Review: Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand

   

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand 

Hardcover: 403 pages

Release date: January 17th, 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: Bought

Buy it on: Amazon ││The Book Depository ││ Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Summary: 

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose-the task she was put on earth to accomplish-is not as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of  the terrifying new reality that she must face: someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

I would have put this book on my "favorites" shelf on Goodreads, but it wasn't worthy of the position. It was still deliciously good, but not amazingly great. Hallowed continues the story of the first book, where Clara's purpose is still not determined. She has visions occurring during her dreams, but at first she doesn't tell people about it. You get the vision: someone she love will die. It's one of the big revelations here in the book. The story also focuses on Clara's relationship with Christian. The book was a real tearjerker I tell you. After you find out who's going to die, you'll cry buckets of tears. The book's just so emotional and all that.


I really liked the book, everything in it, but the part where Ms. Hand pushed Tucker out of the spotlight and lets Christian take the center stage with Clara. Yes, Tuck isn't Clara's leading man here in the book. That's what I felt. And it didn't do me any good. I was left wanting more, well, more of Tuck. Every scene they have together just makes me so smitten. I melt with their sweetness. They are so good together that I can't even picture Clara and Christian beside each other. I love that Ms. Hand pours me answers to the questions my brain has gathered after the first book. I was simply mind-blown. I was giddy about Clara's parents, and I just can't tell you it's making me go nuts. The book will expand Clara's background I say to you. You'll feel happy that you're going to get some answers to your questions. I also love the new characters in the book. Billy, she's just a sweetheart. (I know, the name's weird.) You'll go gaga over this installment, even if it has flaws.


I recommend this to Unearthly fans, and those of you who have been waiting for a good angel story.

Amazing! Loved it.

Patrick

Waiting on Wednesday: Breathless and Flesh & Bone

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Breathless by Cole Gibsen

Hardcover

Release date: March 27th, 2012

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Goodreads Summary: Obituary-reading emo girl Edith Small is broken - the end result of forcing herself inside a mold that doesn't fit. All she wants is to conform to her strict sergeant stepfather's rules long enough to make it to graduation day.

But a boat accident threatens to unravel the life Edith has worked so hard to keep. After waking up in a hospital with a lacerated shoulder, Edith fakes amnesia. Because admitting she received her injuries from a blue-haired girl who breathes underwater is all the reason Sir needs to send Edith on the first bus to military school.

Safe at home, Edith struggles to put the nightmare behind her. But the mysterious creatures that live in the ocean aren't about to let her forget.

After meeting Bastin - a strange boy with silver hair and black eyes - on a secluded dock, Edith learns about the war raging undersea to end human existence. A war that Edith, unwittingly, has become the key to winning.

In a world where death is an ever-present shadow and motives are as dark as the bottom of the ocean, Edith must decide if her life is worth risking for a love that can't survive past the shore. 

   

Flesh & Bone (Benny Imura #3) by Jonathan Maberry 

Hardcover: 448 pages

Release date: September 11, 2012

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Goodreads summary: Reeling from the tragic events of Dust & Decay, Benny Imura and his friends plunge deep into the zombie-infested wastelands of the great Rot & Ruin. Benny, Nix, Lilah and Chong journey through a fierce wilderness that was once America, searching for the jet they saw in the skies months ago. If that jet exists then humanity itself must have survived…somewhere. Finding it is their best hope for having a future and a life worth living.

But the Ruin is far more dangerous than any of them can imagine. They are hunted by fierce animals escaped from zoos and circuses. They must raid zombie-infested towns for food and medical supplies. They discover the very real truth in the old saying: In the Rot & Ruin…everything wants to kill you.

And what is happening to the zombies? Swarms of them are coming from the east, devouring everything in their paths. These zoms are different. Faster, smarter, infinitely more dangerous. Has the zombie plague mutated, or is there something far more sinister behind this new invasion of the living dead?

In Flesh & Bone, Benny Imura, Nix Riley, Lou Chong and Lilah the Lost Girl are pitted against dangers greater than anything they've ever faced. To survive, each of them must rise to become the warriors Tom trained them to be.

What are you anxiously waiting on this week? Just leave a comment of the link to your WoW post!

 Subscribe in a reader

Private Lunch with Lauren Oliver and Philippine Book Signing Event

Last Sunday was one of the most exciting days ever! Things like YA authors coming to visit here in the Philippines are deemed a big deal since we're practically living on the other side of the globe. Thank you so much to National Book Store for bringing Lauren Oliver here and for giving some Filipino fans an opportunity to have a lunch with her!

NBS held a contest on their Facebook page and I was one of the 10 lucky winners to have a private lunch with Lauren. We were to bring another person so I brought Mary Ann with me. We ate at Recipes by Cafe Metro in Greenbelt 3 and there, we were served delicious Filipino cuisine and I'm glad Lauren loved it. But when I asked her if she has ever tasted our most famous exotic food, Balut (Google it!), she said she will never try it! LOL

 We had one of our books signed even before the event. Lauren moved to different seats and when she came to seat across from us, we grabbed the chance and conduct an interview with her (will be posted on Friday). Even better, we had Lauren do the 'wacky' pose. (we had several but I'm disturbed by the guy at the back who was in every picture) She's such an adorable and lovely person. 

(me, Lauren, Mary Ann)

(Lauren with the fans)

Two hours after was the book signing event at Powerbooks in Greenbelt 4. Here are some pictures during the event.

Lauren shares that she's currently working on a book entitled Panic. She can't spill any details about it but I'm already excited for the book! Requiem - the third book in the Delirium series has two POV (hint: the other one isn't Alex's). ;) We got to know more about her and her writing, which I think will definitely help all the aspiring writers out there - including me.

(Mary Ann, Kai, me, Precious, Jayjay, and Norman)

We also met some of the awesome Filipino book bloggers like Kai, Precious, Jayjay, Maricar and Louisse! 

It has been such an awesome experience that I still can't get over with. I want to thank Lauren Oliver and again, NBS for making this event possible.

 Subscribe in a reader

Teaser Tuesday: Until I Die by Amy Plum

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

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser for this week is from Until I Die by Amy Plum, the second book in the Revenants series. I want to thank Jayjay of We Fancy Books for lending me his ARC!
  

 

Summary: Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love. 

As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy. 
In Die for Me, Amy Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series.

Teaser:

"Some do find love. I thought.
 Charlotte had told me that Ambrose and Jules are players , dating human girls but never getting serious with anyone."

How about your teaser for this week? Please leave a link in the comments so I can check them out :))

 Subscribe in a reader

Review: Darkride by Laura Bradley Rede

Darkride by Laura Bradley Rede

Paperback: 410 pages

Release date: January 9th, 2012

Publisher: CreateSpace

Source: Author

Amazon ││The Book Depository ││ Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Summary: Ander McNair used to be the favorite son of a great monster-hunting family – until he was bitten by a werewolf and the hunter became the hunted. Now anything that makes his pulse race, even a kiss from his girlfriend Cicely, is enough to turn him into a monster. When he finally gets a chance to earn his cure by killing a vampire prince, he finds he has to choose between his own past and the future of the girl he loves. Can a guy who’s not even human learn what it means to be a man?

Luke Marianez used to be an immortal vampire prince – until the witch he loved betrayed him and cursed him with the ability to die. Now he lives in the world of vampire blood bars, where the waitresses are the drinks, and dreams about killing the last of the witch’s line so he can live forever. But revenge doesn’t just mean breaking the curse. He wants to break the girl’s heart, too. Can Luke seduce Cicely without falling in love himself?

Cicely Watson doesn’t believe in werewolves or vampires. She’s not even sure she believes in true love. But she’s about to discover what every werewolf knows:

People change.

This is one of the books that we have to review and I can say that I’m a little proud of my self (ha ha) for finishing this one because the notion was nothing out of the ordinary. Yes it is. Did I think Darkride offered anything new to the genre? No, not necessarily... yet, there is something I can't quite put my finger on that made the novel irresistible! The relationship of Ander and Cicely is started as friendship but then both of them feel a strong connection that pulls them to be drawn to each other and cannot be interpreted as just a friendship. I was a bit perturbed on there feelings to each other that they can’t show it together. Cicely was the more outspoken one while Ander is struggling with something that could affect there relationship together. I like both of the leading man; they equally strong and of course got the looks you can’t resist. Ander was the witty, lovable guy while Luke was more on the mysterious side and old-fashioned way.



All three of them will do anything for love and even change for it. This story will solidify the words that “Love can be taught”. Overall I enjoy the story and will wait for the sequel.

Subscribe in a reader