Monday, April 30, 2012

ARC: Talisman of El

Talisman of El by Alecia Stone

         Hey there everyone! I would just like to share with you the ARC that I won Talisman of El a debut novel of Alecia Stone. I have read the excerpt of this novel and I am expecting a lot of action and mysteries to be uncovered. It starts with the question "WHAT IF YOUR WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE IS A LIE?" that just made me more interested. 
         
         There are a lot of great reviews about this book so I can't wait to get it started and see it for myself. I will tell you all about it soon enough. It comes out this May 20. So, watch out for it.

          Thank you Alecia for sharing an ARC to the readers like me.  

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Book Review: Onyx (Lux 2)

Onyx (Lux, #2)Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The connection between Kat and Daemon is stronger than they thought. While Daemon tries to prove to Kat that his feelings is not a product of their connection, a new guy Blake arrives. But something in Blake makes Daemon distrust him. And the discovery that his brother Dawson might be alive unveils more lies in a world that Kat has stumbled upon.

It just got better! This second book just raised the bar for the series. I had a lot of thoughts while reading this book and most of them is me gushing about Daemon. LOL. But before the girl gushing part, let me get to the story first. I have nothing to complain about the story. This book has a lot more complications compared to the first one. It is more about the secrets that lurks in the corners of the lives of the Luxen. However, this time around Kat is part of that secret because it turned out that they have more than the Arum to worry about there is the DOD (Department of Defense) )which is scarier than the Arum and the new breed of humans that is the people that the Luxen heals. Yeah I know it sounds so X-men. Lastly there is the possibility of Dawson being alive which revealed more lies and betrayal. There is a lot going on in this book but as I was reading it, it didn't feel that way because I know that they are connected. That got my brain going. Thinking what the connection is. It was teasing my brain.

Half of the book was spent with Daemon trying to win Katy's heart and there were a lot of heart stopping, jittery feeling and Katy frustrating moments. Daemon is really changed here, he showed a lot of emotions and he became a much stronger character. I just LOVE Daemon in this book. He melts my heart into a pile of goo. LOL. I found myself smiling whenever he pursues Kat. I like the way the author made all the exchanges betwee him and Kat funny and romantic at the same time. And Kat was turning into this frustrating character that I wanted to shake more than a dozen times. No matter how much Daemon showed his heart she just refused to believe it. The worst part is that her being stubborn led to many bad choices. And even to the death of a character. I will not blame it all on her though. I mean as frustrating as Kat was in the book she has her reasons and the best part is that she came around in the end. This book has a lot of Katy and Daemon written all over it. They dominated this book. I am guessing it has something to do with the next book.

This is one exhilarating, forget-about-sleeping, swoon over Daemon, action packed book that you would not want to miss. Yes, that is how good this book is.

View all my reviews

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Book Review: Obsidian (Lux 1)

Obsidian (Lux, #1)Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kat just moved to Virginia just before she started her senior year. It was the worst thing that she could have imagined. No more friends, new school, new town and a neighbor she can't stand. No matter how much she wants to stay away from Daemon her friendship with his sister Dee just draws her closer to him. But something is different with Dee and Daemon and Kat is stuck in the middle of it.

An exciting and different read for me. Every page is full of action and excitement. There was no dull moment for this book. It was like everything was moving fast. I love the banter between Daemon and Kat. It was hilarious and sometimes nerve racking. Especially because you read this book from Kat's point of view so you get a fair share of her frustration and irritation with Daemon. The attraction between the two of them is undeniable. I love the fact that Kat isn't a push over. She is a strong a character.

This first book is an introduction to Daemon's world. Where everything is otherworldly. There are still more mysteries to be uncovered. Including a past that still haunts Daemon and Dee. I can't wait for the next book.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Across the Universe

Across the Universe (Across the Universe, #1)Across the Universe by Beth Revis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amy was frozen with her parents to be one of the people on board a ship and to wake up in a new planet they can call Earth. But something went wrong. And Amy woke up earlier than she was supposed to. Afraid for the lives of her parents, Amy must find the person who woke her up and expose the lies that has been running the ship all this time.

This is my first read of a book that has something to do with space travel. I can say that I did not regret reading this book. It was exciting and mysterious. My only complain is that it was a really sloooooow climb towards the plot. So slow that it slowed my reading. It took me awhile to finish this book because the first few pages did not fuel my interest. And I admit I didn't understand it. Good thing patience kicked in and I pursued my reading. I would have regret not continuing it.


When I read almost half of the book that was where the action started. I could not stop reading it. The ship was one twisted place to be. I would not want to be Amy and just be the only one to know that something was wrong. I could just imagine what kind of life they have on board. With their repeated routines and fake environment. It would have drive me insane. I was right all along regarding who the real murderer is. However there was so much more to the reason behind it than I would have guessed. In the end it was hard to decide who the bad guy is. It is more complicated than that.

Lies, deception and plotting. Unravel the truth with each turn of a page. This is one space travel you don't want to miss.


View all my reviews

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Exclusive: book trailer of city of lost souls

Book Trailer: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

    At last! After the cover has been revealed to the many fans of the popular series The Mortal Instruments we can now get a hold of the exclusive book trailer by Cassandra Clare. EW.com has recently released the exclusive book trailer. I can say that this next installment will truly be up with the other four books. I can't wait for The City of Lost Souls. No doubt this will make all the fans want for more sneak peak.
So check out everyone. http://shelf-life.ew.com/2012/04/18/cassandra-clare-city-of-lost-souls-trailer/  What do you think?

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Original Story: What I did

What I did…
 I made this for my boyfriend whom I know I have caused pain. I know that you said that we forget about it. You said there is nothing to apologize. Still, I want you to know this. 

I know I made you cry.
Made your eyes run dry.
I know I made you sad.
Made your heart feel bad.
I know I made you feel useless
Made you think your giving me less.
I know I made you hurt
Made your heart burst

Your face no longer has that smile
Your eyes no longer shine for miles
Your heart no long flutters
Your mind no longer mutters

I want to make you smile
I know it is worthwhile
I want to wipe those tears away
Wish I could press rewind and have a replay
 I want to heal your heart
Make sure it’s never taken apart.
I want to erase those thoughts
With happy ones I wrought.

Baby, it was a bad night
 I wish I could hold you tight
Make you feel safe and no longer afraid
Redo all I did and erase all I said
But I can’t, your tears haunts me
And this is my sorry.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Original Story: Taking a Leap

Taking a Leap
I don’t know what has got into me but suddenly I felt this itch. That itch that makes me want to write. I don’t really know what to write I am swimming in a lot of emotions right now. Maybe it is because of that book. I read this book about falling in love. Yeah I know very original right? But what really made it different is that the ending wasn’t so happy at all. If anything it was dead on very sad! The girl Livia in the story was cured of Leukemia and she went on this trip to visit her brother Jeff then suddenly she meets this guy Adam that made her feel different about herself, made her fall in love in a strong and different way. The kind of love that takes you to the heavens. The head over heels kind of love. But then life played a very cruel joke to the two of them Livia died leaving Adam behind. And that is where it hit me, how one thing that seems so beautiful can be ruined by one single event.
 I cried so hard reading that book. I was devastated. I was hoping for a happily ever after. I am a sucker for happily ever afters. Maybe because I was always having this thought that in books I can always escape the sad reality of life that it is not always happy. That life can be very unfair.
Maybe what prompted me to write is that I can identify myself with her. I am not sick I don’t have leukemia. But I am sickly though. If you ask me how many times have I been admitted to the hospital I would say more than you can count. All my life I am always careful, I am seen as the fragile one, I am always handled like I am some kind of a glass; breakable and those people around me the are also very careful. I guess you can say that I am sheltered. I see how my health bring down even the strongest among us. I see how my mother tries to put a smile on her face just to stop me from crying. I see how my brother sacrifices his family time just to be with me in the hospital. I see how my sister sleeps in the hospital just so I have someone there to look after me. I can see how my other sister calls all my doctors just to make sure I am okay because she is overseas and she wants to make sure that the doctors looking after me are the best. I can see how my dad tries to be nonchalant about the events just so I get the impression that what I have is nothing serious. You think I like all these attention? No. You think I like seeing family get all wired up because of me? No. I want to be normal. I want to be treated like other people. I want to have fun, be careless, fall in love and travel. I don’t like people looking at me and think that I am somebody who is defenseless. Because I am not.
Then it hits me how one story could make someone see her life in a different angle. How one story can mirror another person’s life. How it can rattle the brain with different thoughts. And right now that story made me long for that same kind of love that Adam has for Livia. The kind that never falters that even through death it fights to exist. I see love like that and I feel ashamed because these people they see love and they go for it not thinking of what might be next or where this might lead. And I wish I could be like that. Be courageous to take the leap, and see where life might take me. But I am not like that. I am not good with moments I always think of what happens next. And maybe that is my issue. 
By the way, an update to my last issue I have not told that person yet that i don’t want to go out with him. Furthermore, I made an ultimatum with myself that I should go out with him before August. Keep your fingers cross and hope I do what is best.
Love, Em-em 

Original Story: Forever in Seven Days

Forever in Seven Days

Forget about fairy tales. Cinderella and prince charming, Snow White and prince charming, Aurora (sleeping beauty) and prince charming, they are nothing compared to my love story. Hey, come to think of it, they all fell in love with prince charming. Did they fall in love with the same prince? Or did the authors forget that princes should also have names?  Me, I fell in love with a guy who’s every bit a prince charming as these guys and take note my prince has a name. And our love? This stuff is made of reality.
First day, it started with a call from him in the middle of the night. And although I was not allowed to go out of my dormitory I pleaded with our guard just so I could go out. Now why did I just do that?
Second day, he sent me text message inviting me to dinner. I said yes even if I should be out with my friends supporting one of our friends who joined a pageant. Now, what made me do that?
After dinner we went somewhere by the ocean. He held my hand when we got the edge where the ocean meets the shore he hugged me tight and we stayed like that for almost the entire time of our stay. Now, why did I allow him to do that?
We talked. He told me about his ex girlfriend and about how someone stole a kiss from him. I was choking back my jealousy. I would definitely get the word STUPID in bold capital letters tattooed on my forehead. We are just friends right? Friends don’t get jealous with their friend’s ex. Now, what made me feel that way?
Third day, we went to a coffee shop in the middle of the night. He told me he left his friends at their house just so he could be with me. He wants to be with me rather than with them. I am important to him. Now, why does his words send thrills into my system?
Fourth day, we were supposed to go to a mass but I wasn’t able to come. I felt so guilty for not being able to go while he was there waiting for me in the church. After the mass he went to my dorm and we went out to dinner. And felt so relieved that I get to see him before our exam. Now, why all these emotions?
Fifth day, he called to wake me up for our nursing licensure exam. We sent many text messages however; I was not able to see him today. I understand we have to concentrate for our second day of exam. But I feel lonely and incomplete. Now, why the feeling of loneliness and being incomplete?
Sixth day, finally exams are over.  I get to see him tonight. But wait; shouldn’t I be relieved that there are no more exams? No more reviews? Instead of counting the hours until I see him again? Now, why all the excitement of seeing him?
Seventh day, he told me he loves me even before we started going out. He has always loved me since high school. I was caught speechless when he said “If you would give me chance be my girl and I will court you forever”. All I did was nod. I didn’t even understand what he said. It was like my brain froze. I’m pretty sure the brain freezing part was not due to the exams that sucked all my knowledge away but it was because of this guy sitting right next to me, looking me straight in the eye and telling me he loves me.
All these questions I don’t know where they come from. I don’t know why they haunt me. When I am not with him I want to talk about him to my friends. Maybe it was not just him who fell in love with a girl a long time ago. Maybe I also fell in love with a boy a long time ago. And it is just until now that that boy is with me that I recognize it
You see, he was the boy from my elementary days, the teenage boy from my high school years and now he is the man in my present and my future. 
It is fascinating how life can play its little tricks with us. How the boy I thought was just a friend turned out to be the one I am holding hands with. How the teenage boy who I thought ignored me for the rest of high school years turned out to be the one I have priceless moments with.  How this boy is now a man that I am so in love with. And how this boy became my prince charming. No, he didn’t ride a white horse; he just walked into my life and changed everything. This boy is a dream in my reality and he is my Dave. 

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Original Story: Hopeless

Hopeless
I just don’t understand
Why you’re running away from our good love
Why you’re running away from me
Wasn’t I enough?
I just can’t let it go
You said we’re meant to be forever
Not knowing forever ended so soon
You said you needed time
Away from the distractions of our love
How come suddenly you’re in another man’s arms?
Tell me when did forever end 
I never thought you’d give up that easily
Abandon me for another man
Why did you push me away?
When all I wanted was to stay
What was I suppose to do
When I see you holding his hands?
Tell me what do I gotta do when my heart is breaking?
I guess I knew all along
That I’m no longer the only one
But I was hopeless, hopelessly in love with you
Now I got to pick up the pieces
Right where you left them. 

Original Story: Start to End

Start to End
It started with a text message
It was just a simple hi
We talked, we laughed
We spent the entire night together
It was epic 
Like a scene from a story
You were amazing but you were also danger 
You were wrong for me
You were all kinds of wrong
So wrong you felt so right
But I took the risk
I gave you my heart
And it was heaven from the start
But I have fallen from heaven’s grip
Our story came to an end. 
You cheated, you lied
But you’re still in my heart
You’re fake, you’re weak
But I can’t get you off my mind
So sick of playing this game with you
We break up, we make up
Tell me what’s the deal?
I can’t run from you
I keep on coming back
Back to the start
Back to that broken heart
I want to be free
Away from shadows
Away from your grasp.
Away from what used to be.