Thursday, August 30, 2012

Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemisty #2) by Simone Elkeles



“You’re dangerous.”
“Why?”
“Because you make me believe in the impossible.” 

The Blurb:

When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

From Goodreads

IMO:

The second installment of the Perfect Chemistry tells the story of Carlos Fuentes, second brother of Alex Fuentes, the lead in Perfect Chemisty. The story line is still cliche as it still tells the story of two people from different worlds but with different situations.

It took me quite long before I liked Carlos, even until now he is my least favorite among the three Fuentes brothers. At the very beginning of the story, he immediately comes of as a jerk. I totally hated the way he treats Alex who's just trying to be a good brother to him and put him in the right path, and also Brittany who was nothing but nice to him.

If I was hard pressed on finding a redeeming quality for Carlos, that was not the case for Kiara. Despite her flaws, I love her from the start. Her speech problem makes her more real and endearing and you just want to cheer her on.  

I adore the minor characters in this book. I find Tuck really funny and I just laugh out loud when he tries on purpose to piss Carlos off. I love Kiara's family. They are seriously the best. A dad who wants to save kids from destroying their lives, a mom who understands her husband's passion and supports it, and a brother that is just pleasant in every way. 

The gangs still play a part here but now the main antagonist of this story is Wes Devlin, a terrifying, money-hungry, drug lord with connections to a gang. I liked how Elkeles resolved this problem.

I think the romance was done well. Although I can't help but think that on Kiara's part, it kind of came out all of a sudden. At first, she was totally indifferent to the guy and then just a couple of pages, she was already in love with him. 

I also appreciate that Alex and Brittany's relationship still plays a part in this story. I know at the end of Perfect Chemistry, the epilogue fast forwarded to a couple of years later and showed us that the two ended up together. But I like it that in here, we get to see a glimpse of their life after the first book and that like any other couple, they also went through some rough patch. It makes everything seemed more real.

Conclusion:

A nice follow up to Perfect Chemistry with enough action and romance to entice the reader.


B+


*pic from Goodreads

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Book Trailers


The internet has truly changed the way a person can acquire and enjoy a book. Before, we can only get physical copies of books by borrowing them from the libraries or buying them from the local bookstore. Nowadays, these are not the only ways. You have websites like Amazon.com where you can buy a physical copy and/or digital copy of a book. Libraries also have websites now and you can borrow digital copies of books from libraries from different places without even leaving the confines of your own home.

Back then, I only choose what books to buy or read next when I visit a local bookstore and saw a copy there. Now, there are websites like Goodreads.com and Shelfari.com where not only you can organize your books and keep track of what you read by making online bookshelves but see the recommendations on what to read next. Ratings also give you a glimpse of whether the book is good or not.

I've just recently started to read lots of books again. For the past years, TV occupied my life and I got to read something like only 10 books per year. With my newly found addiction again, I've also frequented websites for books. I was a member of Shelfari but recently shifted to Goodreads. Thanks to this site, I've discovered a lot of different books, some of them not even yet available here in our country.

Okay, stop. I've said quite a lot up there already. I wanted to make an introduction but I realized I’ve been rambling. What I really want to talk about are book trailers.

Yes, you read that right. Book Trailers. Trailers, like those for a movie or TV series, but these are for books. 

Book trailers have been around for quite some time. I first noticed them in Wattpad where authors there post a video in Youtube as a companion for their original story. I find it really cool and it's kinda fun to see the characters you are reading come to life. 

This past week I've started reading The Perfect Chemistry series of Simone Elkeles. I've finished Book 1 of the series last Saturday and I'm done with Book 2: Rules of Attraction last night. Earlier yesterday, I went to Goodreads and visited the page for Book 3: Chain Reaction. There was a reviewer there who posted pictures of the 3 Fuentes brothers and there was also a shot of a girl who seems to be Nikki, the lead in the 3rd book. She said that the snapshot came from the trailer.

At first I was confused. I thought the book was going to have a TV series (or perhaps a movie!). But lo and behold, it was actually a book trailer and an official one at that.

The author Simone Elkeles posted the video on her Youtube site. I found a video of the Chain Reaction trailer and also the trailer for Rules of Attraction. The trailer for Perfect Chemistry is a rap video and although it is cool, it doesn’t feature the original oldest Fuentes brother as was in the book cover.

Watch these book trailers. They’re so good. I can honestly say that they can turn into a TV series. Oh, that would be so cool!

*RULES OF ATTRACTION*



*CHAIN REACTION*





Monday, August 27, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (08.27.2012)






It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila from Book Journey and Kellee and Jenn from Teach Mentor Texts. It invites people to share the books they read/reviewed the past week and also to share what books they are currently reading/or plan to read this coming week.

Okay, this is my first time participating in a book meme. I sure hope I'm doing this right.

Anyway, here are the books that I've read/reviewed the past week. They're mostly YAs.

*Read*



Not The Marrying Kind by Nicola Marsh
Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James
Just You by Rebecca Phillips
Wrong Bed, Right Guy by Katee Robert
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

*Reviewed*
(I read some of them last month. I'm way behind in reviewing.)



            

*Currently Reading/To Be Read This Week*


What A Boy Needs by Nyrae Dawn (Goodreads)
Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles (Goodreads)
Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles (Goodreads)

Okay, that concludes my first installment of It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I hope I can join again next week. 




Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry #1) by Simone Elkeles



“We're actors in our lives, pretendin' to be who we want people to think we are.” 

The Blurb:

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. 

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

From Goodreads

IMO:

I've had the copy since last year but I never got around to reading it. I blame the cover for this because really, sometimes a good cover will give you that kick you need in order to start reading.

For this book, I got the kick from Goodreads. While looking for good YA novels to read, this book always comes up as one of those highly rated stories. I resisted for a long time but last Friday, I finally looked for my own copy and started reading it. It has 300+ pages. I thought I was definitely in for quite a long read. 

Turns out, it's not that quite long after all. I feel like I devoured this book. It was good. 

Of course the story has a cliche plot. Brittany Ellis is the popular and pretty rich girl while Alex Fuentes is the cocky, troublemaker bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. A slight squabble in the parking lot turned into a small altercation in front of the school was further worsened by being stuck as Chemistry lab partners. The start of senior year is definitely not looking very well for Alex and Brittany. Both have known each other from school and both hated each other for their reputations. Alex hates Brittany's seemingly 'perfect' facade. Brittany hates Alex's gangbanger status. 

However, unknown to each other at first, both are putting an act in front of their friends and schoolmates. Brittany's perfect life isn't so perfect after all. Her sister has a cerebral palsy. Her mother cares more about the reputation of their family to outsiders rather than her children. Her father will rather put long hours at work than stay at home. Brittany has always felt intense pressure from her mother to be perfect in every way. She knows it as a compensation for the fact that her sister is miles away from being perfect.

Alex is involved with Latino Blood, a violent street gang that deals with drugs, but not because he likes it but because when you're living in the south side of Fairfield, it's the only way to survive. You're either with the gang or against the gang. Alex needs to protect his family and as the head now of the Fuentes household (his father was murdered when he was six), he needs to do it to keep them safe. Even though he is smart, aspirations for college seemed to be just a fantasy in his reality. 

Fairfield, Illinois in some ways is like Neptune, California. (Yes, a Veronica Mars reference... again!) Latino Blood reminds me of the PCH gang (though the PCHers are less violent, I think) and Alex Fuentes reminds me of Weevil. Brittany somewhat reminds me of Lilly but only because she's rich, pretty and popular. (Her personality is way far from Lilly.) The issues of social class and racial discrimination in this story are eerily familiar. 

Simone Elkeles handled all these issues plus the romance pretty well. I find the story well-researched and the Spanish words inserted now and then adds an authentic flavor to the novel. (I had a year of Spanish in college but even though you haven't, I don't think you need to Google Translate. The context is pretty easy to understand.) The characterization of the characters are spot-on. The exchanging POVs actually helped the readers understand the characters and get to know them better. Also, it doesn't hurt that Alex and Brittany does have an amazing chemistry together.

Conclusion:

I kinda feel bad that I let the less than stellar cover halt me from reading this book. I really enjoyed reading Perfect Chemistry. It's cliche yet it feels different. It's unconventional but it really worked. 

I'm currently reading the next book and although at the moment, the male protagonist (Alex's brother, Carlos) irritates the hell out of me, the book is also strangely addictive.

A-


*pic from Goodreads

The Lucky One



"Finding something like that in a war, is like finding an angel in Hell."

Cast:

Zac Efron as Logan Thibault
Taylor Schilling as Beth
Blythe Danner as Ellie
Riley Thomas Stewart as Ben
Jay R. Ferguson as Keith Clayton
Adam LeFevre as Judge Clayton

The Plot:

A Marine travels to Louisiana after serving three tours in Iraq and searches for the unknown woman he believes was his good luck charm during the war.

From IMDB

IMO:

I've read Nicholas Sparks' books before. I've seen the movie adaptations of these books. I've loved The Notebook and A Walk to Remember (the others not so much). Hence, I am used to the Nicholas Sparks' formula. 

When I was watching this, I have no expectations because I am sure it'll just turn out the same. Zac Efron who now sports a stubble and is in a bulkier form than during his High School Musical days plays Logan Thibault. I must admit, I have such a crush on his name. (Obviously, it reminds me of Jason Dohring's tortured bad boy character in Veronica Mars so that's a plus point already.) Anyway, Logan is a U.S. marine who after servicing his third duty in Iraq went on a journey to find the woman in the photograph that he credits as the one who kept him safe during his stint in Iraq. 

However, there is not much of a journey as he finds her easily after just a couple of minutes walking and asking around bars. So, okay, I don't begrudge them of that because, hey, this is fiction and the journey is actually not that important in the movie. He met her but for some reason had a hard time explaining why he actually came to Louisiana from Colorado. Beth mistook him as an applicant for a job in their dog kennel. He accepts and thus begin their journey of would they get together or not. And of course, you know they would.

I kinda feel bad for Taylor Schilling for having partnered to someone that is prettier than her. She looks so old in here and although Zac Efron tried to look mature and rugged, his young pretty boy looks still cannot be overcome. That's why I cannot buy them as a couple. It feels forced and contrived and no matter how many sexy moments they have, I will never be convinced. 

The only characters that I find lovable are Ellie and Ben. They make me smile whenever they are onscreen. I also adore the gorgeous Louisiana setting and the dogs, man, they are so freakin' cute! I could care less about the ex. And of course since this is a Nicholas Sparks' film, someone has to die. (Though tissues are not necessary. As I mentioned: contrived!)

Conclusion:

I really want to like it. I hoped they selected actors with more believable chemistry and I really hoped the story wasn't such a big cliche. (Zac Efron is eye-candy, so I guess his fans won't be disappointed.)

C-


*pic from Wikipedia

Sunday, August 26, 2012

The Dark Knight (2008)




"Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him. Because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight."

Cast:

Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman
Heath Ledger as The Joker
Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent
Gary Oldman as Gordon
Michael Caine as Alfred
Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes


The Plot:

When Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent launch an assault on the mob, they let the clown out of the box, the Joker, bent on turning Gotham on itself and bringing any heroes down to his level.

From IMDB 

IMO:

Yes, after 4 years, I finally got around to watching The Dark Knight. I know it took me quite long but honestly, I also just watch Batman Begins two months ago. I watched the first movie because I was planning to watch the final installment with my friend so one day, I sat down and decided to do a movie marathon of the Batman franchise. Unfortunately, I only ended up watching Batman Begins. I was hoping to fall in love with the movie but I did not. I must say, I am a Christopher Nolan fan so I was surprised at my meek appreciation of the movie. I decided not to watch the second installment. I also got very busy with work and my friend and I never watched the third installment.

Now, I got a day off and having this much free time, I finally decided to just get on with it and watched The Dark Knight. I’m glad I did. The movie was long but what a time well spent. It was great. It was infinitely better than Batman Begins. I finally understand the hype.

Christian Bale reprises his role as billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne moonlighting as a brooding caped-crusader who calls himself Batman at night. He’s currently re-evaluating the results of his actions as a vigilante with copy cats emerging from all corners of Gotham City.

This second installment of the franchise introduces a new character named Harvey Dent played by the ever charismatic Aaron Eckhart. Harvey is a brave do-gooder intent on cleaning up the streets of Gotham City through his work as the DA. They call him the face of Gotham City’s future and Bruce Wayne sees him as his successor. A man who doesn’t need a mask in order to inspire people.

The main villain here is a war-painted, scar-filled, unhinged maniac who calls himself The Joker. Played exceptionally well by the late Heath Ledger, The Joker is an unremorseful yet evilly smart psychopath intent on upsetting the social balance. He takes immense pleasure in killing and turning upright individuals into the dark side.

Harvey Dent, together with Batman and their police ally Gordon, take on The Joker. He proved to be always one step ahead of them and in the course of the movie our protagonists have repeatedly fallen into his trap. One of the movie’s most heart stopping scenes is where both Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes (his girlfriend and Batman’s childhood friend – and true love-) were kidnapped on separate locations with bombs ticking away every second. The Joker gave Batman the addresses (but switched them) and Batman sped on to the location where he thought Rachel was in. It was Harvey in there and this caused Rachel her life.

All this played perfectly according to The Joker’s plan. His ultimate goal is not to kill Batman (though he enjoyed toying and playing with him). His goal is to turn Gotham City’s most upright man - the man who is the face of the city’s hope into a vengeful and ruthless individual. And he succeeded. Harvey Dent, insane and mad by Rachel’s demise has turned into the heartless Two-Face. Certainly, what a fall from grace.

The Dark Knight doesn’t have an explosive ending like Batman Begins had, but it is grittier, darker and dramatic than the first movie. The movie’s themes of  heroism, man’s corruptibility, villainy and the blurring line between good and evil are interwoven and executed very well thanks to Nolan’s good direction and the actors’ seamless portrayal of each character whether big or small.

Conclusion:

What a truly satisfying movie and it just proves that sometimes sequels can be better than the first movie.


A+

Friday, August 24, 2012

Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom




“Awesome. I was a jealous lunatic...and I wasn't alone. Touchdown!” 

The Blurb:


THERE'S A GIRL.
Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. That said, she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.

AND THERE'S A BOY.
Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat, handle first.
Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice.
Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.

THEN THERE'S A DITCH.
But when Justina is ditched, figuratively and literally, she must piece together--stain-by-stain on her thrift store dress--exactly how she ended up dateless...with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven.

To get the whole story, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. Can losing out at her prom ultimately lead to finding true love?


From: Goodreads

IMO:

I like the back-and-forth, non-linear style of this story. Though it's not what I usually prefer but I'm intrigued with stories that start at the end and then spend the entire novel explaining how things concluded that way. Another interesting thing is that the chapters where Justina is explaining the night before started because she was explaining how she got the different stains in her prom dress. Each stain tells a story and accounts for her ending up in a ditch without her phone, totally worse for wear and ditched by her friend and prom date, Ian. Kinda clever right?

The book is also fun. As Justina continues to figure out and tell Gilda and Donna what happened the other night, I find myself glued to her story too. Why did Ian really ditch her? How can he do that? What really happened during their prom night? The answers are slowly revealed and it appears that prom night has been absolutely crazy. 

The minor characters are also likable. Gilda and Donna are good listeners. The Mikes and their dates are funny and someone Justina didn't imagine she would get close too but did. A "real" villain (which is actually translates to bitchy girl) is actually not present. The author just would like as to think that it is Allyson Moore but I think she's not really.

However, I think the weakest link in this story and the reason why I cannot like it more, is the protagonist herself: Justina Griffith. She's not the worst female lead I've seen but she's close. Although I'm interested in her story, I can't quite make myself empathize with her. There's just so many things wrong with her personality. She's too easy to jump on conclusions, she's too negative and pessimistic, she's a hypocrite and she's nasty! Wishing to throw a jar of herpes to a girl because your jealousy is eating you inside? Seriously. Grow up. Too bad Ian is seldom featured in this story so we didn't really get to know him well, but he seemed nice enough and I kinda feel bad that she's going to end up with a girl like Justina. 

Conclusion:

Let me break it down into two:

Pros - I like the way the story was told. I think the use of stains was very clever and I enjoyed it.

Cons - I dislike the main character. 'Nuff said.


C


*pic from Goodreads



Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik



“I got lost in him, and it was the kind of lost that's exactly like being found.”

The Blurb:

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Cast in point:

- As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school - not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.
- As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn't exactly on everyone's must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise's beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince's best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

IMO:

I found this book while browsing Amazon.com after reading Catching Jordan. I've mentioned before that I was looking for other YA novels to read after that one, and this book keeps popping up on the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section. With an eye-catching title, cute cover and interesting back cover blurb, I immediately picked this up and it joined my ever growing to-read pile.

When I finally decided to read it, I was on my way home from work. I started this while waiting for the elevator and got past the middle part while stuck for 2 hours in a very bad traffic. I continued and finished it about an hour after I finally got home. 

I was totally engrossed! I was having such a huge fun reading the book that I didn't mind the traffic at all. 

I love the dynamics of the Benton sisters. How the two eldest are upright and normal while the 2 youngest are just wayward and crazy. The romance of the Benton sisters with best friends Chase and Derek are different but both are entertaining. Julianna and Chase were totally lovey-dovey with each other while Derek and Elise were awkward and with a little bit of animosity to each other at beginning. Add a bitchy girl, weird parents, uncontrollable sisters and a charming yet ill-intentioned guy, and there you have the perfect recipe for a rocky relationship.

But hey, you know what's totally the clincher? Halfway through the novel, I realized that this totally reminded me of a similar plot and the characters seemed really familiar to me. And then voila, I realized that this is actually a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice!!! I swear that I absolutely have NO idea at all before I started reading it! No wonder I was so into the story because it actually reminded me of my favorite classic. And look, the initials of the characters are also the same. 

Conclusion:

Another fun and light read. I must say I really enjoyed this book even when I wasn't aware that it was a retelling of my favorite Jane Austen classic. And since I am a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice, I think this modern retelling did good. 

A-


*pic from Goodreads

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins



“For the two of us, home isn't a place. It is a person. And we are finally home.” 
The Blurb:

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

IMO:

Holy shit Batman! This book is deliciously and adorably cute! It has a very nice combination of funny, cute, romantic, emotional and feel-good moments. A book that can be easily devoured in a short amount of time because the reader will find it very hard to put it down.

The book is written in Anna's POV. Yes, it is a first person POV again. However, Anna's voice (though not perfect) is not irritating either and one can easily relate to her character. She's simple and a typical student. She's kind of hesitant to attend boarding school in Paris at first but sooner she fell in love with the city and the people and cannot wait to go back.

The male lead is one of the most adorable guys in the fiction world that I've encountered after a very long time. Etienne St. Clair is a favorite! I can only sigh when imagining him. 

The romance between Anna and St. Clair didn't happen in an instant. The attraction was apparently there from the moment they first met but of course, there are obstacles like St. Clair having a girlfriend. So, they were just friends for a while. Friends who inevitably became closer, and became even more closer still. 

But damn, romantic tension was overflowing in this book. As a reader, you know they were right and perfect for each other and you will spend almost the whole time itching them to be together. Just when you think that they are closer to being together together, they will be tested by jealousies and misunderstandings that will bring the unnecessary awkwardness. 

Oh, and how can I not comment about Paris as the backdrop? It's so apt. Fly me to Paris now! I wanna find my own St. Clair.

Conclusion:

After reading the book, it's no wonder why people were raving about it when it first came out. It was awesome. It maybe too cutesy and too cheesy for other people, but seriously, it's a very good book.

A

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally



“One thing I learned a long time ago is that even if you think you're meant to be with someone, that doesn't necessarily mean you get to be with them.” 
“When unrequited love is the most expensive thing on the menu, sometimes you settle for the daily special."

The Blurb: 

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Greeen moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?

From: Goodreads

IMO:

I have to thank this book for my newly found addiction to YA contemporary novels. I got a copy last June and I had so much fun reading it that I went on hunting for other YA novels. I ended up with so many books and that started my so-called Reading Challenge. 

I must say that I am not huge sports fan and I have very minimal knowledge of football. In my country, basketball is the biggest thing (though I must say, I do not follow that too). It is only recently that there is quite a huge interest in football here. 

However, Catching Jordan is not all about football. The book has a combination of sports, relationships, family issues, gender issues and friendship.

I like Jordan. I like that she's totally driven to prove herself worth something in a sport totally dominated by men. When it comes to football, she can definitely hold her own and will never let anyone push her around. However, it's freakin' cute that for someone always surrounded by the male gender, she's utterly clueless about boys when it comes to love and relationships.

I love her friends. Man, I wish I had guy friends like those. Yes, they can be gross and insensitive at times, but they will always have your back. JJ, Carter and Henry's antics made me smile all throughout the book. 

The love story in this book kind of mislead me at first but I totally adore how it end and definitely agree with Jordan's choice of guy.

Side Dish: Isn't the book cover absolutely gorgeous? I leave it to you to make your own interpretation.

Conclusion:

Undeniably, a fun and easy read. For readers that are non-sports (or non-football) fans, don't let that stop you from reading this novel. Although there are lots of football in here, the story focuses on Jordan's life, her growth, her relationships and her discovery that she, actually, has a feminine side. 

A


*pic from Goodreads

Monday, August 20, 2012

Collision by Stefne Miller




“My sun literally rises when I see you and it falls when we’re apart. It feels dark when you aren’t with me, and I say all of that just to say that you didn’t just turn my head once. It snaps your direction every time you enter the room.”

The Blurb:

Seven minutes inside a hotel room with a complete stranger. A friendly greeting where we pretend to know each other well and are genuinely happy to see each other; then straight to business. None of it meaningful. None of it real. All of it rehearsed, choreographed, and expected.

My life isn’t my own anymore. I pretty much go wherever I’m told and put on the show. It’s my life and whether I chose it or not, it’s the life I’ve got. It’s the world I live in.

And, I’m searching. Always searching… I just don’t know what for.
---

Cab Stone has it all—fame, fortune and the adoration of millions of women across the globe. When the constant attention from fans and expectations from his handlers becomes too much, he escapes the craziness of press junkets and movie sets and escapes to Asheville, North Carolina to hide away for the summer.

He expects peace, quiet, and solitude. What he doesn’t expect is to meet a fiery redhead who changes everything he knows about the world.

The daughter of missionaries, Kei Sallee lives a life of service to others. She has little, expects less, and helps heal the hearts of thousands in Uganda, where she grew up. When she finds herself staying in the same guesthouse as Cab Stone, she vows to ignore his Greek god good looks and spend the summer as she had planned—in peace, quiet, and solitude.

Cab and Kei’s lives couldn’t be more different…or more the same.

Despite, or perhaps because of, their vastly different yet startlingly similar backgrounds, Cab and Kei strike up an unlikely friendship that could possibly blossom into something more. But Kei fears that the truth about her past will prevent pretty-boy Cab, who is used to getting everything he wants, from fully committing to her.

When two completely different worlds experience a Collision, can they exist as one?


IMO: (spoiler alert!)

It’s been quite a long time since a book had totally blown me away. I’m glad I read Collision because it just did that and more!

I do not know where to start with this review. I can’t honestly think of Collision without wanting to cry. Seriously, what had this book done to my emotions? After I read it, it left me so wrecked. I was crying my heart out in my room in the middle of the night that my parents actually woke up because of my loud sobbing. Imagine that! I was totally left heartbroken.

The book is in first person POV. But not Kei’s, it’s in Cabot’s POV. I admit to having such pleasure in reading books written in a guy’s point-of-view. It’s just refreshing. Most of the time, girls POV tend to get whiny and irritating, so I really love reading the counterpart.

Cabot and Kei. I’ve never read two people who are so dissimilar, who lived worlds apart but totally right for each other! It was one hell of a collision! Their love story was so beautiful, so riveting, so pure that it makes you hope for something like that for yourself. (Shit. I am tearing up again!)  

When their worlds collide, together they went on a journey of discovery. Cabot went to Uganda and took part in Kei’s missionary life while Kei, on the other hand, took the Hollywood ride and learned Cabot’s life.

This book had so many lessons to impart. I learned so much about the plight of the people in Uganda. Actually, I am quite familiar with the Invisible Children. I was introduced to it through Veronica Mars. The TV series did a whole episode based on it back in 2007.

I guess I already spoiled it enough for you guys to guess the ending. But please, don’t be discouraged by it. It’s really a beautiful book and the true message of why their worlds had to collide, will only be explained at the very end.

Oh, a tidbit! They are planning on making a movie based on this book. You cannot believe how happy I am with that news. I really wish it pushes through.

Conclusion:

Obviously, this book has become one of my favorites! It’s breathtakingly beautiful. This book had totally sucked me in and rattled me in a way that I’ve never felt in a long, long time. It’s emotional yet very inspirational. I just don’t know what else to say. I ABSOLUTELY love this book.

A+


*pic from Goodreads

Easy by Tammara Webber


“Love is not the absence of logic but logic examined and recalculated heated and curved to fit inside the contours of the heart.”

The Blurb:

A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

From: Goodreads.com 

IMO:

My first book of Tammara Webber and because of this, she has become one of my new favorite authors.

Right off the bat, Easy started with a bang. I was quite surprised because I was hoping for a lighthearted and easy read (yes, pun intended) but what I got was a story who was obviously going to tackle a sensitive issue. The first scene did leave me a bit uncomfortable but I must admit that it instantly gripped me as well.

Easy is a love story at its very core, no doubt. Jacqueline and Lucas are just so cute together. Jacqueline has had her heart broken and just had a frightening experience but I admire how after she wallowed on her miseries, she stood up and confront the situation head on. The novel presents the female lead with a journey of self-discovery and self-empowerment.

Lucas on the other hand, also had his heart broken –albeit not romantically. His soul had been damaged by a situation that occurred during his childhood in which he certainly had no control of. However, he still carries the guilt on his shoulder. This made him a very tortured human being.

From the very beginning, I think it was also obvious that Landon is Lucas and that the author did not really attempt to conceal it.

And have I said that this book is smoldering? Seriously, I think I have scars from the burns. Jacqueline and Lucas are not only cute together but so damn hot! The mature scenes are done tastefully and will just make you sigh and fall in love with the couple more.

At the end, the sensitive issue was handled very well and maturely and the novel ended with a very satisfying conclusion.

Conclusion:

Wow, just wow. The story is gripping, even more so is the storytelling. The emotions are so true and just pull you in. Easy to read, hard to put down.

A



*pic from Goodreads

Just The Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James




"I realized that the one person who could break my heart
is the only one who should have it."

"You had me at Shit Happens."



I think I am betraying the 27 books that I’ve read for my so-called Reading Challenge plus the other books that I’ve read after that, for writing a review of this book first. It’s just that I’m at home on a 2-day holiday and I’ve just finished reading the novel. I was such in good spirits after I turned the last page that I decided to open my laptop and start writing this review.

The Blurb: 

No woman could resist him—except the one he wanted most...

Cool, Calm, Collected...

Nothing fazes Taylor Donovan. In the courtroom she never lets the opposition see her sweat. In her personal life, she never lets any man rattle her—not even her cheating ex-fiancĂ©. So when she's assigned to coach People's "Sexiest Man Alive" for his role in his next big legal thriller, she refuses to fall for the Hollywood heartthrob's charms. Even if he is the Jason Andrews.

Confident, Famous, Irresistible...

Jason Andrews is used to having women fall at his feet. When Taylor Donovan gives him the cold shoulder, he's thrown for a loop. She's unlike any other woman he's ever met: uninterested in the limelight, seemingly immune to his advances, and shockingly capable of saying no to him. She's the perfect challenge. And the more she rejects him, the more he begins to realize she may just be his perfect match.


From: Goodreads.com

IMO:

It’s quite refreshing to read a novel not from the first person POV again. I’ve been reading quite a number of YA and contemporary novels and most of them are in first person POV. Reading the words I Or My gets tiring after some time.

I also find it interesting that readers get to know the thoughts of some of the minor characters. It’s the one thing that I haven’t seen done often in a novel like this. Mostly, they stick to the lead characters.

Jason Andrews is the hottest thing in Hollywood right now. His movies are all sold out and People Magazine named him “The Sexiest Man Alive” for the third time. His fans and the paparazzi cannot get enough of him. Not to mention the women too. A tabloid just recently published an article about him and his so-called women.

Taylor Donovan is a smart, hardworking lawyer from Chicago currently in the middle of a sexual harassment case that brought her to Los Angeles. She knows the case is all under the control but that doesn’t mean she wants to babysit a spoiled actor (who wants to learn how to be a lawyer for his next film) as a favor to her boss. But she’s just an associate so no luck in trying to turn down the project.

Jason’s the stereotypical Hollywood brat. Spoiled and obviously used to getting what he wants. It was kind of hard to believe for him that someone will actually not answer his calls and will turn him down when he wants to meet up. There was even a scene in the book where he asks the female lead, “do you know who I am?” But aside from that, he is also funny (the bar scene when he was playing darts comes to mind) and loyal to people close to him.

I really like Taylor’s character. She’s driven but not to the point of distraction. I like that she wasn’t taken with Jason’s golden boy persona and managed to snark at him and also to treat him normal. Her backstory provided the reason why she’s cautious but thankfully, we didn’t see the past coming to the present. I was kind of expecting the ex-fiancee to pop up somewhere in the story and already hating that idea. How the writer used another means for Jason to learn about it was executed very well.

I like the minor characters in this book, like Jason’s friend Jeremy and Taylor’s friends, Valerie and Kate. Scott is devious and insecure but I like the contrast with Jason’s character to him.

The book is oozing with unresolved sexual tension all throughout the story but that didn’t happen until the last two chapters and they weren’t detailed. Some might like more heated moments but I found the whole scenario cute and endearing and I’m just glad that finally they’re together.

Conclusion:

It was definitely a fun read. The story is well-written and readers will certainly root for Jason and Taylor to be together. The last two chapters of the book are bordering on cheesy but are simply delightful.

A- 



*pic from Goodreads

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