Limitless (2011)

A struggling writer unlocks the full potential of his brain by taking a cutting-edge pharmaceutical, only to find that his newfound abilities have made him a target for some of the most greedy and dangerous men on the planet.

Director: 

Neil Burger

Writers: 

Leslie Dixon, Alan Glynn 

Stars:

 Bradley Cooper, Anna Friel and Abbie Cornish

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The story revolves around a man, Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper), who fits in the typical “loser” stereotype: a writer who hasn’t written a single word, who can’t pay his rent and relies on the financial help of his ex-girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish), and dresses like a bum. 

Teaser Tuesday #6

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as 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 any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others.

Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles.

This week's Teaser is from:

"My chest was crushed, as if it was in a vise, and when I fought for breath, I inhaled a handful of dirt, and choked. Buried alive."  

Brodi Ashton - Everneath

Feel free to share your teaser. :)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #5

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey. 

• For a review, I'm now reading:

Everneath

• I just finished:

Hallowed 

Forbidden (click to read review)

Inubaka  (click to read review)



Tooth and Nail (click to read review)


and

Seduction (click to read review)

• Next I'll be reading:

                               Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

So, what did you read this week? ;)

Review: Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Forbidden

by Tabitha Suzuma 

She is pretty and talented - sweet sixteen and never been kissed. He is seventeen; gorgeous and on the brink of a bright future. And now they have fallen in love. But... they are brother and sister. 

Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives—and the way they understand each other so completely—has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.

_________________________________

My Review
 


Many people liked this book. I didn't so much. It literally ruined my day. It made me so, so depressed and heartbroken. I gave it 3 stars because the writing was great, the story was creative, the characters clearly had soul and content, but if I had to go with my heart I'd give it a 1.
 
The first 160 pages were hell to go through. Lochan Whitely was not a likeable character. I'm sorry, but I couldn't grow to like him much. I felt sorry for him, sometimes cheered for him, but most of the time all I really wanted to do was give him a good shake. Or a slap.
 
He had an anxiety problem, a social phobia, and I get it. But that doesn't give him the right to be such a douche. He whined, he had too many outbursts (maybe becasue he held so much inside all the time?)... he was almost psychotic at times. And bipolar at others. Such a confusing character.

And he could be very mean to Myra, his older sister. Out of nowhere he would go and say something stupid or very hurtful. I have to admit it, he was a good brother. He deeply cared for his siblings, took very good care of them, he was a very promising student, had a good heart, he was attarctive and all... but I CAN'T forgive some very bad choices he made. I can't. I swear, I might hold a grudge against this character for the rest of my life.


Myra was kind. Almost too much. She would never fight or raise her voice, she wouldn't complain or stand up to her drunk, selfish, completely irresponsible and heartless mother. All for the good of keeping her siblings together and Child Service away. I can't even begin to fathom how she did it. I would have started going crazy very soon, had I been in her shoes.


That's one of the things I thought were very weird about this book. The hero, Lachan, was a walking pile of nerves, and the heroine, Maya, sometimes came out a bit... numb. They do grow noticeably in the book, though. Lachan starts coming out his shell, Maya starts yelling at him a bit (LOL), finally speaking her mind.


They share a beautiful, if forbidden and dangerous, love. We start cheering for them madly... things start to look good and then BAM.


The book ends in a very sudden, dramatic way.

Ok, now a bit of of spoiler alert. (highlight to read). Maybe I was too naïve to expect a happy ending, but I certainly never thought it would be so tragic. Romeo and Juliet comes to mind. Why didn't they lock the fucking door? Argh! Not to mention, he was the only sibling with dark hair and different colored hair. And his sister was born so soon after him... I really thought maybe they weren't siblings after all. Or maybe had different fathers. Or something. But I definitely never saw THAT coming.


Like I said before, the beggining of this book was enough to make me (repeatedly) consider giving it up. But I bravely endured. LOL. And it payed off. The love scenes were beautiful, romantic, poetic, of very good taste. I never once thought: "They're siblings. That's gross.". I'm not sure if it's because I have no older, male siblings and can't understand, or if their love really was above all those stupid, prejudiced beliefs.

What I can say for sure is that the author didn't have to make it such a tragedy. It didn't have to be perfect, they didn't have to end up together, but things could have been different.

If you like your realist fiction as a young adult with romance, family problems, lots of drama and taboo relationships, try Forbidden. 

In My Mailbox #6

In My Mailbox is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Story Siren

Here's what I got this last week:

I love Julia Quinn. *-* 

These were my only physical books this week, but I got these from Netgalley:

and won this from a giveaway:

So... many reviews to come. :)

What did you get this week?

Manga Rec #8 - Inubaka: Crazy for Dogs, Vol. 1 by Yukiya Sakuragi

Inubaka: Crazy for Dogs, Vol. 1 

 

by Yukiya Sakuragi

All alone except for her loyal mutt Lupan, 18-year-old Suguri moves from the countryside to the big city to find a job and a new life!
When she accepts a job at a pet store, she meets a variety of dogs and owners, each with own quirky personality. What she lacks in experience, she makes up for with her natural rapport with all things wagging and fluffy! 

_________________________________________________________________________

This manga is perfect for people who are, literally, crazy for dogs. The art is mind-blowing! The author has such a knack for drawing dogs! They are perfect, with every single tiny detail skillfully done. Not to mention that Sakuragi is always doing research about the different breeds, their behavior and origin. She teaches us something new every volume.

 

 

The issues dealt in this series can be sometimes shocking (maltreatment of animals, bad owners, selfish breeders), but there's also a lot of love in it. Sakuragi reminds us of how one small furry being can change our whole life for good. How they can make us insanely happy with just a wag of their tail. :) She gives lots of good advice on buying, raising, training and breeding dogs.

Suguri, the main character, is as naïve as they come. She has a strange talent when it comes to dealing with dogs... she knows when they're going to poop (and can catch it with her bare hands. LOL), puppies pee themselves with excitement when she's near... and we find out more and more about her "secret abilities" as we read. :)

The stories are great on their own, but when you add the fantastic artwork: it's a complete winner.

I simply love it. I have all the volumes and am very sad they stopped at number 17. (it goes til 22 in the japanese version). Inubaka is a very good opportunity to find out more about how to love and care for our pets (and squeal over the cutest puppy drawings EVER).

*Some of the content can be a bit mature. It's nothing much, just a few scenes that can be considered smut (panties and bra showing), and the sad parts about mistreatment of dogs.*

Follow Friday #5

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee's View.

Q: Go count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many?

On my "shelves" I have something around 210 physical books I have yet to read. And my Kindle holds at least 510 unread items. O.o 
That's why one of my New Year's Resolutions was to NOT buy any more books this year, not until I'm done with the ones I already own. LOL I'm kind of a compulsive book buyer...


What's your number?
(Let me know if you're following and I'll return the favor. :) )

Tooth and Nail by Jennifer Safrey : Review

Tooth and Nail

by Jennifer Safrey

Expected publication: February 7th 2012 by Night Shade Books

Gemma Fae Cross, a tough-girl amateur boxer whose fiance is running for congress, has just made a startling discovery about herself. She is half faerie - and not just any faerie, but a tooth faerie! A hybrid of fae and human, Gemma is destined to defend the Olde Way and protect the fae - who are incapable of committing violence - from threats to their peaceful and idyllic way of life, which must be maintained by distilling innocence collected from children''s baby teeth. But when a threat to the fae mission emerges, Gemma is called upon to protect her heritage, and become a legendary fae warrior... even if it means sacrificing everything she knows about being human!

_______________________________________

My Review:

 
Gemma Fae Cross is a recently unemployed woman who boxes on her free time (her nickname is Brickhouse, because of her tall, strong, Amazonian build).

One day, during training, a beautiful woman called Frederica Diamond approaches her with a job proposal. Oh, and explains that her middle name isn't just a name. It's a family title. She is fae, or better yet, a "tooth fae". Yup. An honest-to-God tooth fairy.

Now she has to divide her time between her politician boyfriend Avery McCormack (who can't afford any kind of scandals on his campaign for the House of Representatives, like, oh, I don't know, faeries?) and the super annoyingly hot fae mentor/trainer, Svein Nilsen.

The morning fae have to collect teeth in order to extract the essence of innocence to try and recreate what they lost when the human world took over, but Gemma is a hybrid. A warrior. Full-blooded fae don't fight. They may know how and can have training and sparring matches, but the minute violence starts to take over, they have no choice but to stop. So she is the only one who can protect them from the threat that is destroying the innocence in all milk teeth and turning kids into arsonists/crazy psychos.

I thought this was a very interesting take on the tooth fairy legend. Gemma was a very strong, very violent, non-fairy looking heroine. And that's what made me like her. And Svein.... oh, my. He made me wish I could become a fae just so he could kick my ass once in a while. LOL. Avery was very sweet, too. Very romantic, even if most of the time he was too stressed about his job to notice her unusual behavior.

I liked how the author developed this triangle, and I seriously couldn't pick whose side to be on. The deliciously romantic human boyfriend, or the unnervingly yummy and tempting fae? Hum... poor Gemma.

The loss of innocence issue was very interesting, too. Not to mention scary. Really, it was a brilliant twist I didn't see coming at all. I was wondering why she was mentioning violent kids SO much and then BAM. She blows my mind. Wow. O.o

If you like urban fantasy with strong heroines, lots of mystery, boxing and yummy guys, go ahead and read it!

You can check out the first chapter here.


*I received an e-arc from the publisher by Netgalley in exchange from an honest review.*

Dirty Little Secret #5

Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by Under the Covers.


"Christmas is over. Santa has left the building. We now have 2012 to look forward to! What new release are you looking forward to in the new year?"


I'm still looking forward to the Meredith Gentry, #9, though, to my despair, it looks like Laurell K Hamilton may have given up on the series... and the next book in the Monère: Children of the Moon series, by Sunny. I really hope she will have it written by next year. :)


Also, I can't wait to read these releases (I keep following all the series, still liking them or not. O.o):



1. Undead and Unstable (Undead #11)

by MaryJanice Davidson

2. Truth (XVI #2)

by Julia Karr

3. Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse #12)

by Charlaine Harris

4.Lethal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #3)

by Larissa Ione

5. (no cover yet) Kiss the Dead (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #21)

by Laurell K. Hamilton

What releases are you looking for this year?

Waiting on Wednesday #5

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.
Right now what I really want to read is:

Revealing Eden (Save the Pearls #1)

by Victoria Foyt

Eden Newman must mate before her 18th birthday in six months or she'll be left outside to die in a burning world. But who will pick up her mate-option when she's cursed with white skin and a tragically low mate-rate of 15%? In a post-apocalyptic, totalitarian, underground world where class and beauty are defined by resistance to an overheated environment, Eden's coloring brands her as a member of the lowest class, a weak and ugly Pearl. If only she can mate with a dark-skinned Coal from the ruling class, she'll be safe. Just maybe one Coal sees the Real Eden and will be her salvation her co-worker Jamal has begun secretly dating her. But when Eden unwittingly compromises her father's secret biological experiment, she finds herself in the eye of a storm and thrown into the last area of rainforest, a strange and dangerous land. Eden must fight to save her father, who may be humanity's last hope, while standing up to a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction. Eden must change to survive but only if she can redefine her ideas of beauty and of love, along with a little help from her "adopted aunt" Emily Dickinson.

_________________

Does that sound great or what? Dark-skinned is beautiful? Oh, that'll be interesting. I see some heated discussions ahead. LOL

What are you waiting on this week?

Teaser Tuesday #5

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as 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 any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others.

Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles.

This week's Teaser is from:

 The Help

by Kathryn Stockett 

"Lord, I pray, if I have to leave her, give her somebody good. Don’t leave her with just Miss Taylor telling her black is dirty and her granmama pinching the thank-yous out a her and cold Miss Leefolt." page 435

___________

I'm really loving this book. So, so unbelievably good. :)

Review: Seduction by Brenda Joyce

Seduction (The Spymaster's Men #1)

by Brenda Joyce

Expected publication: January 31st 2012 by Harlequin

Dominic Paget, the earl of Bedford, will do anything to resume spying upon Britain's enemies. Badly wounded, he is put will do anything in the care of a beautiful gentlewoman, Julianne Greystone, only to discover that her sympathies lie with his enemies. Yet he can't help but seduce the woman who saved his life—hoping she never learns of his betrayal.

Julianne is captivated by the wounded stranger she believes is a revolutionary hero. Until she discovers the truth…her "hero" is the privileged earl of Bedford. Devastated and determined to forget him, Julianne travels to London. But when she finds herself in danger, it is Bedford who comes to the rescue. Now Julianne must navigate the intrigues of a perilous city, the wild yearnings of her own heart and the explosion of their passion….

__________________________________________________________

My Review

Seduction is the second title I've read by Brenda Joyce. The first one was The Masquerade, which I loved. So I hoped I would like this one just as much. 

Okay, so...the book is set during the French Revolution.

It starts with Dominic Paget, son of a French viscountess and a British earl acting as a spy in France for the British government, being ambushed by an assassin. He is very near death's door when his friend Michel Jacquelyn and the brothers Lucas and Jack Greystone arrive to save him. They take him to Greystone manor, where he is tended by Julianne Greystone, a simple woman who has never had a day "of leisure and frivolity", in Joyce's words, having grown up doing chores a servant is expected to do.

The problem lies with Julianne being an active rebel, a Jacobin, and the co-founder of a society that supports the French revolution, in favor of a new political reform and social change... from Britain. She's seen by most people as a traitor to her country, even if the only thing she wants is equality. A home, food and clothing for every man and woman, not just for the wealthy.

Dominic is the earl of Bedford and a Tory (British agent). He has seen for himself all the horrible things happening at France because of the war. The bloodbath with innocent people dying every day. The reality of the Jacobins and how they started to control their own people and forced them towards violence (seemingly having forgotten their initial ideals)... yet, he can't say any of it to Julianne, because she thinks he is a fellow radical, a poor French army officer healing from a gun wound in enemy lands. He uses the alias Charles Maurice.

She falls in love with Charles and feels completely betrayed when she finds out how much of it all was a lie. But it's him she calls for when she's arrested for sedition and the suspicion of treason. Dom comes to her aid like a knight in shining armor, taking her to his place and showering her with beautiful clothes, jewelry and parties. Things she never even dreamed off.

The couple goes through a lot of drama. Julianne find out his old fianceé is not dead like he told her, she is threatened by a radical (who was supposedly on her side) and forced to spy on and betray Dom or have her family hurt, Dom kicks her out of his house and goes back to war...

Brenda Joyce is very historically accurate, providing a lot of information so we can keep up with the dates, locations and events... however I think maybe historical spy books based on real facts may not be my thing. To me, the book felt too long at times, even though the writing was excellent and I liked the characters.

Also, I couldn't help but notice all the similarities between Seduction and The Masquerade. Both heroines suffer a LOT because of the heroes. Both heroes get mad for thinking they were horribly betrayed by their loved ones, but find out they were wrong (NO!) and ask for forgiveness. Both heroines get pregnant and hide it from the heroes. Many things sounded familiar.

The thing is... I loved all that drama on The Masquerade, being my first read from her and all, only now I'm wondering if those similarities were just a coincidence or some kind of pre-made formula for writing... But I can't say much more until I check other books by Ms Joyce (which I very well intend to do, regardless of how this one made me feel).

All in all, if you're interested in historical romances with a great narrative, a lot of drama and hot spies, or simply want to know more about the French Revolution, this is your book. ;)

*I received an e-arc from the publisher by Netgalley in exchange from an honest review.*

In My Mailbox #5

In My Mailbox is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Story Siren

Here's what I got this last week:

These were my Christmas gift to myself, but they arrived a bit late. LOL. I got them from an online used bookstore. I know, I know, most of them are quite... adult, but they had good prices and very good reviews, so... I took a chance. (and there wasn't much to choose from, anyway. :P ).

What did you get this week?

Goodreads Reading Challenge

2012 Reading Challenge

Karla has read 0 books toward her goal of 150 books.

0 of 150 (0%)

view books

Well, for 2012 I intend to read 150 books. In 2011 I started the year with this same goal, but ended up reading a total of 174 books, so, who knows? I might be exceeding the number this year, also. :)

Here are the books I read last year:

What is you goal for 2012?