Friday 28 February 2014

Follow Friday (Feb. 28)

This is a blog hop, a way to find and follow new blogs, hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

Please feel free to follow me anywhere. I prefer GFC for now but RSS/Bloglovin'/Facebook like/ Twitter follow would be great too! PLEASE leave a comment so I can follow you back via ways of your choosing! :)

Change the Plot. If you could, what book would you change the ending or a plot thread? Go ahead and do it…change it.

I would have to go for Twilight. I'm pretty sure it would a fairly common answer for this week. I guess the whole idea of "vampires not actually dying if they go out in the sun" didn't sit quite well with me, not to mention the battle scene towards the end. Meh.


Thursday 27 February 2014

(Review) Darkness Watching (Darkworld, #1) - Emma L. Adams

Title: Darkness Watching (Darkworld, #1)
Author: Emma L. Adams
Genre: New Adult (Urban, Fantasy)
Format: ebook
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Date Published: October 10, 2013

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

Summary (from Goodreads)
Eighteen-year-old Ashlyn is one interview away from her future when she first sees the demons. She thinks she's losing her mind, but the truth is far more frightening: she can see into the Darkworld, the home of spirits– and the darkness is staring back.
Desperate to escape the demons, Ash accepts a place at a university in the small town of Blackstone, in the middle of nowhere - little knowing that it isn't coincidence that led her there but the pull of the Venantium, the sorcerers who maintain the barrier keeping demons from crossing from the Darkworld into our own world.
All-night parties, new friendships and a life without rules or limits are all part of the package of student life - but demons never give up, and their focus on Ash has attracted the attention of every sorcerer in the area. Ash is soon caught between her new life and a group of other students with a connection to the Darkworld, who could offer the answers she's looking for. The demons want something from her, and someone is determined to kill her before she can find out what it is.
In a world where darkness lurks beneath the surface, not everyone is what they appear to be...

Review:

I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Darkness Watching is the first book in the Darkworld series, a story about a girl who is haunted by spirits and demons who are after something that's important to her. She feels eyes staring back at her, communicating with her at times.

Being a freshman, Ash is determined to start anew with her new independent life at Blackstone but the demons continue to haunt her. She encounters people who have a similarity to her which leads to the revelation of the existence of the Darkworld to her. I love how she maintains the realism in the story by not violently and completely discounting the paranormal aspect of her life, especially since the truth is literally staring her in the eyes. She remains level-headed throughout the whole ordeal which for me makes her a really good story heroine. There were a lot of twists and bumps in the story, but not too much that it would've felt suffocating. I'm not sure if the university life portrayed in the book is consistent with reality, but the point is that it worked for the story and helped it progress.

The story began a little sluggishly for me, although afterwards i was rewarded with really good world-building.  The story dipped a little bit on the romance, although not completely, which is something that I really liked. Not everything has to have romance for a story to be this engaging.

The Venantium got me a little confused in some parts but I think the world-building that was necessary for the story to move was done really well and I'm actually glad that most of the Venantium is kept vague. It would've been too much too early if that part of the plot wasn't kept behind a veil of smoke.

To finish off, the story was very engaging and the mid-fantasy aspect of it was done really well. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm really looking forward to the next instalment of the series.

Rating: ♚♚♚♚♚

About The Author (Official Website | Twitter | Goodreads Author Page)



Emma spent her childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing fantasy and paranormal novels for young adults.
She was born in Birmingham, UK, which she fled at the first opportunity to study English Literature at Lancaster University. In her three years at Lancaster, she hiked up mountains, skydived in Australia, and endured a traumatic episode involving a swarm of bees in the Costa Rican jungle. She also wrote various novels and short stories. These included her first publication, a rather bleak dystopian piece, and a disturbing story about a homicidal duck (which she hopes will never see the light of day).
Now a reluctant graduate, Emma can usually be found in front of her writing desk. Her debut novel The Puppet Spell, published by Rowanvale Books, is a fantasy tale for young adults and the young at heart, inspired by her lifelong love of the fantastical, mythology, and video games. Emma also writes urban fantasy/supernatural novels for older teens and adults. She is currently working on several projects, including the planned 5-book upper-YA/New Adult Darkworld series. The first novel, Darkness Watching, was published in 2013 by Curiosity Quills Press.

Wednesday 26 February 2014

WWW Wednesday (Feb. 26)

WWW Wednesday is a book blogging meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.Hop over to her site to check it out :)

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

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

• What are you currently reading?
I'm currently reading Everlasting Bond by Christine Besze, a book I received free in exchange for an honest review. I haven't gotten that far into the story yet but I'm enjoying it so far!

KATRINA DAVENPORT’S Junior year at Morgan Springs High starts off like any other—boring and routine. Little does she know, fate has other plans. COLE ALDRICH—a mysteriously attractive new addition has arrived and will change everything. Katrina's world is turned upside down, as secrets are revealed and the past comes back to find her. Will she succumb to her destiny or live to fight it?





 • What did you recently finish reading?
I just recently finished Darkness Watching by Emma L. Adams. The review's coming up soon! All I can say
is that it was definitely more engaging and enjoyable than I initially expected. I didn't think I would be reeled in with something with so little romance (i'm a sucker for romance!) but it really did work well with the entire story.

Eighteen-year-old Ashlyn is one interview away from her future when she first sees the demons. She thinks she's losing her mind, but the truth is far more frightening: she can see into the Darkworld, the home of spirits– and the darkness is staring back. Desperate to escape the demons, Ash accepts a place at a university in the small town of Blackstone, in the middle of nowhere - little knowing that it isn't coincidence that led her there but the pull of the Venantium, the sorcerers who maintain the barrier keeping demons from crossing from the Darkworld into our own world. All-night parties, new friendships and a life without rules or limits are all part of the package of student life - but demons never give up, and their focus on Ash has attracted the attention of every sorcerer in the area. Ash is soon caught between her new life and a group of other students with a connection to the Darkworld, who could offer the answers she's looking for. The demons want something from her, and someone is determined to kill her before she can find out what it is. In a world where darkness lurks beneath the surface, not everyone is what they appear to be...
• What do you think you’ll read next?
 I'm gonna finish the week off with Breathless by Cerys du Lys, something that I've been looking forward to
all week. The cover really reeled me in! I don't really read anything that involved zombies and i'm glad to start with this one!

Sadie and Evan live in entirely different worlds. Brought together by fate, and held there by hope, can they bridge the gap dividing humanity, or will long held fears and prejudice force them apart forever?


Top Ten Tuesday: Baby Names! (Feb. 25)

Top Ten Tuesday is a book blog meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Please click here to read more about it and join in :)

February 25: Top Ten Tuesday REWIND! (Pick from previous topics that you want to do again or may have missed)

Characters (and Literary Figures) That I'd Name My Children After
This seems like a fun topic so i picked it :) It may be possible that my future baby will have an "old person" name but I just can't help it.  I didn't base these names on their characters, I just really like the sound of them, if anything.

Girl Names

  1. Alice - Because I absolutely adore Alice in Wonderland
  2. Aurora - Sophisticated and comes from my favourite fairytales.
  3. Daisy - I'm a sucker for names based on flowers and Daisy Buchanan was a pretty charming lady. 
  4. Luna - Luna Lovegood from HP has always been a favourite character of mine!
  5. Daenerys - Not to bandwagon with the rising number of baby "Khaleesi's". It's also such a beautiful and unique name. 
Boy Names
  1. Beckett - From Samuel Beckett. It's unique and sophisticated. 
  2. Erik - I've always had a "name crush" with this name for so long and it's a very common character name. 
  3. Charles - From Charles Dickens (or any other Charles, really) It's a headstrong name for me. 
  4. William - Elegant and classic name. So many literary greats are named William!
  5. Marcellus - Probably the oldest sounding name on my list, but I love the uniqueness and the reference to a modern name in it "Marcel". 

Tuesday 25 February 2014

(Review) Taking The Reins (The Rosewoods, #1) - Katrina Abbott

Title: Taking The Reins (The Rosewoods, #1)
Author: Katrina Abbott
Genre: Young Adult (Contemporary, Romance)
Format: ebook
Publisher: Over The Cliff Publishing
Date Published: January 28, 2014

Amazon

Summary (from Goodreads)


Brooklyn Prescott (if that’s even her real name) is the new girl at The Rosewood Academy for Academic Excellence, now that she’s moved back to the States after two years living in London. Rosewood, a boarding school for children of the rich and famous and known for its celebutantes, is missing just one element important to any junior’s education: boys. But luckily for Brooklyn, and the rest of the Rosewood girls, there’s a boys’ boarding school, The Westwood Academy, just a few miles away.
On her very first day, Brooklyn meets Will, a gorgeous and flirty boy on campus to help with move in. But is he who she thinks he is? And what about Brady, the cute stable boy? Or Jared, the former child actor with his grown-up good looks who can always make her laugh? As Brooklyn settles in at Rosewood, she’s faced with new friends, new challenges and new opportunities to make herself into the girl she always wanted to be. Whoever that might be.
Taking The Reins is the first installment of The Rosewoods, an exciting new Young Adult series for readers who love fun, flirty love stories.
Review:

I received an ebook copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Taking The Reins tells the story of a recently-moved Brooklyn Prescott to an all-girls school. I actually really like the light-hearted way the story was told. Nothing too provocative or complex, just a really good, world-building, introductory book that would serve really well as a springboard for more complex issues. The story itself has some really good points but at times I felt it lacked some depth, but it really just fitted well with the simplistic feel of the story. 

Brooklyn's journey into the well-cushioned world of celebrities and wealthy teens started off pretty mild - room mixups, troublesome schedules, mean deans and liking the wrong boy? Yeah, I didn't really see the last one coming but I'm glad the story didn't go off too complicated with that plot because that would've ruined it for me. She and Emmie has such a good friendship and it would've been sad if they had boy issues so early in the story. 

The abundance of characters introduced so quickly into the story threw me off a little bit but it was understandable, we'd want to hear about them early to get to know them one by one. I'm really glad the author has given each character their appropriate screen time and that each one was given a distinct personality. The girls were pretty decent ladies themselves, i'm really glad no one was being snobby and creating unneccesarry drama. As for the boys, the whole thing seemed a little too "dating game" at the dance part but there couldn't have been a better way to introduce them all. I'm really rooting for Brady right now although he maintains to be an enigmatic character still. 

I enjoyed the story for what it was, nothing too complicated and intense for an introductory book. I recommend it for anyone wanting a relaxing, light right. 

Rating: ♚♚♚♚

Monday 24 February 2014

Making Up For Monday (Feb. 24)

Making Up For Monday is hosted by An Avid Reader, A Wannabe Writer. Click on the link to learn more!

What classic shouldn't be a classic in your opinion?

I can't really think of any reason why a classic shouldn't be considered a "classic", maybe because I think each piece has it's own unique contribution to a specific niche. If i am to go out of a limb here, it'd probably be one of those classics that endorse or romanticize socially outdated/unhealthy norms. It's okay, I guess, for them to be points of study in history but as a compass for living, not so much.

Sunday 23 February 2014

(Review) Perfect Opposite - Zoya Tessi

Title: Perfect Opposite
Author: Zoya Tessi
Format: finished copy, epub
Genre: New Adult (Contemporary, Romance)
Pages: 263 pages
Date Published: January 1, 2014
Amazon 

Summary (from Goodreads)
Their wishes were simple and modest. Fate had other things in store though, and she can be a real bitch sometimes.
All he wanted was to get the job done and somehow to endure those long months playing nanny to a spoiled little rich girl. Without strangling her with his bare hands in the process. Well, it is going to be much easier said than done.
- All she wanted was to escape the past and live like any other nineteen-year-old girl. Her plan definitely didn’t include the arrogant, tattooed savage, with his awful mohawk hair and lack of social graces, whose only mission was to stick real close and mess up her life.
But, people aren't always what they seem to be, are they?
Review: 

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The moment I read through the first chapter I had my doubts whether I would like the story or not. Sasha came off as a little brat to me at first, but that was before I really understood the gravity of her situation. At a young age, Sasha has been exposed to the dark underbelly of the arms and weapons world all thanks to his father who happens to be a big arms dealer. Let's not even go to the reason why she gets panic attacks during thunderstorms. After learning of this, I really started to get attached to her. I can only imagine how difficult it was to just desperately get away from it all and still try to keep as much sanity and normality as possible. 

Then in comes Alex, an enigmatic personality who was tasked to be Sasha's bodyguard/nanny after some complications with her father's job happened. At this point, i thought "Wow this would be incredibly cliche if they started to hate each other to the bone" and then I realized, so what if it was cliche? If I was enjoying what was left of my freedom one day and then all of a sudden my absentee father tells me I have to walk around with a stranger, i'd be fuming mad too. 

Overall, the story had it's ups and downs but I thoroughly enjoyed the story so much I overlooked and forgot so many things that I wanted to nitpick. It had everything a good chick lit had. I loved the humor, especially the match of wits between Sasha and Alex. Some of their matches had me in fits! It had the appropriate amount of drama and romance to really reel you in to the story.

One thing I cannot overlook though is the somewhat broken moral compass that Sasha seems to have when it came to dating. For some reason, it was easier for her to forgive what Alex has done but cannot even give Tyler a break? Cheating of course is completely unforgivable and perhaps it's more on the line of Tyler's approach towards the issue but I figured lying about your identity and hiding out for months and making people think you are dead is also up on the scale of "unforgivable" things. I guess in the end, Sasha really did love Alex. Love makes you do things you never expected of yourself. I really love the anecdotes the characters express in the story. It gave them more depth and personality, another dimension to them rather than just two dimensional characters. 

Another thing is that as much as I loved the world-building, I couldn't tell where the story is set. Other than that, I really loved the story. It's a fun, romantic read to dip your feet into and I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from Zoya Tessi. 

Rating: ♚♚♚♚♚

Saturday 22 February 2014

(Review) The Elite (The Selection, #2) - Kiera Cass

Title: The Elite (The Selection, #2)
Author: Kiera Cass
Format: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Harper
Date Published: April 23, 2013
Amazon | Book Depository

Summary (from Goodreads)
Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Iléa.
America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.
Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Review:

There are no words to describe the disappointment I am feeling right now. It was all over the place! My heart was already set with this not being big on the political dystopia side considering the tone of the first book, but at least The Selection knew what it wanted to be. Think America's Next Top Model but for princesses, and it gave no pretenses on being anything other than that. 

First of all, I almost hated America (or the way her character was being developed) in the story. In The Selection, her heart was set on proving that she could do things by herself and in her own terms but in The Elite, it's like she can't even string reason together. What was she really fearing? The crown and the responsibilities? Her indecisiveness was a big turn-off for me. 

Second, there was barely any character development for Maxon for most of the story except towards the end when America finally lets her explain his side to her without her jumping into assumptions. I feel like there were a lot of missed opportunities here and there for the characters to have grown. Kriss has shown a lot of improvements character-wise but much of it came a little sudden that it was difficult to be emotionally involved with her plight. I couldn't even tell if she really did love Maxon. 

All these rebel attacks coming out of nowhere...it seemed pretty useless to me considering all that ever happens when they attack is that the characters go into hiding and something that feeds the romance further develops, some guards die here and there and then we're back to square one again. At least the part where America decides to go off-track and actually meets a rebel who doesn't seem to be at all what she thought they'd be was a little interesting. It provided a little insight into what they could be after. The history! But even then, the author fails to capitalize on what could be an interesting plot. It was expanded a little bit but immediately thrown off the wagon so easily. 

Finally, let's talk about the King and that ending. How stupid can you get that you care more about disciplining your own "grown" son, and not do anything about the constant attacks that's been happening in your own palace? As for the ending, I actually liked the ending. It reminded me a lot of the end of The Selection, but reversed. Here we see America actually feeling more pressured and in a tight spot. I found her to be a weaker version of what she used to be in the first book and I just seriously hope that she finds her spine again in the last book OR SO HELP ME.

Rating: ♚♚

Stacking The Shelves (5)

It's that time of the week again! Time for Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews! Head over here to learn more!

Received For Review:




Thank you to the authors and publishers who has allowed me to read their books for free in exchange for an honest review!

Purchased:




I've heard really good reviews about this series and I figured I should catch up to it before it ends. Judging from the summary and the beautiful cover, I'm so gonna love it. I'm really excited to read it.


Friday 21 February 2014

Follow Friday (Feb. 21)

This is a blog hop, a way to find and follow new blogs, hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

Please feel free to follow me anywhere. I prefer GFC for now but RSS/Bloglovin'/Facebook like/ Twitter follow would be great too! PLEASE leave a comment so I can follow you back via ways of your choosing! :)
What was the last book that made you cry?





I can only remember one back that has gotten me all teary-eyed and it's Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor FranklIt's more than just his memories and experiences about the Holocaust that got me, but also his ideologies and thoughts during and the aftermath that resulted in his work on Logotherapy. The book has changed my way of thinking in so many ways I can't possibly string enough words to describe how important this book is to me.


Thursday 20 February 2014

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts (Feb. 20)

This meme is hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. Please head on to their blog for more information, and to link up your post! :)

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts is a chance for book bloggers to dabble in areas besides books (but those are welcome too). Share your plans for the weekend, a rant on people not using their turn signals in parking lots, or your love of Sunday morning mimosas.

  1.  So the beach party was awesome! The place was really pretty and relaxing and I got to eat a lot of good food so everything was super cool. I think I almost overdosed on the caramel macchiato they had at the cafe since it was sooo good. I've never had one before and it's my boyfriend's favourite too. 
  2. There were a lot of cats in the resort, which I found really relaxing. They weren't super rowdy or disturbing at alll, they just sat there all weird and would stare at you. At one point it got really creepy because one cat wouldn't stop staring at me. I love cats though so it's all okay. 
  3. Here's a little panoramic image of the resort. This is my second time there, just a different "area" of the whole shoreline. It's crescent-shaped and you can literally walk your way around it.

Click to enlarge!

(Review) Happiness: The Art of Living with Peace, Confidence and Joy - Douglas A. Smith

Title: Happiness: The Art of Living with Peace, Confidence and Joy
Author: Douglas A. Smith
Format: finished copy, ebook
Publisher: White Pine Mountain
Date Published: January 2, 2014
Amazon

Summary (from Goodreads)

In the midst of a successful business career, Doug Smith received life-altering news that set him on an entirely new journey to understand what leads to truly joyful, meaningful living—in other words, what leads to happiness. Through research and study, he began to understand that what the most joyful among us have in common is that they remember the past with peace, anticipate the future with confidence, and live in the present with joy and exuberance. Additionally, he discovered that what gives them this perspective is a set of skills that they consistently, even if subconsciously, practice. He also realized that he is not particularly good at several of these skills. In Happiness: The Art of Living With Peace, Confidence and Joy, the author recounts, with insight and humor, his journey to better understand and practice the skills of happiness with the goal of helping others on their own path to joyful, meaningful living.

Review:

I received this book for free through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

To be quite honest, this isn't the kind of book that I would read on a regular day but it arrived at such an opportune time in my life that I saw it as a gift to just read it. Having just recently found out that I have chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (a blood disorder, although not as deadly), I easily connected with the author's situation. I found myself somehow headed towards an emotional downward spiral that has started to affect my relationships with people. 

Dealing with unhappiness has always been a struggle for me, and this book has superbly outlines the things I needed to know about how to be content with what I have. There really is a big difference with having things outlined, the way the author has done so exquisitely, eloquently and personally.

Suffice to say I learned a lot, not just with ways on how to pursue happiness but also in taking care of other aspects of my life. What I love most about the book was the way the skills set were summarized at the end. It is a clear way of understanding and accepting which areas I am immensely lacking at and areas that need a little working with. The sketches also complement the words really well and provide a more personal feel of the book. I can already tell that the book has made a positive impact on my thinking.

Rating: ♚♚♚♚♚

Wednesday 19 February 2014

Waiting on Wednesday (Feb. 19)

Waiting on Wednesday is a blog meme hosted by Breaking The Spine that aims to showcase any release you're eagerly anticipating! Please head on to their blog to know more and to join! :)

I'm planning on reading The Elite by Kiera Cass soon, to catch up before the release of The One. Just look at that gorgeous cover! I know "white pretty women in pretty gowns" used to be somewhat of a staple in Young Adult books and it remains a "hot issue" for me to talk about but it certainly doesn't hurt my eyes looking at this beautiful cover. Though more than just the cover, I'm just really curious about which direction the book decides to carve through, hopefully not as bland as Requiem's ending. (i'm still not over it!) May 6th can't come soon enough!

The Selection changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. And now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen. America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

WWW Wednesdays (Feb. 19)

WWW Wednesday is a book blogging meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Hop over to her site to check it out :)

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

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


• What are you currently reading?
I'm currently reading a netgalley book I received called Happiness: The Art of Living with Peace, Confidence and Joy by Douglas A. Smith. It's not something I would normally read but it arrived at such an appropriate time in my life that I can't help but think I should read it. It's not gonna hurt if I tried and if anything it's going to help!
 In the midst of a successful business career, Doug Smith received life-altering news that set him on an entirely new journey to understand what leads to truly joyful, meaningful living—in other words, what leads to happiness. Through research and study, he began to understand that what the most joyful among us have in common is that they remember the past with peace, anticipate the future with confidence, and live in the present with joy and exuberance. Additionally, he discovered that what gives them this perspective is a set of skills that they consistently, even if subconsciously, practice. He also realized that he is not particularly good at several of these skills. In Happiness: The Art of Living With Peace, Confidence and Joy, the author recounts, with insight and humor, his journey to better understand and practice the skills of happiness with the goal of helping others on their own path to joyful, meaningful living.

 • What did you recently finish reading?
I recently finished reading The Life and Death of Jorja Graham by Brynn Myers, a book I won through Goodreads First Reads. Since i'm currently writing a review of it right now, all I can say is that it wasn't what I expected it to be and I totally loved every moment of it! I seriously cannot wait for the next book, it was that good!
Jorja Graham was the quintessential southern bell: blonde, stunningly beautiful, and overtly enchanting. That was the face she shared with the world and no one would ever know the hell she had endured. After returning to Savannah, Jorja had everything she’d ever wanted: a new home, a handsome suitor, and the job of her dreams as an antique dealer. Little did she know that the choice to move on with her life would be the last decision she'd ever make. THE LIFE & DEATH OF JORJA GRAHAM. Not every romance has a happy ending.

• What do you think you’ll read next?
I figured I still have time before reviewing all the new books I received so I'm gonna take a short break from that and read The Elite by Kiera Cass. It's been a while since I read an actual, physical book and I'm really looking forward to continuing with the story. I've been lustfully eyeing the book on my shelf for days and I don't think I can hold back any longer. I'm just so curious! Not to mention The One is going to be out soon enough and I need to catch up.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea. America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.



(Review) Time For Cherries - Camille Thomaz Labanca

Title: Time For Cherries
Author: Camille Thomaz Labanca
Format: ebook, novella
Pages: 40 pages
Genre: New Adult (Contemporary, Romance)
Date of Publication: February 14th 2014
Summary (from Goodreads)
Life wasn't subtle with Melissa, and the secret that she keeps is the same that kills her. When she enter into a prestigious university in Rio de Janeiro to attend a journalism course, she meets Lucas. He soon establishes a goal: get to know her better ― to the point of finding out all the details that scare, animate and make her who she is. If Melissa will be ready to let him go, well, that's another question ... And nobody said he gives up easily.

Review:

I received this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!

Time for Cherries is a story of a young woman's struggle to find worth in her damaged self. It tells the story of Melissa, a rape victim who, ever since then, has blamed herself for what has happened to her. She then applies herself to so many things, can't allow herself to be distracted to the point that she doesn't allow herself to be uprooted from her carefully planned university life in Rio.

There she meets the guy who might just save her from the torment of her nightmares and show her that her deep-seated fears are none of her fault at all but it could very well be the way to fixing her somehow. Lucas is a perfect example of a guy that Melissa needs in her life.

After their intimate encounter, something I didn't expect but it was sweet nonetheless, the person who Melissa fears the most shows up. Finally, she has the chance to undo her fears and Lucas is just the guy to help her through that. At one point It got a little frustrating for me, because none of this really was Melissa's fault. Victim-blaming is a big deal for me and it was really hard to hear her justify what happened to her like she asked for it.

All in all, it was a short but lovely, uplifting read towards the end. I just wished the translation I was provided with was more descriptive and that there was more to it.

Rating: ♚♚♚♚

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Top Ten Tuesday (Feb. 18)

Top Ten Tuesday is a book blog meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Please click here to read more about it and join in :)

February 18: Top Ten/FIVE Reasons I Love Being A Blogger/Reader
I don't think I can do 10 of this today, sorry! Things just overlap and stuff!
  1. Self-expression - Just the act of reading alone, for me, puts a lot of meaning on who we are as a person. It shows certain traits in us that we couldn't have just pointed out. Getting to blog about it, no matter the range of audience, is the icing on the cake!
  2. Escape - When reality gets tough, it's nice to know a book can transport me into some world, dip my feet in someone else's shoes and experience something I wouldn't have been able to in real life. 
  3. Learning - New words, new ideas, new (second-hand?) experiences! Reading opens up a lot of possibilities.
  4. Interaction - Having a blog or any other outlet to post your thoughts about a book, opens up new relationships with people who you wouldn't have otherwise met. I'm not really good at the socializing department so being able to interact with other reviewers and authors through emails or Goodreads no matter how minuscule the interaction is is quite a deal for me already.
  5. Receiving books for free (sometimes) - Someday, when I've grown my blog into a better version of itself I'd receive books to read for free. This may seem like a pretty shallow way to think, but it's certainly one of the perks, and being able to blog about them and help create this hype and life around something you're very passionate and excited about is just a really good feeling. 

Monday 17 February 2014

(Review) Dissever - Tracey Ward

Title: Dissever
Author: Tracey Ward
Format: ebook
Pages: 276 pages
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy, Romance)
Date of Publication: February 8, 2014


Summary (from Goodreads)
I have ever and always been perfectly and soundly in love with Ro.

Annabel Lee is growing up in the court of a hidden kingdom, one shrouded from the wars that ravish the outside world. Her father is cruel, her mother is kind and her heart now and always belongs to her greatest friend, Roarke. But he's an Outsider, an unwanted on the island, his people's existence the product of a horrible night over a hundred years ago. A night when an age old treaty was broken. When the sky rained fire and the sea raged deadly.

When tragedy strikes and a horrible accident leaves her friend broken and scarred, Anna begins to wonder if the "safety" of this hidden island is worth the price they pay. A price she herself is now expected to pay in full.

Can she save herself and an island that doesn't want saving? To even try, she'll have to fight fate, defy the gods and seek the help of an Outsider. Of the love she cannot have. The one she will not live without.

Review: 

I received this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!

Dissever is a story derived from a famous poem by Edgar Allan Poe called Annabel Lee. There's countless YA being based around actual myths and other fairy tales so it was a little refreshing to read something so detailed that's based from a poem. Anna, was to be an unwilling victim to a sacrifice that would either make or break her land. Anna's father sees her as nothing more than a commodity, a piece he intends to play with as much as he wants if it could get him anything. It's because of this sort of treatment from her very own father that Anna has grown to be a feisty woman who learned to stand on her own two feet. She quickly learns how to play the game that her father is forcing her to play in. 

Her story really begins upon her meeting with an Outsider, a boy named Roarke who she would fall in love with even if it meant going against everything she believed she must do. Despite their differences I loved how well-rounded the cast of characters were, and the way they have matured as the story progressed shows a lot of skill in a writer - to be able to show a human side in a highly fantasy setting.

Despite being based on a poem, Dissever has it's own set of culture and religion that is richly documented in the story, an aspect of it that I love. Towards the end, we see how the pieces of information that are given interact with each other and once again it left me in awe at how one can accomplish such depth in just a couple of pages. 

I loved the rather intimate wedding ceremony with Roarke and Anna. It was a symbol of Anna's independence from her duties as a sacrifice, something she did entirely for herself and the fact that it was so intimate really brought it closer to my heart. The other characters played equal parts of the story for me, no one really was above the other, perhaps with the exception of Anna's father who I will forever see as the epitome of greed and selfishness, 

All in all, this book was particularly moving I couldn't help but read at a much slower pace than I normally would. This book, its richly-coloured culture, religion, ideologies all expertly intertwined in the story, is more than just Roarke and Anna's love story. To me, it almost represented something very real in the world, which is the occasional human incapacity for tolerance and understanding when a complex situation is right in front of us. Everything that I read in the book demanded to be felt and I loved every second of it. It is a good book to dip your fit into an non-conventional magical romance, and it certainly made me look forward to reading more of Tracey Wards works. 

Rating: ♚♚♚♚♚

Making Up For Monday (Feb. 17)

Making Up For Monday is hosted by An Avid Reader, A Wannabe Writer. Click on the link to learn more!

Where is your favorite place to read?

It's nothing particularly fancy, but I really like to just sit in front of my tiny desk beside my bed with my laptop propped in front me. It can get a little distracting sometimes, but I get to see the clouds right outside my window. There's just something very calming about being able to see the sky while reading. It's been very cloudy and rainy here lately and since i'm the kind of person who likes the cloudy weather, it's not really that bad of a deal. 

That or somewhere quiet, if i'm not reading at home. A quiet classroom at the end of a hall would suffice :)

Sunday 16 February 2014

(Review) Anything To Have You - Paige Harbison

Title: Anything To Have You
Author: Paige Harbison
Format: ebook, finished copy
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: Young Adult (Contemporary, Romance)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date Published: January 28th, 2014

Amazon | Book Depository

Summary (from Goodreads)
Nothing should come between best friends, not even boys. ESPECIALLY not boys.
Natalie and Brooke have had each other's backs forever. Natalie is the quiet one, college bound and happy to stay home and watch old movies. Brooke is the movie--the life of every party, the girl everyone wants to be. Then it happens--one crazy night that Natalie can't remember and Brooke's boyfriend, Aiden, can't forget. Suddenly there's a question mark in Natalie and Brooke's friendship that tests everything they thought they knew about each other and has both girls discovering what true friendship really means.
Review: 
This is my first time reading a book by Paige Harbison, and I must say I really liked the path that Anything To Have You has taken. I can't really tell for certain if the issues presented in the story itself is anywhere a realistic representative of reality but it was nonetheless engaging.

Natalie, one of our protagonists, is a goody-two-shoes who hasn't quite figured out what she wants after high school. This I find almost completely unrealistic since she has quite a solid taste in dress and music. As far as I know, those kind of people have an inkling of what they want to do in life. Then there's Brooke, our resident IT Girl. I really rooted for her in the beginning but as the story progressed, I felt myself detach from her. She started to feel and look very selfish, and perhaps that's what the author intended to do and in a really unpretentious, unhinged way. 

Aiden and Eric, as commendable as these characters are (as far as boys in contemporary young adult go), I really didn't feel any emotional impact from them towards our female leads. Aiden was the cool, almost detached guy while Eric was reserved to be almost like the backup guy which was left me a bit disappointed. 

I think the most admirable character of all was Natalie's dad. His composure could only be the fruit of years of going over whatever happened with Natalie's mother. His maturity over Natalie's pregnancy was outstanding, almost unrealistic but I have to say it is what I would've hoped would happen in reality. 

Natalie's pregnancy and Brooke's downward spiral was a good method to show their character's degeneration. I still can't believe how Brooke tried to justify her actions. It was despicable and really low, considering how low and unimportant Aiden seemed to her and still acted like the world owed her everything she thought she deserved. Her relationship with Reed in the end wasn't healthy for her, and as much as his speech towards the end seemed very heartfelt, I didn;t think it gave enough impact. It seemed like a sad excuse for Brooke. But hey at least it worked.

In the end, they all got their happy end, or almost, and I certainly loved every second of it. 

Rating: ♚♚♚♚♚

Saturday 15 February 2014

Stacking The Shelves (4)

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's reviews. Head over here to learn more!

First off, I hope everyone had a happy Valentines' Day! Whether you spent it with your SO, your family and friends or curled up next to a good book, it doesn't matter as long as you were happy and content! I didn't even realize the books I got (well, the physical ones) were in varying shades of RED! That makes me really happy because red is my favourite colour :)

I also received free ebook copies from several authors who were generous and kind enough to allow me to review them!





Friday 14 February 2014

Follow Friday (Feb. 14)

This is a blog hop, a way to find and follow new blogs, hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

Please feel free to follow me anywhere. I prefer GFC for now but RSS/Bloglovin'/Facebook like/ Twitter follow would be great too! PLEASE leave a comment so I can follow you back! :)
Find a “new to you blogger” and feature their button on your post this week. Tell us why this blogger stands out to you.
 This button really stood out for me, maybe it's the cute black kitten on a stack of books which are two things that I LOVE :) Check it out here!

(Review) See Jane Run - Hannah Jayne

Title: See Jane Run
Author: Hannah Jayne
Format: ebook, finished copy
Pages: 288 pages
Genre: Young Adult (Contemporary, Mystery)
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Date Published: January 7th, 2014


Summary (from Goodreads)
I know who you are.

When Riley first gets the postcard tucked into her bag, she thinks it's a joke. Then she finds a birth certificate for a girl named Jane Elizabeth O'Leary hidden inside her baby book.

Riley's parents have always been pretty overprotective. What if it wasn't for her safety...but fear of her finding out their secret? What have they been hiding? The more Riley digs for answers, the more questions she has.

The only way to know the truth? Find out what happened to Jane O'Leary.
Review:

See Jane Run was a very exciting read, to say the least. I expected the parents to be the "mean people" in the story. I'm glad I was proven wrong though the replacement was a little weak and kinda made me detached to the story for a little while as it was explained a little later.

Riley was living a normal albeit closeted life when one day she found a birth certificate of a girl lodged inside her baby book. Following her instincts (after several nags from her friend Shelby) she decides to find out the truth about it, and it didn't help her suspicions that her parents are also very secretive about her own past. 

She decides to use the time she got away from her parents to investigate this mystery with the help of JD, a resident "juvenile delinquent" that didn't smell like good news to me when we first read about him. He reminded me of Christian Slater's "JD" from Heathers, and Riley being a baby version of Winona Ryder's Veronica Sawyer. 

The whole deal with Tim stalking/kidnapping her and being in the Witness Protection Program was explained a little too late in the book, something i wished the author left hints of in the beginning. It would've had more impact rather than the truth being just carelessly dumped at the end. While I like how the book showed Tim's degenerative state, I highly doubt it would've taken Riley that long to escape especially when they went out. Couldn't she just have screamed? 

Still, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It had the right amount of thrills in it's pages. 

Rating: ♚♚♚♚

Thursday 13 February 2014

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts (Feb. 13)

This meme is hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. Please head on to their blog for more information, and to link up your post! :)

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts is a chance for book bloggers to dabble in areas besides books (but those are welcome too). Share your plans for the weekend, a rant on people not using their turn signals in parking lots, or your love of Sunday morning mimosas.

  1. It's the day before Valentines' Day! I'm not really one to celebrate this day in any special manner, since I consider it to be blatantly commercialized and has lost a lot of it's significance, but if it brings couples together in whatever way they choose then it's all good to me. The world needs more love :)
  2. I can't wait for it to be the weekend already! I'm having trouble walking around as a side effect of the medicine and the doctor has advised that I start tapering down my dosage this weekend. I hope the side effects will be significantly less by then. 
  3. I'm going away to a beach resort for the weekend for a company party. I'm not sure if I should bring my laptop, I figured I'll use the time to actually relax. I'd still be reading, considering I find that very relaxing. I hope the weather won't be terrible once we get there. I'm not in any condition to be swimming but I still want to enjoy the scenery!

(Review) The Selection (The Selection, #1) - Kiera Cass

Title: The Selection (The Selection, #1)
Author: Kiera Cass
Format: ebook
Pages: 336 pages
Genre: Young Adult (Dystopia)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date Published: April 24th, 2012


Summary (from Goodreads)

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Review:

When I first read the summary to this book, I expected it to be something similar to The Hunger Games but more into cattiness instead of actual brutality...and I wasn't wrong. The Selection began a little slow for me, but for some reason that took fed the girly girl in me and I started to like America the more she interacts with Maxon.

The whole concept does seem a little weak compared to other book series' but that's what I find charming about it. It's not pretentious in it being a princess competition, with an added layer of political turmoil on top. I like the fact that the book focuses on the inner issues that the Selection girls are going through instead of the general political issues. We see two sides of the coin, with America championing the "poor" and Maxon representing the privileged. It was nice to see them interact with each other with very few hitches. The whole "we're two different so we can't be decent with each other and get along at all" is starting to get old with these young adult romances. 

It's set in a fantasy world, an alternate reality where China invaded the US, but it's still somehow realistic in the issues that the characters tackle. There's the castes, pageantry hoopla, the complexities of "reality shows", all presented in a realistic plate. 

The characters represent different personalities that one might encounter in an actual pageant, but what struck me the most was Prince Maxon. His personality was genuine and regal, almost too perfect except for certain times when he loses his cool and that just adds more to his realism. Aspen and America breaking up seemed a little underwhelming, and then having to hear that America's suspicions were wrong was a little frustrating but I stand by her decision in the end. She's not just doing this for her family, but also for herself and the best thing she can do is to see herself through it. 

I'm really excited to read the second book, and i'm hyping myself up for The One. The whole concept seems a little unconventional as far as dytopic/fantasy Young Adult books go but I guess that's what I like about this series. 

Rating: ♚♚♚♚♚ 

Wednesday 12 February 2014

Waiting on Wednesday (Feb. 12)

Waiting on Wednesday is a blog meme hosted by Breaking The Spine that aims to showcase any release you're eagerly anticipating! Please head on to their blog to know more and to join! :)

As much as the end of the Delirium series disappointed me, I'm very excited to read Panic by Lauren Oliver. It comes out March 4th and I literally cannot wait. I'm jealous of all the people who got to read the ARC. I hope Lauren Oliver delivers superbly this time, considering Requiem was a little weak for someone who's writing and imagination caliber I consider to be one of the best in Young Adult. 

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of twelve thousand people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.
Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She'd never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.
Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game; he's sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he's not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.
For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

WWW Wednesdays (Feb. 12)

WWW Wednesday is a book blogging meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Hop over to her site to check it out :)

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

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


• What are you currently reading?

I'm currently reading The Selection by Kiera Cass. I recently got The Elite at the book store and I've been hearing about this series since it first came out. I'm too curious not to pick it up. So far, it's going a little slow for me and feels like a "pageant" version of The Hunger Games but I like what i'm reading so far.

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

• What did you recently finish reading?

I recently finished the Requiem by Lauren Oliver, the last book in the Delirium series. It was very underwhelming and I felt like it didn't do the series any justice. 

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.
But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.
Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.
After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancĂ©e of the young mayor.
Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.
Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.
But we have chosen a different road.
And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.
Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.
• What do you think you’ll read next?

I just recently joined Netgalley, but since I have no considerable traction for now since i'm new to doing blog reviews, I don't get to request for books. I was a little surprised to get the self-help book Happiness: The Art of Living with Peace, Confidence and Joy by Douglas A. Smith. I rarely read self-help books, but considering what I am currently going through I felt like it was heaven-sent! Thank you, Netgalley for the appropriately-timed book!

In the midst of a successful business career, Doug Smith received life-altering news that set him on an entirely new journey to understand what leads to truly joyful, meaningful living—in other words, what leads to happiness. Through research and study, he began to understand that what the most joyful among us have in common is that they remember the past with peace, anticipate the future with confidence, and live in the present with joy and exuberance. Additionally, he discovered that what gives them this perspective is a set of skills that they consistently, even if subconsciously, practice. He also realized that he is not particularly good at several of these skills. In Happiness: The Art of Living With Peace, Confidence and Joy, the author recounts, with insight and humor, his journey to better understand and practice the skills of happiness with the goal of helping others on their own path to joyful, meaningful living.