Royal Wedding! Congratulations to William and Kate!

Congratulations and best wishes to the new royal couple, William and Katherine.  

The Duke of Cambridge and Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cambridge.

I, William Arthur Philip Louis, take thee, Catherine Elizabeth, to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.


I, Catherine Elizabeth, take thee, William Arthur Philip Louis, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop

It's time for Follow Friday and Book Hop again! :) Always nice to participate in the hops to get to discover new blogs, and know more about fellow book bloggers.

Feel free to leave me a message about this post or any you see around here.  Tell me if you're a new follower or dropping by to say hi so I could return the love. <3

This week on Parajunkee's Follow Friday feature is Marla from Starting the Next Chapter, and the feature question is:

"Keeping with the dystopian and apocalypse theme that seems to be running rampant on parajunkee.com, I have one very hard question for you: If you were stocking your bomb shelter, what books would you HAVE to include if you only had space for ten?"

My, my.  Only ten??! Haha!

(1) Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick - I always knew I would have this!
(4) The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare - Bring on the bombs, I have Jace with me. :p
(3) The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa - Pretty much sure I would want this with me.
(1) Shakespeare's Sonnets - What can I say I'm into poetry.
(1) The Bible - I'm not really religious but just in case my spiritual side needs comforting.

And I will ignore the 10 books only because I want all seven Harry Potter books with me!!!

Then this week on the Book Blogger Hop from Crazy-for-Books:


"TO FOLLOW... :) "

Come back later to see this week's question and my answer to it.  Cheers!

Previous Posts

Reviews:

The Poison Eaters and Other Stories by Holly Black

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Warped by Maurissa Guibord

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

A Season of Eden by Jennifer Laurens

Cover Love:  Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Trailer

Music Monday:  You Are a Tourist by Death Cab for Cutie

Clockwork Prince Teaser for March/April

Cover Love: Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

I really love you, Julie.  You truly rock.

During my recent absence in twitterverse, Julie announced her super news of having a story in Puck's POV - Summer's Crossing.  This will be like Winter's Passage, released as an e-book and another good news is that starting June 1st we can download it for free (for a limited time only)!  More news of that later.


Summer's Crossing will be a story from Puck's POV from the events that happen between the end of The Iron Queen and before The Iron Knight (Ash's Story). 

"A Midsummer's Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

An ebook exclusive novella from Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series." (Goodreads)

Review: The Poison Eaters and other Stories by Holly Black

The Poison Eaters: and Other stories 

by Holly Black
February 9, 2010:  Big Mouth House

Buy the Book:  Amazon  |  Book Depository

"Poisonous girls whose kisses will kill. A fateful eating contest with the devil. Faeries who return to Ironside, searching for love. A junior prom turned bacchanalia. In twelve short stories, eerie and brimming with suspense and unexpected humor, Holly Black twists the fantastical creatures you thought you knew in ways you’ll never expect." (Goodreads)

Review

Holly Black delivers wicked good stories in bite size fun in her collection of short stories.  Starting off with the stark-dark vampire story, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, and ending off with the story of The Poison Eaters. 

I can't really pick favorites because all of them are particularly good!  Though I would particularly mention the story of Paper Cut Scissors because it is a smart story about books coming to life.  Then I was surprised by the story, Night Market because it was about one of the folklores in the Philippines, and a good one about it.  I haven't read Ironside yet but this is a side story of Roiben and Kaye, but mostly about a situation about Roiben and Corny, Kaye's friend.

Whether you're in the mood for some play with the demon, the occult, or even otherworld entities, Holly Black got it covered for you.  They are all beautifully twisted stories that would entice you, leave you off guard, and wanting more.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Trailer

Stop everything!!! 

Here's the new movie trailer of the second part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:

I think I may have just cried a little after watching it.  Not to mention the goosebumps as well.  Just a prelude to the crying brawl I'll be on the day of the movie.  Did you see the heartbreaking face of Snape?  T_T Oliver Wood is there, and the scene with little Petunia and Lily.  I'm getting all excited!! :)  Accio July 15!

Waiting on Wednesday: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent

by Veronica Roth

May 3, 2011:  Katherine Tegen Books

Buy the book:  Amazon   |  Book Depository

"In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her." (Goodreads)

_________________________

I have been hearing very good raves about this book and I'm happy it's only days away from the release date!  Another dystopian novel is about to hit my TBR stack!

Clockwork Prince April Teaser

CLOCKWORK PRINCE APRIL TEASER

The Lightwood boys.

The door to the training room opened. Tessa and Sophie turned as Gabriel Lightwood strode into the room, followed by a boy she had not met. Where Gabriel was slender and darker-haired, the other boy was muscular, with thick, sandy-blond hair. They were both dressed in gear, with expensive-looking dark gloves studded with metal across the knuckles. Each wore silver bands around each wrist — knife sheaths, Tessa knew — and had the same elaborate, pale white pattern of runes woven into the sleeves of their gear. It was clear not just from the similarity of their clothes but the shape of their faces and the pale, luminous green of their eyes that they were related, so Tessa was not in the least surprised when Gabriel said, in his abrupt manner:
“Well, we’re here as we said we would be. James, I assume you remember my brother, Gideon. Miss Gray, Miss Collins —”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” Gideon muttered, meeting neither of their gazes with his. Bad moods seemed to run in the family, Tessa thought, remembering that Will had said that next to his brother, Gabriel seemed a sweetheart.

Ha!  Another piece of the puzzle to rattle our brains with.  And not to mention another fine addition to Cassie's hot boys. :)  Thanks, Cassie for the teasers!!

Review: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels 

(The Mortal Instruments #4)

by Cassandra Clare
April 5, 2011:  Margaret K. McElderry

Buy the Book:  Amazon   |   Book Depository

"City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever.

Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels."(Goodreads)

Review

The new cycle of The Mortal Instruments series kicks off two months after the events in City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3), where many are still recovering from everything that transpired then and others trying to move on with their lives.  Luke and Jocelyn are now preparing for their wedding, Clary is now training to be a Shadowhunter, and Simon is trying to live a normal life as a vampire.  But something amiss is going on as deaths of shadowhunters arise, mysterious offers are being given to Simon, and Jace seems to be pulling away from Clary.  Not to mention there are little tensions going on in between other characters as well.  

For those TMI fans who are thinking that this will be a sweet ride for Clary and Jace, well you better throw those expectations out the window.  For they will be dancing barefoot on fiery rocks here.  So that will be like fudging hot, painful and a treacherous journey for them.  The harsh reality of what it meant to live forever will dawn on Simon as not only is he the only daylighter but he also bears the mark of Cain.  He will also have to confront his rockstar problem of simultaneously dating two equally dangerous girls - a Shadowhunter and a werewolf. 

We get moments of reprieve with Jace and Simon banters along with a seemingly new character coming into the story.  But other than that, it will be one hell of a rollercoaster ride that seems to fly straight into the dark night.  

And oh, was South Carolina mentioned?  It's definitely there.  Along with the DSAS (I came prepared, I read the book in an air-conditioned room).

The characters have come out of their shells now and from what they experienced before, who wouldn't come out of it more mature?  Though questions and more secrets are yet to surface.  Consequences of previous choices will led them to a darker chapter of their lives.  

Reading the book felt like drinking tonic and gin nonstop and by the end of it, everything I thought before was dissolved.  Cassandra Clare is surely capable of torturing her characters, as well as her readers to wits end.  I always love that about her books, the way she can tugged my heartstrings, making me want to scream like a maniac while or after reading, and basically reducing me into a big emotional lump afterwards.  

So the book just beaten me up and metaphorically driven me to the edge of the cliff.  I still sleep with it beside me - sending me off to dream of raining tears and a thousand burning questions.

Music Monday: You are a Tourist - Death Cab for Cutie

You are a Tourist by Death Cab for Cutie

This is my soundtrack for the summer! "This... Fire... Grows... High..." 
I missed DCFC and this is quite a cute song from them.  :)  The music video for the song just recently came out and has the caption, "The FIRST LIVE, SCRIPTED, ONE-TAKE MUSIC VIDEO SHOOT. EVER." 

In My Mailbox: I'm back just in time for Easter!!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the book blogging goddess, Kristi over at The Story Siren.  Congratulations on hitting the 1M visitors mark! :)

First, I want to greet those who celebrate Easter, Happy Easter! :)  I just caught one easter bunny stealing my eggs.  bwahahaha.  ------->

I just got back from my long due vacation, also taking a break from reading.  And at the same time I was avoiding spoilers of COFA like a plague.  It was a challenge!

So I'm baaaaack!  More mental than ever and luckily I was in time for this week's In My Mailbox post.

So these babies came to me mid April. Pretty little monsters. :)

Darkness Becomes Her - Kelly Keaton

City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare (read, review soon)

Wither - Lauren de Stefano

Teeth:  Vampire Tales anthology

The Poison Eaters and other stories - Holly Black (read, review soon)

Once a Witch - Carolyn MacCollough (read, review soon)

Not in picture:

Die For Me - Amy Plum (via netgalley)

Mercy - Rebecca Lim (read, review soon)

Forbidden - Tabitha Suzuma (read, review soon)

Kiss Me Deadly:  Tales of Paranormal Love (read, review soon)

I can't wait to share my thoughts about most of these books!  Thanks for sticking with me, guys while I was on hiatus.

Cheers!

Review: Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell

Fallen Angel
by Heather Terrell
December 28, 2010:  HarperTeen

Buy the book:  Amazon   |   Book Depository

"Heaven-sent?

Ellie was never particularly good at talking to boys—or anyone other than her best friend and fellow outcast, Ruth. Then she met Michael.
Michael is handsome, charming, sweet. And totally into Ellie. It’s no wonder she is instantly drawn to him. But Michael has a secret. And he knows Ellie is hiding something, too. They’ve both discovered they have powers beyond their imagining. Powers that are otherworldly.
Ellie and Michael are determined to uncover what they are, and how they got this way . . . together. But the truth has repercussions neither could have imagined. Soon they find themselves center stage in an ancient conflict that threatens to destroy everything they love. And it is no longer clear whether Ellie and Michael will choose the same side." (Goodreads)

Review

Ellie's life is normal.  Other than having parents who are hands-on humanitarian and academicians, she's just your average teenager in high school.   Maybe she constantly dreams of going out of her bedroom window and flying over town, but they're just dreams to her.  But when she caught the eye of a new boy in school, Michael, she never thought she could be that different.  

A combination of vampire, angel, and enochian lore then you got Fallen Angel.  I'm not really digging the story maybe because I was sidetracked by the vampire connection to the angels.  Though I'm interested to know the mystery behind Ellie and Michael's role among the fallen angels, and what role each of them will have to play. 

Maybe in the second book, Eternity, where the story would shift from Ellie and Michael's school and social life to uncovering the mystery behind their origins, the fallen angels, and their destiny.  She and Michael might feel they are fated to be together but are they really?  And at what cost?

Review: Warped by Maurissa Guibord

Warped
by Maurissa Guibord
January 11, 2011:  Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Buy the Book:  Amazon   |  Book Depository

"Tessa doesn't believe in magic. Or Fate. But there's something weird about the dusty unicorn tapestry she discovers in a box of old books. She finds the creature woven within it compelling and frightening. After the tapestry comes into her possession, Tessa experiences dreams of the past and scenes from a brutal hunt that she herself participated in. When she accidentally pulls a thread from the tapestry, Tessa releases a terrible centuries old secret. She also meets William de Chaucy, an irresistible 16th-century nobleman. His fate is as inextricably tied to the tapestry as Tessa's own. Together, they must correct the wrongs of the past. But then the Fates step in, making a tangled mess of Tessa's life. Now everyone she loves will be destroyed unless Tessa does their bidding and defeats a cruel and crafty ancient enemy." (Goodreads)

Review

You cannot blame Tessa for thinking she have gone mental for the two things that she doesn't believe in - magic and fate, both just happened to drop on her.  The mesmerizing unicorn in her old tapestry seems to be causing her to dream of participating in a hunt, which seem all to real for her and suddenly meeting William de Chaucy from the 16th century.  Suddenly her world is turned upside down as her fate becomes intertwined of that of William. 

A love story across time, woven with magic and tragedy.  It is a beautiful love story that caught me off guard.  Because at first I find it slow or because I was taking a slow pace at reading.  It is a different read for me.  I was used to vampires, angels, and werewolves, and I think it's my first time to encounter a time-travel related story.  But I have always been fascinated with fantasy so it wasn't hard for me to get into the story. 

It might not be the best love story, but it was certainly a good story about how love managed to bridge two worlds that even fate did not see coming.  And about learning to accept that there might be Fate, but we still have the power to choose for ourselves and decide on how we will get to our destiny.

Music Monday: Angels on the Moon by Thriving Ivory

This is one of the songs I have for my TMI playlist and Cassie also included it for her COFA playlist. It's really a strong, haunting, and TMI-apt song. 

Angels on the Moon - Thriving Ivory

Don't tell me if I'm dying
'Cause I don't wanna know
If I can't see the sun, maybe I should go
Don't wake me 'cause I'm dreaming
Of angels on the moon
Where everyone you know
Never leaves too soon

Do you believe, in the day that you were born
Tell me do you believe?
Do you know, that everyday's the first
Of the rest of your life?

Review: A Season of Eden by Jennifer Laurens

A Season of Eden
J.M. Warwick (Jennifer Laurens)
October 20, 2008: Grove Creek Publishing
Buy the book:  Amazon   |   Book Depository

"He's my teacher. I shouldn't be alone with him. But I can't help that he's irresistible.

I let the door silently close at my back. He stared at me, and a taut quiet stretched between us. "I like hearing you play," I said, moving toward him. He turned, in sync with my slow approach. He looked up at me but didn't say anything. I rested my clammy hand on the cold, slick body of the baby grand. "May I?" The muscles in his throat shifted, then he swallowed. "Eden." My knees weakened, like a soft tickling kiss had just been blown against the backs of them. "Is it okay?" I asked. His gaze held mine like two hands joined. He understood what I was really asking. "Let me stay," I said. "Please."

"You're going to get me in trouble," he said" (Goodreads)

Review

Being in school, it is a law set in stone that student-teacher relationship is prohibited.  Well, the more it appears to be tempting.

This is a coming of age story of Eden - the girl who appears to have everything.  She's one of the most popular girls at school, wealthy, and beautiful.  Months away from graduation, she then met their new teacher, Mr. Christian, who will change her forever.

I love the story of Eden and how she fell in-love with her teacher.  She initially appeared as one of the popular girls-type with a snobby attitude.  She always gets what she wants, that's what most people tell her.  Maybe she did because she's popular and rich.  But that's only on the surface because she might have everything and gets what she wants, but in truth what she needed the most is out of her reach. 

Mr. Christian is a new teacher in Eden's school, young and good looking (despite his lack of fashion sense), it's not surprising that he caught Eden's eye.  His good nature and maturity will have an effect on Eden's personal growth and thus making what she feels as crush turn into something deep.

The given conflict in itself is enough to mold the story.  I find Eden's character transformation beautiful because she started out as somewhat of a shallow character that slowly realized it and struggled to learn and mature.  She realized that she has to work hard to get what she really needs. 

Mr. Christian in turn is very kind, passionate with music, and his aura is infectious that you can't help but fall in-love with him as well.  He might be young to be a teacher but he can wise or mature for his age. 

I don't really read contemporary books so much but this one really got into me and highly recommend it for reading.

Some news you shouldn't miss!

First of all, just want to scream out that it's just less than 5 days before the release of City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare and Red Glove by Holly Black!!!  I will be off the radar starting tomorrow until the 11th to read (avoid spoilers), and will be hitting the beach as well (yay!).



On that note, Cassie and Holly will have a live Facebook chat with Borders on April 12, 6:00PM EST. 

MTV's HollywoodCrush had an interview with the dynamic duo.  You can watch the series of videos here.

"I love Lily Collins," Cassandra gushed right off the bat about the actress cast as heroine Clary. But she wasn't so forthcoming when asked about her preference for who should play sarcastic, demon-battling hottie Jace. What does she think of the fans' favorites?

"Well, the fans love Alex Pettyfer, and at this point I feel like I know him, though we've never spoken," she laughed. "He'd be a great Jace, but I know that he's got a lot of projects on his plate, so it sounds like he's choosing what would be the best fit for him. There's definitely other fan favorites for Jace, too."

Then the cover for the graphic novel adaptation of City of Bones was revealed as well: