Playlist: Karmic Hearts by Jhing Bautista

Hi guys! Today I'm featuring a playlist for Karmic Hearts! Bautista chose the songs well and handpicked some of my favorite songs, such as Down from the Vampire Diaries OST.

Maricar from Blackplume described Karmic Hearts as " a light read that is perfect for those who love cute romance. It is delightful, romantic and heartwarming. Something every romance lovers will surely enjoy reading."

Here is a quote from the book that I like: “If everything is unfair in this world, then doesn’t that make it fair?”

I think that it makes perfect sense. :) Are you ready to experience Karmic Hearts?

Matchmaker by AJ Rafael



Heaven Can Wait by We The Kings



Down by Jason Walker



Her Love Is My Religion by The Cab



Ever Enough by A Rocket To The Moon



Stupid Love Letter by The Friday Night Boys



I Should Go by Levi Kreis



Beautiful Excuses by Rixton



Scars by James Bay

Book Description:

Paperback, 241 pages
Published 2017 by Summit Books, Pop Fiction

Love. Magic. Fate. Best-selling romance novel author Karmina Joan writes about these things. She believes that every person has a purpose, that every soul has a destiny to fulfill. She thought hers was simply sharing her stories.

Her story unfolds with Cupid, the Angel of Love himself. He brings with him a mysterious vessel and a message from on high. It turns out Karmina has a bigger purpose after all—a mission that will make or break humanity as we know it.

As Cupid teaches her the tricks of his trade, Karmina unknowingly gives him something unexpected in return— something the angel of love will find oddly familiar. This may become the one flaw in an otherwise perfect plan that destiny had in store for them.

Does love truly conquer all or are there limits to what humanity can do in the name of love? Witness as Karmina struggles to find the answers before time runs out on true love.

Review: Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith + Giveaway

Book Description:

Hardcover, 256 pages
Expected publication: September 1st 2015 by Poppy

On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan only have one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they'll retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night will lead them to friends and family, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?

This new must-read novel from Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, explores the difficult choices that must be made when life and love lead in different directions.

Reviewer's Copy: ARC

Source: Dianne and Pinoy Book Tours (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

From the very first page of Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, I was immediately swept away by Jen E. Smith's trademark writing: superfluous and heart-wrenching. It had a bittersweet feeling all throughout the book and I have to admit that I probably loved that the most about it. This book captures all the ups and downs of loving someone a lot and being on the brink of breaking up with them. This book captures the moment when lovers hold on to what they have shared for a certain length of time; they hold on to the magic so fiercely and desperately and yet, they have already planned to let it go. I broke up with my ex-boyfriend a year ago. I didn't expect to relive the experience again with this book. It was one of the most eye-opening experiences of all, knowing that this experience was universal, so was the hurt, the desperation, the confusion, the dilemma, and the bittersweet tang of it on my tongue.

Clare and Aidan have been together for years, but reality has caught up with them and it's time to part ways as they go to opposite directions in college. I really adored how mature Clare thought. At an early age, she was already predicting the possibilities, taking into consideration the pros and cons and most importantly,taking care of her heart. Aidan was so optimistic and hopeful that it was almost too painful for me. Halfway through the book, I wanted him to convince Clare to stay with him. 

I loved that Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between also touched various themes such as family dynamics, parent-child expectations when it comes to college, the changes after high school and the nostalgia that grips one as one leaves it behind, truth, lies and trust between family members, couples and peers, and friendships. On the downside, I was expecting something more epic. Though I truly enjoyed the story, there were some things that I wanted more of.

Jen Smith captured the beauty and bittersweet side of love. The book was what I would call a "relatable" book for almost all ages, from young adults to new adults and maybe, even adults. It has a timeless vibe about it, as if it has encapsulated and carefully preserved the little details, the intensity and the rush of young love and firsts. In this sense, it could be a nostalgic novel, a throwback of some sort, that would bring back to people to their own versions of the "old days" of young love. This was a quick read and yet, it was heavier than other Jen Smith's other novels.

Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between is a moving, nostalgic and heartfelt novel about changes, finding and letting go of love, and figuring out life. Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between is a bittersweet capsule of memories, love and hope. The writing, as always, was beautiful. I found myself lost in the pages, in a good way. I couldn't let go of the book. I recommend this novel to readers of contemporary romance and readers who like books about post-high school/college period.

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love. 

I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

Giveaway:

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Review: All We Have is Now by Lisa Schroeder

Book Description:

Hardcover, 272 pages
Published July 28th 2015 by Scholastic Inc.

What do you do with your last day on earth?

Just over twenty-four hours are left until an asteroid strikes North America, and for Emerson and everyone else who didn’t leave, the world will end. But Emerson’s world already ended when she ran away from home. Since then, she has lived on the streets, relying on her wits and on her friend Vince to help her find places to sleep and food to eat.

The city’s quieter now that most people are gone, and no one seems to know what to do as the end approaches. But then Emerson and Vince meet Carl, who tells them he has been granting people’s wishes—and gives them his wallet full of money.

Suddenly, this last day seems full of possibility. Emerson and Vince can grant a lot of wishes in one last day—maybe even their own.

Reviewer's Copy: Hardcover

Source: Dianne and Pinoy Book Tours (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

All We Have is Now was set 24 hours before a meteor was set to land smack dab in the middle of USA. Everyone who had the capacity and the resources to leave the country had already left. Emerson and Vince were on their own. They had no home to go back to and only 24 hours to make the most out of life and the world, as they know it. When the world is ending and you only have a limited time to leave your mark, make other people happy, confess something or maybe, just simply tick off some things off your bucket list, you change and the people around you change. There is something so wistful and beautiful about spending the last few hours before the end of the world - it's the chance, the last glimpse, the last everything that makes it different. Going over all of these lasts was astonishing for me.

Emerson and Vince were intriguing characters. They were best friends for years, looking out for each other and supporting one another. Vince was the guy who made the extra effort, went the extra mile to make the people around him feel remembered and special. Emerson ran away from home when she was younger. She was carrying a lot of emotional baggage on her shoulders. The only person she had left was Vince and she wasn't going to ruin their friendship. Reading about these two characters, made me think of how fate finds ways to make sure that we were with the person we needed throughout life. There were subtle sparks shooting off of their skin. The temptation to delve into something more than just friends, was ever present. As the hours went by, Emerson and Vince came closer and closer to a decision.

When Emerson and Vince met a middle-aged man, Carl, who handed them a wallet filled with cash, this triggered a long line of wishes and wish-granting. The message of the story was one of optimism, making the most out of life and appreciating it and of hope. The people that Vince and Emerson met shared a little piece of themselves with the duo. As a reader, I got to see the different possible situations and reactions of people in the face of the upcoming apocalypse. 

All We Have is Now is a refreshing apocalyptic fiction and a mild wake up call for all readers. If you are into thoughtful fiction, apocalyptic fiction (that is quite contemporary) this might be the book for you.

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

Review: The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough

Book Description:

Hardcover, 329 pages
Published April 28th 2015 by Arthur A. Levine Books

Antony and Cleopatra. Helen of Troy and Paris. Romeo and Juliet. And now... Henry and Flora.

For centuries Love and Death have chosen their players. They have set the rules, rolled the dice, and kept close, ready to influence, angling for supremacy. And Death has always won. Always.

Could there ever be one time, one place, one pair whose love would truly tip the balance?

Meet Flora Saudade, an African-American girl who dreams of becoming the next Amelia Earhart by day and sings in the smoky jazz clubs of Seattle by night. Meet Henry Bishop, born a few blocks and a million worlds away, a white boy with his future assured—a wealthy adoptive family in the midst of the Great Depression, a college scholarship, and all the opportunities in the world seemingly available to him.

The players have been chosen. The dice have been rolled. But when human beings make moves of their own, what happens next is anyone’s guess.

Achingly romantic and brilliantly imagined, The Game of Love and Death is a love story you will never forget.

Reviewer's Copy: ARC

Source: Maricar + Pinoy Book Tours (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

First of all, I loved the premise, because it was promising and had an entire history laid out for the reader. But the beginning of the book was slow and I struggled a bit upon starting The Game of Love and Death. However, as the story progressed and the game started and the stakes kept getting higher and higher, I found myself engrossed.

Henry was the perfect gentleman, the kind of boy who goes out of his way to ensure that you are safe and out of harm's way. He had a knack for writing and editing and was incredibly talented with music. I liked seeing his almost-martyr side, it pleased, pained and disappointed me. It was such a shocking view of the goodness of humanity enclosed in a single boy. The way he reached out to and took care of Flora touched my heart.

Flora reminded me of myself, because she was ambitious, determined and passionate about the things she loves in life. It was refreshing to read about her, such a unique character who didn't easily bow down under the building pressure of social norms and racism. I really liked how it hurt me to see Flora hurt, in any way. I have become emotionally attached to her. I applaud the author for making me feel drawn to the parts about aviation, as I so rarely read anything about this topic, especially in YA.

Love and Death were interesting characters. It was surprising to see the typically gendered roles reversed. Love was a boy and Death was a girl. They have been running the game for centuries, with their own pain, longing and sacrifices. I liked stepping into their minds, and seeing the story unfold from their points of view. As Love and Death wove the story using their own threads and patterns, the level of risk and danger heightened, bringing an all-new high to the book.

Overall, The Game of Love and Death was a romantic and tragic historical romance that sweeps readers off their feet with the right dose of desperation, tragedies and inspiration. The writing was amazing, and it was one of the reasons why I kept on reading. If you're into tragic love stories and stories revolving around the embodiment of timeless things such as Love and Death, and historical novels, then this is for you.

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

Review: Silence by Deborah Lytton

Book Description:

Hardcover, 320 pages
Published March 2015 by Shadow Mountain

Love is blind, but it's also deaf. Stella was born to sing. Someday Broadway. Even though she's only a sophomore at a new high school, her voice has given her the status as a "cool kid." But everything changes when a tragic accident renders her deaf. She can't hear herself sing not to mention speak. She can't hear anything. Silence. What happens when everything you've dreamed of and hoped for is shattered in a single moment?

Enter Hayden, the boy with blond curls who stutters. He's treated like an outcast because he's not "normal." And, yet, Stella feels an attraction to him that she can't explain. As Hayden reaches out to help Stella discover a world without sound, his own tragic past warns him to keep a distance. But their connection is undeniable. Can the boy who stutters and the girl who's deaf ever find a happily-ever-after? Silence is a story of friendship and hope with a lesson that sometimes it takes a tragedy to help us find and appreciate beauty and love in unexpected place.

Reviewer's Copy: e-ARC

Source: Publisher (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Stella was a talented singer and she dreamed of making it to Broadway. However in one accident, she lost her hearing. What good was a singer who couldn't hear? In one single moment, she lost her gift and her dreams. Post-accident, she found a friend in Hayden, the boy who saved her and continued to save her in his own little ways. Stella was a kind spirit. Even before Hayden saved her, he had always seen him not as the stuttering, stammering guy but the guy who made good music, the one who offered nothing but kindness and happiness to her.

Hayden had been lingering in the sidelines of the story. Until the day that Stella fell into a pool, and he dived in to save her. I liked him even more when he proposed to show her how to live life without sound in 17 days. It was a bit movie-like for me - every day that he spent with Stella seemed like something straight out of a movie, sweet and cute and inspiring. I liked Hayden's voice. For me, it was the voice of a teen gentleman: respectful, clean and considerate. It was like stepping into a guy's head and cutting out the profanities, the rude and green stuff. This makes me wonder if there is truly someone out there who thinks the way Hayden does? I just find it so pure and clean, that it's almost surprising. It was refreshing to encounter a fictional character who was flawed in his speech and yet so finesse in his narration. There was redemption in this step, and it also allowed me to comprehend the stark difference in how people see Hayden and how he could be.

Stella and Hayden had a connection and they were able to see through each other's armors. All the worries, anger, pain and sadness wrapped around them like multiple layers, and each of them helped each other peel away the many layers covering them - until finally, they were free of baggage. They helped each other survive and overcome problems. Hayden and Stella developed a friendship that soon turned into something more. I liked how the sparks buzzed off of their skin and how the emotional pull was palpable. I enjoyed reading about them and seeing them fall slowly, inevitably for each other. They had their own way of conveying emotions and thoughts, without making too much of an effort. The ride was like heaven, cute, sweet and romantic.

There were a lot of items tackled in the book, including friendship. Stella and Lily's friendship was beginning to come undone. Lily was self-centered and didn't really consider Stella's situation and thoughts. The family dynamics in the book were explored well, both Hayden and Stella has unorthodox families: Stella's parents were not together, she lived with her mom but was in touch with her dad; Hayden lives with his grandfather, he didn't know his father and his mother was almost always absent in his life. There was also the universal theme on pain, forgiveness, acceptance and letting go.

Silence is a clean, heartfelt and sweet YA contemporary romance. It is not your typical contemporary romance. I encountered two main characters in difficult situations: a singer who lost her hearing and a musician who had trouble with his speech. It was a roller coaster of emotions to see the world using the lens of Stella and Hayden. I admit that I would never see the world in the same way again after this.


Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

Follow Deborah:

Facebook | Website | Twitter

[Blog Tour] Review + Giveaway: Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

Book Description:

Hardcover, 448 pages
Published May 19th 2015 by Greenwillow Books

Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.

Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up.

Reviewer's Copy: ARC

Source: Harper Collins(Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Alexandra Ridgemont was an admirable character. Despite being schizophrenic, she was eager to get through senior year as normally as possible. She was cautious, observant and brave, in such a way that was right and just. She cared about other people, she supported her friends aka club mates in any way she could. I liked encountering such a strong and problematic heroine in Made You Up. She was flawed, and I like that about her - she seemed more realistic this way.

Miles' physical appearance reminded Alex of her first “hallucination” when a blue-eyed boy helped her free lobsters when she was a child. I perceived Miles as a slightly scary and unpredictable character. He triggered warning signs in my head, and always had me on the lookout for anything suspicious. But Miles was also attractive in his own way, a genius and a gentleman sometimes. Miles shed his stiff outer shell and showed his soft side later on in the story, only then I was able to understand his complexity. I loved how Zappia made her characters complex. She did not set things in simple black and white, there were a lot of grey areas, which would be explored, and I liked that.

Schizophrenia was a constant presence in the book: it affected the story in such a way that the reader would not easily distinguish what was real and what was not. I was attentive to all the details throughout the story, in an effort to spot what was part of the story and what was part of Alex’ hallucination. This trying-to-figure-out-what-is-real-and-what-is-not routing was something that I look forward to in psychological novels. It goes beyond the typical storytelling and adds a layer of unwanted additions on top of the story. It was the reader’s responsibility to get lost in the story and find his/her way out to the other side, to understand the main character and the plot as a whole.

Made You Up was enchanting to me. The story had a holistic aspect, as it explored various elements of the book; it tackled psychological problems, family dynamics, friendship and budding romance, and the line between reality and hallucination. But what I really loved was Alex and Miles' interaction and banter. The back and forth zapping of energy and tension between them, as they learned more about one another, was refreshing. They were unlike other YA couples that I have encountered so far. Alex was a paranoid girl who kept overthinking and over-analyzing Miles' words and actions while Miles was a genius who didn't let anything slip away. But then he was also not as sensitive and not as perceptive of others' feelings.

Made You Up is a heart-racing, suspenseful psychological concoction, with an ample dose of crazy, budding romance, pranks and, surprises and revelations. I highly recommend this to readers of psychological novels and contemporary romance. If you want something a little crazy with a dash of love, this is the book for you.

Rating:

5 Cupids = Eternal book love.
I will never, ever, ever forget this book. I highly recommend this!

About the Author:

Francesca is a YA writer represented by Louise Fury. Her debut novel, MADE YOU UP, is out now from Greenwillow/ HarperCollins.

Follow Francesca: Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Facebook | DeviantArt

Francesca also draws! Check out her art - Miles and Alex from Made You Up!

Credit to Francesca Zappia | Source

Credit to Francesca Zappia | Source

There's a giveaway for an ARC of MADE YOU UP! One lucky Philippine resident will win this one.

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[Blog Tour] Review + Giveaway: The Day of the Wave by Becky Wicks

Book Description:

Kindle Edition
Published May 1st 2015 by Becky Wicks (first published April 27th 2015)

Isla and Ben were just sixteen when the Boxing Day tsunami tore through their beach resort in Thailand. Just days after forming a life-changing bond, both were missing and presumed dead. Unbeknown to each other and haunted by one of the biggest natural disasters in world history, Isla and Ben are living very different lives, until over a decade later when a chance encounter throws them back together.

Based on real life events, The Day of the Wave is a story of healing, learning to let go, and figuring out when to hold on with everything you have left.

Amazon | Goodreads

Reviewer's Copy: e-ARC

Source: Becky Wicks and Xpresso Book Tours (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Becky Wicks never fails to impress me. She has been inspiring me one novel after another. Although The Day of the Wave was related to the 2004 Tsunami Disaster, I was determined to read it. I usually avoid reading sad contemporary stories that have something to do with life-threatening diseases and disasters. This would be my first.

The Day of the Wave was set in various places: London, Bangkok, Phuket, and Bali. As usual, Becky skillfully drew the landscape for you, took a piece of the sun and the moon, put it in the pages, added her atmospheric writing, that I just felt like I traveled to four different parts of the world. Reading a Becky Wicks novel is always like going on a vacation, I got to experience and taste the culture and the atmosphere of her locales. The Day of the Wave was also fragmented into different parts by Isla's moving from one place to another: Part one would be her pre-Ben life in London, which dragging, rigid and clogged with grey spots as she lived with Colin, her boyfriend; Part Two would be set in Bangkok, while Isla was slowly dipping her foot into Thai culture; Part Three would be the emotionally chaotic transit from Bangkok to Phuket and the stay in Phuket itself. Isla and Ben were dancing around one another, both emotionally-strained, both yearning for one another but unable to pass through the barriers separating them; Part Four was set in Bali, which is something that you should find out for yourself.

Isla was a beautiful and complicated girl. The tsunami left her miserable, without parents and without a home. She was not the carefree 16-year-old girl that left UK anymore. She was continuously hurting. To make matters worse, she found out that her boyfriend for four years cheated on her with her ex-flatmate. Heartbroken and carrying the burden of her past, she went to Bangkok on an assignment. Time seemed to stop when Ben found her there, the same boy that she thought she had lost in the tsunami.

Ben carried on picking up the pieces that the tsunami left behind. He had built a shell around him, only really connecting to people who suffered because of the tsunami. But he wasn't entirely whole anymore, there was a gaping hole inside him and he didn't know how to fill it. He kept on moving on to different places, forming friendships but not really committing to anyone. Things were about to change when he found Bizzy in Bangkok, the girl he thought he lost forever.

Ben and Isla were meant for each other, they just didn't know it yet. It was exciting and frustrating to see them play this tug-of-war game. They were dancing around one another, getting close enough to touch, to make all what-ifs a reality, but there was a barrier separating them. I really enjoyed reading about these two, and seeing how their relationship, both in the past and in the present, developed. The flashbacks in between the present narration also enabled me as a reader to understand the characters better. Their loss, pain, guilt, hopelessness and destruction were laid out on the pages. Knowing their vulnerability and seeing their weaknesses diminish day by day gave me a sense of weightlessness. Becky really knew how to reach the readers through her words.

The Day of the Wave was a storm of emotions, issues, lost love, second chances and forgiveness and acceptance. The Day of the Wave was incredibly atmospheric, able to transport the reader to foreign places, romantic, with just the right amount of emotional and sexual tension, and unforgettable. It wasn't the easiest story to read, but it was definitely one of the most meaningful and enjoyable stories of all. I highly recommend this novel to contemporary romance readers, older young adult and new adult readers, readers who like/want to travel.

Rating:

5 Cupids: = Eternal book love. 

I will never, ever, ever forget this book. I highly recommend this!

About the Author:

Becky Wicks lives in Bali and scribbles books, and she’s mostly powered by coffee. Her first book in the Starstruck Series, Before He Was Famous recently reached #1 in Amazon’s Coming of Age and New Adult & College categories, and her three travel books, published by HarperCollins are online to make feet nice and itchy. Mostly though, she loves to write love stories. She blogs most days at beckywicks.com and always welcomes distractions on Twitter @bex_wicks. Especially if you have photos of cats.

Follow Becky: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads


Giveaway:

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Character Profiles: Vendetta by Catherine Doyle

Vendetta by Catherine Doyle is one of my most anticipated reads for 2015. I'm happy to be a part of this blog tour and spread the word about it. It seems to me that not that many people know about this novel, so, I'd like to tell you about it. First of all, let's start with the mafia-esque blurb:

Book Description:

Hardcover, 352 pages
Published February 24th 2015 by Chicken House

Blood Will Spill, Hearts Will Break: With a fierce rivalry raging between two warring families, falling in love is the deadliest thing Sophie could do. An epic debut set outside modern-day Chicago.

For Sophie, it feels like another slow, hot summer in Cedar Hill, waitressing at her family’s diner and hanging out with her best friend Millie. But then someone moves into the long-abandoned mansion up the block--a family of five Italian brothers, each one hotter than the last. Unable to resist caramel-eyed Nicoli, Sophie finds herself falling for him -- and willfully ignoring the warning signs. Why are Nic's knuckles cut and bruised? Why does he carry an engraved switchblade? And why does his arrogant and infuriating older brother, Luca, refuse to let her see him? As the boys' dark secrets begin to come to light, Sophie is confronted with stinging truths about her own family, too. Suddenly, she's torn between two warring dynasties: the one she’s related to and the one she's now in love with. She'll have to choose between loyalty and passione. When she does, blood will spill, hearts will break. Because in this twisted underworld, dishonor can be the difference between life and death.

Character Profiles:

Let's get to know some of the characters in Vendetta, Sophie and the five Italian brothers.

Check out what other people think of Vendetta:
Blackplume: Review & Character Interview with Luca
Library Mistress: Guest Post - On Creating Five Brooding Characters
Amia Book Lover: Review
The Escapist: Review

Review: The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

Book Description:

Paperback, 336 pages
Published February 5th 2015 by Scholastic Press

Seventeen-year-old Twylla lives in the castle. But although she’s engaged to the prince, Twylla isn’t exactly a member of the court.

She’s the executioner.

As the Goddess embodied, Twylla instantly kills anyone she touches. Each month she’s taken to the prison and forced to lay her hands on those accused of treason. No one will ever love a girl with murder in her veins. Even the prince, whose royal blood supposedly makes him immune to Twylla’s fatal touch, avoids her company.

But then a new guard arrives, a boy whose easy smile belies his deadly swordsmanship. And unlike the others, he’s able to look past Twylla’s executioner robes and see the girl, not the Goddess. Yet Twylla’s been promised to the prince, and knows what happens to people who cross the queen.

However, a treasonous secret is the least of Twylla’s problems. The queen has a plan to destroy her enemies, a plan that requires a stomach-churning, unthinkable sacrifice. Will Twylla do what it takes to protect her kingdom? Or will she abandon her duty in favor of a doomed love?

Reviewer's Copy: ARC

Source: Dianne + Pinoy Book Tours (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

The Sin Eater's Daughter came out as a surprise to me. I didn't expect to love the book as much I did - but I am glad that I did, though. It has been a while since I read a book so unpredictable and so highly political, as this one.

Twylla, also known as Daunen Embodied, was an intriguing heroine. She was gifted and blessed by the gods, feared by mortals and a part of the court. Her journey from being the sin eater's daughter to the well-dressed betrothed of the Prince, was a roller coaster of emotions and changes. She had a public life and a private life. When facing the court, she was Daunen Embodied, a blessing to the kingdom. She was reserved, quiet and a follower of the rules, but deep inside she was a victim  - she lost her family, unable to keep in touch with them; she lost her free will. The only thing she had was her gift and curse of poison - to survive it and to kill others with it, and her loyal guard.

Lief was Tregellian – a foreigner. Tasked to be Twylla’s new guard, he was clumsy and often tripped over the boundaries of being formal and being too familiar. He was most intriguing. He was friendly, thoughtful and even sweet. He had natural charisma. He took away my doubts and my suspicions, as well as Twylla’s, with his little gestures and kind words. As Twylla and Lief spent more time together, they were drawn and pulled into each other’s life. They fell in love. Salibsury knew how to drag out the growing attraction between the two, to the point that it was almost painful to read. The emotional and sexual attraction was practically palpable and physical - you could cut it with a knife.

The story world of The Sin Eater’s Daughter was quite elaborate, backed up with mythological and religious background. But the elaboration and attention to detail extended only up to the borders of Lormere, beyond this point the geography and the idea of other kingdoms were quite blurry. I commend Salisbury for having Lormere’s air charged with a specific vibe that made The Sin Eater’s Daughter atmospheric for me.

The evil queen traipsed around her court, with elegance and violence. The Court obeyed the queen’s wishes and rarely questioned her. This was a good reflection of the dark side of politics. The people in power get what they want, at the expense of other people, and though the people are against this, they keep quiet, in fear of being punished or killed. Twylla was one of the queen’s favorite pawns. As Daunen Embodied, she rendered the Court cautious and fearful.

The plot was unpredictable, growing into explosions of surprises and shockers that I never saw coming. I loved how I kept on sitting at the edge of my seat, guessing and worrying. In the latter part of the book, Salisbury unleashed a set of twists and turns. I was utterly devastated and amazed at the same time.

The Sin Eater's Daughter kept me up at night with its intrigue, charm and simmering romance. It was quite atmospheric and unpredictable. Though there were still unanswered questions in my mind at the end, I still enjoyed the story. I recommend this to readers of high fantasy. This would also appeal to readers of historical - medieval - and romance.

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

[Blog Tour] Review + Giveaway: Cities by Carla de Guzman

Book Description:

Midnight Books, November 30, 2014

Celia has dreams.

She dreams of going to Seoul for a scholarship she never took, ofleaving everything behind and moving to New York. In all those dreams, she finds herself attached to Benedict, the boy she has always loved, but who doesn’t love her back. Ben believes in parallel worlds. Worlds where things you didn’t do come true—worlds in which he goes to London and falls in love with Celia, where he shows up on the day she needs him the most. He believes that dreams are glimpses into that parallel world, and it’s not a coincidence that Celia’s been having them too.

But here, now, they’re in Manila. It’s the day of Ben’s wedding, and a typhoon is raging through the city. How will these dreams and unmade decisions change their lives? Will they bring them closer together or drive them farther apart?

Reviewer's Copy: Ebook

Source: Author (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

After reading A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray, I thought I would never be able to find another book about multiverse. When I heard about Cities, I knew that I just had to read it. Carla's version of the multiverse was less scientific, dwelling more on the theme of fate, possibility and intertwined lives.

Celia was a likable character, madly in love with Ben, but he was going to be married to Vivian in a few hours. Lovestruck and unable to accept that Ben was going to be married away, Celia braved the ceremony but what-ifs buzzed in her head and she felt like a total disaster. To make things even more complicated, Vivian was her best friend and she was the Maid of Honor. After a semi-awkward conversation with Ben about multiverse and how they lived a set of possibilities in each universe; how he believed that somewhere, he and Celia had their happily ever after, Celia began to spiral her way back to her dreams, to other versions of herself.

Ben's theory was that the dreams that he and Celia had, the ones wherein he was getting married to Celia, instead of to Vivian, wherein he loved Celia back, were reflections or memories of the different version of himself in another universe. The narration bled from main story to dreams, from reality (as they know it in the present universe) to dreamscape/parallel universe. The switching between one universe to another was a bit confusing at first, but once I got the hang out of it, I was able to adjust to the fluid narration of Cities. The different lives of various versions of Celias were played out in different Cities: Manila, Hongdae, London and New York. The main universe was set in Manila, the peripheral/parallel multiverse were set in other cities. The concept was a bit like the one in A Thousand Pieces of You: each universe represents a set of possibilities. There were various dimensions wherein Celia and Ben were emotionally involved, whether it was fleeting or long-lasting. True enough, they always met each other in the other dimensions, sometimes they wound up together and sometimes they didn't. Carla's way of showing the varying degrees of emotional involvement, love and fate was stunning and complex. A reader could get lost into the pages and in a parallel universe.

To be honest, I was more drawn to the artsy and fashionable best friend in all the multiverse: Henry Cruz. He was the solid knight in shining armor. He was always there when Celia needed him or when Celia needed to be rescued. He was her pillar, the shoulder to cry on, the hand to lead her forward and the arms to pick her up when she has fallen down. Henry was handsome, sleek and fashionable, loved literature, enjoyed eating out and was incredibly sensitive to the feelings of the people around him and thoughtful. He sounded like my dream guy, actually. I know that we get a lot of books wherein the best friend never ends up with the main character. I'mm glad that in Cities, there was more than one chance for Henry to be together with Celia.

Carla wrote in a very atmospheric manner, she transported me to South Korea, London and New York. I really enjoyed this about Cities. The pages were charged with nostalgia, memories and feels that added up to the wondrous storyline of switching perspectives, minds, and universe. I only had a bit of a problem with the transition from dream to reality to a different universe, as it was a bit blurry around the edges but don't let this discourage you as I easily got the hang of it. I also felt that the book could have been made a bit longer, so that the readers could get to know the characters more deeply, to get emotionally invested in them. At the same time, it would have been nice to have a clear discussion of the theory of the multiverse in the book - a direct discussion of their dreams, thoughts and theories, to make the idea crystal clear in the mind of readers. It just so happened that I am well versed in science fiction that I grasped the idea quickly.

Cities was an atmospheric, heartfelt, beautifully written contemporary with an edge of science fiction. I devoured it and enjoyed every page, and all the feels, wonders, realizations and lessons that it offered. The cast (Celia, Ben, Vivian and Henry) was an interesting bunch. Although they retained the kernel of their personality, they were a little bit different in each universe. It was like seeing bits and pieces of them in each universe, and at the end, I was able to see the whole picture of who they really were deep inside. I loved how the characters were developed in various settings and circumstances. I recommend this to readers who enjoy science fiction and contemporary romance (Cities is like a multi-love-story book); readers who liked A Thousand Pieces of You and who are interested in multiverse/parallel-dimension-themed books.

Rating:

3.5 Cupids = True book love.
Slightly flawed but I liked it!

About the Author:

Carla de Guzman (ck.deguzman@gmail.com) had horrible handwriting as a kid. That didn't stop her from writing, though. Riddled with too much energy and a vivid imagination, she started writing every midnight. She grew up with her toes in the sand and her bags packed and ready to go on adventures. Her books are chronicles of her journeys, with a little romance mixed in. When she’s not sitting in a plane or working, Carla writes for her blog, Some Midnights (www.somemidnight.wordpress.com) and for When in Manila.

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[Blog Tour] Review: The Body Electric by Beth Revis + Giveaway

Book Description:

The Body Electric by Beth Revis
Published by: Scripturient Books
Publication date: October 6th 2014
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Synopsis:
The future world is at peace.
Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.
But not all is at it seems.
Ella starts seeing impossible things—images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience—and influence—the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love—even though Ella’s never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing…
Someone’s altered her memory.
Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn’t even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Reviewer's Copy: Digital Copy

Source: Giselle at Xpresso Book Tours (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

The story world of The Body Electric was incredibly eclectic, bursting with colors and sounds, rooted from various cultures. It was a beautiful and chaotic world. Its detailed history was of wars, terrorism and death. Revis had a focused attention to detail when it came down to the the history and geography of her story world: bombing incidents, records of war and its aftermath in the present, old sites that were significant in the past and landmarks. With all these details, I felt like I had actually walked the bridges of New Venice, crawled inside the catacombs and the ruins and visited what once was Valetta, the old capital of Malta. The society remained divided into two classes: the rich and well off, and the poor. This was geographically mapped in the story world as the upper city and the lower city. The progress in terms of technological advances was evident in the cuffLINKS, imposed upon citizens of the Unified Countries under the guise of a safety device, and androids.

The main characters of the book, Ella and Jack, were endearing and complimentary. Ella was working as an intern at the Reverie Mental Spa, helping people relive a specific memory through the technology that her mother developed. She was careful, naturally suspicious of the people she didn't know, brave and overprotective of her loved ones. As she began to see clues about the impact of her father's work and its power, a past she couldn't seem to remember, she came to realize that everything she believed in might not be true at all. The boundaries of right and wrong blurred, and Ella must decide in which side would she stand. Though I initially struggled to connect with Ella as a heroine, I was able to understand her more as the story progressed. One of the possible reasons why I couldn't connect with Ella in the beginning was because someone had altered her memory: she wasn't herself entirely until she discovered what happened to her.

Jack Tyler was a character that I hated at first, and then loved deeply until the end of the book. He was the kind who believed in what he was fighting for, and stood up for it no matter how extreme and almost unavoidable the consequences were. He was true to himself and to his cause. He had a soft spot for Ella and I liked that about him.

The novel was filled with politics and conspiracies. The plot was amazing. You could never really trust a certain character, as Revis gave the life in such a way that they have their own motives, purposes and of course "facades." The characters had "layers" of protection on them, metaphorically speaking. They had a public face that they show to people but deep inside their minds, there were storms of emotions: fear, doubt, pain, guilt and worry. Through the Reverie Mental Spa, Ella had the chance to explore other people's minds and figure out their deep thoughts and fears.

The Prime Administrator Hwa Young was an incredibly powerful and manipulative woman. Though her intention was good (to prevent another war), the methods that the government was using was quite drastic and unhumane. I would consider The Body Electric as a dark science fiction - the pages were splattered with blood, cyborg body parts, death, android replacements and more. As they say, science fiction could be directly related to our present world. In the present, there are also deaths, torture and missing persons cases that are ignored and sometimes, never filed at all or looked into. Some of these cases are related to politics. It is unsettling to see this issue in The Body Electric, manifesting itself as a day-to-day occurrence, rampant and almost unseen by the public.

The Body Electric was atmospheric, engaging, chaotic and beautifully written. Readers are in for a treat with its memory-tampering, flavorful culture, sights and sounds, and politics and terrorism. The writing was superfluous and very effective. Revis will make readers marvel, flinch and sit at the edge of their seats with her vivid and cinematic storytelling. I highly recommend this to readers of science fiction, especially the ones who liked Across the Universe, Slated by Teri Terry and Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Also, if you like something as vivid and complex as A Thousand Pieces of You (but with more, more history and all) you should definitely try The Body Electric.

Rating:

5 Cupids = Eternal book love.
I will never, ever, ever forget this book. I highly recommend this!

About the Author:

Beth Revis is the NY Times bestselling author of the Across the Universe series. The complete trilogy is now available in more than 20 languages. A native of North Carolina, Beth’s most recent book is The Body Electric, which tells the story of what was happening on Earth while the characters of Across the Universe were in space.

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Giveaway

Tour-wide giveaway (US/CAN)
Complete signed trilogy of the Across the Universe series
A signed copy of The Body Electric
An Across the Universe branded water bottle

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