. 

Again, refer to the warning above.

BUY LINKS:


Still not convinced? Here's an even closer look. Our dear author is giving us an exclusive peek on the inside of Savor. Read below...

SAVOR Exclusive Excerpt:

“Dakota Collins!”

I lowered my camera. The use of my full name never came with good consequences. I blinked my vision back at her even if I wanted to spend the rest of the night taking his picture. Sweat rose over my upper lip. I may just have found my subject for the Spring Showcase.

The only problem?

I had to find a way to convince him to be in my project. Something told me this wouldn’t be easy. By the way my heart beat in my ears, drowning out the music and Silvia having a fit in front of me, I wanted it too much. I wanted him too much.

“This the guy you were saying?” I showed Silvia the picture I’d taken. This seemed to pacify her because she sidled closer, mesmerized like a moth to a flame.

“Luka Visraya,” she said with a moan like she’d just tasted the most luscious chocolate before taking a long gulp of her cocktail. The name didn’t register. Silvia must have noticed my blank expression because she continued. “He’s the bassist for Vicious.”

Still no pings of recognition in my head.

She slapped her thigh. “Where have you been? It’s weird that you haven’t heard of them. Their songs are on the radio like every second.”

Of course I hadn’t heard of them. I liked listening to country and I hardly kept up with current events.

“Name one?” Okay, I had a name. Luka. Exotic. A bassist. Part of a band I should know about. So he’s famous. I slowly felt my chances of asking him to be my subject slip from my grasp. If he was someone famous, fat chance he’d say yes to a graduating photography student like me. I just about deflated when Silvia mentioned one of their songs. “Oh, I know that one!” By accident. It played in the radio of the cab I rode in to Sacrifice. I stared at the picture of him then lifted my gaze to where he sat. “He’s gone.”

“What?” Silvia whipped around in time to come face to face with a wall of man. “Whoa!” She pushed at him. “Watch it, buddy!”

“Give me the camera,” he said in a threatening tone.

Big. Beefy. Bald. The three Bs that made up the quintessential bodyguard.

I clutched my DSLR closer to my chest and looked up at him with my good eye. “And why would I do that?” The patch didn’t seem to intimidate him because he just reached out. So much for my Bond villain aspirations. I moved away from his grubby hand. No one touched my camera but me.

Despite her size, Silvia came between me and the mountain. “We’re here to cover Sacrifice for our college paper. You don’t have the right to take away my colleague’s camera.”

Yeah! You give it to him, Silvy.

Not that I couldn’t take care of myself. But if Silvia wanted to play hero, I wouldn’t stand in her way.

“What seems to be the problem here?” a soft, authoritative voice chimed in.

The bodyguard moved aside to reveal the Gothic Lolita. She stood at just about the same height as Silvia, but she possessed an older aura even if she seemed to be our age.

“She’s been taking pictures,” Baldy said.

Lolita’s kohl eyes landed on me then shifted to my camera.

“As I was saying to the big guy,” Silvia explained. “My colleague and I are covering the opening of Sacrifice.”

“For what paper?” Lolita asked without taking her eyes off me. I clutched my camera like an extra appendage. In some ways it was. After losing half my sight, I relied on my camera like an extra eye, seeing the world through its lens. I would rather die than lose it.

“The Daily Gossip,” I said before Silvia could answer just to relieve some of the awkward tension building in me under her gaze. “We study at Wexler U.”

She tilted her head, crossing her arms.

“Okay,” I quickly stammered out. “I get that the name of our paper sounds like a tabloid, but the Daily Gossip is a cool campus paper.” The last part maybe only I believed since Silvia raised her eyebrow at me, but Lolita and the mountain didn’t have to know that.

No one spoke after that. Even in a noisy club, the silence in our group rang in my ears. Not waiting for the situation to get any more awkward, I plowed forward with my own selfish intensions.

“You know Luka.” I said it more as a statement, but it came out like a question.

Lolita nodded.

“I’m Dakota Collins and I’m graduating this spring. I was wondering if Luka would be interested in—”

“What would I be interested in?” a smooth voice joined our group.

The walls of my throat closed, chocking the rest of what I had to say. All eyes turned to Luka. Silvia dropped her empty glass. It bounced off the bodyguard’s shoe and landed in a clatter but didn’t break. Even with my height, I still had to look up at him.

“What are you doing here?” Lolita admonished. “You should be backstage.”

One side of his lips came up. God. Without the scowl, his face lit up. I had to stop the urge to lift my camera and start snapping away. And his eyes were piercing blue. The kind that stretched over my mother’s farm in the summer. Damn.

Seeing him up close, I knew I’d give any one of my kidneys for a chance to take his picture in a formal shoot.

“We have five minutes. Chill, Yana.” He tugged at one of her pigtails.

“Luka,” Silvia managed. “I’m a big fan. Will you sign my chest?”

Bypassing my petite colleague, Luka’s intensely blue gaze studied me. He reached out and I flinched back. His fingers almost grazed my patch. What the hell was the matter with him? Trying to touch my eye patch was tantamount to poking a bandage over a wound and asking the person if it hurts.

Gothic Lolita—Yana—yanked Luka’s arm down. “I’m so sorry!” Her whole aura changed. She went from all business to panicky. “My brother sometimes forgets his manners. He didn’t mean anything about touching your…” She bit her lower lip, maybe trying to keep herself from saying the wrong thing.

That little faux pas cleared my head of the Luka haze and spurred me into action. “Luka, will you let me take your picture for my final project?” I didn’t know where my courage came from, but I knew if I didn’t take this chance, I’d regret it. I had to have him as my subject.

Still not removing his gaze from my face, like my patch transfixed him, he tilted his head to one side very much like his sister did earlier.

“Luka, don’t!” Yana said, but from the consideration on Luka’s face, she was too late.

“You’re a photographer?”

“Yes.” I nodded, in case the word wasn’t enough.

“And you’d like me to be the subject of your project?”

God yes! This time, I could only nod. I didn’t want him to see how eager I was. And I couldn’t live with myself if I embarrassed myself further.

I waited with baited breath.

It seemed everyone in our group waited with baited breath for what the golden god had to say about my brazen request. I soon realized when Luka spoke, everyone listened. The way he pronounced every word precisely yet still spoke so smoothly, like butter on warm toast, captured everyone’s attention. To say he captivated us was an understatement. Something in me certainly wanted to hear him keep speaking. He could read from an accounting textbook in that voice and no one would get bored.

“I need to know that you’re good,” he finally said.

Something about his words seemed to hold a different meaning. I must have missed the alcohol in the soda Silvia had given me. Maybe I was drunk and this was all a blackout dream.

“What are you saying?” Yana faced Luka all the way now, her petite form all rigid.

He unleashed a full on megawatt smile my way. I almost had to cover my eye from it. At my side, Silvia gasped. Her long nails dug into my arm. Like staring at the sun, I couldn’t take my gaze away from him no matter how bad it was for me.

“We’re about to perform. I want you to take several pictures then send them to Yana. If she approves, we’ll see about your request.” Then, like smoke, he disappeared into the crowd.
. . . 

Author's Bio:
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 lives in the Philippines and writes full-time. 
Author's Links: 

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Review: Making Faces by Amy Harmon

Making Faces
Author: Amy Harmon
Published: October 12, 2013
Format: Kindle Edition

Summary | Add to TBR Ambrose Young was beautiful. He was tall and muscular, with hair that touched his shoulders and eyes that burned right through you. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have...until he wasn't beautiful anymore.
Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us.

My Thoughts:

“I don't think we get answers to every question. We don't get to know all the whys. But I think we will look back at the end of our lives, if we do the best we can, and we will see that the things that we begged God to take from us, the things we cursed him for, the things that made us turn our backs on him or any belief in him, are the things that were the biggest blessings, the biggest opportunities for growth.”

There are things I expected from this book but I'm not sure if "inspiring" was one of them until I read it. You can't really judge a book by it's cover or by it's title. This book isn't like something that you will grab immediately when you see it. But this book is so much more than what you think it is. It's heartbreaking and beautiful all together. My heart has been broken by other books many times before but very few had actually made me cry. Making Faces is one of those rare books that deeply touched my heart. It's worth the read, it's worth the tears. The inspiring verses from the bible is one big bonus and it made me appreciate the story even more. Making Faces is a beautiful story of friendship and loyalty, love and sacrifice, forgiveness and acceptance. It was really touching and very inspiring. It deserves to be read and I recommend it to all who are beautiful and knows how to love and be loved, and especially to those who has Ugly Girl/Boy Syndrome who doesn't think they are beautiful and capable of loving and being loved in return. 

"And so we endure. We have faith that there is purpose. We hope for things we can't see. We believe that there are lessons in loss, power in love, and that we have within us the potential for a beauty so magnificent that our bodies can't contain it.”



Thursday, August 29, 2013

Review: ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terril

All Our Yesterdays
Author: Cristin Terril
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Published: September 3, 2013

Summary | Add to TBR

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. 

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. 

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

My Thoughts:

"I start to shake. In this time and place, a letter I don't remember writing means something very specific. But it's the last line that made me scramble for the toilet in the corner of my cell.


You have to kill him."


There are plenty of time travel books out there and you probably think it's the same old thing. But I tell you, this book lived up to my expectation. The concept and the theories revolving around this subject are not easy to grasp, but it always fascinates me. Could we really have a different present if we made things differently in the past? Or can we really go back in the past and change the things we've done to have a different future? 

I want  the readers to enjoy this book as much as I did and it won't be possible if there are spoilers. One wrong word and it will break the story. One wrong word and I might ruin the book for you. So I will try my best to give my honest to heart review without giving anything away.

All Our Yesterdays is a story of friendship, love and sacrifice-- how friendship play its vital role just when you needed it, and how true love can get you what you want and lose what you already have.

The story started four years from now, with Em locked inside her own cell. We didn't know how she got there, only why she was kept inside-- somebody wants something from her and she's not willing to give it up. She won't give them up. With every torture and pain she had suffered, she takes comfort in the voice of the boy behind her prison's wall. The boy she knew but the face she couldn't remember. She knew that she holds his life in his hands and there is no way she would let him die. Both of them were trying to protect each other from the man they only refer to as the "doctor". And they need to escape again and save the world from the hands of this man. 

It's true that there are books to be tasted and books to be devoured. This book is the kind to be devoured. It was addicting. The first chapter got me hooked and I knew right away that I want this book. It was hard to put down especially when almost every chapter has revelations to tell. Figuring some of them doesn't make them less surprising either. It actually made me want to read more and it felt like I was the one chasing time. I was caught up in a whirl of emotions--fear, sadness, disappointment, surprise, and anticipation. Another best thing is the plot. It was fast-paced and very well executed. It amazed me how it was written so flawlessly. And though I think that the story was lacking a bit on world-building, I easily overlooked it. A better description of the world where Em and Finn came from could have enriched the backstory more but then again, it wasn't a big deal for me this time. Other than that, the rest was pretty neat and the story was really good. I appreciate the storytelling--the alternating POV of Marina and Em. The personalities of both girls are total opposites and I'd say I loved Em more. Marina was a bit selfish and immature. She was annoying most of the time but it was obvious (for the good reason) that the story needed it for the other characters to be more effective and real. Finn and James are well developed as well, and I liked Finn specifically. Finn, James, Marina and Em-- it was great to see these characters grow and become those persons they couldn't have possibly imagined. 

Gripping and emotional, with meticulously executed, fast-pacing plot, great twists and underlying secrets, with interesting characters that will hold your heart, this book makes an awesome read. I shouldn't have been surprised because I expected it to be good, and yet I still was. If you find time traveling a fascinating story, you'll surely enjoy this one. I hope there's a sequel, because stories like this doesn't need to end just yet. It's one of the best I've ever read in a while and if there's one time travel book I will recommend, it's this one. All Our Yesterdays lived up to my expectation, I hope it will also live up to yours.


My Rating:

You can read the first chapter of All Our Yesterdays and 
watch the web series at Cristin Terril Homepage.


Monday, August 26, 2013

Review: SHE'S GOT DIBS by AJ Nuest

She's Got Dibs
Author: AJ Nuest
Published: April 22, 2013 
Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press
Format: Kindle eBook
Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Summary | Add to TBR
True love does not exist...or so event planner Tessa Adams learns the day she gets jilted--twenty-four hours prior to walking down the aisle. One-night stands are much easier, and with sexy philanthropists like David Brenner, how can she resist? Now if she could just get rid of him. Had she known the biggest event of her career would be working for David's father, she would have cut and run. Instead, she's unwittingly become a part of his parents' plan to destroy his life-long dreams. Will sacrificing her love protect him or be the ultimate betrayal?

Wealthy and gorgeous, David Brenner seemingly holds the world in the palm of his hand--his generous heart and infectious smile are just two in an endless stream of attractive qualities. But the one thing he wants, he can't have--a repeat of the passionate night he spent in the arms of a skittish Tessa Adams.

His family's far-reaching power threatens to crush their dreams. To prove his love, he would risk everything...but will the return of her ex-fiance be their final undoing?

My Thoughts:

The first time I saw this book I had no doubt that it will be good. I truly enjoyed AJ's Jezebel's Wish but I didn't expected that I'd end up loving She's Got Dibs. I'm not much into Adult Books, because honestly, most of the books I've read from this genre concentrates more on sex rather than the story itself. This book isn't one of those. It's sweet and romantic and sexy without being too smutty. 

I can't think of anything that I didn't liked about this book. I enjoyed the story as much as I like the characters. I liked Tessa even though there were times that I was irritated by her decisions. Nevertheless, she remains a strong woman and her choices brought her true love. And Dibs, I strongly feels for this guy. For me, he's Christian Grey without the psychological and emotional baggage. Only the sweet, caring, thoughtful, loving, and rich kind of guy. He has the humor and wit that I like and he's an absolute gentleman. Christian can fly all his helicopters, I've got Dibs who can fly an airplane! Yeah... Literally. 

She's Got Dibs is an engaging book, romantic and sexy, it will satisfy the reader's sensual appetite as much as their heart's. This is my second AJ Nuest's book and it's definitely not the last.

My Rating:

Other books by AJ Nuest:









Friday, August 23, 2013

Mr. Sun is Coming Out. A Nice Day to Come Back.

Welcome back to me! 

Yes, you read it right. It's been months since I decided to go on hiatus. I already gave birth to an adorable baby, my Dylan Isaac David. He arrived on April 18th, around 7:58 pm. It wasn't an easy pregnancy but I am thankful to God and to my family who lovingly took care of me (special thanks to my hubby and my baby Tristan for all the love!). 

Here's a picture of my second baby who just turned 4 months this week. 



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If you've visited Books 4 Juliet during the time of my absence, read one or two of my reviews, or just checking out some book recommendations to read, or probably just took a peek on what my blog is about... THANK YOU. If you're here today and reading my post, THANK YOU. 

Welcome to Books 4 Juliet.

I can't believe that I'm actually doing this now. You probably didn't missed me at all, but I miss you. I really miss the book blogging community. I miss doing reviews. I miss visiting blogs, talking to friends and fellow readers. I miss having the chance to meet amazing authors and bloggers. I miss Books4Juliet. And I miss "me",  the me who reads too much. I miss this part of me who spends a lot of time in Goodreads, Shelfari & Amazon, and in local bookstores. Somehow I miss staying up late during the night because I need to finish a review or post on my blog. I miss blogging and the girl behind this blog.

So, here I am for good (I hope). I might not be able to write a post as often as before, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to accept book reviews again, but I'll try to post something every week. I will try. I have a hubby and two kids to take care of (they still need to eat and all), and I'm still kinda busy being a new mom again. It's overwhelming yet fulfilling.

I've read a couple of good books during my absence (see, I didn't totally abandon reading) and I'll post the reviews of some of those books. So I hope you'll watch out for them (may include the Breathing Series, She's Got Dibs, Left Drowning, and the most recent-- All Our Yesterdays).

I hope you're all having a wonderful time and reading a really nice book right now. Please visit me again soon and watch out for my upcoming reviews to go on live. 

P.S. To my friends on Starbooks who are constantly there for me, for being so understanding when I can't post or comment or even drop by in the group, for the support I get from all of you during my not-so-easy pregnancy, thank you. Thank you for the thoughts and wishes for me and my baby, and for sending books my way. Thank you, girls. I really miss our long chats--whether it's about books, or our obsessions over fictional boys, or even personal stuff, or sometimes non-sense at all, I miss them. I miss us. Hope to talk (really talk) to you all soon. 

After a week of continuous downpour, I can finally see the sun.

Have an awesometastic day!