Journey with Books

May 31, 2011

Simone Elkeles-Perfect Chemistry

Unknown May 31, 2011 7 Comments

Perfect Chemistry

From Goodreads:

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.

My Review:

This book was a very pleasant surprise for me. This actually came when I was losing my faith with the YA books. It was different in a way. Before I read this one, I watched it's trailer first and I must say I almost didn't read it because I think the trailer didn't give the depth of the story justice but then I was intrigued, so I gave it a try and I'm really happy that I did or else I might have missed a really great book.

The characters are written in a way that you'd believe them. The chemistry of the main couple is so good! Their banters are not annoying to read unlike the other YA books I've read, it's done in a fun and witty way that you won't get bored while reading their interactions. It's actually nice to read a YA book that doesn't revolve on being cute. The plot was great and the conflicts in the story are something you know that at times happens in real life. It tackles what most YA book authors do not, and maybe that's why I liked it so much! Simone Elkeles was not afraid to write about issues most authors would be filled with apprehension if they did.

At first I thought that it was just a typical love/hate YA book but then as I read, I found out that it wasn't. I'm so happy to be wrong! It has a depth I did not expect. It's packed with emotions and angst and I loved it! It felt like I didn't waste my time reading this book!

May 29, 2011

Forever Family Friday (2)

Unknown May 29, 2011 2 Comments

This a new MEME that is started by E&K Family Book Review

This new Meme will give the book bloggers a chance to get to know each other. It is called 'Forever Family Friday'. Each week KW will post a question for us to answer and through this we'll get to know a little bit of each other.

The question of the week is:

Either as an adult or a child, What has been your favorite Family Vacation?

My answer is:

Well, my favorite vacation would be the time when me and my family went to Tagaytay, here in the Philippines. It's my favorite because my papa and my grandpa were still alive at that time. We rode horses and eat a lot. It was a happy

day for me because we all bonded as a family.

See who else is sharing their favorite vacation on

http://ekfamilybooks.blogspot.com/2011/05/forever-family-friday-527-529.html

Dean Mayes-The Hambledown Dream

Unknown May 29, 2011 6 Comments

The Hambledown Dream

Dean Mayes created a masterpiece! Some may agree and some may disagree but for me, ‘The Hambledown Dream’ is one of the best fictions I’ve ever read!

It’s not your typical Romance novel, I don’t even know which category I could put it. ‘The Hambledown Dream’ has a bit of everything thrown in it. It has mystery, romance, a little paranormal and a lot of emotional drama. It’s a story of second chances and destiny.

Andy is a very gifted guitarist who is on a very dangerous self destructive path. Denny is a young man who could have lived an almost perfect life with the love of his life and best friend, Sonya, if only Cancer did not touch him.

Two young men so different from each other, men you would never put together but fate has something else in stored for them. One died and the other lived but both given the second chance they both need. (I just want to make it clear that this is not an M/M themed fiction)

I wanted to thank Mr. Dean Mayes for writing a fiction that will surely touch the hearts of the readers. I’m not ashamed to admit that I shed tears while reading this. The first chapter affected me so much that I couldn’t stop my tears from falling through my eyes, maybe because it is a bit personal for me. My Father died because of Cancer and that particular chapter made me think if my Father felt the same way when he was dying.

Congratulations Mr. Dean Mayes for making us, your readers go through a box of tissue while reading your book and making sure that when we put your book down, we have a sweet little smile on our faces.

May 25, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday #1

Unknown May 25, 2011 12 Comments

This is the first post I did on WOW. This is weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. It showcases the upcoming releases that we can't wait to read.

And my first 'I can't wait to read' is:

Silence (Hush, Hush #3)

by Becca Fitzpatrick

Expected Publication: October 04, 2011

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.

I'm really excited to get a copy of this book and read it. I felt that the last one was cut too short for me. I really wanted to know what will happen after the BIG revelations on the last book.

What's your 'Waiting On' pick this week?

Comment here and share your thoughts on this book.

May 21, 2011

Forever Family Friday (1)

Unknown May 21, 2011 8 Comments

This a new MEME that is started by E&K Family Book Review

The question of the week is:

What Is Your Most Embarrassing Moment As A Kid?

When I was a kid my mother enrolled me in ballet class. I'm really not good at dancing, I admit it. So, when the recital came, let's just say I didn't do well. I was the smallest and youngest among the dancers and they all babied me. What I did was run around and around throughout the dance and I kept on turning and turning. It's not really supposed to be the most embarrassing moment of my life because I was too little to really remember it but my proud mother caught it on tape! And they always laugh whenever they watch it!

If you want to find out who else is sharing an embarrassing moments go to:

http://ekfamilybooks.blogspot.com/2011/05/family-forever-friday-520-522.html

May 20, 2011

Nalini Singh- Slave to Sensation (Psy/Changeling Series 1)

Unknown May 20, 2011 2 Comments

Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changelings, Book 1)

I’ve always said that Nalini Singh is my favorite writer in Paranormal genre. When I’m reading Nalini Singh’s Paranormal fiction, I always wonder how she can create a fiction so out of this world, so unique that I really want to open her brain and see what’s inside there.

Psy/.Changeling is set in the future where the world is so different from ours now. In this book, the people of Earth are divided in three different types. The Psy has different abilities using their brain (Psychics). They are at the top because they have the most control of the government and economy. The Psy don’t have emotions, they don’t feel anymore because they were programmed that way called ‘Silence’. It is that way in order to protect themselves and others from being a killer. The Changelings are shape shifters who have different packs/communities based on their breeds. The two strongest packs are the predators, Dark River (panthers) and the Snow Dancers (wolves). There are also non-predatory packs. The Changelings are strong and very close to their packs that they belong to. They usually lived in the forest where the Psy are not allowed to come in because they have their treaty. Changelings are busy protecting their packs from the others who wants to take over their position that is why they didn’t bother with the Psy. And the third is the ordinary Humans.

The characters are great and very likable. I love the hero and heroine in this story! Lucas Hunter is the alpha of the Dark River while Sacha Duncan is the daughter of one of the most powerful and cunning councilor of the Psy Council. Sacha is different from the other Psy because she feels. She tries so hard to pretend that she is not flawed but when she met Lucas Hunter who has a secret agenda for doing business with the Psy, her ability to feel developed more. She is like ticking bomb waiting to explode because every meeting with Lucas, it becomes harder and harder to control her emotions. Their chemistry is sizzling and steamy! And I totally loved it!

The phasing of the story is nice. The intensity of the story slowly builds to the climax and it is exciting to read. There are so many different mixes in the story the makes it good. There is love, romance, mystery, friendship and politics. I salute Nalini Singh for making this fiction. I know that it is hard to start a series because the first book should intrigue charm and be loved by the readers for them to want and crave the next book and I believe that Nalini Singh passed this with flying colors!

If you are one of those readers who loved their Paranormal Romances with depth, emotion and sizzling and steamy characters, then this book is for you!

Happy reading everyone!

May 17, 2011

Eileen Dreyer-Never a Gentleman

Unknown May 17, 2011 2 Comments

Never a Gentleman (The Drake's Rakes series)

Diccan Hilliard was in shock when he woke up one morning, in bed with the spinster, Grace Fairchild. They were both drugged and they didn’t know how Diccan end up in Grace’s room, on her bed.

Grace Fairchild didn’t want to marry the single and most elegant man in England. She’s a plain girl who was too tall and was born with a limp leg. She grew up with her father who was a soldier in war. All her life, she only dreamed of having a permanent home, breed horses in a small land, display her little treasures that she has collected from the different places she’d been in war in a real home. She didn’t want to get married especially to a man who has been forced into it.

Diccan Hilliard did not want to get married especially now that there is trouble brewing from the Lions and he’s been targeted. But he had no choice, if he didn’t marry Grace they will both be ruined. It could have been easier, if only Grace has been pretty, but she’s not.

They were forced to get married. Grace wanted to get the best out of it. Diccan only want to leave it be. But as time goes along, and they’re slowly getting to know each other, and their affection grew for each other. But Diccan can’t let himself like Grace especially not in fron of the public because his enemies might use Grace against him. He found out that there are gentlemen in high places that are planning to take the crown from the King. He’s investigating the people who’s involved in that treasonous act, and to prevent these people from making Grace their target he pretended that he doesn’t care about his wife.

This is one heavy story. I’ve never read anything from Eileen Dreyer but I’m happy that I found this one.

I have mixed feeling while I was reading this. At times, I want to get inside the book and just bash Diccan in the head for being cruel to Grace, though I know he’s just pretending, it still gets to me. I guess, that’s why I have mixed feelings on this book because you can’t truly hate Diccan because you know that he has a reason on why he’s treating Grace that way. The part that I didn’t like too much was how Grace forgave him so easily. I really wanted Diccan to grovel at grace’s feet. And there was a part in the book that I skipped because I just can’t read it. It’s just too much for me.

I experienced the highs and lows of my emotions while I was reading this. I can only tell you that this book is not for the faint hearted. It takes courage to read this kind of book. Eileen Dreyer is one good writer because she can affect the readers straight to the heart!

MyLot

Unknown May 17, 2011 0 Comments

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May 14, 2011

Julie Garwood - The Bride Book Review

Unknown May 14, 2011 1 Comments

The Bride is about an English Lady and a Scot Laird. Jamie was forced to marry Alec Kincaid when the Scot king ordered Alec to pick an English bride, while Jamie’s stepfather was punished by England’s king because he didn’t pay his taxes. Jamie’s stepfather was to marry two of his daughters to the Scots. He didn’t really want to give Jamie to the Scot because he depends on Jamie on running his house, so he tried to hide Jamie from the Scots by telling them he only have three daughters but they still found out about Jamie.

Alec picked Jamie over her sisters because of her beauty and the strength of her character. Jamie is very tough lady who puts her family first before herself. Because she’s not really her stepfather’s daughter she’s learned to make herself useful to him and her sisters so that she would feel that she’s a part of them.

At first she’s scared of Alec because there was a rumor that Alec killed his first wife but as the story progress, she learned to trust him.

The book is about how Alec and Jamie adjusted to their new status in life. It is about how they put their differences aside to make their relationship work.

I really loved this book! ‘The Bride’ is one of the historical romance novels that made me laugh. It is one of those books that are fun to read. When I was reading this book, I forgot everything that is surrounding me. I didn’t even notice how the sun has turned into night! I highly recommend this book!

May 11, 2011

Nalini Singh – Guild Hunter Series One – Angel’s Blood Book Review

Unknown May 11, 2011 2 Comments

Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter, Book 1)

Angel’s blood is my very first read on Paranormal Romances genre. I can say that it did not disappoint me. It is one of the most amazing books I’ve read and I’m hooked!

In this book Nalini Singh introduced us to Elena Deveraux, the heroine. She is a very strong willed and independent vampire hunter. Elena is hunter born which basically means that she was born with her talent/gift/skill to hunt or track vampires who has gone rouge. This book is different from other vampire hunter books because Elena is vampire hunter but she does not stake a vampire in the heart to kill it. She belongs with the Guild, an association of vampire hunters who hunts and tracks vampires and returns them to their masters, the angels.

Elena is the best hunter born in the Guild that is why she is chosen by Raphael the archangel of New York and one of the Cadre of Ten to track an archangel who has gone bad because of madness. Raphael rules New York and one of the most powerful archangels. He is feared by many because of his cruel punishment to one of his vampires that tried to betray him. Even Elena is afraid of him but she has too much pride to let the beautiful archangel manipulate her. Along the way, Raphael feels too much for Elena and she is making him feel human and that weakens him. Now Raphael has a choice to make, to let Elena in his heart and be weak or kill the source of his weakness.

I honestly love this book because it is different from the others I have read. The way it was written was absolutely lovely. I could not put this book down at all. I can’t bear to sleep without finishing it to the very last word. And now I want more! Nalini Singh succeeded in making me believe in the world she created, a very different world from our reality. It makes me want to find an archangel of my own, wishing Raphael is real and I’m his Elena. Isn’t that the beauty of reading a book? Making you want to be the character you absolutely love.

Welcome..^^

Unknown May 11, 2011 0 Comments

Hello everyone! I welcome you to my new blog! I'm kinda new in blogging so I apologize for any mistakes I'll make. I created this blog so I could express my love for books. I wanted to show how much I appreciate the authors of the books I absolutely adore.
In here, I'll be posting about how these books affected me. You know in reading these books I could go wherever I want and be whoever I want. So join me in my journey with these books I've read. So, Happy reading to everyone!