Saturday, November 30, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: THE FIERY HEART by Richelle Mead

The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines, #4)The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My Rating: 3 stars actually but I'm adding in another star because of SYDRIAN FEELS ... so FOUR FEEL-Y STARS!

After a week of not being able to read due to my sickness, I finally managed to finish The Fiery Heart upon receiving an okay signal from my mom to read again. I was really excited to finish this one and remove it from my "currently reading" list (tbh, I' m annoyed with myself if I see one or two books listed there unfinished). So yeah here we go.

The Fiery Heart is written from DUAL POVs - Adrian and Sydney, which was very helpful in terms of giving importance/focus to their separate problems (Sydney with replicating the ink and Adrian's endeavor with the blood thing). There is so much going on with our main characters that there was the need for them to have separate POVs for readers to have a clear view on their thoughts and how they're going to proceed with their individual problems. I love the execution towards Sydney and Adrian's solutions to their problems, it was like fusing into one and the methods that they were taking were on the similar path. I pretty much enjoyed that.

I ALSO LOVE THE ADRIAN POVs, IT'S SOOOOO ADRIAN. Richelle Mead's execution in the DUAL POVs was great because Adrian and Sydney's voices stood out and it didn't muddle with each other. The characters were really given such distinct voices, that you'll be able to approve, nod and be like "Yeah, that's the kind of thing Sydney or Adrian's going to say.".

BUT DUAL POVs is now a VERY predictable move for authors if shit's about to go down in their series. And that's what happens in this book. I fairly PREDICTED most part of what's going to happen in this book and I'm annoyed with myself because of that. Ughhh. But I just can't help it to keep thinking of the possible stuff that's going to come out of the various situations they are in. Psh.

SYDRIAN SHIP. Welllllllllllllllllll. HDFJSJDNASDSS THEY'RE THE REASON WHY I ADDED ANOTHER STAR IN MY RATING BECAUSE OMG! *FANS MESELF* Yes, they did it. They did it. Their chemistry is hot as ever and their dynamics is as perfect as ever. They just complete each other. They balance it out. Even though, we see Sydney getting all heart over mind in this book - which is kind of out of character for her ... we see Adrian balancing it out and he's like the Sydney in the first three books, the one who's thinking it all out before anything else.

AND OH OH, ADRIAN AND CHRISTIAN HAD A CONVERSATION IN THIS BOOK AND I WAS LIKE FLAILING AROUND BECAUSE COME ON IVASHKOV AND OZERA TALKING TO EACH OTHER *FANGIRL SCREAMS* MY HEART!!!

All through out the book, I know it in my head that the Alchemist was going to find about Sydney and her non-Alchemist stuff. So the Alchemists were on the top of my shit list BUT THEN OMFG  ZOE YOU LIL SHIT! TRAITOR UGHHHH I'm *shakes my head* Tsk. Tsk.

The ending. I knew Mead was going down that lane, so I kind of expected that The Fiery Heart's going to end this way. The fear that we were dreading from the moment Sydney and Adrian got together happened. And Sydney's now in the hands of the Alchemists. Well, it's a convenient way for the series to progress. With that, I'm still excited on what'll happen next in Silver Shadows. I'm sure it'll be a MUCH crazier ride this time because of how Mead ended this one.

Bye x
Centrum Permanebit

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Friday, November 29, 2013

[Jennifer Armentrout] Only a DAY away from it's release ...

I'm totally stoked for the release of this prequel novella for Jennifer Armentrout's new series - The Dark Elements series. I'm sure it'll be like her Lux Series and Covenant series (though, I'm not yet done reading this one), a series with bad ass and strong-willed characters ... aaaand intense chemistry with the female and male lead characters. Can't wait for December 1 to come!!! 

Here's the blurb of this novella: 
Dez wasn't just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining balance between good and evil. He was her everything...right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.
And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again...
Mark this book on Goodreads.

[The Mortal Instruments] UPDATE ON 'THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES' DVD RELEASE HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES!


We just got a word from 'The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones' DVD distributor (C-Interactive Digital Entertainment) about it's PH release and here's what they said: 


"We're so sad to inform you that the release of Motal Instruments: City of Bones will be delayed... we are trying our BEST though to release it the earliest possible time... Thank you and we hope you understand..." 

We'll update you guys as soon as we hear the final release date from the distributors.

- The Mortal Instruments Philippines Team

[Vampire Academy] TWO NEW 'VAMPIRE ACADEMY: BLOOD SISTERS' MOVIE STILLS!

Dimitri Belikov (Danila Kozlovsky) and Rose Hathaway (Zoey Deutch) in one of their training sessions. 

Mason and Rose

[The Mortal Instruments] NEW SNIPPET FROM CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE!


"Did Brother Zachariah just steal our cat?"

If you've only read The Mortal Instruments series, then you won't be able to flail all over the place because of this one liner Cassie shared to us. You NEED to read The Infernal Devices series to complete the feels this snippet is giving us! :) 

[Vampire Academy] SCANS from the Vampire Academy Official Illustrated Movie Companion!



In case you missed it, here's the COVER of the movie companion: 


And here's the TWO STILLS (in HQ) featured on the cover: 



The Vampire Academy: Official Illustrated Movie Companion will start to go on sale on December 31, 2013! 

[Divergent] COVER REVEAL: Inside DIVERGENT: The Initiate's World










Here's the description of this book from Amazon:  

The #1 New York Times bestselling novel Divergent is soon to be a major motion picture in theaters March 2014! 

Illustrated with more than 100 photographs—many never before seen—this eye-catching volume takes you inside the film version of Divergent where you'll discover the factions, meet the initiates, and enter the thrilling dystopian world.


Inside DIVERGENT: The Initiate's World will start to goon sale next year, February 11. I'm sure Initiates all over the world are *grabby hands* already for this one and dying to add this up on their Divergent collection. :) 

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Saturday, November 23, 2013

[Vampire Academy] Dominic Sherwood as Christian Ozera



Strigoi parents or not, this boy’s hot. #VAMovie pic.twitter.com/8abTT0nr6C


(c) Vampire Academy @VAOfficialMovie

BOOK COVER: SILVER SHADOWS (FIFTH INSTALLMENT OF THE BLOODLINES SERIES)!

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

Mark Silver Shadows on Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8709524-silver-shadow

Source: http://news.moviefone.com/2013/11/18/vampire-academy-richelle-mead-movie-adaptation

BOOK REVIEW: THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons WhyThirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Listening to a voice who now belongs to a dead girl and is telling you reasons why ... *goosebumps*

Upon finishing up my reading for Richelle Mead's Gameboard of the Gods, I quickly jumped into getting started with this one. Once I flipped it's first page, I knew that I just can't leave it laying around and that I have to continue reading it until the end. So yeah. Read it in one sitting.

The book just makes you want to know more and more about Hannah Baker - what were her reasons and what were the involvement of these people mentioned/to be mentioned in those cassette tapes, to her decision towards her life. Her voice is just so powerful - a teenager who's going through a very rough time in her life. It's haunting.

*runs in the corner* while I cry my heart out for Clay Jensen huhuhu (READ THE BOOK, if you want to know why)

This book makes us think/evaluate/realize how our personal behavior or how we interact with others, can make or break and influence them. It could possibly be in a good way or the other way around. Have we left a positive mark or temporarily/permanently scarred them? I tell you, guys! It's a MUST READ.

*And I just learned last Saturday (when I stumbled upon Selena Gomez Philippines), that there's going to be a movie of it. Selena's going to be play the role of Hannah.

Okay. Now, I leave you with this quote from the book: “You don’t know what goes on in anyone’s life but your own. And when you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re not messing with just that part. Unfortunately, you can’t be that precise and selective. When you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re messing with their entire life. Everything. . . affects everything.”

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BOOK REVIEW: REBOOT by Amy Tintera

Reboot (Reboot, #1)Reboot by Amy Tintera
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I finished reading this book a couple of hours ago and was debating if I should make a review/reaction post or not. Well then, I decided to craft one because this book is sooooo good (for me, guys. I definitely encourage you to try reading this book and then you can tell me what you think of it). I won’t be into the details of the story; I just want to vent out and share my emotions towards this book. SPOILER-FREE POST. I think.

BOOK (REBOOT): I haven’t read any other book with the same concept as to this one. With dead people coming back to life *coughs* not the vampire type of thing *coughs* or should I say dead people REBOOTED to life. I love how Amy Tintera set up the pacing of the book, it really fits the concept and story perfectly. From the moment you get started with this book, you’re immediately thrown into its world and face the bad-assery (is that even a word? LOL) of One seventy-eight. With everything single page you turn, there's something happening with the characters. Just so good. No more unnecessary lines, paragraphs or whatsoever were included; the story was just presented as it is. My mind just slipped in to the story easily. WARNING: There are parts of this book that you may need to stop reading for a bit ‘cause YOU WON’T CONTAIN YOUR FEELS. All in all, it’s a thumbs up for me!

NOW. I’ll talk about the main characters of the book. Wren, One seventy-eight is just so bad-ass, from the first page until the end of the book. Her character was well built, very tough from being a one seventy-eight and several years of being a REBOOT. The decisions she made concerning Twenty-two really left me SPEECHLESS. I never thought that she would do that based from the persona shown at the beginning of the story. For it seems like, she was the type of person who lives by a pattern and does not intend to break it. But oh well, she got some soft spot for him (image of Twenty-two POUTING at her *faints*). And I also love how her emotions developed all throughout the book; from what she was saying that her emotions are non-existent until … yeah. *one seventy-eight and twenty-two feels*. Twenty-two tried to crack her shell and made her feel that it’s OKAY TO FEEL something towards the people around her. *happy dance* ‘cause Twenty-two was successful!

DON’T GET ME STARTED WITH TWENTY-TWO. *22 by Taylor Swift starts playing inside my head huhuhu* The moment Callum aka Twenty-two made an appearance in this book, I just know it that Wren’s life will turn upside down. And I guessed correctly. Their first interaction – NO, I NEED TO STOP THIS, I’M GONNA BURST WITH FEELS! I love Callum’s character despite him being a lower number; love how his emotions are very human which is pretty much contradicting to Wren’s. I love how he injects humour and lightens the dull/rough/intense situations of the book with whatever comes out of his mouth. Callum’s cuteness is just peppered all over the book. And I can go on all day saying good things about this guy and I won’t be tired. I JUST LOVE HIM, OKAY?

And I really love every single Wren-Callum interaction. So cute and so sweet <3 data-blogger-escaped-br="">
The ending of the book: I haven’t checked if REBOOT is the first book of a trilogy/series when I decided to read this. So is it? Yes, right? Right? ‘Cause the ending is just … PLEASE HAND OVER A COPY OF THE NEXT BOOK. *kneels and beg* I want to know what happens next to these characters in the … (READ THE BOOK if you want to know :P).

I’m so sorry. It’s a mess. I’m a mess. HUHUHU My FANGIRL FEELS took over my review-ish post.
Based from this post, you can definitely say that I really enjoyed reading this book. Haha!
I’m off. :)


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[Vampire Academy] NEW Promotional Photo in FRENCH!



With only a couple of months from it's release, promotional photos, trailers/clips and movie stills are being showered to Vampire Academy fans! And we're totally not complainin'! Bring it on, guys! We've been waiting for this movie since forever! I'm just hoping that they bring justice to the world Richelle Mead created. Uhh so far, I'm lovin' every single bit that I'm seeing related to the movie. They're giving it a non-franchise feel to it which is really appealing to me (and could possibly attract viewers). How about you? What do you think about the Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters materials you're seeing? 

@FansofVA | Via

[UPCOMING BOOK] Fury by Fisher Amelie (Teaser photo & Excerpt)!


FURY 2014 

Breathe. 
Breathe. 
Breathe. 

My chest burned with such intensity, I could barely stomach it. 

I glanced behind me. He was close. My eyes searched my surroundings. Pitch black and seemingly nowhere else to go. I caught sight of a small alley to my left about half a block ahead. I ducked within it and noticed piles of trash amassed against the edge of the buildings. The smell was atrocious, burning my nose. 

I threw her onto the ground and tossed what I could over her. 

“Don’t move,” I told her. “Don’t say a word. Don’t breathe.” I peered furiously over my shoulder. “And for the love of God, whatever you do, cover your ears and don’t look.”

Her eyes widened to impossible breadth and she nodded. She obeyed me and faced the wall. I covered her face as best I could and waited. 

Read the entire excerpt here

[Teen Wolf] NEW Promotional Photos from Teen Wolf Season 3B




[One Direction] 1D DAY IS ON!


I may or may not be shaking/hyperventilating right NOW!

[The Mortal Instruments] MAG SCANS: Jamie Campbell Bower featured in Sid Magazine!







[The Bane Chronicles] Two more ....


We only need two more installment covers to complete the FULL cover for The Bane Chronicles!

[The Mortal Instruments] City of Heavenly Fire SNIPPET!


A parabatai. Like he was. And Jace knew, too, what that faded rune meant: a parabatai whose other half was dead. He felt his sympathy leap toward Brother Zachariah, as he imagined himself without Alec, with only that faded rune to remind him where once he had been bonded to someone who knew all the best and worst parts of his soul.

BOOK REVIEW: DEEPER by Robin York!

Deeper (Caroline & West, #1)Deeper by Robin York
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

It was my first time participating in the Read It Review It program of the New Adult Book Club here in Goodreads and I got lucky to get a hold of a copy of Deeper. This book is scheduled for release next year on January 28th and NA Book Club was only giving 25 copies. So, I was pretty much ecstatic to know that I was included in that list of lucky readers and reviewers. Anyways, I should get started now with my ramblings for Deeper.

Story. Deeper’s story begins with a short back story/overview of the premise of the book. Caroline Piasecki received a text message from Bridget, her best friend, which only said “OMG”. She just thought that maybe it was an unfinished sentence or train of thought of her friend and clearly wasn’t thinking the worst out of that simple message. But it seems like life’s treating her hard. Her friend sent another message, now with a site link included in it…

Caroline opened the link and photos of her and her ex-boyfriend, Nate, were posted in that certain site which showcasing private moments of theirs. But mostly photos with her face on it. A private moment of them was out there in the open for everyone to see. Caroline can already see her life crashing down and all the possible consequences were flashing right before her eyes.

How will Caroline cope with this situation? Will she ever recover? How will be life like for her now? What obstacles will she face in the future? Will she forever be under the scrutiny of the public? How will she be able to stand back up after hitting the ground so hard? [ Oh my gosh. While I’m typing this down, “Diana” by One Direction started playing on my mp3. And it’s in freakin’ shuffle. I’m spazzing right now because the lyrics were quite fitting for the book’s premise. Oh god. ]

Weeks after that internet incident, Caroline gets tangled up in a situation when West Leavitt (a guy she must stay away from, according to her dad) stands up for and beats the shit out of her ex-boyfriend…

What could’ve triggered West for him to punch Nate? How will Caroline deal with this West drama? Will West be the person whom she’ll seek refuge to?

Dual POVs. If you think that Deeper only includes the story of Caroline and the process of her hitting the rock bottom, well then you’re wrong in assuming that. The book is written in a DUAL POV, which is from Caroline and West’s POV. I won’t mention more (it’s for you to find out) about West’s story but I’ll just say that his life growing up isn’t as easy as Caroline. I just noticed awhile ago when I was checking the Goodreads’ page for this book that the blurb doesn’t give any hint with West’s story. So I tell you this; his story is as much of importance as Caroline’s story is.

Going back to the POVs talk, I actually love that part of the book because we get to read about both of the characters’ past and where they’re actually coming from with their opinions and decisions all throughout the story. Everything just makes sense when it is being told in dual POVs. We understand them in a deeper level. Especially with having something that holds them down - it may be their past or their present. The DUAL POV somewhat messed up with my emotions, in a good way. I felt every emotion these two were having, even the minor characters.

Issue/s Tackled. This book is definitely recommended to those who’ve experienced the same fate with Caroline, I’m sure you’ll learn a thing or two how to stand back up. Deeper tackled a very sensitive issue which was about revenge porn. I know that there are porn sites out there. I don’t know how things work there, but I may have come across the internet some news about women being violated because of their private photos being posted on the internet.

Ughh, that’s just sick for people to post it or even consider posting that stuff out there. It pains me to think about those people who have experienced this and how they deal with the aftermath. I’m sure there’s humiliation, pain, scared and other emotions running through them. *sigh* The author handled this issue well in her writing. She gave us this character of Caroline to get through her head and learn the instant feelings and actions one does when thrown in a situation like this. It was very realistic.

By the way. At the end of the book, the author included a simple note addressing this issue.

There’s another issue included in this book and it involves West’s character.  Resolving that issue was somewhat lacking. It would’ve been great if a couple more pages were dedicated as to the resolution process to West’s issue.

Caroline-West. Yes, the sexual tension/chemistry is there. It isn’t the kissy kissy from the first chapter of the book until the end type of relationship. There were important factors that needed to be taken into consideration with Caroline and West characters, which in turn gave as front seats on how their relationship progressed. But what I love the most about this two is the fact that they’re there for each other. Both of them are helping each other out – pulling each other out of their sorrows in life. They were just what the other person needed. They fit together. (getting emotional here) In terms on how the book ended … it is an open ended one. But I’m not complaining for it fits the story. It’s a very hopeful kind of ending. I love it.

Book Two. I need to know what happens next to these two. I want it now though. *pouts lips*

We're right together, Caroline and me. Even if I'm doing this wrong, completely fucking wrong, it doesn't matter...We're right.

Bye.

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[Divergent] MAG SCANS: NEW Divergent Behind the Scenes Photos and Movie Still from Hitkrant Magazine!

Here are the new behind the scenes photo from the Divergent Movie featured in the Netherlands magazine, Hitkrant. Most of photos includes shots of Shailene Woodley (Tris Prior) and Theo James (Four) together. So far, what can you say about the promotional stuff Summit Entertainment is releasing? Will Divergent be the next hit book to movie franchise? 







[Vampire Academy] Dominic Sherwood's Song for a Friend cover!


Oh hai. Our very own Christian Ozera, Dominic Sherwood, covers a Jason Mraz song - Song for a Friend. And in case you missed it, Dom also made a cover for Plane a couple of months back.



Honestly, I like Dom's voice (very dreamy) and the vibe that he gives. It's very laid back and relaxing that it's fitting for days you just feel like travelling and checking out the wonderful landscapes. Or if you just want to sit down on the couch and clear your head. I think, Dom should pursue a music career, thumbs up. I'll definitely buy his albums. Anyways, how about you? What can you say about Dom's voice and the covers that he did? 

Thursday, November 14, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE by Donna Fasano

Return Of The Runaway Bride (Silhouette Romance, #999)Return Of The Runaway Bride by Donna Fasano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Story. Return of the Runaway Bride starts with minutes away from Daniel Walsh III and Savanna Langford’s wedding. And Savanna was fidgety, doubting everything, realizing shit and all. Her mom tells her that it must be just cold feet about the wedding. But in her heart, Savanna knows that it’s more than that. She comes to realize how her life have been perfectly planned and orchestrated her parents. It’s not that she doesn’t love Daniel but it’s a now or never situation for her life. It’s now for her to decide if she’ll make this life changing decision or never have the chance to make a decision for her own life.

Savanna decides NOW and she ended up leaving her own wedding.

Six years later … accomplished in life, Savanna makes a decision to go back to their town and re-establish their family house. How will the people in their town react to her return? Most importantly, how will Daniel Walsh III react? Will they still be able to rekindle their relationship? What will Savanna do to earn Daniel’s trust and heart? I’m sure she needs to do some explanation for her actions in the past…

Overall. For me, the story lacks some back story to Savanna’s life after she left their town. I’m really shocked when I saw that “after six years” thing appeared in the book after the part wherein she left. I expected that the book will at least show how she started her life alone for it could’ve been a very prevailing element for the entire book. Yes, stuff was mentioned about her past but readers weren’t treated to get a glimpse on how Savanna worked her ass off to graduate in college and all. So yeah, I was disappointed about that. Though, I like everything that happened to Daniel and Savanna's story.

If you’re curious enough as to what happens to Savannah and Daniel after six years, then you should read this book. Plus point for this book for being a short read.

Bye x

View all my reviews

Saturday, November 9, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: ONLY FOR YOU by E.L. Todd

Only For You (Forever and Always, #1)Only For You by E.L. Todd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

ARC generously provide by the author in return for an honest review.

It has been hours already since I finished reading this book but the problem was our internet connection went really crappy after that super typhoon passed by our place. I’m all good, everyone. Anyways, yesterday afternoon I receive a personal message from Ms. E.L Todd about this book of hers and giving me the opportunity to read her book in advance. Well, I did what’s expected … I immediately jumped to this opportunity to review it or at least make a post about my feels. Thank you, Ms. Todd for giving me this opportunity.

Story. Only For You starts off with our main character, Scarlet, meeting up with Sean’s (her best friend) girlfriend, Penelope. Scarlet was quite suspicious as to what they will be talking about because Penelope was this fidgety and all, clearly making an impression that something’s wrong. Then without any stalling now, Penelope dropped the bomb that she’ll be breaking off her relationship with Sean and that there’s another man involved in her life now. Penelope told Scarlet about this first because she would want Scarlet to be there for Sean for the post-break up. Anger flared inside Scarlet for this woman sitting in front of her, like how could she do that to her best friend.

The break-up happened and Sean was really devastated about it. Scarlet did her best to cheer up and distract Sean. They did all things together – watched movie, eat together and slept together. They’ve had this platonic relationship of theirs since their college years. Not until the night of the charity gala for the company Sean’s working for. One thing led to another and they ended up with a helluva steamy night together. The day after was just euphoric for Scarlet (Duh! ‘cause she’s like in love with her best friend) while it was just any ordinary day for Sean … Assumptions were made, fvcked up situations happened and the real reason why Penelope broke up with Sean was thrown out in the open.

What do you think will happen next to Scarlet and Sean? Will they be able to continue as friends after what happened between them? What would be Scarlet’s plan, will she just run away from everything … from her years of friendship with Sean because of what happened between them? What would be Sean’s plan? Well, you’ll be able to answer that for yourselves if you purchase and read this book on November 15!

Overall. I had a great time reading Only for You, it’s a light, fast and quite a short read. The pacing of the story was quite fast but it worked with the story and in keeping the readers to just continue on reading this book. Once I started reading this book it immediately caught my attention, what with that opening scene this book has. It will really prompt you to finish the book in one sitting, like what I did to this book.

In some parts of the book, there were memories from the past that were explored. The transition from present to past then back to the present was quite smooth. Readers won’t miss what the author is hinting.

I think, Only For You is a relationship story. It really focused on the different relationships a human being must/could have – girlfriend to boyfriend, best friends, lovers, boss to employee, colleague to a colleague, sister to brother, new found friend thing and children to parents. It was quite an experience reading and exploring those relationships in this book. With everything that happened in Only for You, it was a reminder that not all relationships last or that perfect. But surely, there will be people who will be there for us until the end and we must treasure those people. The story also makes us evaluate our own personal relationships.

The ending though, I felt that it was quite rushed and some things were left out. I can feel that it was meant to be ended that way to open/or create a new conflict for the second book. But at least, we got a closure to one of the relationship conflict here. I’m quite happy with that. I will definitely read the second book to know what happens next to that hanging other relationship conflict (Scarlet and her parents) and how Scarlet will resolve her other problem which involves money. Book Two for this series, Forever and Always will also be released on November 15!

Scarlet and Sean. Their friendship is a relationship that any people would envy, guy and girl with a platonic relationship and never did anything outside of that. But the problem with this, if one of them acted upon it and just thought of his/her sexual urges … everything is on the line. And that’s what happened with this two. But both of them are really at fault with why their friendship drifted apart. Anyways, I still don't know what to think of Sean's feelings towards Scarlet. Is he over Penelope already? Is he just feeling this love thing for Scarlet because he misses her? He may have said some convincing words at the end to Scarlet but I'm still dubious about his feelings. Well, let's see what happens next in the second book.

Scarlet and Ryan. I love how their dynamics as brother and sister work. Ryan is so sweet and caring to Scarlet even if she had blown off Ryan in the past. But at least Scarlet redeemed herself towards the end of the story. Even though, the act that she did will ‘cause something bad and terrifying in her life. She has shown that her brother will always come first before anything else.

Scarlet and Cortland. I was really enjoying their how their new found friendship unfolds. Cortland was a really cool, intelligent and at the same time an overtly gentleman. He has certainly helped Scarlet a lot during her lowest points of her life. But was it really necessary for them to sleep together? And slept together again despite Cortland admitting that he’s still in a relationship? Cortland and his girlfriend’s relationship may be on the rocks or at that time better quite as dead, but I really hate what they did. They may have hots for the each other but to act on it whilst the other is still in a relationship is just terrible.

Scarlet and Janice. Oh this one! I’m really annoyed with how Janice acted. She pretty much acted like a slut back there. Like duh! Ughh Janice already detected something shady about Scarlet’s feelings towards Sean but still she came barging in. Take a hint, girl. I think if girls are overly evasive in a certain topic, like how she feels for a certain guy and she denies it but her actions tells another story … then you have your answer already.

Scarlet and their parents. I’m really intrigued with her relationship with her parents. This part was really brought up towards the end of the book already, so not much was given about it. I’m hoping that in the second book we get to explore this relationship more because right now there are so many questions that surround this.

Well, that’s it for now.
Bye x

View all my reviews

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: MADELEINE ABDUCTED by M.S Willis

Madeleine Abducted (The Estate, #1)Madeleine Abducted by M.S. Willis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is really dark where it involves prostitution, killings and not for the faint-hearted stuff. But the good thing here is … at least there was a story.

Madeleine Clark. I don't know if any girl in reality will act the way Madeleine did. Dude, if I were in her position I'll just be trashing around and end up being killed. I think its better that way than ughhh those people doing unimaginable things to me. I can't even. Well, her guts are totally there. She was still able to think and push through with everything that she wanted to happen. Freedom. Kill that filthy bastard Joseph.

Aaron Carmichael. I like Aaron's character. He proves that not all men would grab every chance to flat out abuse and take pleasure in someone. It was already served in a silver platter to Aaron but you can see through his mind that he really feels sick with the situation and that he truly pities Madeleine. He’s killed people in the past and does these repulsive things to them but he seems to have a soft spot with Madeleine. He cares for Maddy more than he should. His ways of showing care for her may seem to be twisted (still going along with the preparation his father was asking) but at least he’s just thinking of what'll happen to Maddy or Maddy's welfare if he didn't submit to his father's wishes. You can see that he has a heart despite all the crazy stuff going on.

"Dream of me, Maddy. See me as I want to be; not the nightmare who torments you, but the devoted and mystified man who worships at your feet." - Aaron Carmichael

Joseph Carmichael is such a sicko. I want to strangle him! He does not have a single bone in his body that screams goodie good good or for the sake of humanity. All he cares about his sexual needs and The Estate.

Madeleine Abducted is still a good dark read. So yeah, if you're quite diggin' this whole abduction thing ... go ahead and add this up in your tbr list!

Bye x


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Monday, November 4, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: LIFE BEFORE LEGEND by Marie Lu

Life Before Legend (Legend, #0.5)Life Before Legend by Marie Lu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Life before Legend is a great companion novella for the Legend series. It maybe short but it was an interesting read because it was an account about the life June and Day had right after their Trial. Legend series fans are in for a treat.

Here in this novella, we see Day trying to stay alive and fend for himself. His day went from stealing food, kissing a girl (Charlie), working for Charlie's father for a few days ... and eventually led to messing up with the Republic soldiers. In the other half of the book, we witness June's first day in Drake University. It's a typical June day. There's also Metias and June moments in this novella and it just makes me miss Metias more. Just thinking that he's ... *sigh*

I can't help but laugh that in someway June and Day's path already crossed even before the start of Legend. Well, Day was the reason why June became late for her pledge! Read this novella to know more about it!

"Someday, someone out there will see you for the girl you really are. Someday, you'll find someone who understands you." - Metias Iparis

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Originally posted on Goodreads (October 30, 2013)

BOOK REVIEW: DEFINITELY, MAYBE IN LOVE by Ophelia London

Definitely, Maybe in LoveDefinitely, Maybe in Love by Ophelia London
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While I'm typing this down, I'm also watching the ATP World Tour Finals face-off between Del Potro and Gasquet! Talk about multi-tasking! Woot woot!

Anyways. What's with me reading books that are modern take of classic stories? Yesterday (or the other day, I guess), I finished reading Isn't She Lovely? by Lauren Layne, which is a modern take on Pygmalion. And now, I'm done reading Definitely, Maybe in Love by Ophelia London which I randomly selected in my to read list. Yes, I know what the story's about but I didn't read the part where it says - "Definitely, Maybe in Love is a modern take on Pride and Prejudice that proves true love is worth risking a little pride." So LOL at me!

Definitely, Maybe in Love follows through the story of Spring Honeycutt who's been working perfectly on her sustainable living thesis ... not until her professor checks her draft and suggested to take a good look at a her subject in a different angle. Which means, she needs to do more research works and look for a person who has an extreme knowledge about her topic.

She may be lucky because her newly transferred neighbor, Henry Knightly, knows a lot about it. BUT her neighbor also seems to be the person who embodies the exact opposite of what Spring believes in in terms of her principles, ideals, political view and so on and so forth. Uhhh seems to be her worst nightmare. (But the dude is totally HOT!) So yeah, that's pretty much the basic things you need to know about this book! It's for you to find out already what happens when two people with opposite views on things are forced to work together.

Spring and Henry are both headstrong and intelligent characters and Ophelia London really perfected that element of the story. It just shines through on how she wrote this book - the sentence construction and the topics that the characters broached in their conversations. Some of their conflicts may have started because of these opposing ideas (view spoiler)

Spring-Henry relationship. Oh man. I just love it. It's not every day that I get to read a book with this series of unfortunate events thing happening in it's plot line. It just makes the chemistry of the characters sizzle more. I also love the concept of timing and fate here in this book (read the book so that you'll know what I'm taking about). Fate is fate. No matter how many times their chance of being together is swept off their feet, fate just ends up bringing them back face to face.

Bye x
PS: I'm still watching the game ...


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Sunday, November 3, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: CATCHING JORDAN by Miranda Kenneally

Catching JordanCatching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Catching Jordan is the first book of the Hundred Oaks series by Miranda Kenneally. This is the also the first book that I’ve read written by Kenneally, so I pretty much don’t know what to expect with her writing style and all that. But I can tell you this now; I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s such a refreshing and fun read.

The story follows through the life of Jordan Woods, the captain for the Hundred Oaks High football team. And before you get the chance to ask me – YES, she’s a 110% GIRL! It’s not every day we get to read a book with this kind of premise, a girl taking on the men’s world like she’s been built to be guy or at least fit into it. So yeah, back to the story. She’s already in her senior year in high school which makes it a crucial point for her career. Jordan needs to do well with her football performance in order to catch the eyes of the recruiter from her dream school, University of Alabama, and land an offer to be on their team. The entire Hundred Oaks team, alongside with her friends HENRY (Oh Henry my baby!), JJ and Carter are fully supporting her with her dreams.

Everything’s going as planned … not until Ty Green makes an appearance on their school. Ty is a totally hot dude and truly a quarterback material. Obviously, he got in to the team. With his appearance, plans and relationships were shaken up. Will Jordan be able to contain a clear head (despite of Ty’s hotness) and play the game to perfection or at least enough to catch the interest of the University of Alabama's recruiter? Or will Ty Green cause her goals to blur into the background? But the ultimate question for Jordan’s heart is: will Ty’s existence be the answer to her zero love life or will it just make her heart realize who’s the person she wants to be with?

The whole football world and terminologies, what worry me the most is what’ll be the non-football enthusiasts (with zero knowledge about the sport) think about this. There was loads of football jargon thrown into the story. I don’t know, or maybe this book will help them gain knowledge about the sport and convert them into football enthusiasts. Mmmyeah. Anyways, I had fun reading it. It was really interesting and it definitely gave me a clear visual with everything that is happening with the games.

Jordan Woods. She’s such a bad ass player on the field. Her knowledge, attitude, skills and passion to football are the elements that makes her a great captain and a player. I like how this story bridges the men and women’s world (gender equality ish). It just goes to show that women can also do and play these men dominated sport. Women empowerment, hell yeah!

Henry. TEAM HENRY, FYeah! I like his relationship with Jordan, light, playful and always there when one of them is feeling low. He was there consoling and being the best friend that he can be. In the early parts of the book, I can already sense that Henry’s like *hearts everywhere* towards Jordan. So, when shit really hit the fan – I was like “DUDE, go get Jordan already!”! But ughh … Henry definitely needs some smacking in the head. Anyways, I'm 200% shipping Jordan and Henry. They’re such an adorable and bad ass pair!

Ty. He’s hot and sure is a great player. That’s it. I didn’t feel something towards his character. Uhhh maybe in the first bits of the story where he and Jordan’s like playin’ with fire in terms of their relationship. There’s chemistry between them but nahhh. I’m quite sad because Ty’s character wasn’t that explored in this book and I’ve got lots of question about it – his mother blah blah blah.

All in all, I had a fun reading experience and will definitely continue on reading the Hundred Oaks series! I’m quite excited about the other books!

Bye x



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Friday, November 1, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: ISN'T SHE LOVELY by Lauren Layne

Isn't She LovelyIsn't She Lovely by Lauren Layne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So, I stumbled across this book here on Goodreads and was really interested on what'll happen during the course of the novel. The synopsis just got me - with Pygmalion, Pretty Woman and with this contrast thing going on between the two main characters. It's a cutesy and light read novel!

Story. Hmmmm. Let's see. The story revolves around the characters of Stephanie Kendrick and Ethan Price, who comes from opposite ends of a pole. Stephanie is the kind of gal who embraces this goth scary-ish vibe, complete with dark clothes, eyeliners and numerous amount of ear piercings. While Ethan Price is this preppy hot dude and soon to inherit his family's huge company. Oh and he happens to be in the same summer elective class (Film class/screen writing class) with Stephanie!

Heaven must be doing something wrong, oh I mean right when they ended up being partners for their final project. And that project was to be able to create and submit a screenplay! Phew, surely this will be a blast! Brainstorming. Brainstorming. Ting. They decided to have Pygmalion as the base for their screenplay.

With both of them having a problem and the solution to those lies in each other's hand ... They ended up acting up Pygmalion in real life. Ethan also says that they could produce a better output in class with the help of this charade they're putting themselves into. But uh-oh. What problems do they have to deal with to perfect their charade? Will lines get blurry along the way? ... Ha!

Screenplay concept. I love that idea in this book, where it involved another story inside of it. I think, I haven't read another book with that same style. And somehow it added more drama, conflict and interesting bits to the entirety of the book. We witness how the characters react to that factor and how they try to separate themselves from what they were writing. I love how everything worked out in that area.

Characters. Gahhhhd just imagine watching two opposite people interact! Pure entertainment HAHA! We have a total package here in this book. Character development - check! Dealing with the ghosts of their past - check! Sarcastic, witty and fun banters - check! Steamy and *fans myself* scenes - CHECK!

This book also imposes a lesson on accepting people for who they really are. It isn't about what they wear and whatever stuff they have placed on their faces but it is for what's inside that person. And if you truly love that person, you won't be having doubts about your feelings just because of what they look on the outside. If you love them, you love them. Done.

Instead of keeping someone close that was perhaps bad for me, I was pushing someone away that was absolutely good for me. All because she didn’t fit.

Bye x

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