Waiting on Wednesday {43}

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where bloggers post about much-awaited releases!

{Blog Tour} Spotlight + Giveaway: Coming Home - Priscilla Glenn

Title: Coming Home

Author: Priscilla Glenn

Release Date: January 21st 2014

Publisher: Self-published

Age Group: Adult

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Leah Marino hasn’t been on a date in two years. After discovering the man she loved had manipulated and deceived her, she refuses to even entertain the idea of a relationship. Instead, she focuses her attention on taking care of her family, a role she’s assumed since the death of her mother and the one place she knows her kindness won't be taken advantage of again.

When a nostalgic trip back to her childhood home results in a chance encounter with Danny DeLuca, a smart-mouthed mechanic who’s as attractive as he is mysterious, Leah's carefully cultivated walls begin to crumble. She finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Danny, despite his unreliable behavior and mixed signals.

But Danny has a secret...

One that could shake Leah's already precarious foundation and bring her world crashing down around her. Suddenly, she's faced with an incredibly difficult decision--is she willing to risk everything for the chance at finding the love she's always wanted? Or are some obstacles just too big for the heart to overcome?

About the author:
Priscilla Glenn lives in New York with her husband and three children. She has been teaching English at the middle and high school levels for the past twelve years while moonlighting as a writer, mom, coach, student, and professional laundry-doer.

If you catch her when she's feeling sophisticated, she'll tell you her favorite things are great books and good wine. In the moments in between, she'll admit her love for anything Ben and Jerry's, UFC fights, and Robert Pattinson.

Glenn is the author of the contemporary romance novels Back to You, Emancipating Andie, and Coming Home.

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway!

Book Review: Into the Still Blue - Veronica Rossi

Title: Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3)

Author: Veronica Rossi

Release Date: January 28th 2014

Publisher: HarperCollins

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: ARC from publisher

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

Into the Still Blue is the final book in one of my most favorite post-apocalyptic series. Series-enders are bittersweet reads, and I would have put off reading this because I didn't want to reach the end of Aria and Perry's journey, but the need to know what happens won.

With the Aether getting worse and worse, resembling what happened during the Unity, Aria and Perry have no choice but to move their entire tribe of Tides and Dwellers to the Still Blue. After the events in Through the Ever Night, they have an idea of where that safe haven is, but getting there is their new problem.

This is the hardest part of the journey for everyone. As much as Aria and Perry want to stay together with their loved ones - most importantly, each other - they cannot, because they both carry the weight of getting their people to safety. And this is where this couple have always stood out. They are young and in love, but they are not stupid and reckless. They have both grown so much since the first book and are truly capable of leading almost half a thousand people and going against an abominable villain whose eyes I wanted to claw out with my bare hands. They also complement each other perfectly: Aria evening out Perry's edges, and Perry giving Aria the strength that the world was taking from her. Most of all, they both know that a dangerous mission such as theirs requires sacrifices, and they go through with it even at the expense of their own happiness.

Aside from Aria and Perry, their best friend Roar is another favorite of mine, so heartbroken Roar broke my heart. His easy demeanor is gone after suffering a terrible loss, but this is where his friendship with Aria shined through the most. She is there with him through it all, and I just love how their relationship never borders on romance and how close they've become in less than a year - six months, if I remember correctly - almost like Perry and Roar who grew up together.

Chock-full of equal parts unpredictable action and emotion, Into the Still Blue is undoubtedly the best in the trilogy. It made me giggle like a schoolgirl (because lovesick!Perry is just adorbs), laugh more times than I could count, and cry like I was the one who'd taken a beating. This last book answers all the questions and provides a beautiful ending, one that is more than satisfying.

MY FAVORITE PARTS were Soren being Soren. With all the tension and worry that this book caused me, the spurts of laughter that he brought out of me were more than welcome.

RATING:

Stacking the Shelves {17}

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where bloggers share recently bought, borrowed, won, and gifted books (print or ebooks)!

{Release Blitz} Book Review + Giveaway: Kiss the Sky - Krista & Becca Ritchie

Title: Kiss the Sky

Authors: Krista & Becca Ritchie

Release Date: January 24th 2014

Publisher: Self-published

Age Group: New Adult

Release Blitz Hosted by: Love Between the Sheets Promotions

Source: eARC from authors

Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Virgin. Sex addict. Daredevil. Alcoholic. Smartass … Jackass. Her five friends are about to be filmed. Reality TV, be prepared.

Rose Calloway thought she had everything under control. At twenty-three, she’s a Princeton graduate, an Academic Bowl champion, a fashion designer and the daughter of a Fortune 500 mogul. But with a sex addict as a sister and roommate, nothing comes easy.

After accepting help from a producer, Rose agrees to have her life filmed for a reality television show. The Hollywood exec is her last chance to revive her struggling fashion line, and boundaries begin to blur as she’s forced to make nice with a man who always has his way.

Twenty-four-year-old Connor Cobalt is a guy who bulldozes weak men. He’s confident, smart-as-hell and lives with his equally ambitious girlfriend, Rose Calloway. Connor has to find a way to protect Rose without ruining the show. Or else the producer will get what Connor has always wanted—Rose’s virginity.

I have now read four books by these twins a.k.a. geniuses and I can confidently say that all of them have been a pleasure to read. An aptly named series, I am crazily addicted and have mad love for these characters that they've created, and I'd be happy to read about them forever. But for now, there is this new addition, a spin-off standalone - but really, just take my advice and read the series - and let me tell you: it is fan-freaking-tastic.

Lily and Lo will always be fun and intriguing to read about, but because two entire books and a novella are already dedicated to them, getting out of their heads and into other characters' is just refreshing. And I've always been fascinated by Rose and Connor, these two insanely smart and gorgeous people. Oh, wait, let's not forget fierce Rose,

I roll backwards, and he only grins more. This is not a cat-and-mouse game like he believes. I am not a mouse. And he's not a cat. Or vice versa. I am the fucking shark, and he's a lame human in my ocean.

and fierce Connor,

He shakes my hand, and I grip him so tight that he struggles to hide a wince. "You're threatened by me," he states, not breaking eye contact. "I'm twenty-eight, and you're-"

I hate ages. "Twenty-four years smarter than you." I tilt my head. "And in ten years, I'll be thirty-four years smarter than you. See how this works?"

Yep, not people I want to mess with. Anyway, because not one of them was willing to back down, their mental and verbal battles just cracked me up to the point of tears. And then they'd start flirting in French and I'd just melt. Seriously, it's a freaking rollercoaster with these two, because they're as strong as they are unstable.

This book is undeniably racy - probably the raciest in the series, actually - but that's because Rose and Connor don't have a sex addiction problem between them so they can have as much fun as they want (unlike Lily who has to limit herself) - well, as much as Rose has the guts for, anyway. And that's why the sex makes sense in this book: because it's a huge milestone for Rose who's a virgin.

A majority of the events in this book happens during a reality show featuring the main characters, so I can't help but call it Big Brother: the Interesting Edition. I didn't want to stop reading, and whenever I had to because of mundane reasons, my mind would float back and imagine just what the heck was happening to the characters: that's how captivating they are. I love the dynamics between all of them and how they entertain and surprise me endlessly. Most of the conflicts with these characters are internal so I read this entire tome with bated breath because I had absolutely no idea what kind of crap would go down. Krista and Becca have once again shocked me with the ending and my hands are just itching for the craziness that will be Hothouse Flower!

MY FAVORITE PART is, well, very hard to choose. I loved how Lo kept on teasing the cameramen; the conversations that go on when Connor, Ryke, and Lo are alone; and Connor and Lo's bromance, but the mothereffing lap dance trumps all that. For me, that's the summit of Connor Cobalt's hotness. *fans self* 

RATING:

About the authors:
Krista Ritchie has a clone...or someone who looks exactly like her. If she's not writing books with her twin sister, she's pouring over entertainment news and ingesting copious amounts of pop culture. She likes tennis, that thing called the TV, and beating Becca (her clone) on Sega Genesis. She created YA Book Exchange to combat her book buying addiction and started Nawanda Files, a YA Book Blog that features books into movies news, to share her love for all things bookish. Oh, and she does something called science. Whatever that is. 

Krista & Becca Ritchie write New Adult books that make you cringe, gasp, and go ooh-la-la. (If you do that sort of thing.) They are currently working on the spin-offs and final books in the Addicted series.

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website | Krista's Goodreads | Becca's Goodreads

Giveaway!

Waiting on Wednesday {42}

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where bloggers post about much-awaited releases!

A Bookish Day: Gayle Forman in Manila!

Last Saturday, I was lucky enough to meet Gayle Forman - author of soon-to-be-released-movie If I Stay, its sequel Where She Went, and two books I recently read and loved, Just One Day and Just One Year. Us Pinoy bookworms have National Bookstore to thank for this event ♥

Gayle answering questions during the blogger forum

Book Review: Just One Year - Gayle Forman

Title: Just One Year (Just One Day #2)

Author: Gayle Forman

Release Date: October 10th 2013

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: Bought

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

The heartrending conclusion—from Willem’s POV—to the romantic duet of novels that began with Allyson’s story in Just One Day.

After spending an amazing day and night together in Paris, Just One Year is Willem’s story, picking up where Just One Day ended. His story of their year of quiet longing and near misses is a perfect counterpoint to Allyson’s own as Willem undergoes a transformative journey, questioning his path, finding love, and ultimately, redefining himself.

(Slight spoilers for book one.)

I really think that if you've read Just One Day, then it's just impossible to not want to read this companion novel. I mean, the curiosity! Don't you want to know what in heaven's name happened to Willem de Ruiter after that one fateful day in Paris? Because I sure did. 

And I knew it.

We all got from the first book that Willem is the kind of guy who can't stay long in one place because he has a thing against attachments. He's got an entire United Nations of girls waving their flags at him, right? Well, in this book, we solve the mystery that is him. And I certainly am glad to know that he didn't give up, that he actually looked for Allyson even before she started looking for him. It was really amazing to see how their single day together changed the both of them, but especially with Willem because his playboy ways made me think that he just forgot about her and moved on to his next country and next girl.

Gayle Forman's writing in here is still the same beautiful one that made it so easy to breeze through this duology. Just One Year captivated me but, somehow, it didn't have the same emotional zing as Just One Day, and that's probably because I related more with Allyson than with Willem. My situation is more similar to hers, but I sympathized with how lost he felt. This book also had me pondering more about all sorts of things.

Nothing happens without intention, Willem. Nothing. This theory of yours - life is ruled by accidents - isn't that just one huge excuse for passivity?

It was frustrating how he and Allyson got so close during their search for each other. Like, they got within a hundred feet of each other without them both knowing! Theirs was definitely not a small world. Anyway, thanks to Willem's trust fund and wanderlust, there was more traveling to be had in this book. I admired how brave he was, intentionally getting lost in foreign land and exploring it, but it was also sad because it showed how alone he was. Or, rather, how alone he felt.

Overall, I didn't enjoy Just One Year more than Just One Day, but it was still one emotional read. When I finished reading it, I just sighed because I was glad it's done, not because I hated it that I was happy to finally get it over with, but because I was so happy that Willem finally found his home. Now can I ask for some kind of epilogue?

MY FAVORITE PART was

Maybe he was overwhelmed, like I am overwhelmed, by that mysterious intersection where love meets luck, where fate meets will.

RATING:

Life of a Blogger {2}

Life of a Blogger is a weekly feature hosted by Jessi at Novel Heartbeat where bloggers chatter about random, non-bookish topics. This week's topic is the craziest thing I've ever done!

Waiting on Wednesday {41}

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where bloggers post about much-awaited releases!

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: Where You'll Find Me - Erin Fletcher

Title: Where You'll Find Me

Author: Erin Fletcher

Release Date: January 7th 2014

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: ecopy for blog tour

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

When Hanley Helton discovers a boy living in her garage, she knows she should kick him out. But Nate is too charming to be dangerous. He just needs a place to get away, which Hanley understands. Her own escape methods—vodka, black hair dye, and pretending the past didn't happen—are more traditional, but who is she to judge?

Nate doesn't tell her why he's in her garage, and she doesn't tell him what she's running from. Soon, Hanley¹s trading her late-night escapades for all-night conversations and stolen kisses. But when Nate¹s recognized as the missing teen from the news, Hanley isn't sure which is worse: that she's harboring a fugitive, or that she's in love with one.

Where You'll Find Me is everything I hoped it would be and more. Actually, it exceeded my expectations because harboring a fugitive? Not something a sane person would do, yes, but this book makes that make sense.

The attraction makes being angry at his breaking and entering decidedly more difficult.

I admit, at first I was like, "Umm you shouldn't be angry - you should be freaking scared and threatened!", because Hanley's initial reasoning for agreeing to Nate hiding out in her garage was because he looked and sounded safe enough. It was stupid, because a gorgeous person can still be a murdering psycho, but it somehow made sense. Hanley knew very well what it was like to run away from something, and immediately I was curious as to just what were chasing them both.

That common ground sparked a friendship that turned into something more. No matter how unconventional their relationship was, I just couldn't help but root for them to be together because they were like a bonfire and marshmallows against the cold Michigan weather. They knew next to nothing about each other, but they got each other like they knew everything.

All throughout the story, there was the thrill and suspense of Nate getting caught. It was obviously inevitable that he'd leave, but even then I kept wishing for the opposite. Being in Hanley's head had me laughing and nodding my head because she just presented her case so well that I found very little fault in her actions. And Nate being so gentlemanly and all certainly helped, too. At one point, he even told her to lessen the partying because didn't she want a functional liver in the future? Cute and responsible.

This book isn't just about Hanley and Nate's romance, though. It is also about growth, family, and friendship, and by the end I was just so proud of Hanley and wanted to give her a hug. A great book for feels and warm fuzzies, Where You'll Find Me is perfect for a cold, lazy day. I read it in one sitting and will gladly do so again, but why isn't this available in paperback?! *sulks*

MY FAVORITE PART was - oh, I have no idea. I think I'll go with the make-out scenes ;D

RATING:

About the author:
Erin Fletcher is a morning person who does most of her writing before sunrise while drinking excessive quantities of coffee, believes flip-flops qualify as year-round footwear, and would spend every day at the beach if she could. She has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics (which is almost never useful when writing books) and lives in North Carolina.

Website | Twitter

Giveaway!

'Another Little Piece of My Heart' Bonus Scene + Giveaway!

Just a month ago, I read Another Little Piece of My Heart and totally loved it. As in 'oh my God give me a movie give me an album give me the romance' kind of love. The book is a standalone (sadface) but today I get to share with you all a bonus scene!

(2/2) In Which I Shall Read All the Books.

(Part 1 is here.) So. I haven't been very good with the saving up I mentioned in my previous post because I'm meeting Gayle Forman next Saturday and I need all of her books so I've been buying like crazy omg. But I have them all now, so I can formally commence with the plan! Once I stop spending on food instead lol.

I won What's Left of Me from a giveaway and I remember being pretty ecstatic about it, but then it went to sit in a pile and never left. The mixed reviews I've seen certainly haven't helped, either. Fury, on the other hand, was an impulse buy during one of the old days when I couldn't leave the bookstore without buying anything. Such a pretty cover, right? I think I've had Torment for more than a year now. I really enjoyed Fallen when I re-read it, and I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy it even more when I read it again. Or maybe not. Twenty Boy Summer: another impulse buy. But I've been in the mood for contemp lately so I think I'll get to that soon. I got Sweep back when I knew how to be a cheapskate and bought nothing but omnibus editions. This shall be my first Cate Tiernan book, I swear.

The Iron Queen and The Iron Knight I have because I got the uber gorgeous box set; The Iron Legends was from my sister; The Lost Prince I won from a giveaway; and The Iron Traitor I got from NetGalley. I should read these soon before I forget what happened in the first two books. I ain't got no time for a re-read. (And I could barely stand Book One!Meghan.)

Witches of East End was another rare cheap find for me. Along with Frozen, I got it signed by Melissa de la Cruz, which should be motivation enough to read them, right? Well, my procrastination knows no bounds. Fire with Fire isn't something I'll get to sometime soon because I have to re-read the first book. Not that I'm complaining. Icons is also signed, but I don't think I've seen even one positive review for it? Eeek. And lastly, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I got this signed by Ransom but it's in paperback and there's a sequel and he's coming back so I'm gonna buy it again but in hardcover. Yeah, I don't see my piggy bank fattening up any time soon.

And that's it! I read more than 140 books last year but getting to these books somehow seem daunting. Silly, I know. I shall be back with a report by the end of the year! ;D

Life of a Blogger {1}

Life of a Blogger is a weekly feature hosted by Jessi at Novel Heartbeat where bloggers chatter about random, non-bookish topics. This week's topic is cars!

First off, you should know that I don't have my own car. My dad, brother, and two brothers-in-law all have one each, but I don't because 1) I don't know how to drive and 2) when I do learn, I'll have to buy my own. Yeah, the latter's not happening any time soon. So today I'll share with you instead my dream cars. Drool with me, friends.

Book Review: Just One Day - Gayle Forman

Title: Just One Day (Just One Day #1)

Author: Gayle Forman

Release Date: August 20th 2013 (first published January 8th 2013)

Publisher: Speak

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: Bought

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Allyson Healey's life is exactly like her suitcase - packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she’s not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes. This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: 24 hours that will transform Allyson’s life.

A book about love, heartbreak, travel, identity, and the "accidents" of fate, Just One Day shows us how sometimes in order to get found, you first have to get lost... and how often the people we are seeking are much closer than we know.

Holy. Crap. What the asdfghjkl did I just read?!

Well, one of the best asdfghjkl books I've ever read is what it is. Reading Just One Day didn't feel like I was getting a story relayed to me; instead, it was like having a conversation - a witty, funny, and poignant conversation with a stranger whom I felt like I'd known forever. It was also a journey that I might as well have taken myself because this was damn good writing. It pulled me in and made me feel every little flutter and drop.

Allyson is the good girl who usually stuck with the safe and old. Fresh out of high school, her parents send her on a trip around Europe that doesn't quite meet her expectations, but a few days before she's about to fly back home, she meets Willem, a wandering Dutch two years older than her who can recite Shakespeare in French - so swoony, I know. When he learns that she's bummed because she wouldn't make it to Paris, he offers to take her there for a day, and she accepts.

During Allyson and Willem's eventful day in Paris, I got the same feels I had when I watched Before Sunrise. They walked, talked, ate, laughed, saw, and ran, and that may sound boring but it's not because through all that, they felt. Watching them meet and connect and stain each other all in one day was a real treat because it was serendipity at its finest. And haven't we all felt that at least once? Perhaps when we met a friend or, closer to Allyson's case, a lover? It fascinates me how something magical like the story in this book can actually happen in real life.

But after that one enchanting day, it was like getting caught in a rainstorm that was Allyson's life. Even a month after, she was clearly as hurt and lost as if it had only been a day. I really pitied Allyson because her old, monotonous life suddenly seemed infinitely better than her new, confused reality; I'd never wanted to hug a fictional character so much before. What made her confusion worse was that no one understood her pain, not even her best friend who knew what had happened, because how much could you feel for a person whom you'd known for all of just one day? No one knew that the answer was everything.

Just One Day isn't only about the romance that blossomed during that time, though. Willem's abandonment might have left Allyson agonized, but she couldn't deny that he had showed her the kind of person she truly wanted to be: someone who pleased herself instead of other people.  

But still, that whole day, being with Willem, being Lulu, it made me realize that all my life I've been living in a small, square room, with no windows and no doors. And I was fine. I was happy, even. I thought. Then someone came along and showed me there was a door in the room. One that I'd never even seen before. Then he opened it for me. Held my hand as I walked through it. And for one perfect day, I was on the other side. I was somewhere else. Someone else. And then he was gone, and I was thrown back into my little room. And now, no matter what I do, I can't seem to find that door.

Allyson being lost and unknowing of what to do with her life was a bit hard for me to read because that is me right now. I may have not met a cute guy on the train and fallen for him while touring the city of love, but I am her. I'm in college, studying things I'm not even interested in, afraid to disappoint everyone who expects hugely different things from me. And until now I feel uncomfortable thinking, when will I have courage like Allyson's and take the leap?

Even though it rekindled my wanderlust - and taught me not take one of those tour packages with the tour guides for when I finally do get to travel - Just One Day, ultimately, scarred me. I am never going to fall in love! ...Yeah, not quite like that. I mean it scarred me in a way like how Allyson was pained but now it's over and she's stronger. Okay, I think this is the end of me making sense in this review, so just trust me when I say that this book is so good, I finished reading it with tears in my eyes, and then I facepalm-ed and screeched because I didn't have a copy of Just One Year yet.

MY FAVORITE PART was Allyson and Willem's just one day, of course.

RATING:

Waiting on Wednesday {40}

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where bloggers post about much-awaited releases!

{Blog Tour} Spotlight + Giveaway: Fast Forward - Marion Croslydon

Title: Fast Forward (Second Chances #2)

Author: Marion Croslydon

Release Date: December 19th 2013

Publisher: Carlux Publishing

Age Group: New Adult

Goodreads | Amazon

A moving story about love, redemption and what happens when life switches to fast forward.

Cassie learned the hard way: Love forgives… in the end.

In No Reverse, Josh and Cassie’s epic love story went from the brink of destruction to a fragile new beginning. Now they must mend their broken family and win back the son they gave up five years ago.

But second chances need to be earned and the road ahead is rocky. With Cassie on tour and Josh trying his hand at a political career, the struggle becomes clear. When the adoption takes a bad turn, Cassie and Josh are prepared to give up everything for the fight of their lives.

Will this young family finally heal the years of heartache, or will they be torn apart for good?

About the author:
Marion loves to share happy vibes, talk book crush, fictional boyfriends and sexual chemistry with like-minded people. And because she spends most of her days on her own deep inside her writing cave, you are welcome to come and say “hello” from time to time. Just to make sure she doesn’t sink into insanity. Her friends, family and arch-enemies (there are quite a few) will be forever grateful for your help.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway!

Mark That Book {2}

Mark That Book! is my attempt at showcasing my poor photo-editing skillz with gorgeous book covers. Basically, I just play around with them pretties.

For this week, I chose Savor by Kate Evangelista as my subject. It was mysterious and sexy at the same time and I'm totally stoked for the sequel. Also, more Luka :3

Stacking the Shelves {16}

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where bloggers share recently bought, borrowed, won, and gifted books (print or ebooks)!

Another digital copy edition! These books are what I've accumulated since November 2013, so yeah, quite overdue lol.

(1/2) In Which I Shall Read All The Books.

I have recently (as in this morning lol) noticed that I have a lot of unread books in my stacks here at home. A lot. More than I thought I had. Some of them have been gathering dust since 2012! It's kind of sacrilegious, I know, and since I want to save up for a bookshelf anyway, I figured, why not read them this year? So here I am, resolving to finally pull them out of their stagnant misery! I have no specific order in mind in which to read them, but I will get to them before 2015 hits.

Grave Mercy was an impulse buy of mine, if I remember correctly. I've heard nothing but good things about it and when I spotted it at the bookstore, all shiny in its hardcover glory, I just had to have it. Seeing as the last book - it's a trilogy, right? - is going to be released this year, I think I'll marathon all three - same goes with Shadow and Bone. I actually started reading it last year but I didn't finish it because it was so freaking good and I knew I'd go into depression if I reach the end and I don't have the next two books in my hands. Jellicoe Road I picked up just a few days ago but, for some weird reason, I couldn't get into it. I think it's something I have to read in one sitting and with my full concentration. I read Throne of Glass early last year and by the time Crown of Midnight was released, I needed a re-read; unfortunately, I didn't have the time. I think I'll read them both in one go along with the novella collection. I got a copy of The 5th Wave because of all the hype but I think I was daunted when I realized how long it is? That rarely happens to me. Anyway, I'll read it once the sequel is out too.

Ah, series endings. I've never been fond of them, so it makes sense that I scrambled to buy Requiem (I even have two copies) when it came out but still haven't gotten around to reading it, right? 'Course it does. Stolen, on the other hand, is a product of my procrastination. I know I'm going to love it so why hurry? But, I know, I'm missing out. Storm and Spark I purchased when I got the third book in the series from NetGalley. That galley has long since expired, and I plan to read all three once I have a finished copy of that one. I'm usually no good with book sales, so A Discovery of Witches is a rarity since I got it at half-price. I hope the same happens for the sequel lol.

I borrowed Pure from my friend months ago (or has it been a year? >_<) but when I learned it's going to have a sequel, I held off reading it. Now, my friend already has a copy of that sequel and I still haven't returned this one lol. I won a signed ARC of Venom just a little after it was released, but I plan to give that away and buy finished copies of the entire trilogy because I bet they're even more gorgeous in hardcover. I think I got Unearthly because I was mourning the end of the Hush, Hush saga (I still am :c) but decided not to read it since the third book wasn't out it paperback yet. But now it is! I'm really excited because I love reading books about angels. Life of Pi is a book I've owned since December 2012 because I wanted to read it before seeing the movie. Well, that's still the plan, only it's a bit delayed. And, like A Discovery of Witches above, I got Why We Broke Up in hardcover for half the price! I even screamed when I spotted it, I think.

This is only the first half of my deadly TBR pile, yet already I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. But oh well, it shall be done! What about you guys? Do you have any books you've long had but still haven't read yet? Share them with me in the comments!

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: Savor - Kate Evangelista

Title: Savor (Vicious Feast #1)

Author: Kate Evangelista

Release Date: December 1st 2013

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Age Group: New Adult

Source: ecopy for blog tour

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Mature and explicit content. Not recommended for readers below 18-years-old. Yup, you've got to be that old to read my story. Consider yourself warned.

I’m Dakota Collins, a tough talking, eye patch wearing, workaholic photography student. Why am I important? Well, maybe because I get to spend an entire month with Vicious, only the sickest indie rock band out there.

You see, I needed a subject for my Spring Showcase introspective in order to graduate. During a chance encounter at a club I’d been sent to cover for the Daily Gossip, our ironically named college paper, the features writer I usually teamed up with introduced me to the band—by accident, I might add. It involved a run in with a scary, bald bodyguard. Anyway, long story short, I signed a contract to take pictures of Vicious.

I should have known their handsome yet way too serious for his own good bassist, Luka Visraya, wouldn't be able to keep his hands to himself. He’s gorgeous and all, but the way he smiles spelled trouble with a capital L. I’m in for a long month with him around.

Crazy shit happens and then some. So, if you want the skinny on Vicious and the events revolving around my stay at Lunar Manor, read my story.

Again, refer to the warning above.

I had very little idea what was going to happen here in Savor because its prequel companion novel (apologies if that label is so incorrect) provided a satisfying closure. I fell in love with Luka in Taste, so you can imagine how happy I was when I learned that he was getting his own book. And now I realized that Savor is actually the first in a freaking series! Oh, yes.

Dakota's voice captured me right from page one and kept me up even though I started reading this at one in the morning. She had this underlying angst that she hid with her carefree, stay-out-of-my-way-and-I'll-stay-out-of-yours attitude, not to mention she kept secrets that I desperately wanted to unravel. What was up with the eye patch? The nightmares? Early on, I knew something twisted her way had come, but I admired how she let all her worries and fears roll off her back and immersed herself in photography. Seeing the world through her camera was her safe haven, an escape from the things chasing after her, and she sure did it well. Even without visual evidence, I knew Dakota's photos were more than good.

Now, Luka. Oh, Luka. Either my memory is deteriorating at an alarming speed or he really did a one-eighty from his Taste!self. I remember all the darkness and whatnot, but not to this degree. I certainly don't remember him acting like a demented, possessive, spoiled brat in that prequel (yes, I'll always think of it as a prequel to this series, like The Hobbit is to The Lord of the Rings), but even then, there's no denying that Luka Visraya is one sexy, sexy man. And he sings! Major swoon, dude.

Dakota and Luka's relationship was nothing if not steamy. All the not-so-pent-up tension between these two damaged people made their interactions even hotter. I'm kind of disappointed, though, that they somehow didn't bring out the best in each other. Dakota used Luka to escape from her demons - granted I enjoyed that because it was hella hot - and she was often the reason why the raging bull in him took over. I hope we'll see more character development but this being the first in a series, I'm positive that there's time enough for that.

I don't know how I got the idea that Luka would be the only character from Taste present in this book, but I sure was pleasantly surprised to encounter the entire gang in here again, albeit how different they are from my memory of them. We don't get much answers and backstory here in Savor so people who've read the prequel may get confused, because I know I am - just a tad bit. I love/hate how the story took a sudden, unexpected twist in the end and I have no idea what direction the story will take, but I am already itching for Relish!

MY FAVORITE PART was Luka performing Poison for the first time. Pretty sure I sighed and giggled :3

RATING:

About the author:
When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she lives in the Philippines and writes full time.

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