easter

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read.

Open to a random page.

Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!

(make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

So here's my sinful teaser:

My caretaker, a man who never looked older than twenty, Olexander, tried to explain to me then why the people stayed so far away from us. 

"Liliana, my dear, they are scared of you because you know their secrets. Nothing terrifies a human being more than the possibility of being found out." 

 page 5 of The Sin Collector
by Jessica Fortunato

Into You

Title: Into You
Author: Riley J. Ford
Kindle Edition, 253 pages
Published July 2nd 2012

What if you could know exactly what your friends are thinking? High school student Winter Reynolds can, but there's a catch...
She can only read people's thoughts when she's kissing them.
When a member of the track team is murdered, Winter has an opportunity to use her special ability to find the killer. Trouble is, kissing everyone on the track team isn't such a good idea when you have a new boyfriend. Talk about complications!
Should Winter persevere using her secret power to catch the murderer still in their midst, even if it means risking her relationship with her one true love?
Disclaimer: Mild profanity and a graphic murder scene. While humorous, this book also explores the underbelly of teen life. May not be suitable for younger teens.

Truly a fantastic read!

Before I babble and squeal, let me tell you something about the author. Miss Riley J. Ford is awesome! This is the second Ford book I've read and as usual, she has impressed me with her talent in storytelling.

Into You introduces us to Winter Reynolds, who, for the very first time, had kissed a boy and had discovered that she can read his mind when he touched his lips with hers. At first, she thought, Ethan just whispered out loud, but the second time, she really heard Ethan's not so romantic thoughts on her. He even had the nerve to call her a "ho"!!

With this revelation, Winter's normal life took on a huge turn. She couldn't tell her mom how this happened, but she was glad she had Miranda whom she could count on.  But when her so-called friend asked her to kiss a boy, Winter soon realized that her friend might be using her to know if the boy actually liked Miranda.

A new girl and a boy from Winter's past came to town and soon her life turned upside down. A murder took place and she decided to use her new ability to track down the murderer. Could she really kiss every boy in her school just to get into the mind of the criminal? My oh my, oh my.

This is an engrossing read. It really didn't have any dull moment nor boring escapade. The setting was fast-paced and well executed.
I could easily relate with Winter and couldn't help but agree with her decisions in handling her powers. It's good that she has a good head on her shoulders and believes that with great power comes with great responsibility. Something that her bestfriend should have had in the beginning. While I may be over thirty years old, (yeah, i'm not that young anymore), I could still see myself in her when I was in my teens, daydreaming about the cutest boy in school. I think I may have a crush on Jason Stumblemeyer right now. ha-ha!

Into You is highly recommended to teens and young & new adults alike. Satisfaction guaranteed! My rating for this Riley J. Ford great piece of work: 4 bookmarks!

I actually enjoyed every kissing moment of it.. Seriously :)

Musing Monday March 25

Welcome again to our Musing Mondays from Miz B of Should Be Reading, where MizB asks a book/reading-related question, and you answer with your own thoughts on the topic:

Here are the questions we can muse about each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.

• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).

• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it! *NEW!*

• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!

• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

Well, here ARE my musings for this week:

READING HABIT - Theme Reading:

One of my reading habits is, (as much as possible!)  to make sure that there is a theme that I follow every month when reading a book.

Like last January, the books I've read were Bestsellers Series. So I completed the Iron Fey series (Iron King, Iron Daughter, Iron Queen, Iron Knight) including the mini novellas, (Winter's Passage and Summer's Crossing).

Then in February, it being a love month, I've read books that make your heart go a-flutter. No paranormal stuffs. Just good old contemporary love stories - straight from the heart.

And now in March - it's all about the Supernaturals - Vampires, Werewolves, Dragons, Witches, Ghosts, Mermaids, Shapeshifters and the like. Paranormal stuffs.. and I have a whole lot of shelves of these kind. I think I'm gonna read Paranormals until April so I can fully devour these creatures.. Rawrrr!

and so for my other musing:

WHAT AM I CURRENTLY READING? 

I'm actually busy with two books right now. The first one is  Jessica Fortunato's THE SIN COLLECTOR.  It follows the life of Liliana, a born Sin Collector. She has spent over 100 years absorbing people's sins so they may rest in peace come death.  Sounds interesting, right? You bet it is!

The other book I'm reading is: CLOCKWORK ANGEL by none other than Cassandra Clare. This is book 1 from the Infernal Devices series, a spin-off of the soon-to-be shown movie, The Mortal Instruments. Together, let's discover the world of Downworlders who have the rare ability to transform, at will, into another person.

How about you? Tell me your musings, habits, books, today. Have a blessed week ahead :)

The Croods Trailer # 2

My Kids have been bugging me with this.. Let's go watch The Croods!

teaser tuesday march19

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read.

Open to a random page.

Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!

(make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

As I speed-walked toward my locker, a football whooshed across the hall, barely missing my shoulder. Again? I glared at the boy who had chucked it to his friend. He laughed and said, "Whoops!"

  

Aurora Sky:
Vampire Hunter
Kindle edition, page 19

The World of Karov

Title: THE WORLD OF KAROV
(The Children of Demilee)
Author: Elyse Salpeter
Kindle Edition
Published December 2012

Adam and Alec look like identical twins, but their personalities are as different as possible. Adam is gentle and kind, whereas Alec is the essence of nightmares. Always jealous of his twin, Alec does everything he can to destroy his brother’s happiness, including kidnapping Adam’s fiancée on their wedding day and disappearing with her deep into the Canadian mountains. Adam searches for them for months, but he never finds them. Just when Adam is at his most grief-stricken point, a stranger appears and offers him a chance for a new life in a land filled with magic, gems, and powers unimaginable; a world mysteriously led by a special tribe of children who have hidden themselves away from a great evil that is seeking to destroy them. Adam takes the chance and goes with the stranger, but his past is never far from his mind. Eventually, reality comes back to haunt Adam, resulting in a final showdown with his brother…. and this time, only one will win.

I have been reading a lot of stories revolving around twins, the good and the bad, mostly about sisters. There's The Lying Game by Sara Shepard, Entangled by Nikki Jefford, and The Man in the Iron Mask (by Alexander Dumas) to name a few. But the World of Karov is a totally different story. The evil twin, Alec is the very son of the Devil, killing animals, driving his mom crazy, taking away everything that his good twin, Adam loves. Including the one he was supposed to marry.

Adam spent so many months looking for Arianna, the love of his life while his health dangerously failed. Then came a stranger who soon took him to the world of Karov. A world filled with promise, mystery, and a dark future that looms upon Adam's existence. Just when he thought he could fully live the life he dreamed of, his evil twin made it a nightmare.

How much pain does he had to take just to live a normal life? Will he lived to see that happen?

I'd like to say, this is one of those fantasy-themed stories which is dark yet illuminating. The fast-paced approach was riveting, the story depiction was well-delivered and the characters were developed as the tale progressed.

I'd like to give a round of applause to Elyse Salpeter for creating a different kind of world.  I have actually felt the pains that Adam experienced; the joys he had felt, and the sufferings he had undergone. Not a lot of authors have that capability to make their readers feel what their characters actually portray. Bravo, Ms. Elyse Salpeter! Looking forward to reading more of Adam and Alec's tale soon.

The Book of Lost Souls

Title: The Book of Lost Souls
Author: Michelle Muto
Kindle E-book format
Published March 2011

summary from goodreads:

When teen witch Ivy MacTavish changes a lizard into her date for a Halloween dance, everything turns to chaos. And when no one is powerful enough to transform him back except Ivy, it sparks the rumor: Like father, like daughter. Ivy has heard it all before - that her father, who left when she was seven - was involved with the darkest of magic.
Making the rumors worse, someone uses an evil spell book to bring back two of history's most nefarious killers. Ivy's got a simple plan to set things right: find the real dark spell caster, steal the book, and reverse the spell. No problem! But she'll have to deal with something more dangerous than murderous spirits that want her and her friends dead: the school's resident bad boy and hotter-than-brimstone demon, Nick Marcelli. Nick's offering Ivy more than his help with recovering the missing book - he's offering her a way to ditch her scaly reputation as a lizard-lover. Demons are about as hard to handle as black magic, and as Ivy soon discovers, it's going to take more than a lot of luck and a little charm if she wants to survive long enough to clear her status as a dark witch, get a warm-blooded boyfriend, and have her former date back to eating meal worms before the week's end. 

Meet the Regulars or the humans and the Kindreds or the supernaturals. These beings keep the town of Northwicke peaceful and in order. Until teenage witch Ivy turned her friend's pet lizard, Spike, into a human, just to make her crush Dean get jealous. Spike soon got away and never wanted to be turned into a lizard again. That's when no one wanted to get involved with her. And everyone thought she was just like her father - evil.

But Ivy has her best friends by her side. The vampires Raven & Gareth, and the werewolves, Bane & Shayde. Together they got entangled on a web of mystery and witchcraft. Together, they had to make sure that Spike, the lizard boy, in order to bring him back to his original form. And together, they had to clean up a cemetery as part of their punishment. That's when two mysterious books appear from under a tree. The books 1001 Quick Recipes and A Botany of Spells, Magic for the Garden. Although these books seemed harmless, the other one was The Rise of the Dark Curse, by the name itself, is definitely a book of pure black magic. However, it was obvious to Ivy that there was still one book missing. And that was the most dangerous book of them all - The Book of Lost Souls.

Suddenly, a murder happened in Northwicke. And then a couple of dead people had risen, wrecking havoc and causing the murders in the once peaceful town. Soon Ivy's life has turned to worse.

However, there was one hot demon named Nick who was willing to help. Was he really into Ivy, or did he have a hidden agenda? How about Dean? Would Ivy get a chance with him?

I actually found this story fun to read. The characters' personalities were greatly detailed and the history of their names were even discussed. I love the mystery surrounding the books and the people or the supernaturals who were holding them. And the voices that we hear when the books are being opened - creepy!

Michelle Muto knows how to keep her readers interested and engaged. The story may seem a little predictable, but in a good way. I actually found myself smiling because the banter between Ivy and Nick was catchy and fun! Like this one:

Ivy asked, " What do you want, Nick?"
The corner of Nick’s mouth eased into a grin that made Ivy’s insides somersault unexpectedly. “You,’ he said without breaking eye contact.”

Oh! I feel like  I'm in high school again.. Whew!

My rating for Michelle Muto's Book of Lost Souls: 4 bookmarks!

Hoping to read more about Ivy MacTavish soon!

Champagne for Two

Title: Champagne for Two
Author: Patrice Wilton
Kindle Edition
Published September 2011

CHAMPAGNE FOR TWO is a tale about an upscale dating service in Palm Beach--fun and sassy!

Get ready to meet Christine as she embarks on a new journey in the world of dating service. After taking over the "Merry Matchmakers" from her mom and colleagues, she was surprised by a knock on the door, perfectly framing a gorgeous rugged man named Derek. Apparently, the dating service used Derek's photo to advertise the business but he was really not pleased with the idea. So he confronted the new owner, hoping to get his photo off the wall, but soon he found himself pining for Christine's attention and luscious body.

The outcome or ending was a little predictable, but I did enjoy reading it. The grandmoms' story was cute. The daughter's romance was a little too dramatic but her character was underdeveloped. I suggest Nicole's love story get a spin-off so I can understand her more and so we can see more of Jake, Brett and her. I also liked the characters of Jenny and Dr. Helga Weiss, the psychologist. She was so darn funny!

Overall, I had a pleasant time reading Champagne for Two. The author, Patrice Wilton, seamlessly captured the love scenes as well as the angst from a rejected romance. Perfect for a lovely evening read. :)

books

good book on your shelf is a friend that turns its back on you and remains a friend. ~Author Unknown

A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy. ~Edward P. Morgan

The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it. ~James Bryce

musing monday March

Welcome again to our Musing Mondays from Miz B of Should Be Reading, where MizB asks a book/reading-related question, and you answer with your own thoughts on the topic:

This year, Miz B made some changes with Musing Mondays and she asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

Here's my musing for this week.

Currently Reading: INTO YOU by Riley J. Ford. I'm still on Chapter 6..

But so far, I'm liking the story! The protagonist, Winter, is able to read the minds of the boys... But only while she's kissing them. Cool! I would love to try it, hahaha. I wonder how many guys would Winter kiss by the end of the book.. ^_~

How about you? What are you reading today?

friday finds

It's TGIFriday ... Happy Weekend greetings to all you folks :)

And let me just greet my sister Jennifer a veryy happy happy 30th birthday. 

Here's my Friday Finds edition for this week..

Brought to us by MizB of Should Be Reading

Her Highness, The Traitor

Susan Higginbotham

Die for Me

Amy Plum

Edenbrooke

Julianne Donaldson

Hereafter 

Tara Hudson

Everything I Was

Corinne Demas

Stained

Ella James

Those are really beautiful books. Notice the similarities? All of these books feature a woman with her back on the cover. 

Looove!

Fairy Tale Flirts

Fairy Tale Flirts 5 Romantic Short Stories (Flirts! Collection #4)
Author: Lisa Scott
Kindle Edition, 154 pages
Published January 17th 2012

As summarized at goodreads.com:

Five modern takes on classic fairy tales, and the only magic is the real-life kind. Each story can be read separately, but are linked together in the collection, and wrapped up in the perfect happily ever after.

.

Each sweet, funny, romantic short story depicts the life and love of 5 beloved fairy tale characters. These include:

“Cindi” - a Cinderella story

Cindi wants a perfect match—of designer shoes, that is. When her stepmother gets tickets to the Jiminy Shoes trunk sale, it looks like her dreams are coming true. Until her stepmother refuses to bring her along. With a little luck, Cindi finds herself at the sale with the shoes of her dreams, and a handsome man to boot. But when she dashes off with one of the pricey shoes by mistake, her life changes forever.

There is always something about shoes that makes a girl happy and contented. A perfect pair of shoes with a perfect gentleman easily swept Cinderella off her feet. Her fairy godmother is the last person you'd expect to help. Romantic ending guaranteed.

“Red” - The not so little Red Riding Hood

When Rose brings her Grandmother leftover goodies from her floundering health-food bakery, she realizes she has bigger problems than Grandma’s daily fiber intake—a hot, young man is prowling around her rich Granny’s apartment. Jack Wolff seems to be preying on elderly women, but despite Rose’s protests, Granny’s not willing to give him up. And the nerve of him, Jack’s hitting on Rose, too. Can Rose save her business and her Grandma’s heart before it’s too late?

Rose needed to make her bakery business grow and she needed her grandma to support her. But a wolfish character set her on the edge, and made her think of the worst from the man who was taking advantage of her grandma. How would she save her grandma and her business when the wolf stalks her all day, all night?

“Belle” - The Beauty and The Beast

Belle’s father is sidelined by a stroke, and she’s determined to save his job as a master carpenter for the mysterious Prince Maxim. Despite her training, completing work on the Prince’s library is harder than she imagined, with the elusive prince watching her every move from the shadows. Belle’s intrigued by the intelligent, kind man who won’t let himself be seen. Is Belle the one to help him move beyond his painful past?

Have you watched Beastly, the movie? Well, the film pretty sums up this short story. Cute and beastly.

“Snow” -Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

Shawna White wants nothing more than to land a role in a musical, but she’s running out of cash while she chases her dream. Her stepmother, Veronica Midas, suggests she take a nanny job for the rich man she’s trying to land, and Shawna finds herself in charge of seven kids. But Veronica didn’t realize Shawna would be living there, enchanting Jeremy and his children. Now Veronica will do whatever it takes to win her man.

Snow finds herself taking care of seven youngsters and their handsome father. Everything was going fine, but her evil stepmom also has her eyes on the man of the house. Will she just chase her elusive dream of being a musical artist, or will she fight for her love?

“Goldie" - Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Goldie Lockston isn’t exactly homeless; she’s just a struggling artist who crashes with friends. When her pal asks her to take over vacation dog-sitting duties for a wealthy client in Grimm Towers, Goldie decides it wouldn’t hurt to move in for the week. But she wasn’t counting on being discovered when Blake Behr comes home early. Or posing as his girlfriend. Or having feelings for this grumpy, wealthy lawyer who’s unlike her in every way.


A perfect house, a handsome owner, a pretense love affair. Goldie almost have everything at the palm of her hand. Until she meets the parents. Whoaa! How long will she keep on pretending? How long can she hide her true feelings?

Five Fairy Tale Flirts... Five cute love stories.. No fairies roaming nor flying around. But definitely enjoyable and romantic! Definitely deserves a happily ever after ending... With 4 stars rating ;) Perfect for all in love!