Sunday, January 29, 2012

REVIEW: WICKED LOVELY #3: FRAGILE ETERNITY BY MELISSA MARR

I finished reading Fragile Eternity, the third book from the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr. It is the continuation of Wicked Lovely which is the first book of the series. The story revolves around Keenan, Seth and Aislinn as the new Summer Queen.



The story starts with the Summer Court having one of their meetings and Seth watching the Summer Court advisors bicker with Aislinn. Aislinn got on my nerves at some point in this book. I honestly don’t know. She just did. But to be fair I still like her as a character. I think she’s a strong and well- developed character. She just got on my nerves that’s all. Probably because of the fact that as summer solstice draws near her attraction to her Summer King strengthens and she became indecisive at some point in the story. Believe me, I do get it she’s in love with Seth and her attraction to Keenan is just inevitable but what really got on my nerves was the fact that she somehow gives into temptation every chance she got. But overall, I think she’s still one of those heroines that I could never really hate.

As for Keenan, there were times when I just wanted to hate him because of his manipulations and schemes but I guess I understand him a bit. I actually get why Niall hates him so much. Truth be told, I think he’s a selfish bastard. He says he loves Donia but then he also has this attraction with Aislinn which is again inevitable. The Summer King and Queen kinda ticked me off because of their indecisiveness. They are friends and yet they want to try to love each other? What was that about? I wanted to comfort Donia. I wanted her to just ditch Keenan and move on with her life. But then again, I guess Keenan did all of the things that he did for the good of his court and I kinda admire him for that. I just hope he finds a way to get what he wants without hurting Donia or anyone in the process.

Lastly, there’s Seth. He’s probably one of the characters that I would constantly love. I admire his devotion and loyalty towards Aislinn. He went to the Queen of High Court to become a faerie. I think that was a very noble thing to do all in the name of love. I know, I know Aislinn loves him but what she has with Keenan is
inevitable
so why can’t she just ditch Seth and let him move on with his life since everything about him and Keenan is inevitable? I don’t have anything against Ash and as I’ve said earlier she’s one of those heroines that I can’t actually hate but I think Seth deserves better. 

As for the supporting characters of course, I would always have a soft spot for the Dark King, Niall. He’s my favorite character together with his “lover” or whatever it is that they want to call themselves, Irial. I just love bad boys. haha. I think he’s a very good king. I find the shift in his personality very intriguing and seductive. haha. I just love this guy. Donia didn’t have a lot of parts in this book but I think her scenes were the memorable ones for me. I love how she asserts herself and her love for her court even if she is meant to be as cold as ice. I see her torment and conflicts and I just can’t help but love her even if she was a bit mean to Ash and Keenan at some point. I don’t think Keenan deserves her devotion. I think she should be with her guard Evan. haha. Whatever. Love is really complicated.

There were new characters introduced in this novel as well. Some were already mentioned in Ink Exchange like Bananach, she kinda creeps me out. Sorcha, the Queen of the High Court is her sister and alter ego. I like her even if she’s too uptight. I did portray her when my friends and I had an impromptu photoshoot. This is the first time I’ve read about her though and I didn’t expect to like her especially when she became “motherly”. And there’s also Devlin. He is Bananach and Sorcha’s brother. I still haven’t decided whether I should like or not like him. Either way he intrigues me and I can’t wait to read more about him in the next novel.

Again, Melissa Marr never fails to amaze me with this series. I really like the faerie politics mixed with a little L.O.V.E. The concept just appeals to me and I really don’t know why. The writing of this novel was epic. I love how the characters developed even if the Summer Court leaders somehow irritated me a bit but overall I’d give this novel a 4/5 star rating. I just can’t wait to read the next one.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

REVIEW: WICKED LOVELY #2: INK EXCHANGE BY MELISSA MARR

I finished Ink Exchange, the second novel from the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr. This isn’t exactly a continuation of the first book, more like a companion novel. The main characters in the story are Niall, Leslie and Irial.



The story opens with Irial watching Leslie as she goes to Pins and Needles and there she meets up with Seth and Aislinn. Familiar? Of course it is. This scene is from the first book of the series. The difference with the two perspectives is this one is told in Irial’s perspective. It tells us what went on with him and Rabbit, the tattoo shop owner. A lot of connections and mysteries were revealed as the story progressed like what Rabbit is, his connection to the faerie world, his heritage etc.

The heroine in the story is Leslie, Aislinn’s friend. She’s a girl who seems tough and happy on the outside but is actually hiding a lot of skeletons in her closet. She has been through a lot because of her family. Her mother left, her father is a drunkard and her brother is a drug addict who torments her whenever he’s high. Her story made me want to save her from all of these people. Anyway, one day she decides to get a tattoo and thus, her involvement with the Faerie Courts begin. I like the way she was written. It made me want to read the novel even if it isn’t exactly a continuation of the first one. I think her mysterious persona was written well. She was not annoying as well which is a plus point for me since I tend to get annoyed with female characters who whine and cry a lot. Truth be told, I don’t think she cried that much in this book.

Then there’s Niall. Niall was already mentioned in the first novel. He is the Summer King’s advisor and friend. I liked him from the first novel and I liked him even more here. His past and the reason for his scars were revealed in this novel. I find his character very intriguing and I enjoyed getting to know him more through this book. This guy is seriously tormented. There were times when I just wanted to give him a hug or something. I think his a well-developed character and I can’t wait to read more about him.

Lastly, there’s Irial, the Dark Court King. I find his character and his relationship with Niall very intriguing as well. There were times when he made me cringe because of the things that he does but then again I guess I could understand him in some ways. I just can’t place my finger on whether to like or dislike this guy. I’m still on the neutral part I guess. Still, this intriguing character made me want to read more as the story went on.

Overall, I think this book was written well though I still liked the first book more. I think there were parts that were just too slow for me. Keenan and Aislinn were supporting characters this time around and I think it’s nice that the author focused more on the other characters. I actually find that refreshing. I think this book explained a lot of things that went on in the first novel like events from the first novel that seemed insignificant and some characters were introduced that I think would have big parts in the upcoming books. Again, this series made me see faeries in a different light. I never really thought that faeries were the political and conniving type. haha. I believe that both The Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa and Wicked Lovely did a marvelous job at mashing up faerie politics and love. I’m giving this book 4/5 stars again even though I still prefer the first one.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

REVIEW: WICKED LOVELY BY MELISSA MARR

I was finally able to finish Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr after several failed attempts. haha. Yes, I started reading this about four times before I was actually able to finish it. I didn’t expect to like this book that much but since my friend has been begging me to read this since 2011 I just had to agree. The first book’s main protagonists are Aislinn and Keenan the Summer King who is searching for his long lost Summer Queen.



To be honest, I didn’t like Aislinn that much in this book. I think she whined too much. She didn’t want to deal with anything. All she did was complain and cry and I kinda saw her as a weakling in this novel. I actually think she’s the reason why I couldn’t get past the first chapter during my failed attempts at reading this book. My fascination with faeries and other fey folk started with Julie Kagawa’s The Iron Fey Series, btw. But as I neared the end, I started liking her. I like it when girls know how to stand for themselves. I liked the bargaining thing that went on between her and Keenan as the novel neared its end.

Then there’s Keenan. I like Keenan’s character. Yeah, he’s hot just like every YA guy character out there but that’s beside the point. I like the way he tried to get what he wants (and needs), I think it proves how good he is as a king of the Summer Court even though his powers are not at its peak. He can be gentle and ruthless at the same time and I believe that is a good trait for a ruler of any realm. There were times when I just wanted to give him a hug too. I pity him for having a mother like Beira. 

I also liked the side characters in this book namely Donia, Niall and Seth. I like Seth because he’s hot, sexy blah blah, just kidding but he is hot and sexy. haha. Anyway, I liked the way his character was written. He’s like a walking chamomile tea because he’s just so calm which makes him so cool in my eyes. I just like him and I think he is really good for Aislinn. And of course, there’s Donia, the Winter Girl. I just wanted to hug her from time to time. I felt her sadness and her longing for Keenan and I just can’t help but sympathize with her. I saw the conflicts and her dilemmas and I’m glad that she made the right decisions in the end even if none of the odds favored her. I just can’t help but like her. Anyway, I won’t go into detail with Niall since he is the major player in the second installment and I don’t want to spoil myself by trying to guess whatever it is that I should write about him.


Anyway, I honestly liked this book although the first chapter (yes, just the first chapter) was kinda slow for me. I did enjoy The Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa more but this comes to a close second. I think this is a well written novel and the concept of faerie politics was described in a very detailed manner. I think The Iron Fey Series and Wicked Lovely made me see faeries in a different light. Not just as little winged creatures who dance and sing like Tinkerbell. I also liked the way this book ended since it didn’t really go to the cliche endings. Anyway, you just have to read it to know what I’m talking about. I think the mash up of faerie politics and romance is very intriguing and this two series actually made me shift from my usual vampire genre to faeries. Overall, I’m giving this book a 4/5 stars.

CURRENTLY READING: WICKED LOVELY #2: INK EXCHANGE BY MELISSA MARR

Monday, January 23, 2012

REVIEW: WINTER'S PASSAGE and SUMMER'S CROSSING BY JULIE KAGAWA

So I recently finished reading Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa. It is set in between the events from The Iron King and The Iron Daughter. It is told in Meghan's perspective and it speaks of her journey towards the Winter Court with Ash.



Anyway, the story picks up right after the events from the first book and it introduces the Wolf from The Iron Knight. The wolf scared me here! I liked this e-novella even if it only consists of a few short chapters. It was well written and the pacing was not really rushed even though it's just a bridge towards the second novel. I liked the romance that went on between Meghan and Ash. I did miss Puck here though. Anyway, I'd give this one a 4.5/5 stars though.



The second e-novella by Julie Kagawa is Summer's Crossing. This one is told in Puck's perspective and it connects the events from The Iron Queen and The Iron Knight. Anyway, I liked this novel a lot. It made me laugh so much being told in Puck's point of view. I think this novella showed us a part of Puck and Ash that we have not seen in any of the novels and I liked it. Their friendship really is something. I can't believe some of the things that Puck can make Ash do. haha. It was well written for me, not too fast and not too slow. If only it was made longer. I actually wanted to read more about Puck and Ash's adventures. Anyway I'm giving this a 5/5 stars.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

REVIEW: BREATHE BY ABBI GLINES

I just finished reading Breathe by Abbi Glines a few minutes ago. And OMG! Can I just say OH. MY. GOD. I sooooo love this book? The story revolves around a rock star, Jax Stone and his helper, Sadie White.






I totally love this book. In fact, I love this book so much I ended up reading it in one sitting. Yeah, I know it’s kinda cliche, girl meets famous rock star, falls head over heels blah blah but this one actually worked for me. I love all of the characters from this book.

First of all, I love Sadie White. She’s not annoying and she doesn’t whine like a lot of female characters from contemporary YA novels. I just love her. I like her independence a lot. The fact that she was able to “raise” her mom and all that. She had to grow up fast because of her irresponsible parent. I just love her. I didn’t like her mom though. I think she was too selfish for her own good and she does not deserve her daughter. Anyway, I’m just happy that Sadie turned out to be a very well written character. I actually liked the dynamics between the characters.

Then there’s Jax. Wait, just let me get this out: JAX IS FREAKIN’ HOT! I totally fell in love with this guy. I get why Sadie was smitten. Not because of the fact that he’s so good looking and famous, this guy actually has a big heart and I love that about him. I also liked the way that he actually made a lot of effort in order to win Sadie’s heart. Bottom line is: Sadie was not the only one smitten, I WAS ALSO SMITTEN!

I actually liked all of the characters in the novel. Marcus, I wanted to give this guy a hug. Amanda, Mrs. Mary, Mr. Greg, Jason, Preston, everyone. I just love this book so much and I think all of them were written well.

Anyway, I love this novel a lot even though I’m not a big fan of contemporary YA’s. I wasn’t really expecting that much since I was not even able to finish The Vincent Boys by the same author. I honestly didn’t get that novel. I love this one though. I like the way it was written. TBH, I enjoyed the cheesy moments in the novel. I was actually feeling all mushy and giddy while I read. There were times when I just found myself smiling while I read. It’s a quick and enjoyable read and I wouldn’t mind reading it again.I’d recommend this to anyone who likes reading cheesy stories just to feel good or giddy.

RATING: 5/5 stars

Saturday, January 21, 2012

REVIEW: VAMPIRE ACADEMY BY RICHELLE MEAD

I finished reading Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead a few hours ago and to be honest I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I usually love stories about vampires and other supernatural beings but I found this novel a little unbearable at times. The story revolves around the lives of Rose, a Dhampir, and Lissa, a Moroi princess mixed with a little bit of vampire politics.



Anyway, the story opens with Rose and Lissa in a dorm who are in hiding after running off from the Vampire Academy two years ago and being found by the VA’s Guardians. I liked Rose in the first parts of the story. I think she’s one bad ass chick compared to other heroines from other vampire novels I’ve read.  But somehow in the middle of the story she was able to make herself very irritating. I think she’s just too narcissistic and selfish for her own good. I mean, yeah she doesn’t wear designer clothes or anything but her attitude somehow pisses me off. I usually love bad ass chicks when it comes to reading any novel but somehow I find her bad ass persona very annoying and I found myself liking her less as the story progressed. I don’t hate her or anything but I just can’t stand her in some parts of the story. Anyway, I did admire her dedication towards protecting Lissa.

Then, there’s Lissa. I kinda liked Lissa more than I liked Rose. I don’t even know why. Maybe because she’s not a bitch or anything. I just like her more. Period. I love this girl’s power, if only it didn’t leave her with ill consequences. I also love her interactions with Christian. This somehow made me like this novel a little. I like Christian and I think he’s good for Lissa. The only thing I didn’t like about Lissa was her dependence towards Rose. I think she could’ve been written a little better, maybe a little independent.

Truth be told, I’m not really that looking forward to reading the next installment. I read this because of all the hype that it’s been getting in the internet and I just couldn’t allow myself to be left behind since this has been out since the year 2007. I had high expectations and I guess I was a little bit disappointed. I think the concept of the Moroi, Strigoi and Dhampirs is unique and I commend Ms. Mead for thinking of such. The writing was simple and could be understood by a younger audience. Oh wait! This is not for the younger audience since there are swear words and stuff. haha. Another person that probably made me finish this novel is Dimitri Belikov. Man, that Russian dude is hot! I like him a lot and I think he made the story more enjoyable for me. haha. Anyway, I’d give this a 3/5 stars.

Not really looking forward to reading the next one though.

Friday, January 20, 2012

REVIEW: IRON FEY: THE IRON KNIGHT BY JULIE KAGAWA

I just finished reading the last book from The Iron Fey Series: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa. This time, the story is told in Ash’s perspective. The story revolves around the adventures of Ash, Puck, Grimalkin, the Wolfman and Ariella. Yes, Ash’s first love.


Truth be told, I could not wait to read this book. The cover of this book is actually the reason why I bought the entire series in the first place. haha. Anyway, I liked this book a lot. I actually liked it more than the first three novels since it is told in Ash’s perspective.

I liked Ash even more here. He seemed more real to me as a person. His flaws and inner demons were revealed. I liked the way that this was told in his perspective since it showed me a different side of the Winter Prince. I love the way his story was written. There were parts that were just too heavy for me. I sympathized with his character even though he did a lot of terrible things in the past. Anyway, the complexities of the Unseelie Prince definitely broke my heart and made me love him even more at the same time.

Then there’s Puck. I liked his character here as well. I love his unconventional friendship with the Unseelie Prince. He stuck with him until the very end. I think he would have given his life for the prince if necessary. Anyway, I appreciated him more here since I think that what he did for Ash was very noble.

And lastly, there’s Grimalkin. I truly love this cat/ cait sith. He’s just so adorable. He’s smart and he’s probably one of the most level- headed character in the entire series. I find it adorable that he acts like he doesn’t give a shit about anyone but in the end he usually ends up saving everyone’s asses. I just love this cat.
As for the other characters, well I liked Wolfman. He was really scary at first but his sacrifice for the sake of their adventure at the end made me like him. And of course, there’s Ariella. I think adding her in the story gave the novel a nice twist. I just find her story a little sad. I don’t want to spoil it so just read the book.

Anyway, I liked this novel a lot. I liked the way it was written. The pacing of the story is very good, not too slow and not rushed. I actually like it since it is told in a male’s perspective. I don’t really know. I just enjoy reading books told in a guy’s perspective more. I really like the scenes wherein Ash, Puck, Grimalkin and Wolfman bickered with each other. And I pity Ariella for being the referee most of the time. I liked the ending as well. And as I’ve been told there would be a spin-off series and this time it would be told in Ethan’s, Meghan’s brother, perspective. I can’t wait for that one. I just want to know how Ash and Meghan end up.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

REVIEW: IRON FEY: THE IRON QUEEN BY JULIE KAGAWA

I was finally able to finish The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa last night. It’s the third book from The Iron Fey Series. Again the story centers around Meghan, Ash and Puck.



The novel starts with Meghan and Ash as they journey through the mortal world after being banished by Oberon and Mab from their respective kingdoms. The Winter and Summer courts are at war with the Iron Kingdom and soon Meghan and Ash find themselves back to their realms despite their banishment. And oh yeah, Puck was banished as well after defying the Summer King all for the sake of freakin’ love. haha.

Again, I liked Meghan in this book. Seriously, she never irritated or annoyed me in any of the novels and I commend Julie Kagawa for that. She’s not a wimp. She’s powerful and probably one of the smartest YA girls I’ve ever encountered. She knows how to bargain and she knows how to get what she wants despite the protests of Ash and Puck. haha. Anyway, I could never really hate Meghan, she sacrificed a lot and I think she deserves to be happy in the end.

And then, there’s Ash. I really like Ash in all of the novels. I love the fact that he’s not a wimp. I think all of the characters in this series are well written. None of them were forced or anything. Anyway, I think Ash is such a gentleman and an excellent knight. haha. I found his parts especially at the end heartbreaking. I actually wanted to get inside the damn book and give him a hug.

And of course, there’s Puck. I find his bickering with Ash and another character, which I won’t mention as not to spoil anyone who has not read this yet, hilarious. I find myself laughing whenever I’m reading Puck’s scenes. He also broke my heart in the end part though. I seriously love all of the characters from this book.
Lastly, there’s Grimalkin. The adorable cait sith, cat, guide etc. My eyes kinda’ teared up a bit when he left. I love that cat. He can be cold and demeaning at times but I just can’t help but find him adorable.

So, moving on, I seriously loved this book. I think I could’ve finished this in one day if only I had nothing else to do but read. I didn’t want to put it down. I love the fact that Meghan developed into a strong heroine who could actually kick ass. I love the fact that Ash and Puck were with her until the very end. I also love the way their love triangle was written. Not too cliche and not forced. I felt sorry for Puck. I wanted to hug him or something. I missed Ironhorse too. Whenever he was mentioned, I simply could not help but cry a bit. I feel sad that he had to die in the second book but I guess his death was necessary anyway. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I can’t wait to get started on The Iron Knight. And yes, it’s gonna be told in Ash’s perspective. 

Rating: 5/5 stars

Monday, January 16, 2012

RANDOM POST #1

I'll be posting "Random Posts" from time to time just to keep this blog spontaneous. And of course, to keep myself satisfied as well since I'm a very random person. I'll be posting pictures here from my Instagram account.  This will be random updates (things I bought, the things I usually do, photos of me and my friends and family etc.) from December last year through the half of January of this year. Anyway, here's the first one.

 December 23, 2011: My New Bob.


 Me and my cousin at the Duty Free Entrance while waiting for my uncle to sign the needed documents.
My favorite chocolate in the whole wide world c/o my uncle.
 My book haul for the year 2011. There's a lot, I know. I frequently visited FullyBooked, National Bookstore or Bestsellers and Booksale last year. Some of these were paid for by my dad though. haha.

And this is what I do when I'm hungry and I find myself cool stuff in the fridge. These are orange Oreos with my City Of Fallen Angels novel. Uhm. No, they're not orange flavored. They're just orange colored. :)

Another one of my guilty pleasures. I just love collecting Victoria's Secret catalogs. I'm a big fan of Miranda Kerr, Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio.

 This is what I look like when I'm not wearing any make-up. Taken on the 31st of December 2011.

 Me and my younger cousin on the 31st of December waiting for the New Year.

 M&M's with Pretzels c/o my mom on top of Clockwork Prince.


An outtake from an impromptu shoot with my friends a few weeks ago.

Plants VS Zombies for my cousin. This actually tastes so good.

The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa c/o my dad. I ordered this a few days before Christmas and it arrived a few days ago.

 Then my mom sent me a message telling me that I just won a book and she has it already. Lucky , lucky day!


 Pink Oreos and The Iron Queen= Happiness! :)


And this is what my dresser looks like. A messy bookshelf! haha.

 Chatime Greenhills Shopping Center Chocolate and Matcha Mousse


Latest haul this 2012: Gossip Girl: Would I Lie To You for 30php and The Tales Of Beedle The Bard for 50php at National  Bookstore. They were on sale. :) My second copy of Clockwork Prince and Wither from FullyBooked. Both 300php+.

Me and my cute godchild, Hailey at 6 months old. She's the daughter of my dearest friend, Cathy.

My current desktop wallpaper c/o my friend. This was from our photoshoot a few weeks ago.

 Me together with the other faeries from our shoot.


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Saturday, January 14, 2012

REVIEW: IRON FEY: THE IRON DAUGHTER BY JULIE KAGAWA

OMG! I just can’t believe how much I loved The Iron Daughter! Julie Kagawa you are one awesome writer. This is epic! The story revolves around the adventures of Meghan, Ash, Puck and Grimalkin, the adorable cait sith.



It takes off a few months after the events in The Iron King. I haven’t read Winter’s Passage which is a novella written by Julie Kagawa though. Anyway, I loved this book and I love Meghan. She’s one tough heroine and I love her. Her character has grown so much. She’s emotional and yet she knows how to keep her emotions at bay. She thinks even if everything around her is falling apart. She’s not the type of heroine who just whines, cries and succumbs to her emotions. I just fell in love with her character even more in this book.

Then there’s Ash. I kinda missed Ash in the middle part of the novel. And his scenes were really hard for me to read. The emotional turmoil, the conflicts everything. There were times when I just wanted to hug him. But still that does not change the fact that he still makes me feel squirmy every time I read about him. I’m still a loyal member of Team Ash though. haha.

There’s also Puck of course. Man, this guy definitely made me feel giddy in this book. For a moment there I actually thought about switching sides to Team Puck. Anyway, I loved his scenes with Meghan in this book. It wasn’t forced or anything. The love triangle thing here really worked for me actually.

Lastly, there’s Grimalkin. One word: ADORABLE!

I honestly loved everything about this book. Even the side characters were memorable for me. I love Ironhorse. His loyalty towards Meghan. His dedication and the way he keeps his promises. Truth be told I was actually a little teary-eyed when he died. And Leanansidhe, too. I like the way she acts all high and mighty and yet she stays true to her promises with the gang.

Anyway, I loved the way this book was written. I started reading this last night and I ended up finishing it a few hours ago. I was so engrossed with the story. I really like the way Ms. Kagawa mashed Faerie politics and love together. The pacing was excellent and the ending was kinda sad and yet happy at the same time. I’m not that sure about that one yet. I have mixed feelings although I did like the ending. I guess I just feel happy for both Meghan and Ash and at the same time I’m sad for Puck. But still, I couldn’t put this book down. I loved every bit of it even though there were parts when I just couldn’t help but be teary eyed. I’d give this a 5/5 star rating. :)

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Friday, January 13, 2012

REVIEW: IRON FEY: THE IRON KING BY JULIE KAGAWA

A few days ago, a package arrived at my doorstep and thus I was not really surprised to see that my Iron Fey Series from The Book Depository has arrived. I was in the middle of finishing Wither by Lauren DeStefano which is why I only finished reading The Iron King by Julie Kagawa now. The story revolves around fairies. No, not the sparkly little ones who sing and dance like Tinkerbell but the hot and sexy ones who fight with swords and daggers! The main characters of the story are Meghan Chase, Ash and Puck.



First of all, I wasn’t really expecting to be engrossed in this series since I’m not really that familiar with Faeries. I am more of a vampire, gods and goddesses type of girl so yeah, this was a huge leap from my usual reads. What attracted me to this novel was the cover of The Iron Knight, which is the fourth book BTW, since the cover is Ash and Puck’s faces! Haha. Yes, I’m a sucker for cute guys and book covers so I ended up buying the entire series without even reading the plot. Lucky me, I enjoyed the first book so it wasn’t exactly a waste of money.

Anyway, the story opens up the day before Meghan’s sweet sixteen. Meghan is an ordinary girl who wears baggy and unattractive clothes since they’re not really that well off. She does not own any gadgets since they can’t really afford it. Anyway, her 4 year old half brother was kidnapped on the night of her 16th birthday thus the adventure begins. I love Meghan from the very start of the story. I think she’s a strong character. She’s not that whiny plus she definitely knows what she wants. She’s street smart and not too princess-y and I like that about her. She knows how to manipulate and bargain with people. Funny thing is her male companions (Puck and Ash) were more princess-y than her. I think Julie Kagawa wrote her character very well and I do hope that the Meghan from Book 1 will stay intact until the very end.

Then there’s Robbie a.k.a. Puck. Puck is Meghan’s best friend. He’s a red head and a jester. Little does Meghan know that Puck is not only her best friend but he’s also her faerie protector. Man, he knows how to fight and crack jokes while doing it. I like Puck. I think he is the comic relief in the story. I like the way he was written. He takes everything lightly but he’s not annoying at all.

And lastly, there’s Ash. OMG! I couldn’t finish the book fast enough because I could not help but go back to the pages he’s in. The mysterious and brooding prince of the Unseelie court. He leaves me breathless every time he appears in the book. I just love him. He’s hot. He’s sexy and he’s so dreamy. haha. I’m blabbing. I just can’t help it! I love Ash that much. I can’t wait to read The Iron Knight because of him.

I love the way this book was written. It didn’t just focus on the love story aspect of the story. I think the author did a marvelous job at incorporating the element of politics (Seelie and Unseelie Courts) in the Faerie world with the love story in it. I think that made the book appealing and not corny at all. I hate it when the focus of the story shifts from something else then to another. That usually happens when YA novels are involved. The cliffhanger in the end just wanted me to grab the next book. Bottom line is I loved this book and I can’t wait to read more about Meghan, Ash and Puck’s adventures.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot about Grimalkin! Aww! That cat is just sooooooo adorable. I want to squeeze him!

Rating: 5/5 stars

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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

THE CHEMICAL GARDEN TRILOGY: WITHER BY LAUREN DESTEFANO

I finished reading Wither by Lauren DeStefano yesterday. I wanted to make a review as soon as possible unfortunately internet access was not possible so I’m just making one now. The story centers around Rhine, a girl who was kidnapped and forced to become a bride for the 21 year old “Governor”.


Truth be told, I picked this book up because of the cover. It’s just so purrrty and mysterious and I simply couldn’t help but pick it up. And I have to say that my momentary impulse buying (I usually read previous reviews first before I buy books) did me good. I enjoyed this book so much I ended up reading it in one sitting. :)

I like Rhine, the heroine of the story. She wasn’t really annoying. I think my prejudice against female characters is starting to pass. Anyway, I like her. She’s a strong female character who is emotional and at the same time not afraid to manipulate other people in order to get what she wants. I’m a fan of strong female characters so automatically I ended up loving her and wanting to know more about her.

There’s also Linden Ashby (Trivia: Linden Ashby is actually a real actor who played Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat), the “Governor”, who is oblivious to everything that’s happening around him. I liked the fact that the author made him seem like a villain in the first pages of the story. I ended up falling in love with his character in the end though. His innocence is somewhat refreshing. I love everything that went on with him and his four wives. Yes, four wives! Read it so you’ll understand. I’m actually rooting for him. :)

Lastly, there’s Gabriel. He is a servant in the mansion where most of the events in the book take place. He is a part of the love triangle in the story. Unfortunately, as much as I love him I still prefer Linden over him.
I loved this book. The pacing was excellent and not dragging. The characters were well written.I could actually feel for them. Their struggles, hardships etc. I especially love the way Lauren DeStefano write the female characters. She made them seem like weaklings but deep down they’re all amazing in their own ways. Plus the fact that the villain is scary as hell and I just love it. I can’t wait for Fever which is the second novel in The Chemical Garden Trilogy. 

Rating: 5/5 stars

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Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Happy Tuesday

Well, earlier today something nice arrived on my doorstep. 


 Hmm. What could it be?? 
Could it be a bomb sent to me by an enemy? hmmm.

Or something more sinister?

And so, I opened it. 

And lookie lookie...


My paperback copies of The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, The Iron Queen and The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa has arrived.

Thanks Dad for your credit card. :)

 I ordered this from The Book Depository three days before Christmas and I can't believe how smooth our transaction was. It actually arrived on time and to think that I ordered this during the holidays! Til' next transaction. :)

PS: Will make a review after reading. :)

Monday, January 9, 2012

EXISTENCE BY ABBI GLINES

I finished reading Existence by Abbi Glines last night. Truth be told, I wasn’t really expecting that much since I wasn’t even able to finish The Vincent Boys by the same author. This is a story about Death falling in love with a not so normal girl named Pagan. Yeah, I know it’s so cliche but honestly I found myself liking this a little bit as I got deeper into the story.



The characters were written well, I guess. I liked Dank a.k.a. Death. Damn!
He’s one sexy bastard!
I wouldn’t mind dying if he will be the last thing I see. haha. Seriously, he’s so sexy! I actually understand Pagan’s attraction towards his character. I also liked the way he was written here. Not the typical Death with his scythe and cloak but Death, the sexy rock star.

Pagan annoyed me a bit though. I mean, I get it, she likes him but I think she was just too clingy to the point of making her unnerving. Plus, the fact that she has a hot boyfriend who loves her and yet she’s attracted with the sexy Death. Well, I can probably sympathize with her. haha. Leif is hot but Dank is sexy! And I like my men sexy!

The supporting characters were okay I guess. I liked Miranda who is like the rich bitch girlfriend. She’s the bitch in their friendship and yet you can see how much she loves Pagan. She’s not the typical selfish bitch best friend. She’s only a bitch when the need calls for it. Anyway, she’s my favorite female character in the book.

The writing was just okay for me. Not bad or excellent. Just something in between. The first and middle chapters were really slow for me. The end was nice enough though. It caught my attention because of that cliffhanger. haha. And because of that ending I just can’t wait to get my hands on the second book of this trilogy.

Rating: 3/5 stars

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Sunday, January 8, 2012

BEAUTIFUL DISASTER BY JAMIE MCGUIRE

I stumbled upon Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire because of a thread in Goodreads and Thea, a batch mate of mine from college who convinced me that it is a must read. Plus the fact that I just could not finish The Vincent Boys, so I read it even though I had second thoughts since I’m not really a fan of contemporary YA novels.



Anyhoo, the story centers around two dysfunctional people, Travis Maddox and Abby Abernathy. I liked the dynamic of these two people. I know the story is sorta cliche, good girl meets bad boy etc., but I swear it has a twist. I loved this book from the first page.Even the supporting characters were lovable.

I love Travis Maddox. He’s in this fight club thing where he gets paid to beat people up, he has tattoos, he smokes, he’s a heavy drinker, he rides a motorcycle etc. In short he’s the typical bad boy.
And as I’ve said earlier I have a penchant for bad boys and so yeah, I love him. haha.
Anyway, he lives with his cousin Shepley, another endearing character BTW, in their apartment. In one of his fight nights he meets Abby Abernathy, who is Shepley’s girlfriend, America’s best friend.

Well, Abby is typical good girl on the outside. Oooh, I don’t want to spoil this so you just have to read why it’s only on the outside. haha. She befriends Travis and somehow he mellows down. Eventually, they fall in love and start a relationship. You just have to read it to know how. haha.

I liked this novel a lot. It made me feel giddy and I think Travis is such a sweetheart. He may be violent at times but when he’s sweet, he could make your heart melt like butter. As for Abby, I found her annoying at times. There were times when I think she was just trying so hard to be good and it kinda ticked me off. But I loved her more when she turned into the “REAL ABBY” in one of the chapters.

I’d give this a 4/5 star rating. I love Ms. McGuire’s novel.

Currently reading Existence by Abbi Glines.
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CLOCKWORK PRINCE BY CASSANDRA CLARE

As I’ve said on my previous review, I have finished Clockwork Prince already and I think I owe this one a decent review too since I liked it that much. Again, the story centers around Downworlder Tessa Gray and Shadowhunters Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs.



I actually love this novel more than I loved the first one and I’ve already given 5/5 stars to the first one. haha. Anyway, it takes off after the events from Clockwork Angel. I love the way Ms. Clare writes. There are times when sequels ruin the entire series for me but this one did not. It actually made me crave for the third book which will be out later on this year BTW. 

Anyway, a lot of questions were answered in this book. And one of them is Why does Will act like a prick? haha. And I must say that part made me teary eyed. I ache for Will and I love him even more because of it. He’s a really good person and I think he deserves to be happy. And his letter at the end made me want to give him a hug. Oh yeah, I got the first print edition so I also have a copy of his letter to his family on his birthday. I liked Will more in this novel more than I did in the first one. He seemed more human even though he still acted like he didn’t give a care in the world.

What can I say about Tessa though? Hmm. I liked her here as well. She did have her typical heroine attitude I-can’t-decide-between-these-two-boys-because-I-want-them-both-and-they-want-me but then again, I think she was gutsy enough to choose in the end. Even though I still have this feeling that she hasn’t actually made her final decision yet. But still I think that took a lot of guts. We’ll see in the last book though.

Jem as always is flawless in this book. And it’s actually good to see his wild side in this novel. haha. Just read it. I don’t want to spoil anyone.

Ms. Clare did not fail to make me hungry for the third and last installment as always. I love the way she wrote this book. The cliffhangers weren’t as annoying as cliffhangers should be. It didn’t actually leave me saying WTF?! It just made me want to read Clockwork Princess ASAP! I’d give this a 5/5 star rating again. If only I could give a 10/5 I would!

Clockwork Princess please hurry up!

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Thursday, January 5, 2012

CLOCKWORK ANGEL BY CASSANDRA CLARE

These past two months I’ve been reading Cassandra Clare’s novels, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices. I’ve finished the four novels from The Mortal Instruments series, book five (City Of Lost Souls) will be released on May 8. Anyway, I finished Clockwork Angel from The Infernal Devices last Christmas so I think I should write a review now. haha. 

The Infernal Devices is a prequel to The Mortal Instruments. It is set during the Victorian era in England. The story centers around the lives of downworlder and shadowhunters Tessa Gray, Will Herondale and James Carstairs. Yes, some familiar names from the The Mortal Instruments will be mentioned in this series. 

Anyway, I can honestly say that I like this series more than I like The Mortal Instruments. First of all, I love the characters. Will is sarcastic, arrogant and everything your fathers warned you about in boys, almost like Jace from The Mortal Instruments and yes, I have a penchant for bad boys but he has his reasons for being the way he is. He’s my favorite character in the series. I love the way Ms. Clare wrote his story.

Then there’s Tessa, she didn’t annoy me as much as I expected that she would.  I really should work on being biased when it comes to female characters. Tsk.  Anyway, I love the development of her character. I think she’s one of those strong female characters since she’s not that indecisive not like some female heroines from other books. I mean, yeah, she was at first but when she decides whatever it is that she wants then that’s that. We’ll see in the next books though. Plus, she’s not that whiny and I love it.

And of course, there’s James “Jem” Carstairs, Will’s parabatai. I don’t really know why I like him that much. Normally I’m not really into the “nice guys” but somehow Jem had me . haha. And I love the way he’s also Will’s “conscience” in the entire series. They have this bromance thing going on since they’re parabatai and I love it

I think Ms. Clare did a great job in writing this novel. I love the development of the characters like the reasons why they act the way they do. I also like the supporting characters like Charlotte, Sophie and Henry. I didn’t like Jessamine though, I think she’s annoying and too bitchy. Ms. Clare is really good when it comes to leaving her readers with cliffhangers that makes you want to publish the next book yourself.Yes, she’s mean like that. haha. Anyway, I love it and I could not wait to read Clockwork Prince which is even better. Yes, I know it’s so much better since I’ve already finished it by the time I decided to write this review. haha. Bottom line is I can’t wait for Clockwork Princess. :)

I’m giving this a 5/5 star rating since I enjoyed reading this a lot.
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VENGEANCE BY MICHELLE MADOW

I finished Vengeance, the second book of the Transcend Time Saga by Michelle Madow, a few hours ago. It’s a short story told in the perspective of Lizzie’s best friend Chelsea. Again, the cover is absolutely stunning.

The story opens with Lizzie and Chelsea’s last conversation from the first novel.  Chelsea is angry at Lizzie because of her betrayal and she wants revenge.I actually like Chelsea’s character even though she’s suppose to be the antagonist of some sort. She knows what she wants and she’s determined to get it no matter what. I think she’s a strong character and I like the way she was written. She’s not exactly a 100% bitch, that’s Shannon for me, she’s just angry and I think that’s what makes her a unique character. Anyway, I like her and that’s all there is to it. It’s nice to look at the story from another perspective.

I just wished Michelle made this a little bit longer so that we’d be able to get to know Chelsea even more. I’d give this a 3.5/5 star rating. I liked this one but not as much as I liked the first one. I think this novel was too short but it was still an enjoyable read. Anyway, the cliff hanger at the end of the story just made me want to read the next one as soon as possible.

Publishers! Please publish the next one fast! I can’t wait. :)

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REMEMBRANCE BY MICHELLE MADOW

As some of you might have noticed I don’t really review the novels that I read chronologically. I prefer writing about the novel that I feel writing about at the moment. Anyway, Happy New Year everyone! First review for the year 2012!

I finished Michelle Madow’s debut novel Remembrance way back in December. And I think I owe this novel a decent review. To be perfectly honest I liked this novel a lot. The story is about reincarnation and making things right. Truth be told what got me to read this novel was the cover. The cover is simply gorgeous and I love it.



Reincarnation is another thing that caught my interest in this novel since I’ve never actually read a novel with that concept. I love the way the characters were written. Come to think of it, none of the female characters annoyed me in any way. Which is a good thing since I tend to get annoyed by whiny heroines. I love the whole “I-love-you-but-I-have-to-act-like-you-don’t-exist-to-protect-you” thing going on with Lizzie and Drew. I don’t know. I know it’s kinda cliche but I actually liked the way the author added it to the story. I actually find that very endearing. Or maybe I’m just really really weird? haha.

I actually liked Lizzie since she seemed so real. I mean she did like Drew or rather she has been attracted to him from day one but somehow she had mixed feelings and conflicts since her best friend is also attracted to the same guy. I mean, come on who wouldn’t be attracted to a hottie like him? Anyway, she just seemed so real as a person and I liked it.

Anyway, this is a must-read for those of you who believe in the reincarnation and stuff like that. Yes, the middle part of the story was somehow slow but I can guarantee you that the last chapters of the novel will make up for it. I’d give this a 4/5 star rating though. :)

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