[Giveaway] From YA Society!

Join YA Society's Kindle/Nook giveaway~! Just click on the image above! =)

My Halloween Reading

For this Halloween, I wanted to list down my most favorite horror books in my book shelf, but then I realized that I had to look for them first. And that is not such a good idea because I've got books strewn all over my house.

So then, I decided to choose two books from my To-Read List that would be perfect as reading material for this Halloween. Aptly, I found two! =)

Title: Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes
Authors: Various
Date of Publication: October 16, 2012

Title: Tales of the Macabre
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
Illustrations by: Benjamin Lacombe
Date of Publication: October 16, 2012

Incidentally, both books are adaptations of famous literary writings! 

How cool is that?!

So, what are you reading for this Halloween?

If you don't have one yet, maybe I could entice you to join Book Junkie Joint's Halloween Giveaway! Get a chance to win Book 1 and Book 2 of Daniel Black's Saga of the New Gods series! =)

[Review] Harbinger

Title: Harbinger
Author: Peta Crake
Publication Date: August 12, 2012
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy
Rating: 4/5


Links:
Goodreads


Review:

More than just a love story! It's a wild roller-coaster ride spanning worlds and dimensions!

Being a messenger to the gods is simple enough. Being a messenger to the gods with Hermes as an admirer, Aphrodite's son as a suitor, Zeus as an Uncle, and a couple of all-powerful beings either wanting you dead or playing as your friends, on the other hand, is definitely a little bit too much for a girl.

The beginning of Harbinger is a little bit deceptive because it makes you think that it's just a harmless story about a demi-god finally meeting the girl who could put his searching heart to rest. Well, Harbinger is like that, but it's also so much more.

What starts out as a simple enough love story between a mortal and a demi-god turns into a full-fledged search for truths and answers for the heroine Ophelia. She begins to question herself, her friends, the people she trust and their loyalties.

The best part about the story? Ophelia. She's stubborn and hard-headed, but she knows that good friends aren't all that easy to come by, so she gives her all to protect them. Although she could be a little hot and cold on some things, it's mostly because she's struggling with the fact that she was being torn from what her heart wants and staying true to her own personal rule not to get involved with gods.

Another thing I liked about this story is its effective love triangle. Granted, that Aden was a permanent fixture from the start, it couldn't be denied that Hermes posed as an effective threat to him. If only Hermes got a little bit serious...

Also, I appreciate the fact that the story did not merely explore the world of the Olympians. It also included bits and pieces from Egyptian and Norse mythologies for variety. Aside from these, the author also incorporated her own brand of storytelling by humanizing the gods and even giving additional elements that precede even the gods themselves.

All in all, this story was a great read. I highly recommend it for fans of stories involving Olympians and those that enjoy reading about surprising turns in adventure stories spanning dimensions; and of course, also to those that enjoy love stories involving stubborn heroines.

[Linking Up] Feature and Follow!

So Parajunkee and Alison Can Read started out this meme, and I'm joining in for the fun of it. =)

All that's required is to follow the hosts and their featured blogger of the month - then you can join!

First, you need to click on the host of this meme. Then you add your name into the Linky List on their pages. Then, you create a post on your own blog featuring them and their meme, and you also need to follow their featured blog. You can visit as many blogs as you want that is included in this meme, and leave a comment on their post regarding this meme. You follow those blogs you visited and they follow you back. Simple, right?

What writing device or trick most irritates you when reading a book? For example, if an author employs an omnipotent narrator that is sometimes considered bad form.

I'm really okay with reading an omnipotent narrator. What irritates me is when the POV suddenly shifts from one character to another, and I'm all lost about which character is suddenly the narrator. This is usually a common mistake in new writers. Also, when a POV shifts to a character that hasn't even been introduced yet. I just don't like being kept in the dark, well, sort of.

Oh, and pleease do join my Halloween Giveaway Contest~!! =)

[ARC Batch 03] I love me some more goodies~!

In this batch, I have been given books that transcend cultural barriers to show a different kind of life from different countries and times that most of us can only imagine about.

I guess, the thing is, I've always been a historian at heart. I like reading about another country's culture just because. And what better way to learn than through a novel, letting me see through a book character's eyes, right?

Title: Murmur of the Lonely Brook
Author: Debashis Dey
Publication Date: November 1, 2012

Teaser:
Set in the timeless rhythm of life in the hills near Tibet this is a moving tale of life, love and hardship with the sights, sounds and smells that make the people and their hopes, dreams and fears come alive.

After marriage Nisha comes to a remote village in the mountainous Tibetan Border to lead a life among a nomadic clan who follow a simple lifestyle with customs and rituals overlapping Hinduism and Buddhism dating back to ancient times.
Pravin is a private person by nature and is happy to marry Nisha, the girl of his choice. Nisha is liked by everyone. Nisha loves her husband Pravin but also enjoys the infatuation from his brother. She spends her days happily with a perpetually sad mother-in-law Parvati repenting on her past life sins, a short tempered father-in-law Shevak, a love-stricken sister-in-law Ria, a kid goat munching everything, a lamb with a baritone bleat and her husband’s brother Diwakar lost in dreams.

Everything goes well until Nisha’s life is torn apart by a proposal, and assumed betrayal, by the one and only love of her life, her husband Pravin when he suggests common marriage, an ancient tradition still followed in this region in which both brothers share a single wife, Nisha. The family is supportive save Nisha who is horrified by the thought of sharing her love with someone for whom she has a brotherly affection.

She cannot protest or disagree as it will make her an outcast and the family will throw her away. Her universe crumbles and she feels humiliated and tormented with the new turn of events. As ancient ways confront modern mores, Nisha will be torn between her values and age old customs in this brilliantly observed novel of ancestral folkways and contemporary families.

Will Nisha compromise her values… or will she fight the age-old traditions?

~ - x o O o x ~ -

Title: The Elementals

Author: Troy Jackson

Publication Date: October 12, 2012

Teaser:

Upon unifying the seven warring states under one banner, the First Emperor of China began solidifying power for what he envisioned as a thousand-year reign. Using those he conquered, the Emperor began a series of arduous projects, Including the first Great Wall, the Linqu Canal, and a national system of highways. Ignoring the physical and emotional toll exacted upon the people, his insatiable desire to further his own power has led to a growing, and secretive insurgency. One such organization is the Dragon's Spite who wishes to usurp control of the throne by nearly any means. But first they must marshal their forces strewn throughout the kingdom. More importantly they seek out three extraordinary girls who hold vast supernatural powers that can tip the balance in their favor. But do these unknowing heroines realize the talents that they possess? Will the Dragon's Spite reach them before the agents of the Emperor?

[Review] Tempestuous

Title: Tempestuous
Author: Kim Askew and Amy Helmes
Genre: Young Adult, Romance
Rating: 5/5

Links:
Goodreads
Barnes & Noble
Amazon


Review:
Definitely a pure delight!

This story involves one cold night, one mall, a couple of minimum-wage earning employees with different strengths, add in the former friends, plus the infidel ex-boyfriend, a mysterious burglar, one very smart mastermind, a glitter bomb blitzkrieg, an impromptu rock concert, not to mention several revenge plots involving guerrilla tactics, and a whole lot of randomly chaotic events which only fall into places at the last minute.

While this story is a modern-day spin-off of Shakespeare's The Tempest, you don't really need to read the play to understand the story. In fact, the story can very well stand on its own, and brilliantly, if I may say so.

In Tempestuous, the authors effectively demonstrated that every person has equal potential to do good or evil. While this idea is very basic, the authors kicked it up a notch by including a very smart protagonist who's still very much unclear about what really matters to her.

The heroine was ultimately kicked down from the social pedestal where she reigned, and was sent to work as a minimum-wage earner in a shopping mall. Ostracized by her former peers and pretty much left with nowhere to go, Miranda had to work with the people she formerly wouldn't even get caught talking to. And in one chaotic night alone, she re-discovers herself and learns to pick up the pieces of her life.

The best part of this story is probably the part about finding common ground with a person you would never thought you'd get along with, and ultimately discovering something you appreciate and love. Second to that is discovering friendship in the most unlikely of circumstances, and finding strengths you thought you never had.

I highly recommend this story for young adults who wish to read something inspiring and empowering, yet still maintain its level of awesomeness without being sappy or melodramatic.

[Giveaway] Halloween Giveaway~!

This is the official kick-start of Book Junkie Joint's first ever giveaway raffle contest! Yay~!
*throws confetti*

I would like to give a shout out to Mr. Daniel Black, the author of the prizes in this giveaway. Thank you so much for allowing me to giveaway a copy of your books. =)

But before we continue to the giveaway mechanics, I would like to give a you little bit of what's in store for you if you win this raffle.

I give you an excerpt of "Be Careful What You Wish For":

" Be Careful What You Wish For "

Author: Daniel Black

Michelle blushed and looked up at the old man; she knew his game. He knew why she was buying the ring, but wanted to see if she’d tell him. “I’m buying it for Adam.”

Eyebrows rising in feigned surprise, he continued, “Has the shy lad proposed? It’s a man’s wedding band you know.”

He was going to make her say it. “No, but if I waited for him to propose we would both still be single this time next decade.”

Mr. Mcgilicuddy nodded knowingly and sighed. “I can’t let it go for… less than… fifty dollars.”

This time it was her turn to be surprised, “It is worth one hell of a lot more than that! I can’t take it for that little!”

Pinning her with his eye, he seemed to count every penny in her pocket, every dollar in her bank account. “I know how the economy is, dear; you take it for fifty… consider the rest of it a wedding present.” At this he leered wantonly at Chelsea, who flared like a sunset and turned her back again, which did not lessen his leer in the slightest... though it did shift downward by a degree or two. “If you feel the need to give me somethin’ else, just bring Chelsea by more often. She keeps my old heart ticking.”

Michelle laughed again and felt the sting of tears in her eyes at the old man’s generosity, but knew if she said anything she’d just embarrass them both. Screw it, she thought, let him be embarrassed. She stood on tiptoe and reached behind the counter to grab the old man in a hug, then released him with a laugh when he struggled, announcing, “Leave off, girl!” But he had tears of his own in his eye when she released him. “Need to dust this place.” He coughed wetly, clearing his throat.

Michelle pulled out her wallet from the back of her pants—she never carried purses; she couldn’t stand them—and laid out two twenties and a ten on the counter. For once her wallet actually had some green in it, as she had pulled five hundred out of the bank, and had hoped to be able to put the rest of the cost on some kind of payment plan or something. She felt such relief at the old man’s generosity she couldn’t speak; he was definitely getting an invitation to the wedding. Heck, she’d put Chelsea in a skimpy, bridesmaid outfit for the old dog.

Turning with a wave she scurried quickly from the shop, anxious to see Adam, though she intended to wait a bit before actually proposing. He would be so surprised!

As she passed, the fuming Chelsea fell in behind her without a word.

Old man Mcgilicuddy watched them go with his one good eye until they reached the door to his shop. Then he watched them walk away down the street with the mystical orb that had replaced his other eye so long ago he could barely remember.

He wondered what Adam’s wish would be? He knew it would be something good; there wasn’t a bad bone in that boy’s body.

- ~ x o O o x ~ -

Adam held out the ring, and a blushing Michelle took it, and then with shaking, careful fingers, slid it onto Adam’s left ring finger.

Adam looked down at the band in wonder, where it seemed to almost take on a glow of its own as it rested against the base of his finger. “It fits,” he commented, surprised. Then, looking at all his friends, his smile turned sentimental. “You know, this is about the most perfect day I could ever imagine. I wish Dungeons and Dragons was real, that all the magic and wonder of the game was here in our daily lives… That way we could stay together and not have…” His voice seemed to fade out as his head drooped forward, and he fell forward, asleep before his head hit the floor.

- ~ x o O o x ~ -

Now for the giveaway~!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guidelines:

• Giveaway starts on October 25, 2012 and shall end on November 4, 2012. 
• I'll only pick out one lucky winner who would get one e-copy of each of Daniel Black's books! 
• The lucky winner shall be contacted through email and must reply within 24 hours.
• If he/she fails to reply within the allotted time, he/she is deemed to be disqualified and a new winner will be picked.

So, what are you guys waiting for?

[Review] The Birth of Vengeance

Title: The Birth of Vengeance
Author: P.A. Ross
Genre: Young Adult, Horror
Publication Date: May 28, 2012
Rating: 3/5

Links:
Goodreads
Amazon

Review:
Definitely a fresh twist for a vampire story.

The premise of the whole story is very interesting. It isn't like your usual vampire novel which is mostly heroine-centric and romance-driven. We already have Twilight and Vampire Diaries for that.

In The Birth of Vengeance, P.A. Ross gives a different take on the overrated vampire story by combining a very damaged protagonist with a flamboyant vampire for a common goal, which is revenge. Added with a twist of some machinations by the shady Hunters and their interest with Jon and Thorn.

The plus-side of this novel is that it has a fresh plot - something that is uncharted. For one, the novel doesn't start out with a mediocre protagonist. Instead, it flatly starts out and presents the less-than-average Jonathan Harper whose life couldn't seem any more tragic for a teenager.

The down-side is that despite having a fresh plot, the technical aspects of the novel is lacking. When I say technical aspects, I mean the text of the novel itself and the writing style.

I understand that Jonathan Harper is being presented as a teenager, and the story is being told from his perspective. The problem lies in the fact that he doesn't sound like a teenager at all. His narrations, dialogues and speech patterns are too stiff and formal for a teenager.

Secondly, several sentence constructions are either flawed, awkward-sounding or out-of-place. It was as if they were forced, and they don't flow smoothly together, which gives me the idea that the author's native tongue isn't English.

To sum up, while I like the whole idea, plot and premise of the story, I do believe that it could have been written better.

- ~ x o O o x ~ -

[Announcement] Upcoming Halloween Giveaway Contest~!

Book Junkie Joint will be having a Halloween Dark Fantasy Giveaway Contest starting on the 26th of October and will conclude on the 3rd of November.

I was lucky enough to score e-copies of Book 1 and Book 2 of Daniel Black's Saga of the New Gods series as prize for the Giveaway Contest! Isn't that awesome?! 

To give you an idea of what you'll be winning if you join the contest, here are the preview of Daniel Black's books:

Title: Be Careful What You Wish For (Book 1 of Saga of the New Gods)
Author: Daniel Black
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Contemporary, Adult Fiction

Links:
Goodreads
Smashwords


Teaser:
You never know what you might find in the back corner of a pawn shop…

Michelle enters a shop expecting to find a wedding band for her love, and instead finds a ring that can and will change everything about the world she knows, and will also teach her the value of the phrase “Be careful what you wish for".

Title: The Horror of Magic (Book 2 of Saga of the New Gods)
Author: Daniel Black
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Contemporary, Adult Fiction

Links:
Goodreads
Smashwords

Teaser:
The (unfortunately) long awaited sequel to the novel ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’ continues the story of Michelle, Adam, Chelsea, Blake, Brandon and Timothy, as they face new challenges in a world wracked by magic. In the course of these chapters, they will discover... the true horror of magic.

- ~ x o O o x ~ -

Hope to see you join the contest~!

[ARC Batch 02] Fresh From the Mail~!

I've got some fresh goodies from the mail!

The people over at NetGalley were kind enough to approve some of my requests and sent me new ARC's for consumption! But of course, I'll have to finish reading the first batch of ARC's I received.

This is perfect because I have an upcoming semestral break from law school. =)

- ~ x o O o x ~ - 

Title: Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes

Authors: Assorted

Publication Date: October 16, 2012

Teaser:

In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell, or if Jill pushed him instead, to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall.

Rant:
Oooohhhh!! I love horror anthologies! In fact, I have several paperback volumes of Jeff Gelb and Michael Garret's Deadly After Dark collection of horror short stories. Although, well, I'd have to admit, they were for the mature readers. But!! This one is still a treat for a horror-buff like me!

- ~ x o O o x ~ - 

Title: Harbinger
Author: Peta Crake
Publication Date: August 16, 2012

Teaser: 
As an Olympic messenger, suburban Aussie girl Ophelia Lind is used to being at the beck and call of the gods. But when gorgeous demigod Aden moves into her neighbourhood and starts taking advantage of her services, Ophelia believes life could not get any worse. She's about to be proven very wrong.

Ophelia tries to enjoy a normal, everyday life while running messages for the Greek gods - but without warning an odious creature - evil incarnate - begins to stalk her. As a messenger dealing with the all-powerful and sometimes frightening gods, Ophelia is accustomed to adventures and scrapes. But this is different. Even Aden, who is madly and deeply in love with Ophelia, finds it difficult to protect her. Suddenly Ophelia is in a battle for survival and begins to question everything - her upbringing, her identity, and her true feelings for the alluring and entirely frustrating Aden.

Harbinger is a terrific romance laced with humour, danger and adventure. The deeply likeable, unstoppable Ophelia takes us on a quest that puts all the memories she holds dear - and her own heart - at risk.

Rant:
I was fascinated by gods and demi-gods in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, but it would be interesting to have have such elements incorporated with romance and humor, so I'm really looking forward to reading this Peta Crake's Harbinger. It's like a delicious mix of my favorite goodies!

[Review] In Bed with the Opposition

Title: In Bed with the Opposition
Author: Stephanie Draven
Date Published: August 15, 2012
Genre: Romance, Chick-Lit
Rating: 4/5

Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

"You're smart and sexy. You're prudent and courageous. You're a good girl and a bad girl. You're a waffle girl and a Napoleon cake girl. I've told you before that you can have it all. You don't have to put yourself in a box, Grace, because you're already the whole package." -Ethan Castle

Review:
A pleasant mix of a quirky heroine, a witty Casanova on a mission to win her heart, and their head-to-head banter which only brings out their undeniably sizzling chemistry together in the middle of political crosshairs. If these aren't the perfect ingredients for a no-hassle and feel-good romance story, I don't know what is!

Stephanie Draven brought out a fresh twist to the phrase 'good girl gone bad' in a pleasantly endearing way that makes you appreciate your own quirks. And she did this in the form of the heroine Grace Santiago. I mean, who doesn't love a heroine with a knack for pumpkin-printed bras?

Every once in a while, it's nice to take a break from the slew of mystery books which tickle the mind and pique the curiosity, and settle for something less complicated. Stephanie Draven's In Bed with the Opposition is exactly just that - a less complicated and sexy romance story. It's the perfect book to choose when you're looking for a quick read, romance story to lift your mood.

- ~ x o O o x ~ -

The Author:
Stephanie Draven is currently a denizen of Baltimore, that city of ravens and purple night skies. She lives there with her favorite nocturnal creatures–three scheming cats and a deliciously wicked husband. And when she is not busy with dark domestic rituals, she writes her books.

Stephanie has always been a storyteller. In elementary school, she channeled Scheherazade, weaving a series of stories to charm children into sitting with her each day at the lunch table. When she was a little older, Stephanie scared all the girls at her sleepovers with ghost stories.

She should have known she was born to hold an audience in her thrall, but Stephanie resisted her writerly urges and graduated from college with a B.A. in Government. Then she went to Law School, where she learned how to convincingly tell the tallest tales of all!

A longtime lover of ancient lore, Stephanie enjoys re-imagining myths for the modern age. She doesn’t believe that true love is ever simple or without struggle so her work tends to explore the sacred within the profane, the light under the loss and the virtue hidden in vice. She counts it amongst her greatest pleasures when, from her books, her readers learn something new about the world or about themselves.

Stephanie also writes historical fiction as Stephanie Dray and has a series of forthcoming novels from Berkley Books featuring Cleopatra’s daughter.

[ARC Batch 01] Fresh From the Mail!

Title: In Bed with the Opposition
Author: Stephanie Draven
Publication Date: August 15, 2012

Teaser:
What happens when a good girl decides to play dirty?

Armed with a sassy haircut, a sharp wit, and a personal list of rules for all life’s exigencies, Grace Santiago is a fiercely loyal Senate staffer who has everything under control. At least until famous political pundit Ethan Castle walks back into her life. Grace hasn’t forgotten their disastrous affair in law school, but she can’t resist his bad boy charm.

When Grace learns that Ethan has been hired as a political gunslinger for the other side, her loyalties—and her heart—are torn in two. Though their sexual chemistry can’t be denied, they find themselves locked in political combat. Ethan believes that all is fair in love and war, but he won’t throw the election—not even to win Grace’s heart. So what can a good girl like Grace do, but learn to play dirty?

Two candidates. One election. May the best man—or woman—win!

- ~ x o O o x ~ -

Title: Exposure
Author: Kim Askew & Amy Helmes

Publication Date: January 18, 2013

Teaser:

Double, double, toil, and trouble!

The quest for high-school royalty can turn deadly when teen ambition outstrips reason. Skye Kingston is a shy shutterbug who prefers observing life from behind her camera lens. She doesn't know she's stunning, and comes off the sidelines only when she's forced to by the terrifying events of one treacherous school year in Alaska. A boy named Duncan is dead, and his death may or may not be an accident. Skye's three new best friends are eerily able to foretell the future, and cheerleader Beth might be more than a social climber—she quite probably is a sociopath. Then there's Skye's growing attraction to the school hottie, Craig, The Boy Who Would Be Prom King. But their time is crossed by fate. There's already been one death, and who can say if it's only the first? As Skye falls for Craig, she also slowly realizes that he is caught in the crosshairs of a deadly plot. Can she save Craig and herself from a murderous fate? Exposure is not only a modern take on the classic Macbeth, it's proof that nothing has changed since Shakespeare riffed on the subject nearly half a millennium ago: the quest for power can lead to bloodstained hands.

- ~ x o O o x ~ -

Title: Tempestuos

Author: Kim Askew & Amy Helmes

December 18, 2012

Teaser:

After a mistake with big financial consequences topples her throne, former "it girl" Miranda Prospero is bitter: she finds herself stranded in a crazed new world, holding court among geeks and misfits at a mall Hot Dog Kabob stand. Then, she gets her chance for revenge. When the storm of the decade snows in the mall workers and last-minute shopaholics for a long winter's night, Miranda sets out to get back at the catty clique who was behind her exile. But there's a complication. She somehow gets handcuffed to sullen loner Caleb. With him (literally) bound to her side, Miranda learns more in one night about her own heart, and human nature, than she ever did as prep royalty. With this twisted take on Shakespeare's The Tempest, authors Kim Askew and Amy Helmes prove again that, from Juliet's grief to Cordelia's rage, no one knew about teen angst better than the Bard. His wisdom holds up nearly half a millennium later.

- ~ x o O o x ~ - 

Title: The Birth of Vengeance
Author: P.A. Ross
Publication Date: May 28, 2012

Teaser:

Jonathan Harper is an innocent teenager who is harassed by bullies all his life. Jon finds love, but bullies beat him and humiliate him worse than ever.

During a seemingly chance encounter with a beautiful imprisoned vampire, Jon is offered a vampire formula that works for just one night. He can have his revenge.

On the run with the vampire, his path of vengeance forces him into a decision, the life of a vampire with his new companion, or a normal life back with his girlfriend? He must decide. Is he night or day, dark or light, vampire or human?

- ~ x o O o x ~ -

We are officially in business, baby!

I'm so excited to share the above titles of the books I am set to read and review for the month of October. The authors and publishers were kind enough to give me electronic copies of their books, so more new titles for me to read! 

I can't wait to post the reviews! Hopefully, I get to finish reading them all without delay!

NOTE: ARC stands for Advance Reader's Copy

[Review] The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Genre: Young Adult, Drama, Romance
Rating: 4.5/5


Links:
Goodreads
Barnes & Noble
Amazon

"We accept the love we think we deserve..."

A unique story of an introvert trying to survive high school and coping up with his own psychological shortcomings.

This is the only book I have ever read that accurately portrayed the social intricacies of being a teenager. Basically, the author successfully incorporated teenage stuffs like stereotypical cliques, experimentation, curiosity, confusion and raging hormones that come with the teenage phase of life.

Also, upon starting to read the novel, I found it weird at first because the writing style isn't a conventional one, but as I delved deeper into the book, I felt a connection with the characters one by one.

The unique writing style made me feel as if I was seeing everything and that I was actually part of the story. It made me feel a personal connection with Charlie, the protagonist, in that, he made me feel like I was one of his friends. All the characters pulled me into the book and made me one of them.

Also, the book was filled with many deep lines and after thoughts. Although it's a young adult novel, I'm pretty sure that a lot of people can relate with the characters. I would highly recommend this book to teens and those people who are experiencing some setbacks in their lives.

[Review] Loving Will Shakespeare

Title: Loving Will Shakespeare

Author: Caroline Meyer

Genre: Historical, Romance, Drama

Rating: 3/5

Links:
Goodreads
Barnes & Noble
Amazon

The whole story revolves around our main protagonist, Agnes (Anne) Hathaway, the woman who became the wife of the world's greatest playwright. The book depicts her journey from childhood, her troubles with her family and up until she died.

What I love about this book is that although this was entirely about Agnes Hathaway, it humanized William Shakespeare. This story showed that although William Shakespeare was deemed at the world's greatest playwright, he was failure in other aspects.

Caroline Meyer was able to weave fiction and facts through this one of a kind novel which depicted the manner of living during Agnes Hathaway's times. Details and picturesque words were able bring out the whole story as if it was unfolding before my very eyes.

And how did I feel towards this story? Well, it was a bittersweet one. Surely, a woman of Agnes Hathaway's caliber deserved much more than what was given to her. At least, she deserved a husband that stayed by her side.

But then, I also applaud her for the courage she showed in living at such a time when women were bound by societal confines.

Although, I for one, am not really a fan of historical romances and stories, this one was a unique read. It gave me an insight behind Will Shakespeare's background while growing up and told the story of one very unique woman who lived despite odds.

[Review] True Believer

Title: True Believer
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Genre: Romance, Drama, Fantasy
Rating: 4/5

Links:
Goodreads
Barnes & Noble
Amazon


The setting of the story is divided among two very distinct places; the first setting is in the rambunctious city of New York, and the second setting is in the small town called Boone Creek in North Carolina. Aside from these contrasting places, were two very different people who met and were soon ensconced in a whirlwind of all whirlwind romances.

What I liked best about this novel is the way Nicholas Sparks portrayed the contrasting lifestyle of people. And the way that two very different individuals could complement each other in more ways than one.

When I got to the last part of the novel, I didn’t have quite a clue as to what to expect anymore. To say that I was beginning to be disappointed was an understatement. The typical romance was already patched up and love once again triumphed despite odds and ends. What else was new? The answer came to me at the very last part of the story. And that was where everything made sense.

Just as you think you've read everything there was in this story, it suddenly gives you something pleasantly unpredictable just as it ends. And that is exactly what made it so endearing.

[Review] It's Not You, It's Me

Title: It's Not You, It's Me
Author: Allison Rushby
Genre: Romance, Humor
Rating: 4/5

Links:
Goodreads
Barnes & Noble
Amazon

This story isn't what it seems. It's not even about a cliche break-up line like the title. In fact, it's very different from that.

The story revolves around two characters, Charlotte “Charlie” Notting and Jasper “Jas” Ash a.k.a. Zamiel, bisexual, beastiality-drawn, devil worshipper, rockstar-slash-sex-god vocalist of Spawn, one of the hottest bands in the scene.


The writing is witty, funny and hecka lot of entertaining. It’s not the kind of novel which ultimately stretches out the sex with colorful words but instead, it highlights the events between Charlie and Jas as they rediscover each other and catch up on their unfinished business.

It’s a wild roller coaster ride all packed in a 280-page book.

The characters are witty, entertaining and have depth. They’re just like ordinary people dealing with not-so-ordinary circumstances, and despite all the odds against them, they still manage to push through. It’s a fun read if you’re a fan of light-hearted romances. I personally found myself involuntarily smiling and chuckling to myself as I was reading this.

[Review] The Red Queen's Daughter

Title: The Red Queen's Daughter
Author: Jacqueline Kolosov
Genre: Historical, Romance, Fantasy
Rating: 3/5

Links:
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"Love is but a frailty of mind when ‘tis not with ambition joined."  

- Sir Thomas Seymour

Imagine stepping into a world of European elites, that is to say, there are Dukes, Duchess, Princes, Princesses, and even ladies-in-waiting. And this was coupled with a bit of mysticism through the portrayal of good and bad, the battles they fought, and even the use of magic.

The Author effectively highlighted the inner turmoil that Mary faced upon being torn between her duty and her growing fascination for her cousin, Edmund Seymour, the very antithesis of her existence as the epitome of good.

The only thing I felt was entirely off for this novel was its ending. The author might have written it that way to make the readers think of the ending for themselves. She might have written it that way for effect, but personally, I was left hanging and wanting more.

All in all, this novel might not be fast paced enough to keep your adrenaline pumping even if you’re only reading. However, this novel holds a certain charm in it that when you begin to understand the web of deception, sacrifices and loyalties involved, you ultimately find yourself drawn to its somewhat philosophical view of things. You get caught up in the tale it presents that when you reach a certain part of the novel, it makes you feel overwhelmed and glad to have read it from start to end.