Bound to Shadows by Keri Arthur

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book 8 - Riley Jenson Series.


"In the darkness, demons come out to play . . . and someone must bring their sins to light.Part vampire, part werewolf, Riley Jenson knows what can happen when vamps don’t play well with others. But she’s never seen anything like this: a series of brutal murders surrounding the latest hot spot for vampire-human hookups—and the victims aren’t just killed, they’re beheaded. Now Riley is launching into action, toying with a seductive—and highly suspicious—club owner, and finding herself in the middle of another mystery: women being killed one by one, without a trace of violence.


For Riley, solving multiple cases—in a world going mad with human and vampire passions—would have been tough enough. Instead she has two jealous lovers on her hands: Kye Murphy, the amber-eyed werewolf who makes Riley’s wolf blood howl—and Quinn, the cool, elegant vamp who has over a thousand years’ experience at fulfilling women’s desires. While she’s busy juggling these two sexy beasts, Riley’s detective work takes a stunningly violent turn. Finding a murderer is now a matter of life and death. Especially since the killer has long since found her . . ." http://www.keriarthur.com/

Shopaholic and a Baby by Sophie Kinsela

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Book 5 of the Shopaholic Series

Becky’s life is blooming! She’s working at London’s newest big store, The Look, house-hunting with husband Luke (her secret wish is a Shoe Room)...and she’s pregnant! She couldn’t be more overjoyed—especially since discovering that shopping cures morning sickness. Everything has got to be perfect for her baby: from the designer nursery…to the latest, coolest pram…to the celebrity, must-have obstetrician. But when the celebrity obstetrician turns out to be Luke’s glamorous, intellectual ex-girlfriend, Becky’s perfect world starts to crumble. She’s shopping for two…but are there three in her marriage?

http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/kinsella/

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆


The book is better than the movie but i love Isla Fisher here. She's perfect for Rebecca Bloomwood's character. The movie was much funny than the book though.

Rebecca Bloomwood just hit rock bottom. But she's never looked better....

Becky Bloomwood has a fabulous flat in London's trendiest neighborhood, a troupe of glamorous socialite friends, and a closet brimming with the season's must-haves. The only trouble is that she can't actually afford it—not any of it.

Her job writing at Successful Savings not only bores her to tears, it doesn't pay much at all. And lately Becky's been chased by dismal letters from Visa and the Endwich Bank—letters with large red sums she can't bear to read—and they're getting ever harder to ignore.

She tries cutting back; she even tries making more money. But none of her efforts succeeds. Becky's only consolation is to buy herself something ... just a little something....

Finally a story arises that Becky actually cares about, and her front-page article catalyzes a chain of events that will transform her life—and the lives of those around her—forever.

Sophie Kinsella has brilliantly tapped into our collective consumer conscience to deliver a novel of our times—and a heroine who grows stronger every time she weakens. Becky Bloomwood's hilarious schemes to pay back her debts are as endearing as they are desperate. Her "confessions" are the perfect pick-me-up when life is hanging in the (bank) balance.

http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/kinsella/

Riley's final book?

Available in 2010 - may be the the last book in the series???

"Some nights never end.Some desires never die. . . . She ventures where no one else dares—into realms of peril and pleasure. But will this next journey be her last?


Shape-shifting werewolf and vampire Riley Jenson is through with death–causing it, solving it, surviving it. Her soul mate, Kye Murphy, is dead–and at Riley’s own hands. Not even the seductive embrace of her vampire lover, Quinn, can fully ease her mind, for she has begun questioning everything that makes her Riley–including her job at the Directorate.


Now, the ritualistically slain bodies of ex-cons have started turning up. Reluctantly, Riley takes the case, but something even worse is waiting in the wings. For a vicious enemy from her past is determined to strip Riley of everything that gives her life any meaning: her lover, her brother–and even her own identity. Can Riley survive this ultimate assault? All she knows is, she must fight one last time to find answers, before everything goes dark forever…" www.keriarthur.com

Accidentally Yours (Count on Cop) by Rebecca Winters

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

FBI Agent Max Calder is working undercover to take down a Russian Mafia ring. The Russian Mafia is setting up car accidents and getting tons of money from insurance companies. Max has worked long and hard to get himself deep into the group as a Russian immigrant, Anatoly Kuzmina. The day that Max was supposed to have one of his `staged accidents' someone else hit his car unexpectedly. Max is afraid that maybe one of his rivals in the Mafia sent her to get rid of him permanently or that she was sent from someone higher up in the Mafia to test Max's loyalty. Either way Max knows he must find out everything that he can about the woman, Gaby Peris.

Gaby was horrified to have caused the accident, but she is thankful that everyone seems okay. As an immigration lawyer Gaby has read up on the Russian Mafia ring and has a nagging suspicion that Anatoly might be involved. She is suspicious and highly attracted to him.

Max and Gaby are the perfect couple, but their suspicions of each other could tear them apart. Through the whole book the reader is hoping that they discover the truth about one another before it is too late. This is a fun fast-paced romance that I would highly recommend. If you buy this one than you have to pick up My Private Detective that is Gideon's story. It is just as good, if not better, than Max's story.

Once and Always by Judith McNaught

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Suddenly orphaned and alone Victoria Seaton sails the vast ocean, eager to claim her heritage at Wakefield, the sumptuous English estate of her distant cousin…the notorious Lord Jason Fielding. Bewildered by his arrogance yet drawn to his panther-like, she senses the painful memories that smolder in his eyes. When he gathers her at last into his arms, arousing a sweet, insistent hunger, they wed and are embraced by fierce, consuming joy--free from the past’s cruel grasp. Then, in a moment of anguish, Victoria discovers the treachery at the heart of their love…a love she had dreamed would triumph not just once, but always.

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The Mortal Instruments #3: City of Glass

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters—never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City—whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The Mortal Instruments #2: City of Ashes


A murderer is loose in New York City…and the victims are Downworlder children. Clary Fray and her fellow Shadowhunters have a strong suspicion that Valentine, Clary’s father, may be behind the killings. But if he is the murderer, then what’s his true motive? To make matters worse, the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, has been stolen, and the mysterious Inquisitor has arrived to investigate, with his eyes vigilantly targeted on Clary’s brother, Jace.

Clary will need to face some terrifying demons and even more terrifying family decisions. No one said that the life of a Shadowhunter would be easy.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The Mortal Instruments #1: City of Bones

Their hidden world is about to be revealed...

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Clary knows she should call the police, but it's hard to explain a murder when the body disappears into thin air and the murderers are invisible to everyone but Clary.

Equally startled by her ability to see them, the murderers explain themselves as Shadowhunters: a secret tribe of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Within twenty-four hours, Clary's mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque demon.

But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

New Moon Movie

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆


The New Moon movie is so boring, and it was badly scripted, and I am so disappointed with it. So shallow and super cheesy....

Well now I officially hate Bella's character as well as Kristen Stewart - she couldn't act and i think she's a horrible actress. I have watched some of her movies and she acts the same...

And Edward/Rob P., i didn't like him in this movie. And yeah, his body... when he was about to expose himself in the sun I got disappointed with his abs, eww!

What I love about this movie is Jacob's character. Taylor Lautner deserves the role of Jacob Black. He's the one in the movie that made me happy and contented. I didn't like Jacob in the books but in this movie, i am definitely Team Jacob!!

I also liked Dakota Fanning's acting. She was onscreen for only a few minutes but her acting was excellent. And yeah, Aro as well. Don't know his name hehe

As for Carlisle's family, in the movie the director did it badly. Carlisle's family only appeared for few minutes and I hate that. I love Carlisle and Emmett and so my Alice! She's so cute and i love the way she acts.

Finally about the fighting scenes, what we see from the movie trailer - that's it! I expected to see more fighting scenes with the were's and Laurent and no - that's it! I hope in Eclipse there should be more fighting scenes with Victoria. I heard that they changed the casting of the red haired vampire Victoria - Rechel's perfect for the role. I hope they won't replace her with anyone new.

I loved Twilight Saga but now I don't know. The excitement isn't there anymore...

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Title: Spirit Bound
Author: Richelle Mead

Hardcover: 512 pages

Publisher: Razorbill; Reprint edition (April 6, 2010)

Ratings:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

The book is about Rose's journey in Russia to find her mentor Dimitri who has been turned into a Strigoi (or dead immortal vampire) after the battle in Shadowkiss. Rose dropped out in St. Vladimir and left her best friend, Lissa for Dimitri. She is hoping to see Dimitri and kill him because she wanted him to be free of his current evil state. Her journey was funded by Adrian, the Queen's nephew. She promised Adrian if she finished her journey and killed Dimitri, she'll come home and give Adrian a chance. Did she kill Dimitri? No spoilers here :) Read the book and find out!

I loved and enjoyed this book. However I can't say that this is my favorite book in the series. I still think Shadowkiss is the best maybe because Dimitri has been turned into a Strigoi. I missed the old sweet tough Dimitri and I hope Victor's brother or Lissa/Adrian will bring Dimitri back to being a Dhampir.

The next book, Spirit Bound will be released in US in May 2010. 6 months to go! I can't wait!!

 

About the book:

"Rose Hathaway's life will never be the same.

The recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters . . . Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa—her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She'll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?

Now, with everything at stake—and worlds away from St. Vladimir's and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?" http://www.richellemead.com/

About the author

Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens.  Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time. Before becoming a writer, she considered a few different career paths. She received a liberal arts degree from the University of Michigan, an MA in Comparative Religion from Western Michigan University, and a Master in Teaching (Middle & High School English) degree from the University of Washington. In the end, she decided writing was the way for her but believes all of her education prepared her for it.

A life-long reader, Richelle has always had a particular fascination with mythology and folklore. When not writing,, she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. Lots of dresses. She is a self-professed coffee addict, fights a constant (and losing) battle with procrastination, and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.

http://www.richellemead.com/

Accidental Vampire by Lynsay Sands

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Book 7 of the Argeneau Series.

FATE GAVE HER FANGS . . .

Ever since an accident turned her into a knockout vamp, Elvi Black’s been catching her z’s in a coffin, staying out of the sun, and giving up garlic. She knows there’s more to being undead than what she saw in Dracula, but she can’t very well ask her mortal friends about proper biting etiquette. But when her neighbors placed a personal ad for her in the local paper, she never imagined she’d meet Victor Argeneau, a vampire who could have his pick of any woman—dead or alive.

HE’LL SHOW HER HOW TO USE THEM . . .

Rich, powerful, and drop-dead gorgeous, Victor’s the perfect man for a novice neck-biter like Elvi. He’s willing to teach her everything he knows, but he’ll have to do it fast. Someone’s out to put a stake through her new vamp life, and only Victor can keep her safe – and satisfied – for all eternity.

http://www.lynsaysands.net/books/argeneau/accidental.html

Richelle Mead reading an excerpt of Spirit Bound in Sydney

So glad to share this with you guys!!

Richelle Mead reads an excerpt of Spirit Bound in her interview in Sydney. This is the part where Rose went to Rhonda to get a tarot reading on her future (again). I can't wait for May!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viGbmrLk_s0

Dimitri and Rose will be together again... haaay...

AND... *holding my breath* Penguin will release a hard bound copy of Vampire Academy books with the first chapter of Spirit Bound in it!! It will be released on 25 November!!! Holy cow!!! Check out RM website for more updates.

www.richellemead.com

Spirit Bound Coverart

Take a look, I'm not sure if RM would really use this cover but it's cool! I love it!!

What do you guys think? The book's coming out in May 2010. Is that Dimitri and Rose?

Yay for me!!!

I just got my Blood Promise book last Friday (10/16) and I can't wait for the 5th book Spirit Bound to come out!!!

Well i have already read the last part (only) of it last month in an ebook format (can't wait eh!) so I know the ending already. And now I just started reading it page by page. And I am loving every page of it!! For me, it beats the Twilight Saga which before i thought i could not compare to any book ever written.

Hey just saw this in Amazon, great!!! The 5th book will be released in US on 18 May 2010!! Seven months to go!!! Wohooo!!

Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong...

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.

Don't Talk Back To Your Vampire by Michelle Bardsley

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This is the second book in the Broken Heart, Oklahoma series, the follow up book to the I'm the Vampire, That's Why.

The reviews are good that's why I bought this but I couldn't catch up with the characters as I haven't read the first one. But still, i liked it, the characters are funny especially Eva and Lorcan and yes Eva's daughter too!

Still looking for the first book, I just don't know whereelse to go...

"Librarian Eva LeRoy and her teenaged daughter came to Broken Heart to claim their family’s birthright. Now, Eva has a new unlife … and she’s got the hots for the vampire who killed her. Lorcan O’Halloran doesn’t believe he deserves forgives for past misdeeds, even accidental ones. But when a new enemy goes after Eva, and only Lorcan can protect her." http://blog.michelebardsley.net/

Deadly Desire by Keri Arthur

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆


The 7th book in the Riley Jenson series. This is the one book in the series that I find sooo good! I love the plot and made the series more interesting to read.

"Seduction that kills. Pleasure to die for. She just can’t resist . . . Guardian Riley Jenson always seems to face the worst villains. And this time’s no different. For it’s no ordinary sorceress who can raise the dead to do her killing. But that’s exactly what Riley expects to find at the end of a trail of female corpses used—and discarded—in a bizarre ritual of evil. With pressure mounting to catch one fiend, another series of brutal slayings shocks the vampire world of her lover, Quinn. So the last thing Riley needs is the heat of the upcoming full moon bringing her werewolf hormones to a boil—or the reappearance of a sexy bounty hunter, the rogue wolf Kye Murphy.

Riley has threatened Murphy with arrest if he doesn’t back off the investigation, but it’s Riley who feels handcuffed by Kye’s lupine charm. Torn between her vamp and wolf natures, between her love for Quinn and her hots for Kye, Riley knows she’s courting danger and indulging the deadliest desires. For her hunt through the supernatural underworld will bring her face-to-face with what lurks in a darkness where even monsters fear to tread." http://www.keriarthur.com/

Darkest Kiss by Keri Arthur

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book 6 of the Riley Jenson Guardian Series


"Danger turns her on. Desire turns her dangerous… Riley Jenson hunts evildoers—and does it with a style all her own. With vamp blood coursing her through her veins, and a werewolf’s uncanny instinct for danger, Riley wears snakeskin stilettos and pure, in-your-face attitude when she plunges into her latest case: hunting down a killer whose victims are high-society strumpets—and the rich and powerful men they’ve dated.
But for Riley, the case takes a chilling turn when a second killer starts trailing mutilated bodies of his own: a crazed young vamp choosing victims from a past marked by tragedy. Riley knows she’s got the skill and cunning to catch two serial killers at once…until one of them strikes inside her own tight-knit clan—and a sexy beast of a vampire reenters her life to aid in the hunt. His name is Quinn. He’s lived forever, shed blood, and shared pleasure…and he’s the only man over whom Riley has absolutely no control…." http://www.keriarthur.com

Embraced by Darkness by Keri Arthur

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Riley Jenson Guardian Series Book 5

"Now a full-fledged guardian--or supercop--Riley Jenson is riding high...until her family comes calling. When her pack's alpha demands that she solve the mystery of a vanished girl, Riley can feel a trap closing in around her. Soon she is caught between a lover who demands that she give up her work, a serial killer who knows no boundaries, and a club where humans and supernaturals mix--at their own peril. Thrust into a realm of seduction and violence unlike any she could have imaged, Riley has to battle to save everything she holds dear. But the ultimate hunt has only just begun..." http://www.keriarthur.com  

Dangerous Games by Keri Arthur

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Riley Jenson Guardian Series Book 4

"Riley has her hands full with her first case as a full-fledged guardian, and it's a nasty one.Dead women are turning up in warehouses all over Melbourne, and it's up to Riley to find out why. But it's not until Riley's gorgeous on-again, off-again lover, Quinn, turns up that she realizes how unusual this case is.

And soon, a shocking mystery begins to unravel--one where Riley herself becomes the ultimate object of desire..." http://www.keriarthur.com  

Tempting Evil by Keri Arthur

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Riley Jenson Guardian Series Book 3


"In a world of sorcery and seduction, the nights bring out the beautiful, the damned, and the desired. Here, Riley Jenson is on her own--half werewolf, half vampire, working for an organization created to police the supernatural races. Trusting her superiors and lovers barely more than she trusts her worst enemies, Riley plays by her own set of rules. Her latest mission: to enter the heavily guarded pleasure palace of a criminal named Deshon Starr'a madman-scientist who's been messing around in the gene pool for decades.

With two sexy men--a cool, seductive vampire and an irresistibly hot wolf--vying for her attention, Riley must keep focused. Because saving the world from Deshon Starr will mean saving herself--from the trap that's closing in around her. . . ." http://www.keriarthur.com 

Kissing Sin by Keri Arthur

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Riley Jenson Guardian Series Book 2

"From Melbourne's gleaming skyscrapers to its throbbing nightclubs, Riley Jenson's world is raging with danger and desire. A drop-dead-gorgeous werewolf with a touch of vamp coursing in her blood Riley works for an organization created to police the supernatural races. But when she wakes up naked and bruised in a barren alley, she knows only that she must run for her life.

Within moments Riley collides with the sexiest man she's ever seen: steely, seductive Kade, who is fighting a life-and-death battle of his own. With old lovers and enemies gathering around her, Riley knows she is being pursued by a new kind of criminal. Because in Riley's blood is a secret that could create the ultimate warrior--if only she can survive her own dangerous desires" http://www.keriarthur.com/

Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This is the first book of the Riley Jenson Guardian Series. The main characters are Riley and her twin brother Rhoan and they both work for the Melbourne's Directorate of Other Races. It was a good start and if you are looking for a vampire-werewolf romance, this is a good read.  

"A rare hybrid of vampire and werewolf, Riley Jenson and her twin brother, Rhoan, work for Melbourne's Directorate of Other Races: an organization created to police the supernatural races and protect humans from their depredations.

While Rhoan is an exulted Guardian, aka assassin, Riley is merely an office worker until her brother goes missing on one of his missions. The timing couldn't be worse. More werewolf than vampire, Riley is vulnerable to the moon heat, the week-long period before the full moon when her need to mate becomes all consuming.

Luckily, Riley has two willing partners to satisfy her every need. But she will have to control her urges if she s going to find her brother.

Easier said than done as the city pulses with frenzied desire, and Riley is confronted with a very powerful and delectably naked vamp who raises her temperature like never before. In matters carnal, Riley has found her match.

But in matters criminal, she must follow her instincts not only to find her brother, but to stop an unholy harvest. For someone is doing some shifty cloning in an attempt to produce the ultimate warrior by tapping into the genome of non-humans like Rhoan.

Now Riley knows just how dangerous the world is for her kind and just how much it needs her." http://www.keriarthur.com

The Magnate's Indecent Proposal by Ally Blake

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

After her third nuisance call of the morning, Chelsea finally twigged. She must have accidentally swapped mobile phones with someone in the cafe that morning! And she knew her life well enough to know how this would play out: she would trek back into town, swap phones with some middle-aged man with a paunch and be on her way.

Okay, she was wrong! The guy was darkly handsome and seriously sexy: Damien 'Rich-list' Halli burton, way out of her league. She'd sworn off men long ago, and hadn't since been tempted. But with a guy this gorgeous how could she refuse his wicked, seductive and very indecent proposal?

http://www.allyblake.com/themagnatesindecentproposal.html

Book Review: The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks

Title: The Wedding
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Vision (August 1, 2005)

Ratings:

★ ★

My thoughts:

This book is a follow up to The Notebook.

I didn't like it much, the book is slow and the story is very predictable. I found myself skimming through the pages so I could be done reading it.


About the book:

"After thirty years of marriage, Wilson Lewis, son-in-law of Allie and Noah Calhoun (of The Notebook), is forced to admit that the romance has gone out of his marriage. Desperate to win back his wife, Jane's, heart, he must figure out how to make her fall in love with him... again. Despite the shining example of Allie and Noah's marriage, Wilson is himself a man unable to easily express his emotions. A successful estate attorney, he has provided well for his family, but now, with his daughter's upcoming wedding, he is forced to face the fact that he and Jane have grown apart and he wonders if she even loves him anymore. Wilson is sure of one thing--his love for his wife has only deepened and intensified over the years. Now, with the memories of his in-laws' magnificent fifty-year love affair as his guide, Wilson struggles to find his way back into the heart of the woman he adores."
http://www.nicholassparks.com/

About the author:

Nicholas Charles Sparks was born in Omaha, Nebraska on December 31, 1965.

After breaking the Notre Dame school record as part of a relay team in 1985 as a freshman (a record which still stands), he was injured and spent the summer recovering. During that summer, he wrote his first novel, though it was never published. He majored in Business Finance and graduated with high honors in 1988.

He and his wife Catherine, who met on spring break in 1988, were married in July, 1989. While living in Sacramento, he wrote his second novel that same year, though again, it wasn't published. He worked a variety of jobs over the next three years, including real estate appraisal, waiting tables, selling dental products by phone, and started his own small manufacturing business which struggled from the beginning. In 1990, he collaborated on a book with Billy Mills, the Olympic Gold Medalist and it was published by Feather Publishing before later being picked up by Random House. (It was recently re-issued by Hay House Books.) Though it received scant publicity, sales topped 50,000 copies in the first year of release.

He began selling pharmaceuticals and moved from Sacramento, California to North Carolina in 1992. In 1994, at the age of 28, he wrote The Notebook over a period of six months. In October, 1995, rights to The Notebook were sold to Warner Books. It was published in October, 1996, and he followed that with Message in a Bottle (1998), A Walk to Remember (1999), The Rescue (2000), A Bend in the Road (2001), and Nights in Rodanthe (2002), The Guardian (2003), The Wedding (2003), Three Weeks with my Brother (2004), True Believer (2005) and At First Sight (2005) all with Warner Books. All were domestic and international best sellers and were translated into more than 35 languages. The movie version of Message in a Bottle was released in 1999, A Walk to Remember was released in 2002, and The Notebook was released in 2004. The average domestic box office gross per film was $56 million -- with another $100 million in DVD sales -- making the novels by Nicholas Sparks one of the most successful franchises in Hollywood. - Amazon

She Went All The Way by Meg Cabot

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

The book is light, sweet, romantic and funny. The plot is not really original but still it's a good book.

There are a few places screenwriter Lou Calabrese would rather be than crammed into a helicopter with Jack Townsend, star of her claim to fame, Copkiller, and whose ex just ran off with Lou's ex. Talk about uncomfortable. But when, halfway out to the isolated arctic location where Copkiller IV is currently shooting, their pilot turns murderous and their helicopter crashes, Lou realizes her day has just gotten a lot worse. Now, while family and friends back home fret over her disappearance, Lou is on the run in the arctic wilderness with America's sweetheart Jack Townsend and only the contents of her purse, his pockets, and their mutual knowledge of survival movie trivia to keep them alive. Can these two children of Hollywood put aside their differences and make it back home without killing each other? Or much, much worse, actually start to like one another?

http://www.amazon.com/She-Went-All-Way-Cabot/dp/0061340243/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246065899&sr=8-1

Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

To: You (you)
From: Human Resources (human.resources@thenyjournal.com)
Subject: This Book

Dear Reader,
This is an automated message from the Human Resources Division of the New York Journal, New York City’s leading photo-newspaper. Please be aware that according to our records you have not yet read this book. What exactly are you waiting for? This book has it all:

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Cooking tips
Great Danes Heroine in peril Dolphin-shaped driftwood sculptures
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www.megcabot.com

Gossip Girl (TV Series)

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This is all about the lives of wealthy teenagers growing up in New York. I like the show, it was fun watching the whole first season. Although for me I don't think the show's good for young teenagers because of the drinking, sex and drug scenes. So i think it should be viewed by mature and older teens. But the show's also teaching some things here. Especially the case of the Humphreys. I like Dan, he makes me laugh as well as Chuck. In the first few episodes, I didn't like Chuck's character but when he fell in love with Blair, he became soo funny. :)

I haven't watched season two but I will definitely watch it soon :)

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book 9 of the Sookie Stackhouse Series

For Sookie Stackhouse, the day to day activities of the vampire and were communities in and around Bon Temps, Louisiana, are of vital interest, She’s blood-bound to the leader of the vamps, a friend to the local were pack, works for a man who is shifter, and has a brother who is a were-panther…

But for most of the humans in Bon Temps, the vamps are mysterious seductive creatures-and they don’t even know about the weres.

Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world.

At first it seems to go well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found in the parking lot of the bar where Sookie works. The victim is someone she knows, so she feels compelled to discover who-human or otherwise-did the deed.

But what she doesn’t realize is that there is a far greater danger than the killer threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings–older, more powerful and far more secretive than vampires or werewolves– is preparing for war. And Sookie will find herself an all-too human pawn in their battle…

http://sookiestackhouse.com

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book 8 of the Sookie Stackhouse Series

After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the manmade explosion at the vampire summit, everyone—human and otherwise—is stressed, including Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who is trying to cope with the fact that her boyfriend Quinn has gone missing.

It’s clear that things are changing—whether the weres and vamps of her corner of Louisiana like it or not. And Sookie—Friend to the Pack and blood-bonded to Eric Northman, leader of the local vampire community—is caught up in the changes.

In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death, and once more, betrayal by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood finished flowing, her world will be forever altered.

http://sookiestackhouse.com

All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book 7 of the Sookie Stackhouse Series

Sookie is trying to put past failed relationships behind her and has a new man in her life: the handsome and mysterious shapeshifter Quinn. But in the wake of the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, and with the entire Louisiana supernatural community still reeling, Sookie is summoned by Sophie-Anne Leclerq (the Queen of Louisiana) to accompany her to a historic regional vampire summit.

The summit is a tense situation. The vampire queen of Louisiana is in a precarious position, her power base weakened by hurricane damage to New Orleans. Entire power bases could be gained or lost — the summit is filled with friction and ill will; and when delegates are found brutally murdered, Sookie finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy-ridden power play where the unlikeliest of suspects could be a cold-blooded killer? And there are some vamps who would like to finish what nature started.

Soon, Sookie must decide what side she’ll stand with. And her choice may mean the difference between survival and all-out catastrophe.


http://sookiestackhouse.com

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book 6 of the Sookie Stackhouse Series

Telepathic Louisiana barmaid Sookie Stackhouse finds out jaw-dropping information about her first love, 130-something vampire Bill Compton, as well as equally astonishing insights into her own ancestry.

After her only cousin, Hadley, is murdered by one of the undead, Sookie travels to New Orleans to close out the young woman’s apartment and collect her things. The unsavory job gets complicated quickly; Hadley was the “honeybun” of the bisexual vampire Queen of Louisiana, the seemingly ageless bloodsucker Sophie-Anne Leclerq. The queen has recently married another powerful sovereign in an attempt to forge a formidable alliance, and tensions in the supernatural community are running high. But when Sookie and her new love interest, a were-tiger named Quinn, are inexplicably kidnapped, the mind-reading waitress must unravel the mysterious circumstances of her cousin’s murder before she ends up dead as well.

http://sookiestackhouse.com

Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book 5 of the Sookie Stackhouse Series

The Witch War may be over, but there’s still danger aplenty for the supernatural citizens of Louisiana’s Renard Parish. Vampires and werewolves owe a debt to waitress Sookie Stackhouse, whose telepathic powers helped them triumph over the witches.

Jason’s eyes start to change, she knows he’s about to turn into a were-panther for the first time. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population-and Jason’s new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who’s behind the attacks, unless the killer decides to find her first.So when bar owner Sam Merlotte is sidelined during a rash of attacks that leaves werefox Heather Kinman dead and werewolf Calvin Norris hospitalized, he sends Sookie to Fangtasia to ask vampire Eric to lend him a bartender. Sam, who’d love for Sookie to be more than just his messenger, doesn’t know that she’s been equally in Eric’s debt since he took the bullet Debbie Pelt aimed at her for ruining her relationship with werewolf Alcide Herveux. Eric doesn’t know either: the shotgun blast erased all memories of his brief but torrid affair with Sookie. But Eric obligingly sends ex-pirate Charles Twining to help Sam and short-order cook Sweetie Des Arts. Since Sookie still has the lightproof room Eric used during his convalescence, Charles stays with her, annoying both Alcide, who wants Sookie as his consort, and Bill Compton, Sookie’s first love.

Luckily for Sookie’s admirers, Charles is on the scene when her house is set afire by Jeff Marriott, whose grudge against Sookie is as mysterious as his origins. Sorting out her suitors leaves Sookie scant time to worry about why she’s become a target.

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book 4 of the Sookie Stackhouse Series

Sookie Stackhouse, makes a New Year’s resolution: to not get beaten up by supernatural beings. Yeah, right!Sookie’s life is at a crossroads. Her former boyfriend Bill, a strikingly handsome 137-year old vampire who has arguably been the source of most of her problems, has left for the country on a fact-finding mission for the vampire Queen of Louisiana. For the first time in a long time, Sookie has control of her own life. She duly resolves to stay out of trouble with supernatural beings, but on the way home from work, she sees a naked blond man running down the road. Being the kind-hearted soul that she is, Sookie stops to help. The man turns out to be Eric, a powerful vampire who not only owns Fangtasia, a popular tourist bar in Shreveport, but is also one of the most influential vampires in the region.After taking him home, Sookie quickly realizes that the blond vampire has amnesia. She calls Eric’s trusted subordinates and is stunned by what she hears — the area has been invaded by a coven of shape-shifting witches bent on controlling all supernatural groups! To complicate matters, Sookie’s only brother, Jason, is missing. Can Sookie keep Eric safe and find her brother without breaking her New Year’s resolution? Of course not!

http://sookiestackhouse.com

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book 3 of the Sookie Stackhouse Series

There’s only one vampire Sookie Stackhouse is involved with (at least voluntarily) and that’s Bill.But recently he has been a little distant.Bill informs Sookie that he has to go somewhere on a top-secret mission for the queen of Louisiana (vampires have a strict territorial hierarchy) and promptly disappears. Later, Sookie is informed by Eric, the charismatic head of the local vampire territory, that someone has kidnapped Bill in Mississippi and that his life may be in grave danger. Sookie also learns that her undead boyfriend was actually summoned by one of his ex-girlfriends, a vicious vampire named Lorena, who was hired to seduce, abduct, and torture Bill to obtain his top-secret information. Eric believes that Russell Edgington, the powerful king of Mississippi, has Bill somewhere on his sprawling compound. Sookie decides to do anything to rescue him.

http://sookiestackhouse.com

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book 2 of the Sookie Stackhouse Series

Cocktail waitree Sookie Stackhouse is on a streak of bad luck. First, her coworker is murdered and no one seems to care. Then she’s face-to-face with a beastly creature that gives her a painful and poisonous lashing. Enter the vampires, who graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn’t enjoy it).Point is, they saved her life. So when one of the blood-suckers asks for a favor, she complies. And soon, Sookie’s in Dallas using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire. She’s supposed to interview certain humans involved. There’s just one condition: The vampires must promise to behave – and let the humans go unharmed. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly….

http://sookiestackhouse.com

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She’s quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn’t get out much. Not because she’s not pretty. She is. It’s just that, well, Sookie has this sort of “disability”. She can read minds. And that doesn’t make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He’s tall, dark, handsome–and Sookie can’t hear a word he’s thinking. He’s exactly the type of guy she’s been waiting for all her life . . . But Bill has a disability of his own: He’s a vampire with a bad reputation. He hands with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of–big surprise–murder. And when one of Sookie’s coworkers is killed, she fears she’s next . . .

http://sookiestackhouse.com

A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks

Book - ★★★★☆
Movie - ★★★★★

Compared to The Notebook, this is really well written. As for the movie, i think the book is much better as it gives more details with regard to the feelings Jamie and Landon shared. The best "book" so far from Nicholas Sparks. The best "movie" is still The Notebook.


Every April, when the wind blows from the sea and mingles with the scent of lilacs, Landon Carter remembers his last year at Beaufort High. It was 1958, and Landon had already dated a girl or two. He even swore that he had once been in love. Certainly the last person in town he thought he'd fall for was Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the town's Baptist minister. A quiet girl who always carried a Bible with her schoolbooks, Jamie seemed content living in a world apart from the other teens. She took care of her widowed father, rescued hurt animals, and helped out at the local orphanage. No boy had ever asked her out. Landon would never have dreamed of it. Then a twist of fate made Jamie his partner for the homecoming dance, and Landon Carter's life would never be the same. Being with Jamie would show him the depths of the human heart and lead him to a decision so stunning it would send him irrevocably on the road to manhood...

http://www.nicholassparks.com

Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Book 1 - Vampire Academy

Book 2 - Frostbite

Book 3 - Shadow Kiss

Book 4 - Blood Promise (Aug 2009)

Book 5 - Spirit Bound (April 2010)

Book 6 - TBA

This is about friendship, maturity of a person, family, love and loyalty. The ending of Frostbite and Shadow Kiss made me cry. :(

The series is incredible, with non-stop action especially the third book. *BUT* i would recommend you to start reading the series close to August when the fourth book Blood Promise is released.

The ending in Shadow Kiss had me biting my nails and i am doing my very best not to think about it. I am trying to find some distractions because .... i just can't get over the ending!!! However, if you are already reading the series, DO NOT read the reviews as there are a lot of spoilers there. I wished i hadn't read the reviews first before reading this but of course that is impossible because i do not read books without reading reviews first hehehe So if you finished the last book, I recommend you visit Mead's website to help cure your addiction :)

There are 3 types of vampires in VA:

1. Moroi. They are born vampires, mortal. They drink blood but not enough to kill anyone.

2. Dhampirs. Half human and half vampire, guardian of Moroi who protects them from Strigoi. They do not need to drink blood as they are half human.

3. Strigoi. The undead vampire, powerful, immortal who kills Moroi as its blood will make them more powerful. There are two ways to become Strigoi, it's either a Moroi who killed from feeding or Moroi, Dhampirs, and humans who have been forcefully turned by exchanging blood.

Vampire Academy

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires--the ones who never die.

The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir; she is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them.

After two years of illicit freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. Rose will continue her Dhampir education. Lissa will go back to being Queen of the elite Moroi social scene. And both girls will resume breaking hearts.

Fear made Lissa and Rose run away from St. Vladimir's--but their world is fraught with danger both inside and out of the Academy's iron gates. Here, the cutthroat ranks of the Moroi perform unspeakable rituals and their secretive nature and love of the night creates an enigmatic world full of social complexities. Rose and Lissa must navigate through this dangerous world, confront the temptation of forbidden romance, and never once let their guard down, lest the Strigoi make Lissa one of them forever...

Frostbite

Rose Hathaway's got serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, and she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian. (So not cool).

Then a massive Strigoi attack puts St. Vladimir's on high alert, and the Academy crawls with Guardians--including the legendary Janine Hathaway...Rose's formidable, long-absent mother. The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks. This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose--and her heart--are in more danger than she ever could have imagined...

Shadow Kiss

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all...might be seeing ghosts. As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose's forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line--and choose between the two people she loves most.

http://www.richellemead.com/

Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Pop culture reporter Cannie Shapiro writes about other people in the Philadelphia Examiner. One day she opens a women's magazine and finds her ex-boyfriend has chronicled their ex-sex life together. She had not known Bruce thought her a "larger woman," or that he felt loving her had been an act of courage. Life wasn't always easy.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?userid=bc6RqrwBIn&pwb=1&ean=9780743418171

Accidentally Yours by Susan Mallery

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Another good read. This book made me laugh, cry and want to be a super mom! I thought I can't read more of this book because of the story line. Son is dying, mom has no money, no husband...can't do anything.... Well im glad i did read a few more chapters and i can say i super liked this book.

WANTED:

Single mom seeks billionaire's pocketbook to fund dying son's research cure. Will seduce if necessary. Blackmail is not out of the question. Miracles welcome.

Cynical billionaire seeks working mom with a heart of gold for PR campaign to improve his standing in the community. Must be willing to attend social events. Anyone looking for love, need not apply.

It seemed like the perfect match...until the unthinkable happened.

http://www.susanmallery.com/archived_books.html

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book 1 of Robert Langdon Series

I've read this book after the The Da Vinci Code. I've read this because people were saying that this is better than TDVC and yeah, well let's just say I liked this because I enjoyed the suspense and mystery of this book, but then refer to my review of TVDC for more review.

That's it. I don't think I'll ever buy the third book even if it's on sale.


"An ancient secret brotherhood. A devastating new weapon of destruction. An unthinkable target. World-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a cryptic symbol seared into the chest of a murdered physicist. What he discovers is unimaginable: a deadly vendetta against the Catholic Church by a centuries-old underground organization—the Illuminati. Desperate to save the Vatican from a powerful time bomb, Langdon joins forces in Rome with the beautiful and mysterious scientist Vittoria Vetra. Together they embark on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and the most secretive vault on earth…the long-forgotten Illuminati lair." http://www.nationalbookstore.com.ph