BOOK REVIEW: Pack of Lies (Red Ridge Pack Series # 1) by Sara Dailey and Staci Weber

Date Published: April 8, 2012
Format: ebook
Description (Goodreads):

The last thing Allison Wright ever expected when she moved to Red Ridge, New Mexico was to come muzzle to muzzle with the wolf of her dreams.

Seventeen-year-old Allison Wright is convinced she’s losing her mind. Uncontrollable mood swings, hot flashes, and the urge to punch anyone who gets in her way are suddenly becoming everyday occurrences. Before her erratic behavior gets out of hand, Allison’s mother finally comes clean about her dark secret. Mom is a werewolf, and soon Allison and her brother Aiden will suffer the same fate. When Allison reaches her breaking point, the family leaves their life in Texas to move to Red Ridge, New Mexico where they rejoin the pack that Allison’s mother left behind almost 20 years ago.

Unfortunately, not everyone in Red Ridge is thrilled about Allison’s arrival, especially when she attracts the attention of the very handsome, very taken, soon-to-be alpha, Cade Walker. Little does Allison know, her mere presence is causing a rift in a once unified pack. Not only has Cade been forbidden from being with Allison by his father, the pack’s alpha, Cade’s girlfriend, Kendall Stuart, will stop at nothing to get Allison out of the picture. Well on her way to becoming the next alpha’s mate, Kendall expects to rule the pack by Cade’s side even if it means teaming up with a rogue werewolf with an agenda of his own. Determined to get rid of Allison permanently, when Kendall and the rogue join forces, all hell breaks loose and no one in the pack is safe, especially not Cade and his true mate.

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Rating:

FUN and EXCITING READ! 

Review: 
I saw the book for the first time in a giveaway. I read the summary and it really caught my attention so I entered. Luckily, I won! I was so thrilled to finally read it! I have to say thanks to Sara Dailey and Staci Weber for the copy!

Anyway, this is my first time to read a book about werewolves. It wasn’t hard for me to get into Allison’s character. She’s one strong and tough chick. She was once a teenager who’s popular with a bunch of friends but things turned around. She’s still popular, but in a negative sense. She was accused of being a boyfriend- snatcher and called a slut. She lost her friends and those ones who she considered as bestfriends now treat her as a stranger. With no help from the changes she felt inside her, she became more impatient and aggressive to those who mistreat her. She had a hard time containing her anger which makes her get into fights. Unlike Allison, her older brother Aiden was liked by everybody, totally opposite of Allison. But still, there seems changes to both of them which made their mom finally admit that she's a werewolf and therefore Allison and Aiden are also werewolves. I just have to say the revealing part was one funny moment. So they have to move to Red Ridge to learn about the life of being werewolves. 

One important event happened was when Allison finally changes to werewolf form for the first time. She meets someone, also in wolf form. They have this connection, like love at first sight but in werewolves way. That scene was so fascinating and cute! Werewolves making out- how can you not like that?LOL. The other werewolf was none other than Cade, the soon-to-be alpha. 

Cade, the alpha male successor, has a lot on his plate. Much has been expected of him and one of them was to be with Kendall, his chosen mate. Confusion arises when he meets Allison. There's something different about her- her scent, and everything about her makes him want to be with her all the time. But that's the problem, they can't be together eventhough the feelings are mutual. I know that the "Romeo and Juliet-ish" kind of story was used quite often but for me, it never gets old. He will eventually have to make a decision for himself and not just for the sake of the pack. But before that happens, people will be on their way, especially Kendall.

From the first time her name was mentioned on the book, I instantly hated her. She thinks everything revolves around her and she's such a b*tch. But sometimes, I understand where she's coming from. She's afraid that her status to the pack will be lost because of Allison.

The book has 3 POVs- Allison, Cade and Kendall. I think Kendall's POV is unnecessary. I understand her side with/ without her personal thoughts. I won't like her either way. The reason why I didn't give this a perfect five was because I didn't like how the POVs switched. It was a bit unorganized for me and that's the only thing I didn't like about the book. The near ending parts were okay. When I thought there won't be anymore complications, a twist in the story was revealed. 

I'm really excited for the second book. Give this book a chance, you won't regret it. :)

Quotes:
"It was that moment that I realized a few things. I was beginning to hate the girl next to me-the one I was supposed to love. I was losing the girl I wanted to be with-the one I was pretty sure I was falling in love with-ans as long as I was the future alpha, my life was not my own." 
- Cade

"It's complicated! That is such bullsh*t!" -Alli

"My life has been more perfect and screwed up at the same time. Here I was with the one person that was made just fir me. It may sound unbelievable, but it was true. She was now a part of me that I couldn't be without. Finding your true mate these days was practically unchard of but here we were, and I knew it was the real thing." - Cade

COVER REVEAL: Timeless by Michelle Madow

Timeless is the final part of the Transcend Time Saga, and will be released on November 20, 2012. 

I love the cover! It was designed by Michelle Madow herself. 

I haven't started reading the series yet but I heard it was good  and it's in my to-reads list for quite sometime now. Hopefully I'll have a copy of it soon!

Check out her blog: www.michellemadow.com

BOOK REVIEW: Onyx by Jennifer Armentrout (Lux #2)

Date Published: August 14, 2012
Book Description (Goodreads):

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

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Rating:

I LOVED IT! 

Never ending SPAZZ..

Review:

Jennifer Armentrout is definitely on a roll! I loved Half-blood which I read recently and then this. I love,love,love onyx! I was so excited to read this that I even ditched the book I'm currently reading. Sorry "The Gathering", I'll read you later. Haha!

For this second book of the Lux series, much have changed since Daemon healed Katy. There's this connection between them that can't be denied. 

Daemon, oh Daemon.. Can you be mine?(sigh..) 

He's still the gorgeous, hottttt (a single T won't be enough to describe how hot he is), overprotective, jerk and sweet alien. Yes, you read that right. He's very determined to convince Katy that it's not the connection  that makes them feel something for each other but something other than that. He does things for her that makes me say "aww". But Katy, still the stubborn one, was indenial of what she feels. She'll get over it eventually. 

Katy has changed physically, the connection thing and some other things but she's still her old blogger self which I love. I can totally relate with the part where she said she has a new book boyfriend. DAEMON. Swoon! Yumtastic! I also love the part where Daemon joined her in making her vlog. So cute! Katy and Daemon's relationship was still the love and hate kind but more steamy scenes. Watch out for that!

There were new characters that have emerged like Blake, the new normal (not so normal) guy who befriended Katy which made Daemon mad, jealous and overprotective of her. He didn't even say his name, just any other B-names like Brad Biff, Bart, etc. He's sp funny.

Then there's the DOD. The issue on Dawson and Bethany's death/disappearance was not yet solved and new development have had happened. Katy saw Bethany alive and Daemon was determined to find out if his brother is still alive.

This book was action-packed and with full of emotions- love, hate, thrilling, happiness and sadness. You will surely love this!

Quotes:

"Words were the most powerful tool. Simple and so often underestimated. They could heal. They could destroy. And I needed to use my words now." - Katy

"Some things are best left unknown, you know? People search for answers and they don't always like what they get. Sometimes the truth is worse than a lie."  -  Matthew

"Because I know what I feel in here. And I'm not the type of person to run from anything, no matter how hard it is. I'd rather face-plant against a brick wall than live for the rest of my life wondering what could've been. And you know what? I didn't think you were that type to run, either. Maybe I was wrong." - Daemon

"This whole time, I'd been so busy pusing him away, telling him watever was between us wasn't real. And now I'd realized the depth of what he felt for me- what I felt for him- he was gone." - Katy

"It was hard to stick to my resolve of not caving to the ridiculous notion of us being together when he was actually..nice, and when he stared at me like I was the last piece of chocolate in the whole world." - Katy

BOOK BREAK: Music in YOU (Post #1)

Every week, I will post some original songs from an artist who became popular in YouTube. I just feel that more people should know them because they are very talented and they have great songs that should be heard. 

So for this week, I chose the first youtube artist I became a fan of and she is none other than Marie' Digby. She's a singer and songwriter. I love her covers as well as her original songs. I became a fan since I heard her song Say it Again. 

Another song of her that I can totally relate is Miss Invisible. I wasn't bullied when I was in Grade school but I was the kid who doesn't have any self-confidence and just wanted to be alone. Up until now, I'm still that kid, most of the time. Well anyway, here's a video of the song:

Lyrics:
There's a girl
Who sits under the bleachers
Just another day eating alone
And though she smiles
There is something just hiding
And she can't find a way to relate
She just goes unnoticed
As the crowd passes by
And she'll pretend to be busy
When inside she just wants to cry
And she'll say... 

Chorus:
Take a little look at the life of Miss Always Invisible
Look a little harder, I really really want you to put yourself in her shoes
Take another look at the face of Miss Always Invisible
Look a little closer and maybe then you will see why she waits for the day
When you'll ask her her name

The beginning, in the first weeks of class
She did everything to try and fit in
But the others they couldn't seem to get past all the things that mismatched on the surface
And she would close her eyes when they laughed and she fell down the stairs
And the more that they joked
And the more that they screamed
She retreated to where she is now
And she'll sing... 

Chorus:
Take a little look at the life of Miss Always Invisible
Look a little closer I really really want you to put yourself in her shoes
Take a little look at the face of Miss Always Invisible
Look a little harder and maybe then you will see why she waits for the day that you will ask her her name

Then one day just the same as the last
Just a day spent counting the time
Came a boy that sat under the bleachers just a little bit further behind...

Check out her site: http://www.mariedigbymusic.com/

BOOK REVIEW: Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout (Covenant #1)

Date Published: October 18, 2011
Book Description (Goodreads):

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

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Book Review:

I loved Obsidian so I searched for Jennifer Armentrout's books and came upon this book. I read reviews and there were mixed opinions about it. Some loved it while others have low ratings because it reminded them of Vampire Academy. Lucky for me, I haven't read Vampire Academy yet so I gave the book a chance. And I'm glad I did because I loved it!

I'll say it again. I really, really LOVED IT! I'll try my hardest to explain why.

I love everything about it. The characters, the storyline, everything! The storyline is unique, about gods and mortals having children, then the concept of pure-blood and half-blood. I thought that was interesting. I liked the pace,neither fast nor dragging. There was no dull moment, I enjoyed the book, from cover to cover. It was action-packed from the first pages, I was instantly hooked. 

I loved the characters. All of them, including the "bad ones". I hated them at first but I've grown to love their characters. Like Seth, the Appolyon, he's insensitive at times which makes him annoying but he's still good despite that. Even the supporting characters, like Caleb, Alex's bestfriend. He's very understanding, caring and funny. 

For the protagonist, Alexandria, I love that she's strong-willed, skilled, a fighter. I can sometimes relate to her because she's too strong that she doesn't want anybody to see her weak side. She's also has a funny side and she has a smart-mouth which makes it all fun reading the book. She's also stubborn, most of the time, which gets her into trouble. 

Then there's Aiden. From the first time he came out, I already knew he'll be the "love interest" of Alex. He's very reserved, strong, skilled, and swoon-worthy. He had his own struggles from the past which made him sympathize Alex. He cared for her and admired her. The attraction between them was obvious but there are rules that should be followed. Pure-bloods and half-bloods should never get into any relationship. NEVER.

What will happen to their relationship? Will Alex have a choice to choose her destiny? 

I can't wait to read the sequel!

If you haven't read Vampire Academy yet, you should try reading this. You will definitely enjoy and love the book!

Rating:

I LOVED IT!

FUNNY QUOTES:

“I was gonna be super pissed in the afterlife if I died a virgin in this crap hole.” - Alex

“You better have had a baby, killed someone, or slept with a pure. Those are your three options. Anything less is unsuitable.” - Caleb

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES: 

“You need to know about love. The things people will do for love. All truths come down to love, do they not? One way or another, they do. See, there is a difference between love and need. Sometimes, what you feel is immediate and without rhyme or reason.” She sat up a little straighter. “Two people see each across a room or their skin brushes. Their souls recognize the person as their own. It doesn’t need time to figure it. The soul always knows… whether it’s right or wrong.” 

“Need covers itself with love, but need… need is never love. Always beware of the one who needs you. There is always a want behind a need, you see.” 

“It’s just words and words mean nothing. Only action does.” - Aiden

BOOK REVIEW: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh (Nevermore #1)

Date Published: August 31, 2010 
Book Description:

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look. 

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life. 

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares. 

His life depends on it.

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Rating:

    DARK, THRILLING!!

Book Review:

I must say this is the slowest pace I had reading a book. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Hmmm..Maybe both.

I was a bit hesitant to read the book because I have no idea who Edgar Allan Poe is. I mean I know he's a poet but that's it. I don't know his biography and I haven't heard or read any of his works. It's a shame I know, of my lack of knowledge but that's one of the reasons why I was led to the book. I was curious. And the other reason was because of the high ratings other people have given the book. So I was convinced to read it. 

Izzy is the typical perfect girl- a cheerleader, has a football player boyfriend, has elite friends and has a perfect family. Then it all changes when she had Varen as her English project partner. Varen has this dark and cold image which gives Izzy the creeps but also makes her want to know him more. She was pulled toward him which made it all complicated. 

At first, I had a hard time getting into the story. The idea that just because Varen became her partner made her boyfriend and friends crazy, annoyed me. Then she stands up for Varen which pretty much means turning her back to her boyfriend and friends. She was left alone then a new friend comes, with the name of Gwen. I'm glad for her character because she's fun and it made the story lighter when she's there. 

I wasn't expecting the book to be dark, mysterious and thrilling. Maybe for the second half of the book, I became more interested.  I was excited and scared of what will happen which made me hold my breath for a lot of times. I still have no idea what's happening until the last parts of the book. 

I liked how detailed and creative it was narrated. Detailed in a sense that you can picture everything about the scene which is a good thing for me. I appreciate and respect the writer for how it was exquisitely written. For the poetry parts of the book, I admit I had a hard time understanding them which made it difficult for me to read the book. I'm not really into those kind so I felt a bit dumb at times. 

But anyway, I still enjoyed most parts. If you're into literature, poetry, you will definitely love the book! Just so not me.

BOOK REVIEW: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Publication Date: July 10, 2012
Book Description (Goodreads): 
A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers. When I was fourteen, I made a decision. If I was doomed to live in a trailer park next to an airport, I could complain about the smell of the jet fuel like my mom, I could drink myself to death over the noise like everybody else, or I could learn to fly.

Heaven Beach, South Carolina, is anything but, if you live at the low-rent end of town. All her life, Leah Jones has been the grown-up in her family, while her mother moves from boyfriend to boyfriend, letting any available money slip out of her hands. At school, they may diss Leah as trash, but she’s the one who negotiates with the landlord when the rent’s not paid. At fourteen, she’s the one who gets a job at the nearby airstrip.

But there’s one way Leah can escape reality. Saving every penny she can, she begs quiet Mr. Hall, who runs an aerial banner-advertising business at the airstrip and also offers flight lessons, to take her up just once. Leaving the trailer park far beneath her and swooping out over the sea is a rush greater than anything she’s ever experienced, and when Mr. Hall offers to give her cut-rate flight lessons, she feels ready to touch the sky.

By the time she’s a high school senior, Leah has become a good enough pilot that Mr. Hall offers her a job flying a banner plane. It seems like a dream come true . . . but turns out to be just as fleeting as any dream. Mr. Hall dies suddenly, leaving everything he owned in the hands of his teenage sons: golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson. And they're determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business—until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers—and the consequences could be deadly.
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Rating:

OKAY..

BOOK REVIEW: 

For the first few pages of the book, it's mostly narration of Leah about her life. I'll admit I got a bit bored but I knew I should be patient so I just read through it. 

Leah wasn't the typical protagonist. She's the bad girl type who drinks and smokes. She lives in a trailer park with her mother who was never there. They always live near the airport so she became fascinated with airplanes and decided she wanted to become a pilot. She's different when she's flying because that's the only time she feels in control of her life. She had flying lessons with Mr. Hall who has 3 sons, 2 of them are twins, Alec and Grayson. 

Alec was the "nice" guy while Grayson was known as the "blacksheep" of the family. Her relationship with both of the guys were casual until Mr. Hall died. Grayson totally changed because of that. He took the responsibility of running Hall Aviation and he needed Leah not just for the business but for another purpose. So he blackmailed Leah for her to do the job.  There were a lot of arguments and of course, making out.

I had a hard time rating this one because I had mixed emotions about it.  I've been weighing whether to give it a 2 or 3 stars. So I just gave it a 2.5 stars. I've seen high marks and praises about the book so I expected much from it. I'm disappointed that I didn't love it that much.

I liked some parts but that wasn't enough for me to love it. The concept was okay. I expected there'll be a climax and that's good for me. The main characters, Leah and Grayson's relationship development was predictable but acceptable for me.

On the other hand, there were some things that were lacking. First, the closure between Leah and her mom. Yeah, she's a bad mom but her character should've changed a bit. It's like on one part she's there, then she's gone again. Her presence didn't make the story better. I just wish she wasn't a part of the story at all. Second, Leah's relationship with her bestfriend Molly. I just can't understand Molly's character. She's very kind and understanding to Leah. I thought she's the open-minded one but the way she acts and the things she says at times were contradicting to her personality. Then when they fought and made out, there wasn't much explanation. They just hugged and said a few things then they're friends again, that's it. Lastly, I wasn't satisfied with the flow of the story. I just felt that more things should've happened in some scenes but then it jumped to another. It's hard to explain it more clearly so I'm sorry if you can't understand what I'm saying. Haha.

This is my first time to read Jennifer Echols' work. I don't know if I'd give her other books a chance but let's see. If you're really a fan, you should try reading it. 

BOOK REVIEW: My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Publication Date: August 1, 2009

Book Description (Goodreads): 

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

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

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Rating:

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Book Review:

Oh my! I was up 'til 3 in the morning just to finish it. I didn't even notice the time. I just kept reading and I was surprised that it's already 3 a.m. This is such a great book! I love everything about it. The plot is unique, it's the first time I read a book with such concept. 

I love all the characters. I love that I can feel the emotions of every character especially Kaylee. Everytime she holds her scream, it's like I'm holding my breath for what will happen. You would symphatize on what she's going through and understand how she deals with it. She will learn the truth about her life, her identity and her past. 

This is definitely a must read if you're fascinated in paranormal books. Have fun reading!

BOOK BREAK: Movie "A" List: INCEPTION

I'm scanning channels last night and I came upon the movie Inception. I remembered how good the movie was and I can't help but watch it again. So I decided to blog some of the great movies I've seen lately, old and new, to take a break from books and to know some of your views about it too.

Here's my story:

It was July 2010, after I had my board examination, my sister and I went to the movies to watch it. First 5 or so minutes of the movie, I was so confused I didn't get what was happening. I was too shy to ask my sister because I felt I'm the only one who's not getting it. So I just kept my mouth shut and kept watching until I finally understood. After the movie, my sister and I were both stunned, we didn't talk until we got in the car and then we're both blabbing about how good it was. My sister also admitted that she,too, was confused in the beginning and I'm glad I'm not the only one. Haha!

Inception is one of the most brilliant mind-twisting movies I've seen in my lifetime. 

How about you? What do you think of the movie?

BOOK REVIEW: Shadows by Paula Weston

 As what I've said earlier, this book is something   that  I've won from a book giveaway. I was so thrilled to read it that I finished it less than 24 hours. 

I'm such an addict. Yeah. That's me!

So here is my review..

Publication Date: July 2, 2012
Book Description (Goodreads):
It’s almost a year since Gaby Winters was in the car crash that killed her twin brother, Jude. Her body has healed in the sunshine of Pandanus Beach, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn’t help that every night in her dreams she kills demons and other hell-spawn.

And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who’s been appearing in Gaby’s dreams—he claims a history with her brother that makes no sense. Gaby is forced to accept that what she thought she knew about herself and her life is only a shadow of the truth—and that the truth is more likely to be found in the shadows of her nightmares.

Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And most importantly, who can she trust?

_______________________________

Rating:

AWESOME!READ IT!

Book Review:

You might say, it's no different from any other angel books, but I beg to disagree! I'll admit that I may be biased because I love angel books but this one is really good. 

I love the fact that it's not focused on romance or on the love interest of the protagonist but rather on knowing the truth about Gaby's life. Yes, there's romance here and there but it's not overly important compared to other angel books such as the Fallen series, Hush Hush series, and the like. 

I love that the flow of the story kept me interested that I wasted no time just to finish it. There were some fighting scenes which are expected to take part in an angel book.

For the characters, the author described each distinctly which made it easier for me to imagine and remember them. Each have a strong personality. But I have to warn you that there are alot of cursing which I was not comfortable at first because I have the tendency to remember them and then eventually say those words but I got used to it. 

So anyway, I won't give much details so just read it! I know most of you are not fond of books about angels or demons but give this a try. You won't be disappointed.

Yey! I won a book!

Although it's a gloomy and rainy day here in the Philippines, I'm so happy that I received a package, a book I won from last month's giveaway, from Ms. Mia. 

The book is called "Shadows" by Paula Weston.

Here it is.

I'll finish this soon and have my review about it.

Thanks again to Ms. Mia.

Check out her blog. http://miakrose.com/

BOOK REVIEW: On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves

Publication Date: October 11, 2011

Book Description (Goodreads):

When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day. T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first summer in remission with his family - and a stack of overdue assignments - instead of his friends.

Anna and T.J. are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Adrift in shark-infested waters, their life jackets keep them afloat until they make it to the shore of an uninhabited island.

Now Anna and T.J. just want to survive and they must work together to obtain water, food, fire, and shelter. Their basic needs might be met but as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.'s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.

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Rating: 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Book Review:

I read some reviews about the book that it's good but I wasn't that convinced. I thought the plot was just "okay" just about a boy and a 30-year old woman stuck in a island. I hate to admit that I was definitely wrong.

I have to commend the writer because it was well written. I love the spontaneity of how it was narrated and the transition of point of views weren't overlapping . I'm glad that my imagination was not overworked so it made me enjoy the book. 

I love the characters' personality. Anna is a great woman and knows what she wants. She wants to have a husband and children, a family of her own. She's in the stage of her life where important decisions should be made that's why she accepted the job of tutoring T.J. so that she'll have time to think. On the other hand, T.J. is a young boy but acts like a man. He's knowledgeable and funny which makes it all easy to be with him.

At first, Anna and T.J. had a hard time to adjust in their situation. They have no choice but to accept what happened and try to live their lives one day at a time. They had encountered a lot of problems which made them depend on each other for their survival. 

I think I will stop here so I won't reveal much. It's better if you're not anticipating things when you read it. So, that's it! Enjoy!

BOOK REVIEW: Reason to Breathe (The Breathing Series #1) by Rebecca Donovan

I felt that I need a break from fantasy books so I decided to read a realistic fiction such as this one. 

Publication Date: May 10, 2011
Book Description (Goodreads):

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"

He knows there’s something more to the girl sitting in the back of the class the moment he sees her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and athletic – but she slips quietly through the crowded halls, trying not to exist. Determined to get to know the elusive girl, Evan soon discovers…

Emma Thomas is hiding a terrible secret.

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Rating:

Book Review: 

I have to warn you. If you're emotionally unstable, you better NOT read this book. It's depressing but definitely heart-warming. I can't even remember how many times I cried while reading it.  So, you need a box of tissues with you. 

Emma is a beautiful woman- intelligent, athletic and artistic. Her father died and her mother became alcoholic that's why her father's brother brought her in. She had nowhere else to go so she had no choice but to stay with her uncle's family- which she can never call "home". She's an overachiever because that's the only thing that she can control. Only one year left in highschool so she'll just have to continue being invisible like the past years of her life. But someone takes notice of her and is determined to get to know her. Evan Matthews is the "new guy". He's good looking, confident, funny and intelligent. He does everything just to get Emma's trust and make him a part of her life.

Emma never trusted anyone other than her bestfriend, Sara. Then she meets Evan who will make her feel the things she never felt before. She's very good in controlling her feelings but with Evan, she becomes a different person. She will learn a lot of things with Evan especially on how to trust and love.

I can't help but compare it to "Heart on a Chain" by Cindy C. Bennett because they have similar plot. Both stories involve a protagonist being abused by a family member- physically, emotionally, and psychologically. They tend to wish and act like they were invisible but at some point, a guy comes into their life who'll love them and change them for the better.

It's still a good read. If you're up to tears, read this!