Mugs for Book Lovers

There are amazing mugs out there for book lovers. 'Cause there's nothing better than curling up with a good book and a hot beverage. Pets are optional, but always welcome. :P Source.

Book Review and Recommendation: Still Life With Strings (5 Stars)

Still Life With Strings

L.H. Cosway

     My first book by L.H. Cosway was Painted Faces, which I LOVED, and so I just had to go and read every single other book she has ever written. That's when I found THIS baby here. I mean, just look at that COVER!!! It gives me chills! Butterflies in the stomach!! Makes my heart squeeze painfully with its beauty/peacefulness/promise.

    Now, let me tell you: the actual book has everything this perfect cover conveyed!! A super talented hottie with a dramatically painful past. I mean, the violin!? THAT IS THE MOST ROMANTIC INSTRUMENT EVAH!!

And our heroine!!! Cosway ALWAYS hits the mark with them! They're ordinary women, but with a TWIST! She "stands still for money". Isn't that intriguing? And admirable. I couldn't do it. :) (But then again I don't have a problematic/charming family to support). ;D

   And when they MEET!!! Woooeh. Sparks flew from my book!! Suuuuuuuuper sexy and unexpected! They are so cute and adorable and difficult and painful together! I simply fell in love with them! Also, let's not forget the music! The way it was described, the things the characters felt while playing/listening to it... it almost brought tears to my eyes! It was as if I was there. :D I've always enjoyed classic music, and the violin was always my favorite (am I repeating myself?), but Cosway made me see things under a different light now. Things just got much more... enjoyable and special.

    Not many books will actually manage to touch you, or to change you a little bit, like this one. I couldn't possibly recommend this author MORE!!!

*I wasn't paid to write this and used my own copy for review. XD*

This book is now available in this special ebook bundle, Rockers After Dark.

Mini-Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss
by Stephanie Perkins

Published December 2nd 2010 by Dutton

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Publication Date: Dec 2nd, 2012

Publisher: Dutton

Format: e-book, 372 pages 

Series: no

Source: My Kindle

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My Review

I started this book a couple of weeks ago. It didn't instantly grab my attention, so I put it aside and read a handful of other books until I finally came back to it.

For the first 1/3 of this book I honestly had trouble figuring out what people saw in it. Really. So much fuss for this? >.> Until I realized that I had fallen for Etienne without even noticing.

Yup. I read this one right after finishing Twenties Girl, which means I still had some feelings remaining in my heart due to the PMS and all that (LOL), so I sort of cried while reading this one, too. Embarrassing enough, I even felt my heart tightening when Anna and Etienne kept hurting each other.... very emo, believe me, I am aware. Damn you, hormones!

But I digress. Oh, Paris. Your magic got to me. Suddenly I could relate to Anna (and started to crave a trip to those lovely tourist attractions) and wanted Etienne for myself.

This one was a lovely, light read that, at the same time, managed to approach some very serious issues, such as divorces, controlling and unloving parents, the tale of first love, the difficulty in ending a relationship because it's 'safe', how to forgive your friends and accept your flaws/admit your mistakes, and, of course, trying to find your place in the world. See, I told you my PMS made me sentimental. It apparently also makes me philosophical. But don't get used it to it.

Anna and the French kiss was an adorable read, and now I have to go and look for 'Lola and the Boy Next Door'. I hear it's just as cute. :P

P.S: Totally out of topic here, but don't you LOVE Perkins' blue highlights in this picture??? *-* I so wish I could pull it off.

My thoughts on: Shift (Shade #2) by Jeri Smith-Ready

Shift (Shade #2)
by Jeri Smith-Ready

Published May 3rd 2011 by Simon Pulse

Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.
Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

Genre: Young Adult, Supernatural

Publication Date: May 3rd 2011

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Format: Hardcover, 367 pages 

Series: yes

Source: Won from giveaway

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WARNING!!! There might be spoilers ahead. As a matter of fact, there are SOME.

I won this copy on a giveaway sometime last year. I then purchased a copy if the first book in the series, Shade, which I promptly read and loved. However, I somehow became very busy with college and review books and kept forgetting to read Shift. Last week I finally forced myself to get to it already. LOL. I quickly reread Shade and cracked the spine of this pretty baby... I gulped it all up in one afternoon.

I'm crazy about Logan. Truly am. So the minute his ghostly body became living flesh for a short period of time, I was all "YAAAAAAAY!!! He's BACK! Finally we're gonna have some action." Nah. It was another almost for Aura and Logan. Zach totally won this round. LOL.

I love Zach, too, don't get me wrong. His accent, kilt and green eyes are all very dreamy... but I can't resist a bad boy. Especially a rockstar. :P Oh, and Zach can be very cold sometimes... and not all these times are Aura's fault.

Anyway, Shift starts with Logan still as a runaway Shade. Aura keeps trying to call him back, and, after 3 months, he finally appears. Aura then manages to bring him back to normal ghost state, again. Then the solstice/flesh and blood momentarily thing happens and they almost have at it... but not. Logan becomes very excited about the prospect of being 'alive' again and starts to plan a final final performance (again) the next time he turns human. He can't wait to play his guitar one last time.

Aura is torn between living, breathing, tempting Zach, and sort-of living, but still dead, Logan. Zach is also at his limit, and he makes it very clear to Aura. She needs to choose already.

After a misunderstanding between them, Zach ends up asking Aura's nemesis, Becca Goldman, for the prom. And Aura has the brilliant idea of asking Dylan, Logan's younger brother, who has a serious crush on her.

The love triangles are clearly very strong in this book, and so are Aura's indecisions and screw-ups. She continuously decides to let go of Logan, but every time something reinforces how much he loves her, she's not sure what to do. Zach also keeps sends her some very mixed signals...

All the while, the DMP investigations continue as Aura and Zach get closer and closer to revealing her mother's secrets and unveiling the Last/First mystery, with the help of Eowyn. We finally see what happened on the day of the Shift, we finally understand how they were the only ones to be born in those minutes... and who Aura's father is. Now we just need to know what exactly the Shine was, and why the DMP are working so hard trying to detain them.

Shift was a lovely read, even if sometimes it made my head spin. LOL. But that's love: confusing, indecisive, hot then cold... it's just that the ending was so 'perfect', and filled me with such a sense of 'completion', that I am not sure a third book was really necessary. I mean, all my questions were answered (well, all the important ones) and it's very clear who Aura'll end up with... anyway, I'll still check Shine out, but I'm very satisfied with the way things ended in Shift. :)

If you like complicated YA love stories with paranormal twists to it, then you'll love this series.

Beauty and the Beast presenting an Academy Award

Beauty and the Beast presenting an Academy Award

The Original Video 

Yup, we've all read the books. :)

Random Wednesday / Shut Up and Take My Money!! #2

Donkey Kong Bookshelf!!! *-*

Very stylish. LOL. I'd love one. Too bad I don't have the space. Or the money. >.>

Early Review: Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know by Jeff Johnson, Hy Conrad

Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know
by Jeff Johnson, Hy Conrad


Expected publication date: April 1, 2012 by Sourcebooks

Why do dogs always dash to a rug when they have to throw up? Why do they eat furniture when endless chew toys are nearby? And why are they always absolutely starving? Get the inside scoop on the other half of the conversation in this lively, clever gift book filled with unforgettable canines who will tell you the truth about dogs—every last dirty, hairy bit of it. Peppered with charmingly devious photos and "my dog does that too!" stories that any dog-lover will recognize, Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know is a must-have for anyone who has a soft spot for a pooch. It's a verbal and visual delight that is laugh-out-loud funny.

Genre: Fiction, Humor

Publication Date: April 1st 2012

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Format: eARC, 240 pages 

Series: no

Source: Netgalley

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My Review

When I first saw this book available for review on Netgalley, I just knew I had to read it. I knew it would be charming and fun, but it turned out to be so much better than I expected! 

"Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know: Eleven Courageous Canines Tell All" is a very short, very cute book. In it, we're first introduced to our lovely canine characters, all of different breeds, ages, behaviors, families and opinions. (and, oh, boy, do they have opinions! LOL). Then we get to read their stories. Their narratives are hilarious! You can actually picture your dog thinking like that. 

I, for once, know I'll never look at mine the same way again. They tell us about how they hate their names, how they disagree with humans about parenting, about how they are the ones who run the household, about how confused they are about why they can't eat those awful shoes or drink from the toilet, and about how much they love their human friends... it's very heart-warming. 

The authors were able to really capture the goodness and innocence of dogs. You can't be mad at them when you see the special way they see the world and their own actions. All they want to do is please their owners... but sometimes their naive actions don't get the exact outcome they expected. And they can't wrap their heads around it. Just like us. LOL.

One of my favorite quotes:

"Did I turn up my nose and say "No thanks, I just ate. Why don't I save this for tomorroy?" No, that would have been rude. And dogs aren't rude. Cats are."

Dog lovers will go crazy with this book!!

You know this book is going to be great just looking at the authors. Hy Conrad writes for television (he's one of the original writers for Monk!).Currently he is a writer and consulting producer on the TV show "White Collar." Jeff Johnson works in advertising and wrote THE HOURGLASS SOLUTION: A BOOMER'S GUIDE TO THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

So, if you love dogs and enjoy humor, you'll love Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know. I did. :D

* I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: Putting Boys on the Ledge by Stephanie Rowe

Putting Boys on the Ledge 
(A Girlfriend's Guide To Boys #1)
by Stephanie Rowe

Meet Blueberry Waller, whose name is the only interesting thing about her life. Until now.

Not only is Blue dealing with the worst name in the world, crazy parents and a clingy younger sister, she just got a part in the school play. And now she’s acting with Heath Cavendish, total crush-worthy senior. He would never give a second look to a girl like Blue. Except he has.

Her friends say Blue should play it cool, put Heath on the Ledge so she can keep the upper hand. Trouble is, she doesn’t know how to be clever around boys. Thankfully her pal Colin offers his help in teaching her how to get the guy. But he’s just being a good friend. Isn’t he?

Suddenly the wallflower is getting all the attention. But will being in the spotlight keep Blue from making the right decisions...for her?

A Girlfriend’s Guide to Boys: For these four friends, understanding the world of boys is only half the battle.

Genre: Young Adult, Romance

Publication Date: October 31st 2011

Publisher: TKA Distribution

Format: eARC, ? pages 

Series: yes

Source: Netgalley

__________________________

My Review

Blueberry Waller is fourteen-years-old and has just learned from her friends about putting boys on The Ledge. The Ledge is an emotional place, it's about making boys suffer and putting girls in control. Instead of having him blowing you off and making you feel bad, you do it first. You should always keep him teetering close to The Ledge so he never treats you badly. Especially if you like him and he likes you.

But when she meets hottie senior Heath Cavindish on her first day of high school during musical tryouts, the last she wants is to put him on The Ledge. She just wants him to like her. A lot. She has a lot of internal dialogues and totally feaks out over the smallest things. But, surprisingly enough, she gets Heath's attention, and he invites her to a party. There, things start to get a bit more spicy than Blue is ready for, and when he tries to kiss her, Blue freaks out over not knowing how to kiss and walks out on him. Which, obviously, just makes him want her more.

Her friends convince her that the only way to learn how to kiss is to practice, and so they suggest she practice it with nice boy Colin Bradshaw, who is taking care of all the animals at her place while she's busy with theater. Colin seems happy enough to help... and Blue enjoys it much more than she expected... and ends up very excited to try it out with Heath, much to Colin's dismay.

But then Blue's friends start to mention a few stories about Heath's reputation, and when Blue finally sees him for who he really is... she sees Colin with another girl, and realizes maybe she's been missing what was right under her nose.

It was nice to see Blue growing up throughout the book. I also liked to see the previews of the other books in the series with Blue's friends, which were all very interesting and different for each other.

I thought this was a very cute, short book, perfect for young audiences. The story has a very strong sense of friendship and family in it, and the romance was quite innocent and lovely. It was a very light, pleasant read.

*I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Manga Rec #7 - Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 1 by Karuho Shiina

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 1 

by Karuho Shiina


Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine...for a horror movie. With her jet-black hair, sinister smile and silent demeanor, she's often mistaken for Sadako, the haunting character from Ringu. Unbeknownst to but a few, behind her scary façade is a very misunderstood teenager.

Shy and pure of heart, she just wants to make friends. But when Kazehaya, the most popular boy in class, befriends her, she's sure to make more than just that--she's about to make some enemies too!

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This is another one of my dear favorites. Never has a manga touched me as deep as this one.

Sawako makes me think of a younger, sweeter and more naive version of Sunako. They do have many things in common. They're both kind of dark (even without trying to. LOL), long-haired (Sadako/Samara, anyone?) and shy. Oh, and they both have 'chibi' versions. (in order of the images: Sawako and Sunako):

 

Sawako is just SO good it should make your teeth hurt, but incredibly, they don't. Because she's very believable. You end up pitying her, then cheering fervently for her to start developing into the wonderful, social girl she we all know she can be.

Kazehaya is very cute, or should I say kawaii? He's a boy, sure, but also very kind and shy, and he ends up falling hard for Sawako, scary stories about her and all. He's the one who influences people to start getting closer to her and see how great a person she is.

There are many highly amusing characters in this manga, but some deserve special mentions, such as the closest friends the heroine ends up making, Chizuro and Ayane, the quiet and distant Ryu (Kazehaya's best friend) and the crazy teacher "Pin".

There is an anime version and live-action. I've watched the anime, but, as usual, I still like the manga better (even though Sawako is gets cuter in color).

I haven't had a chance of checking just checked out the live-action version, and it was cute. The adaptation was very good, but live-actions are too short. A lot of good parts of the story were lost.

If you have free time, you really should check this manga out. Volume 12 should come out on Jan 3, 2012. The series ends on volume 15, so we're almost there. :) I'm very glad VIZ Media is keeping up with it. If you try it out, you won't regret it.

Review: Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis

 

 Head Over Heels

by Jill Shalvis

Free-spirited Chloe lives life on the edge. Unlike her soon-to-be married sisters, she isn't ready to settle into a quiet life running their family's newly renovated inn. But soon her love of trouble--and trouble with love-draws the attention of the very stern, very sexy sheriff who'd like nothing better than to tame her wild ways. 

Suddenly Chloe can't take a misstep without the sheriff hot on her heels. His rugged swagger and his enigmatic smile are enough to make a girl beg to be handcuffed. For the first time, instead of avoiding the law, Chloe dreams of surrender. Can this rebel find a way to keep the peace with the straitlaced sheriff? Or will Chloe's colorful past keep her from a love that lasts . . . and the safe haven she truly wants in a town called Lucky Harbor?

___________________________________

Review


This is the first I've read by Jill Shalvis, and let me tell you, it won't be the last! This title is the third part of a series, and I haven't had the chance to read the first two books, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. (I'll be searching for the others, that's for sure.)

Chloe was raised while moving around with her mom, with no real strings anywhere and not even knowing who her father was. After her mother died, she and her two stranged half-sisters inherited a run down beach inn, which they renovated and turned into a B&B.

She suffers from asthma (which gives the story a more realistic touch), has problems with commitments and staying too long at the same place, she is great at making natural skin treatments and enjoys a little B&E (breaking and entering) when poor dogs used for fighting are involved. That is, when the super hot sheriff doesn't find out about it...

Sawyer is the bad boy that turned good. After a troubled childhood and even worse adolescence, he tries to make up for all the wrongs he's done by working his butt off as a cop. Problem is, all his ex-girlfriends had trouble dealing with his love and commitment for his career (and the dangers of it and lack of time together), so they ran away. But there's this little asthmatic redhead that seems to understand him far better than he does...

Head Over Heels really cracked me up. The author has a terrific sense of humor and knows how to build sexual tension between her characters very well. It was funny and hot to read how they teased and talked and felt like grabbing each other's throats and groins at the same time. LOL. Also, there were a couple of scenes involving an outdoors shower and wall painting that were specially...well, interesting. :P But all with very good taste, nothing vulgar or unpleasant.

Chloe and Sawyer were very cute together. They complemented each other perfectly.

There are many greatly written secondary characters that put the icing on this cake, such as Lucille, a grannie who can appreciate a handsome man in uniform, Ford, Jax (the heroes of the previous books) and Matt, the friends who annoy more than they help, Todd, the 'villain' who shares a dark past with the hero, the sisters...

This is the perfect book for your vacation. It will surely lift your spirits, bring a smile to your face and help you relax. Oh, and cuddle. Hard. LOL

*I received an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: Busted in Bollywood by Nicola Marsh

Busted in Bollywood

by Nicola Marsh

Published December 6th 2011 by Entangled Publishing

Shari Jones needs to get a life. Preferably someone else’s.
Single, homeless and jobless, Indo-American Shari agrees to her best friend’s whacky scheme: travel to Mumbai, pose as Amrita, and ditch the fiancé her traditional Indian parents have chosen. Simple. Until she’s mistaken for a famous Bollywood actress, stalked by a Lone Ranger wannabe, courted by an English lord, and busted by the blackmailing fiancé.
Life is less complicated in New York.
Or so she thinks, until the entourage of crazies follows her to the Big Apple and that’s when the fun really begins. Shari deals with a blossoming romance, an addiction to Indian food and her first movie role, while secretly craving another trip to the mystical land responsible for sparking her new lease on life. Returning to her Indian birthplace, she has an epiphany. Maybe the happily-ever-after of her dreams isn’t so far away? 

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Our Review:



The book begins with best friends Shari and Amrita plotting to end Amrita's arranged marriage by sending Shari to India in her place to meet her fiancé and his family.

When Shari gets to India, she stays with Amrita's auntie and is overwhelmed by the heat, the chaotic traffic, the lack of mojitos (or any alcoholic drink, for that matter), the loudness and amount of people, and, specially, the high-calory, mouth-watering Indian sweets.

Shari attends a party at the Rama's house and meets Amrita's fiancée, Rakesh Rama, and is very surprised to find out that he already knows she's not Amrita and that he wants a chance to meet her in person in New York. Later at the party, Shari meets Drew, Rakesh's partner, who is not only rude to her, but also mistakes her for a famous actress and invites her to audition for a movie he's sponsoring.

Apart from the knowledge of Indian cultural aspects, the book is filled with clichés and becomes very tiresome to read right after the 4th chapter, in which a conversation between Rakesh and Shari leads to an inquiry about favorite movies. (her favorite movie is Dirty Dancing and the fake fiancée shows to be very in touch with his feelings and emotions by saying his favorite one is Casablanca).

As the book develops, there is the constant bickering and teasing between Shari and Drew that makes for the well-know chick-lit formula... and there's nothing wrong with that formula, except that in this case we don't get to see much depth from the characters, which makes for a so-so read, filled with superficial relationships. And it took a lot of the fun out of the "fights filled with sexual tension".

This is a great book for lovers of the exotic Indian culture, with its endless mention of Indian sweets, drinks and tourists spots. Really, the foods described will fatten you up just by reading about them! The book could also be taken as a tribute to Bollywood movies and their stars. In fact, the author quotes many of their names and even makes the heroine be stalked by a guy who mistakes her for no one less than Aishwarya Rai.

If you're looking for a quick, light, fun chick-lit for your vacation, this is may be your book. ;)

*eARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Reviewed by:

 Amebugi
 Kah Cherub

Manga Rec #1 - The Wallflower 1: Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge by Tomoko Hayakawa (Perfect Girl Evolution)

The Wallflower 1: Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge by Tomoko Hayakawa (also known as Perfect Girl Evolution)


Translated by David Ury


MAKEOVER OF THE CENTURY
It’s a gorgeous, spacious mansion, and four handsome, fifteen-year-old friends are allowed to live in it for free! There’s only one condition–that within three years the guys must transform the owner’s wallflower niece into a lady befitting the palace in which they all live! How hard can it be?
Enter Sunako Nakahara, the agoraphobic, horror-movie-loving, pockmark-faced, frizzy-haired, fashion-illiterate recluse who tends to break into explosive nosebleeds whenever she sees anyone attractive. This project is going to take more than our four heroes ever expected: it needs a miracle!


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My Review:


Normally I wouldn't review a manga, but this one is just so perfect, so one of a kind, I just can't help myself. It's one of the funniest, most exciting stories I've ever read!


The great thing about manga is that you can actually follow how the mangaka's skills grow as the volumes come out, how she perfects her art slowly, but surely. Better drawings and even better tales every single time. :)

You can easily understand why I like this manga so much. The heroine is a very strong young lady, she can fight like nobody's business (especially with a katana), she loves horror movies, skulls and skeletons, monsters, swords and her favorite time of the year is Halloween. Also, she makes a mean fried shrimp.

Sunako is just so shy and cute and such a weirdo! LOL How can you possibly not love her? *-*

Oh, and there's also the anime version, for those who prefer it. I've watched it and it's pretty nice, but I still like my manga better. :)