Leap into Books Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop of the Leap into Books Giveaway Hop hosted by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Jinky is Reading.

Rules:

1. One winner will get a dystopian book of their choice from The Book Depository.

2. As usual it's open to International followers as long as The Book Depository ships to you.

3. Fill in the rafflecopter and that's it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Legend

Legend (Legend #1)
by Marie Lu
Paperback
262 pages
Published November 29th 2011
by Razorbill

Summary from Goodreads:

The United States is gone, along with its flooded coasts. North America's two warring nations, the western Republic and the eastern Colonies, have reached a breaking point. In the midst of this broken continent and dark new world are two teenagers who will go down in history.... 

Born into the slums of Los Angeles, fifteen-year old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. A mysterious boy with no recorded image or fingerprints. A boy who should no longer exist. A boy who watches over his family until one evening, when the plague patrols mark his family's door with an X--the sign of plague infection. A death sentence for any family too poor to afford the antidote. Desperate, Day has no choice; he must steal it. 

Born to an elite family in Los Angeles' wealthy Ruby sector, fifteen-year old June is the Republic's most promising prodigy. A superintelligent girl destined for great things in the country's highest military circles. Obedient, passionate, and committed to her country--until the day her brother Metias is murdered while on patrol during a break-in at the plague hospital. 

Only one person could be responsible. 

Day. 

And now it's June's mission to hunt him down. 

The truth they'll uncover will become legend. 

Thoughts:
Legend is such a crazy ride from the start to the finish. It is chock full of non stop action, military intrigue and political agenda that is somewhat reminiscent of the era of Sylvester Stallone's movie Judge Dredd. Too bad it came out after Divergent and The Hunger Games or else it would certainly be ground breaking stuff. Yes it is hard to find an original YA read without comparing it to the other books that is in the same genre.

We have June; the prodigal genius who attained a perfect score during her Trials. An event that is compulsory to every child who reached 10 years old. And then we have Day; the young rebel with a cause who failed his Trials. Thankfully, for once we are spared from the tribulations of instant love or any love triangle.

Likes
I love both of the main characters and their interactions with each other and eventhough I have an inkling of what's really going on and who really did kill June's older brother earlier on, the story is pretty engrossing in itself. And since according to the writer the story is based on Les Miserables there are certainly a lot of heartbreaking moments and characters dying here and there.

Dislikes
The Trials remind me a lot of Divergent, Matched and even The Hunger Games. It seems that these books can't get away from having a mandatory exams or some sort of ritual that the character has to go through when they reached a certain age.

The ending just blows my mind and I'm left wondering what will happened next. This is certainly one of the better dystopian out there.

Recommend for: fans of dystopian and kick-ass chicks
Verdict: 4 stars

Available on: Amazon

Dystopian Week

I was not really planning for a Dystopian Week actually. But since I just realised that lately I've been reading an awful lot of dystopian books, I decided to dedicate a whole week to reviewing them.

And on Wednesday which is a leap day, I'll be having a giveaway where you guys can tell me your favourite dystopian and win a dystopian book of your choice. Yay! Stay tuned!

Review: Darkness Becomes Her

Darkness Becomes Her (Gods & Monsters #1)
by Kelly Keaton
Paperback,
273 pages
Published January 3rd 2012
by Simon Pulse (first published February 22nd 2011)

Summary from Goodreads:

With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can't be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is. Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long-dead mother: Run.

Thoughts:
Finally a book with Greek mythology elements that I really enjoyed! Why haven't I heard of this book before? It has all the right ingredients; kick-ass female character, brooding mysterious hero, Southern setting and a host of peculiar and magical freaks. I love them all!

The New Orleans setting brings a dark and sinister air to the story and I think that the colourful characters that inhabited the New 2 makes the story much more compelling. Add in Ari's mysterious past and her quest in finding her birth mother and the surprising revelation behind it. Well the story is just perfect!

I especially love the kids in the House of Misfits. Crank and her gadget prowess, little Violet with her mysterious fangs, Dub the grave digger and of course gorgeous Sebastian; the half-vampire half-witch. Seriously even without the Greek elements the story is so darn good! Even the goddess Athena made an appearance towards the end of the story.

A Beautiful Evil; the second book in the series is already out so don't forget to check that out as well.

Recommended for: fans of Southern paranormals and Greek mythology
Verdict: 5 stars.

In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 
Available on : Amazon

Follow Friday #4

Hi, everyone! It's my fourth time doing FF Friday. Although I wanted to do this every week but my schedule is pretty crazy so I'll try to do this once a month or maybe every fortnightly or so.


Q: Acitivity!!! Take a picture or describe where you love to read the most...

I love to read in my bedroom or any quiet corners I can find. Bookstores, libraries, my own office..anywhere as long as it's quiet. Oooh and this is a picture of my son messing around in a bookstore. 

Review: Hallowed

Hallowed (Unearthly #2)
by Cynthia Hand
Paperback
403 pages
Published January 2nd 2012
by Egmont Books Ltd

Summary from Goodreads:
For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Thoughts:
Bloody amazing! I have always wondered how the hell Cynthia Hand will be able to topped off Unearthly because it was quite frankly an amazing read save for a few slow parts here and there in the beginning but truly the second in the series quite literally blew me away! I mean seriously, as much as I love cowboy cutie Tucker in the first book, I am slowly being enticed by the very hot you-are-my destiny Christian. He's just so...dreamy! (Somebody please just whack me in the head for my bouts of insanity).


Okay..so I've read a lot of reviews before reading this just because I'm so curious how this will turned up but none of them mentioned the abundance of revelations and surprises in store. I love spoilers so it's hard for me not to say this but oh..there's so many other angel bloods that were featured in this other than Clara and her family. And we get to know more about her heritage, history and her dad. Absolutely freaking wonderful!

So between making out with Tucker, making doe-eyed glances at Christian and dodging evil Black Wings, our girl Clara certainly has her hands full. And did I mentioned that she also applied and got accepted to Stanford? Ah..the perks of being an angel blood. If all those twists does not get to you then the heart breaking ending would. I nearly cried. So I'd better stop this review before it turned into a massive spoiler filled one instead.

Recommended for: everyone (even for those who did not enjoy the Fallen series)
Verdict: 5 stars.

Available on: Amazon

Mini reviews: Greek Myth

I used to do mini reviews when I read so many books in the same genre that it occurred to me that it'll just be a lot easier to lumped them together and review them all at once.

But first of all  let me just say that I love Greek myths and I've always jumped at the chance of reading a book that have an element of Greek myth/folklore in them. I guess Percy Jackson just make the whole Greek thing cool again, yeah? But since I'm not a teen anymore, I tend to be a wee bit particular on my reads.


Sweet Venom (Medusa Girls #1)
by Tera Lynn Childs
ebook
352 pages
Published September 6th 2011
by HarperCollins

Summary from Goodreads:
Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it's also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful Gorgon maligned in myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

Thoughts:
It could have been a great read what with Medusa heir, kick-ass chicks and triplets galore but it's just feel so-so to me. The multiple POV made my head spin and I'm not too inclined to read a teenage girl swooning on and on about the cute guy who happens to be his brother's new best friend. Gretchen does most of the kick-ass thing, Grace is sweet but boring and Greer is a self-absorbed witch. So one third of them are pretty cool and the rest..well you get the idea.

Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2)
by Aimee Carter

ebook
304 pages
Published March 27th 2012

by HarlequinTeen

ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

Thoughts:

The first book is enjoyable enough that I picked this up just to find out what will happen next now Kate has become a goddess. But apparently marriage could change people and glorious Kate who once appeared so strong and determined to overcome all odds is reduced to a whiny wife. I really wanted to like this but the story is very slow moving at times and I just lost interest after a while. Things got interesting towards the end but since I'm very partial to slow moving plotlines, this just seem so-so to me.

Destined
by Jessie Harrell 

ebook

Published November 17th 2011 

by Mae Day Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

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

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

Thoughts:
Yay for stand alones but goodness me. I really don't know what to say other than this is just not for me. I really wanted to like it but I don't really care for the characters and I feel so weird reading medieval Greek characters talking in such modern slang. It just felt all wrong for me.


I am left wondering is there any great Greek myth/retelling out there? If anyone have any suggestion on a great Greek myth/fantasy YA read, I'm all ears!

Review & Giveaway: All's Fair in Vanities War

All's Fair in Vanities War (The Seer's Seven Deadly Fairy Tales)
by Elizabeth Marx
ebook Edition
Published October 24th 2011
Review copy from author

Summary from Goodreads:

Salem’s always held sinister secrets. No one understands this better than a sixteen-year-old girl who dies on Halloween night and is reborn a Seer. 

The Seer can’t imagine anything worse than being an invisible teenager with enormous black wings. Until she finds out she’s been sacrificed to watch over Locke’s new flame. 

Locke Cavanaugh is a Druid, and part of the Order, a clandestine organization entrusted with keeping its members cloaked in the Ordinary world. Physically scarred from the accident that took his girlfriends life, Locke is searching for the OtherWorldly magic that damaged him, because only those without blemish can rule the Order. And once at the helm of the Order he has every intention of finding those responsible for her death. 

On the West Coast, Keleigh Flaherty witnesses her parents’ murder by beasts that should only exist in nightmares. She is whisked off to the safety of Salem, where she learns how potent and dangerous her concealed Vate talents are. Keleigh wants to be Ordinary, but when her mother reaches out from the OtherWorld, and implores her to find a forgotten relic she’ll have to use all her ExtraOrdinary powers to locate it. 

As Locke and Keleigh join forces, they unravel the Order’s involvement in the witch hysteria and murmurs of a Celtic prophecy. While Locke’s affection for Keleigh blooms, The Seer is torn between her duty to protect Keleigh, and her desire to stop Locke from making the ultimate sacrifice in order to earn Keleigh’s love . . . 

But if they don’t find the witches bottle before the 

ShiningOnes do, someone stalking Keleigh from the shadows will take her instead and plunge all worlds into chaos.

Thoughts:
What drew me first to this wonderful book is the cover. It's like so mysterious and beautiful! I'm guessing that's Keleigh on the cover what with her strawberry blonde hair. Ops..I'm getting ahead of myself. Sorry.

Let me just say, the book literally starts with a bang. A girl gets thrown out of her boyfriend's car and died instantly on the way to a party only to discover that her afterlife existence is already mapped out and planned by the powers that be. She was chosen to be a Seer; a recorder of events of sorts and is assigned to watch over a young ExtraOrdinary girl destined for great things. Apparently the young girl; Keleigh will eventually entangled herself with that cute boyfriend; Locke who survived the crash which does complicate matters a bit.

Locke is disgruntled and blamed Keleigh for the death of her girlfriend and their hostile encounters at first was really interesting to watch. As times passed, Locke and Keleigh are thrown together again and they must fight the evil presence that lurks to threatened the ExtraOrdinary community.

The Seer is a mystery to me. Her living history are told through flashes and her name was never mentioned in the beginning chapters so it left me wondering who she really is before her death and all. The book is told from her unique POV and you can feel the pain when she's witnessing that her old boyfriend is falling for Keleigh. For an invisible Seer forced to be in the sidelines, she has quite the rebellious streak and I'm rooting for her.

The story is rich in Celtic elements but unfortunately some parts are just a bit confusing for me. Nevertheless the story indeed capture my heart and the magical mayhem, dilemma and battles are intriguing enough to keep me entertained.

Recommended for: fans of  YA & urban fantasy
Verdict: 3 stars.

In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon


The author is kind enough to offer an e-book copy of this wonderful book. Yay! The giveaway is International and will end on February 29th.

Review: Exogene

Exogene (The Subterrene War #2)
by T.C. McCarthy
Mass Market Paperback
352 pages
March 1st 2012 by Orbit
ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:
Exogene (n.): factor or agent (as a disease-producing organism) from outside the organism or system. Also: classified Russian program to merge proto-humanoids with powered armor systems (slang).

Catherine is a soldier. Fast, strong, lethal, she is the ultimate in military technology. She's a monster in the body of an eighteen year old girl. Bred by scientists, grown in vats, indoctrinated by the government, she and her sisters will win this war, no matter the cost.

And the costs are high. Their life span is short; as they age they become unstable and they undergo a process called the spoiling. On their eighteenth birthday they are discharged. Lined up and shot like cattle.

But the truth is, Catherine and her sisters may not be strictly human, but they're not animals. They can twist their genomes and indoctrinate them to follow the principles of Faith and Death, but they can't shut off the part of them that wants more than war. Catherine may have only known death, but she dreams of life and she will get it at any cost.

Thoughts:

I have not read the first book of The Subterenne War series so I did not know what to expect but I had no problem getting into this one. It blew me away! It's not just a story of violence and war but so much more. Catherine is a cloned soldier who began to question her sanity and faith when she witnessed her sisters fell one by one to the horrors of war.

For once, the humans are portrayed as the evil villain who will stop at nothing in order to win the war. I mean teenage girls as soldiers are pretty scary, even if they're cloned. Readers looking for romance parts will be disappointed but Catherine relationship with her sisters are heartbreaking and touching.

Without giving out any spoilers, Catherine's plight to escape the horrors of war to the refuge of Bangkok left me quite breathless with anticipation at times. The story is compelling as it is complex for a reader yearning for a lighter read. In other words, I guess this is not YA in the least but more towards military Sci-Fi. But as a part of a series this is a good enough stand alone book.

Recommended for: fans of Sci-Fi
Verdict: 4 stars.

Available on: Amazon

Saturday Musings & Winner: Follower Love Giveaway Hop

Oh, no! Not another new design! Hi, folks. As you can see my bouts of indecision had led me to change the blog design again. Sorry..I'll promise to stick with this one as long as I can. Well maybe two months at least.

So anyway, the winner for my Follower Love Giveaway Hop is

Serene

Congrats!

Review: Dragonswood

Dragonswood
by Janet Lee Carey
Hardcover

407 pages
Published January 5th 2012

by Dial Books

Summary from Goodreads:

Wilde Island is not at peace. The kingdom mourns the dead Pendragon king and awaits the return of his heir; the uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is strained; and the regent is funding a bloodthirsty witch hunt, hoping to rid the island of half-fey maidens.

Tess, daughter of a blacksmith, has visions of the future, but she still doesn't expect to be accused of witchcraft, forced to flee with her two best friends, or offered shelter by the handsome and enigmatic Garth Huntsman, a warden for Dragonswood. But Garth is the younger prince in disguise and Tess soon learns that her true father was fey, making them the center of an exciting, romantic adventure, and an ancient prophecy that will bring about peace between all three races - dragon, human, and fairy.

Thoughts:

Honestly, I was expecting much much more from this and that's why I pre-ordered it online. There was not enough magic mayhem for me. Instead most of the book is set against the backdrop of the dark mysterious wood where Tess and her friends hides when they are forced to flee after being accused as witches. Hence the name Dragonswood. The woods are inhabited by feys, dragons, hounds and huntsmen but we only get to meet them halfway through the book.

Fortunately, Tess is a strong solid character whom I grew to like. She was abused by her father so she found refuge in the woods not knowing that her destiny lies there. Her guilt after naming her friends during her torture under the hands of the witch hunter affected her so much that she is willing to do almost anything to redeem herself in her friends' eyes. And her uneasy truce with Garth who offered them a shelter in the woods turns into a budding romance that I really enjoyed. Yes, none of that instant love for me. I love it when characters gradually fell in love in their own pace.

The ending is really just so sweet and reminds me so much of Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern series. Tess might not be a witch but she has the power of pulling everyone together and in the end she is surrounded by the family that she has always yearned for which consists of dragons, feys and humans alike.

Recommended for: fans of epic & medieval fantasy
Verdict: 4 stars.

In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon

Review: Wake

Wake 
by Abria Mattina
ebook
727 pages
Published September 22nd 2011
by Primrose Publications
Review copy from author

Summary from Goodreads:
Eighteen isn’t too young to run your life into the ground, but it’s not too old to fix it, either. The desire for change drives Willa Kirk from St. John’s, Newfoundland back to hometown of Smiths Falls, Ontario, away from her mistakes and the place where her sister died. She’s looking for a place to settle and rebuild, but Jem Harper just wants to get out of town, back to the life he knew before cancer. By letting the tragedies in their lives define them, they are both dying a little more every day. Welcome to the wake.

Thoughts:
Wake is a heart warming story of two teens trying to find their place in this world. Willa is coping with the lost of her sister while Jem is slowly healing from the effects of cancer. Both of them did not take a shine to each other and were quite hostile at first but gradually they learn to accept and enjoy each other’s company.

It is quite an eye opening look into the life of a cancer survivor and I love how real the story is. The characters’ dialogue and interactions with each other is described in great detail and we really get into what they’re actually feeling. Honestly, this book really touched my heart and made me feel so grateful for what I have.

The raw emotions potrayed by the characters are astounding. All I can say is that the writer truly has a gift of delving into other people’s sufferings and showing the best in them. Yes, the book is a bit long and the cover is not exactly eye-catching but it is THE book to read this year. Give it a try and you might be surprised by the feelings that it gave you. The effect of the book will last quite some time in your heart.

Recommended for: everyone who has a heart
Verdict: 5 stars.

Available on: Amazon

Guest Post : Abria Mattina author of Wake

Hi, folks! Happy Valentine's! Today we have the amazing Abria Mattina; author of Wake. Wake is a contemporary YA novel which is simply heartbreaking and we love it so much!

It’s common for authors to talk about what inspired them to write their latest book when doing blog stops. Most of them talk about how they always loved mystery novels or wanted to write a family saga since they were an undergraduate Creative Writing student. My answer to this question always seems like a bit of a cop-out because it’s so strange.

I’m a synaesthete, so my life is awash with color and this is how I tend to define my ideas. The seed for Wake was planted when I could envision a specific scene and knew exactly what color the voice of the novel would have (teal, coincidentally). It was the scene where Willa and Jem go for a walk through her neighborhood and talk about various types of personal catastrophes. I saw all of Wake’s content through a teal-colored lens, and that helped me be consistent in my writing.

I do have a tendency to write about people with illnesses or disabilities and those who respond to them. I’m fascinated by human weakness and suffering--how do we handle it, ignore it, overcome it, or get taken under by it? Illness doesn’t just happen to one person; it affects entire families and one’s circle of friends. That’s why Wake doesn’t focus solely on Jem’s struggle with cancer, but also includes his family’s response to it and Willa’s response to her sister’s illness.

Five Random Things About Me

1.I’m addicted to Quaker Dipp’s peanut butter granola bars.
2.I was a fan of The Delta State during its brief run on YTV.
3.My favorite Canadian movie is Siblings.
4.I changed my major three times while at university.
5.Despite number 4, I still graduated on time.

Wake

by Abria Mattina 

Eighteen isn’t too young to run your life into the ground, but it’s not too old to fix it, either. The desire for change drives Willa Kirk from St. John’s, Newfoundland back to hometown of Smiths Falls, Ontario, away from her mistakes and the place where her sister died. She’s looking for a place to settle and rebuild, but Jem Harper just wants to get out of town, back to the life he knew before cancer. By letting the tragedies in their lives define them, they are both dying a little more every day. Welcome to the wake.

We will be reviewing Wake tomorrow. Check it out, it's only 99 cents on Amazon!

Review: Bewitching

Bewitching (Kendra Chronicles)
by Alex Flinn
Hardcover

336 pages
Expected publication: February 14th 2012
by HarperTeen

Summary from Goodreads:

Kendra Hilferty, the witch who curses Kyle Kingsbury in Beastly, tells about her immortal existence-how she discovered she was a witch and the various ways she has used her powers to help people throughout the centuries. (Unfortunately her attempts have often backfired.) As it turns out, Kendra has actually had a hand in "Hansel and Gretel," "The Princess and the Pea," and "The Little Mermaid"-but these are not the fairy tales you think you know! Kendra's reminiscences are wrapped around a real-time version of "Cinderella," except the "ugly" stepsister is the good guy. With dark twists, hilarious turns, and unexpected endings, Bewitching is a contemporary read for fairy-tale lovers, fantasy fans, and anyone looking for more Alex Flinn.

Thoughts:

Bewitching has bewitched me! I was so surprised to see it in a bookstore because I was not expecting it to be out yet. I'm so glad that we get to know more of the sassy witch that turned Kyle into a beast in Beastly.  Kendra has quite the lonely existence. She lost her family through the Black Plague and discovered her powers when she was nearly baked by another witch!

Likes

Apparently Kendra had a hand in some of the well known fairy tales. She has very good intention but some things just do not go according to plan.The Princess and the Pea part about Prince Louis of France is simply hilarious! It gives a whole new meaning to the term 'helicopter mother'. I never knew such term existed before. I really love how Alex Flinn is able to give a funny twist to the fairy tale.

Dislikes

I wished there were more stories about Kendra instead of focussing so much on the story of  Emma and Lisette. But Emma the supposedly ugly stepsister grew on me and I was rooting for her by the end of the story.

This is definitely one of my favourite reads. And because it is a stand alone, I liked it even more. I'm getting pretty tired of reading a series. 

Recommended for: fans of YA fantasy & fairy tale retellings
Verdict: 5 stars.

In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Review: Just Like Heaven

Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith Quartet #1)
by Julia Quinn

Paperback, UK Edition

384 pages
Published June 2011 by Piatkus 

Summary from Goodreads:
Honoria Smythe-Smith, the youngest daughter of the eldest son of the Earl of Winstead, plays the violin in the annual musicale performed by the Smythe-Smith quartet. She's well aware that they are dreadful but she's the sort who figures that nothing good will come of being mortified, so she puts on a good show and laughs about it.Marcus Holroyd is the best friend of Honoria's brother Daniel, who lives in exile. Marcus has promised to watch out for Honoria, but he faces a challenge when she sets off for Cambridge determined to marry by the end of the season. She's got her eye on the only unmarried Bridgerton, who's a bit wet behind the ears. When her advances are spurned, can Marcus swoop in and steal her heart in time for the musicale?

Thoughts:

Julia Quinn’s books are one of the first historical romance that I read and truly enjoyed so I’m practically biased when it comes to her works. I love them all! Especially the ones featuring the Bridgerton siblings. In each of the previous Bridgerton books, there will be a scene where they attend the infamous Smythe-Smith musical. So when I found out that Miss Quinn is writing about the Smythe-Smith siblings next, I was jumping for joy.

Yes, it is undeniable that happy endings are guaranteed in a historical romance but I read them for the endearing characters and the witty banter between the two leads. So I really can’t help but smile and giggle all through reading this. Seriously, they’re so funny.

This is indeed the perfect book to make you believe in love all over again or just to ease the boredom of everyday life. Happy Valentine’s!

Recommended for: fans of  funny historical romance
Verdict: 4 stars.

In my TBR Pile & Dusty Bookshelf Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Follow Friday #3

Hi, everyone! It's my third time doing FF Friday. Although I wanted to do this every week but my schedule is pretty crazy so I'll try to do this once a month or maybe every fortnightly or so.

Q: What would your prefer: reading your favorite book over and over again until you got sick of it OR reading 100s of mediocre books? And why?

Read my favourite of course! There's too many books out there and I'm feeling as if I'm wasting my time and money reading all these so-so books. That's why I'm on a reading slump lately. Ops..

Wishlist Wednesday #13

Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Dani from Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

Bewitching (Kendra Chronicles)
by Alex Flinn
Hardcover

336 pages
Expected publication: February 14th 2012 by HarperTeen

Summary from Goodreads:

Kendra Hilferty, the witch who curses Kyle Kingsbury in Beastly, tells about her immortal existence-how she discovered she was a witch and the various ways she has used her powers to help people throughout the centuries. (Unfortunately her attempts have often backfired.) As it turns out, Kendra has actually had a hand in "Hansel and Gretel," "The Princess and the Pea," and "The Little Mermaid"-but these are not the fairy tales you think you know! Kendra's reminiscences are wrapped around a real-time version of "Cinderella," except the "ugly" stepsister is the good guy. With dark twists, hilarious turns, and unexpected endings, Bewitching is a contemporary read for fairy-tale lovers, fantasy fans, and anyone looking for more Alex Flinn.

Babble:

I've read Beastly and found it very sweet and entertaining. So it is a natural progression for me to read this too as it is the story of Kendra the witch! I hope we get more of her quirky character and unpredictable magic. Can't wait for it's release.

Review: Become

Become (Desolation, #1)
by Ali Cross
340 pages
Published November 11th 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend. 

Thoughts:
I love it when I found that rare Indie book that's way better than their mainstream over-hyped counterpart. And Become is that rare gem. The editing is superb and the font and everything is done professionally that sometimes I don't really realised that I'm  reading a self-published work because I'm always expecting that an Indie book has some errors here and there. But none here.
And the writing yes..Ali Cross is an artist. I love it when she seamlessly change the setting from Hell to Earth. Desolation is indeed a character that I'll root for from the very beginning. She can be vulnerable and frightening at the same time and her friendship with Miri and Lucy is heartwarming.

Dislikes
I would really love it if Ali would have given her readers more background on Desolation/Desi's mother. I mean she is Lucifer's daughter and all but her humane traits were inherited from her dead mother. So who is her mother? We only get a glimpse of her before she died. (Ops..is that a spoiler? Someone please whack me in the head).

Likes
Kudos to Ali for creating characters that we can actually care and not just one dimensional villains and good guys who bore us to death. Even the demon are interesting in this story. A demon with depth. I really like that. And a devil who looks like Hugh Jackman? Oooh swoon..


Recommended for: fans of a darker YA fantasy

Verdict: 4 stars.

In my TBR Pile, Dusty Bookshelf  & Self Published Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon and Smashwords

Follower Love Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop of the Follower Love Giveaway Hop hosted by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Rachel Renee Anderson.

Rules:

1. One winner will get a $15 worth of book from The Book Depository.

2. As usual it's open to International followers as long as The Book Depository ships to you.

3. Fill in the rafflecopter and that's it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Katana

Katana
by Cole Gibsen

Paperback

384 pages
March 8th 2012 by Flux

ARC from Netgalley

Summary:

Kill Bill meets Buffy in this supernatural samurai tale.

Rileigh Martin would love to believe that adrenaline gave her the uncanny courage and strength to fend off three muggers. But it doesn’t explain her dreams of fifteenth century Japan, the incredible fighting skills she suddenly possesses, or the strange voice giving her battle tips and danger warnings. While worrying that she’s going crazy (always a reputation ruiner), Rileigh gets a visit from Kim, a handsome martial arts instructor, who tells Rileigh she’s harboring the spirit of a five-hundred-year-old samurai warrior.

Relentlessly attacked by ninjas, Rileigh has no choice but to master the katana--a deadly Japanese sword that’s also the key to her past. As the spirit grows stronger and her feelings for Kim intensify, Rileigh is torn between continuing as the girl she’s always been and embracing the warrior inside her. 

Thoughts:

I wanted to like this so much since the concept of a reincarnated female samurai is very interesting and has never been done before but sadly I do not. So since I don't think it's nice to rant so much let me just sum it in very few sentences and pictures. It goes something like this:

I was expecting a female samurai warrior..

Yeah, have you watched the Japanese movie; Azumi? She's so cool.

 

But got a skater chick instead.

With a gay best friend. Okay.. (Love you Kurt!)

Thank god for Kim or reincarnated Yoshido. (This is how I magined him..yes..oozing with hotness). Otherwise I don't think I'm able to finish this. (Huge sigh).

Recommended for: fans of kick-ass heroines who whines a lot
Verdict: 2 stars

In my Debut Author Reading Challenge

Available on: Amazon

Winners: Monthly Giveaway & Book Bully

Congrats to the winners of

Followers' Monthly Giveaway

elin

Book Bully: Abhorsen Chronicles

Sarah Bibi Setar

Phew! We love all the comments that we received this month and we do read all of them. So thanks a lot and keep it coming! 

Wishlist Wednesday # 12

Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Dani from Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

Ripper
by Amy Carol Reeves
Paperback
360 pages
Expected publication: April 8th 2012 by Flux

Summary:

A paranormal mystery involving London’s most notorious killer

In 1888, following her mother’s sudden death, seventeen-year-old Arabella Sharp goes to live with her grandmother in a posh London neighborhood. At her grandmother’s request, Abbie volunteers at Whitechapel Hospital, where she discovers a passion for helping the unfortunate women and children there.

But within days, female patients begin turning up brutally murdered at the hands of Jack the Ripper. Even more horrifying, Abbie starts having strange visions that lead her straight to the Ripper’s next massacres. As her apparent psychic connection with the twisted killer grows stronger, Abbie is drawn into a deadly mystery involving the murders, her mother’s shadowed past, and a secret brotherhood of immortals—who’ll stop at nothing to lure Abbie into its “humanitarian” aims.

Babble:
Oooh I love a good mystery thriller and it has one of my favourite historical setting. London! This might be a good Jack the Ripper mystery that I could sink my teeth into. Very curious about that 'humanitarian' thing.