Thursday, March 31, 2011

Justine's Thoughts: Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

Masquerade (Blue Bloods #2)
By Melissa de la Cruz

Source: Library
Pages:
304

Rating:

4/5


Book Description:

Rich with glamour, attitude, and vampire lore, this second instalment in the Blue Bloods saga will leave readers thirsting for more.

A quote:

A brain with no heart and no reasoning ... well, nothing is more meaningless.

Any thoughts (No major spoilers):

So incredible, exhilarating, fascinating, and very suspenseful! I can’t get enough of this series. I am absolutely loving it so far. I enjoyed going back to the characters and their history and learning more about them as we delve deeper into the roots of each family. There are many things that I found out in this second book and many things that also spiked up my curiosity, leaving me with suspicions until I read the third book. It’s killing me at the moment.

The writing is lovely, the tone fits with the plot, the descriptions are exquisite. I fell in love with the characters once again. Jack is now more of a mystery to me than before, Mimi is always quite the annoying fella, Bliss is focused and explored upon more, Ollie is *aww*, and Schuyler is a main character I will forever adore.

The ending is just right. It left me with right amounts of everything. And maybe just a little bit of excitement.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (67)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.


Tighter
by Adele Griffin

Release Date:
May 10, 2011

When 17-year-old Jamie arrives on the idyllic New England island of Little Bly to work as a summer au pair, she is stunned to learn of the horror that precedes her. Seeking the truth surrounding a young couple's tragic deaths, Jamie discovers that she herself looks shockingly like the dead girl—and that she has a disturbing ability to sense the two ghosts. Why is Jamie's connection to the couple so intense? What really happened last summer at Little Bly? As the secrets of the house wrap tighter and tighter around her, Jamie must navigate the increasingly blurred divide between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Brilliantly plotted, with startling twists, here is a thrilling page-turner from the award-winning Adele Griffin.


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Just from the eerie cover we can tell it's going to be a haunting, chilly book. It ought to have major suspense and unexpected twists. I think it would be quite the book to be fully immersed in...although the thought of that gives me goosebumps!



Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Teaser Tuesday (41)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading.



From page 358 of "Spirit Bound"
by Richelle Mead

"Your optimism...your belief that you can make anything happen. Oh, Rose. It's one of the amazing things about you. It's also one of the most infuriating things about you.



Oh my gosh, this chapter is twisting my heart into little shreds! Why must this be so sad!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Daily Dose (60)



This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly.
(Click the photo to see its source!)

















Sunday, March 27, 2011

In My Mailbox (47)


In My Mailbox is held weekly by Kristi at The Story Siren. Click here for details on how to participate.

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From the Donation Bin at School:

Somebody Else's Summer by Jean Little
Better Than Blonde by Teresa Toten (Argg, this is a sequel! I should have checked :P )
Fly on the Wall by E. Lockhart

From the Library:


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Wow what a weekend. Hooray for birthday celebrations!

These are all the books for today. Next week or the week after that, I'm certain there will be more because I still have to go book shopping! I absolutely love gift cards to my favourite book store, you know? *is excited* :D

Friday, March 25, 2011

The Blog Hop (7)



Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee.

Give us 5 book-related silly facts about you.

These are not silly at all. :(

1. I borrow most of the books I read from the library. Rarely do I buy them from bookstores.

2. Romance plots are like the straw to my berry. Lol! I'm kidding...it's not that close. But I really, really love romance plots.

3. I bring a book with me anywhere (unless I don't have a book I'm currently reading). If you open my purse right now, you'd see a book. Seriously.

4. Oh my gosh I'm a sucker for covers. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its covers, but I admit that it's hard! It's what attracts you first thing!

5. Young adult is my love.




Friday's Finest (56)


Friday's Finest is a new meme hosted by Steff & Justine from A Bookful of Thoughts.

Rules:
~Post a quote that really stuck to you after reading it in a book.
~Make sure it isn't a spoiler!
~If you'd like, expand on what you think it means and why you chose it.


The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky

So, I guess we are who we are for alot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them.


It's a special day today, today, today, today is....................

my birthday!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Woohoo! I'm turning the age society claims I'm fully responsible of my actions. That's all I'm going to say. It's a pretty easy hint, but I'll leave it to that!

Hope you are all having a wondrous Friday! :)

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Got a Friday's Finest to share? Link it below!







Thursday, March 24, 2011

Justine's Thoughts: Solid by Shelley Workinger

Solid (Solid #1)
By Shelley Workinger

Source: From author, Shelley Workinger
Pages:
223
Book Description:

Eighteen years ago, a rogue Army doctor secretly experimented with a chromosomal drug on unknowing pregnant women. When he was killed not long after the children were born, any knowledge and evidence seemed to die with him -- except the living, breathing, human products of his work.

Almost two decades later, the newly self-proclaimed “open-book” military unearths the truth about the experiment, bringing Clio Kaid and the other affected teens to a state-of-the-art, isolated campus where they soon discover that C9x did indeed alter their chromosomes - its mutations presenting as super-human abilities. The military kids, who come from across the nation and all walks of life, come into their own as lighter-than-air ‘athletes’; ‘indies’ as solid as stone walls; teens who can make themselves invisible and others who can blind with their brilliance.

While exploring her own special ability, forging new friendships and embarking on first love, Clio also stumbles onto information indicating that the military may not have been entirely forthcoming with them and that all may not be as it seems. . .

A quote:

I loved how the words to a song could perfectly capture my feelings about a moment or a day or a friend. I imagine someday putting together a massive compilation, like a sort of soundtrack of my life that I’d be able to listen to and relive all my memories.

Rating:

5/5

Any thoughts:

I am one of the people who absolutely love books about superhuman abilities. So when I received an email from Shelley Workinger asking to review her novel, I was not only excited and happy, but I was more than willing to read her novel!

Clio is a likeable character who was very easy to relate to. When she tries to fit in in this strange, isolated campus, I was able to connect with her. Making new friends is sometimes a difficult task, especially in a new place. The other characters -- Jack, Bliss, Garrett, Miranda and Alexis -- combine to make a fantastic group. I enjoyed each one of them (especially Garrett and his witty, fearless personality), and hope to see more of them in the coming books of the series.

From the very beginning, I was hooked to the story. The prologue, however, slowed me down a little bit. It was only a small bump on the road, but after that I flew through the book. It is a very quick read and it covers the basic information. It does leave you with a satisfying ending and many unanswered questions, which I suppose is the purpose of the two other books. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series -- it comes out this July 2011!

Thank you very much to Shelley for providing me a signed copy of Solid and an additional bookmark!




Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (66)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.


A Long, Long Sleep
by Anna Sheehan

Release Date:
September 15, 2011

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for 62 years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically-induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose - hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire - is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat.

Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes - or be left without any future at all.


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It sounds like Sleeping Beauty set in the future! What more, there's suspense - bam! - and romance -bam! - which are my two favourite aspects in a novel. Two of many, actually. There are already reviews out there which I just read and they all make me suuuuper excited! Seriously! That's because NetGalley is offering a copy. (I may request for it soon!)

Here are a few reviews I was reading that I suggest you check out:

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Justine's Thoughts: Fade by Lisa McMann

Fade (Dreamcatcher #2)
By Lisa McMann

Source: Library
Pages:
248

Rating:

4/5


A quote:

They have an unusual relationship.
And when things are good, it's magic.

Any thoughts (No major spoilers) :

Lisa McMann has a creative style that is able to suck me into the story. It captivates and enthrals me and I can never get sick of it. The shortness of sentences, the simplicity of the writing, the realness of the dialogue, the burst of emotions, -- they’re just a few aspects of what makes this a brilliant novel (and series).

I’m extremely glad that Janie and Cabel’s relationship is further developed. They explore things they’ve never explored before, they fight about things they’ve never fought before, they say things they’ve never said before. And all of that equals a deep, sexy romance. A perfect balance in a paranormal novel.

The plot is not light and fluffy, but serious and dangerous. There are, however, some memorable, funny moments that occur involving Janie, Cabel and Captain. They have sarcastic voices, which make them so easy to love.

But what saddens me is that the next instalment, Gone, is the final one. Although I read Lisa McMann’s books fairly quickly (quicker than most books), I would have to remind myself to read gradually and savour every bit. For the meantime, I’ll be waiting anxiously until I get my hands on it.



Monday, March 21, 2011

Daily Dose (59)



This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly.
(Click the photo to see its source!)













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I wish you all a very Happy Monday! :)



Friday, March 18, 2011

The Blog Hop (6)



Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee.

How did you come up with your blog name?

I had personal blogs before this and they all included a bunch of my thoughts on how my day was, and what I was looking for, etcetcetc. So I noticed, heeyy, I like writing about my thoughts! I was also just introduced to becoming a bookworm so I combined book + thoughts together and somehow I came up with A Bookful of Thoughts! It's rather interesting because I still remember going to the dictionary website and searching up "bookful". The word did exist when I looked it up, but now I'm not so sure since it's being underlined in red. And I don't think it's a good thing. Hehe.


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Book Blogger Hop
Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy for Books.

Do you read only one book at a time, or do you have several going at once?

I can only handle so much plots! I read one book at at time because I like to focus on it entirely. And frankly, I would get lost with where I left off if I read more than one book. But then again, I read textbooks and such from school too, which I suppose should throw me off a bit. But that's different, yeah?



Friday's Finest (55)


Friday's Finest is a new meme hosted by Steff & Justine from A Bookful of Thoughts.

Rules:
~Post a quote that really stuck to you after reading it in a book.
~Make sure it isn't a spoiler!
~If you'd like, expand on what you think it means and why you chose it.


Going Bovine
by Libba Bray

She never utters a sound even when she's crying, and that makes me a little sad. Doesn't seem right. When you cry, people should hear you. The world should stop.


A person crying without sound is the saddest thing. When I cry I don't do it with sound, and that's because I prefer to keep it all in, telling myself that I can handle it. Which I know is bad. That's why crying with sound is better. It relieves tension and lets everything out. And sometimes, that's all we really need.


Got a Friday's Finest to share? Link it below!






Thursday, March 17, 2011

Justine's Thoughts: Kiss Me, Kill Me and Kisses and Lies by Lauren Anderson

Kiss Me, Kill Me
By Lauren Anderson

Kisses and Lies
By Lauren Anderson

Source: Library
Pages:
272
Rating:

Kiss Me Kill Me - 5/5

Kisses and Lies - 4/5

When 16-year-old Scarlett Wakefield transfers from St. Tabby’s to Wakefield Hall Collegiate, she is relieved that no one knows her dark, haunting secr ...more

When 16-year-old Scarlett Wakefield transfers from St. Tabby’s to Wakefield Hall Collegiate, she is relieved that no one knows her dark, haunting secret. A few months ago, Scarlett was invited to an elite party with a guest list full of the hottest names in British society, including Dan McAndrew. Before the party, Scarlett had only imagined what it would be like to have her first kiss with Dan, but on the penthouse terrace, Dan leaned in close and she no longer had to wonder. Their kiss was beautiful and perfect and magical, and then . . . Dan McAndrew took his last breath as she held him in her arms. No one knows how or why Dan died, and everyone at St. Tabby’s believes Scarlett had something to do with it. But now that she’s safely hidden away at Wakefield Hall, Scarlett would rather forget that it ever happened. Only she can’t. Especially when she receives an anonymous note that will set her on the path to clearing her name and finding out what really happened to the first and last boy she kissed.

A quote:

(Kisses and Lies) For the first time, I’m allowing myself to really enjoy this. The teasing and the flirting. It’s even more fun than it looks in films and on TV, because in real life, you have to come up with the dialogue yourself, and there’s a whole adrenaline charge in trying to be funny and clever and sort of sexy, pushing someone away to bring them closer.

Any thoughts:

It’s a mystery-filled adventure with drama, romance, friendship, and suspense. I honestly love it; what more could you want? It takes place mostly in England (Kisses and Lies is in England and Scotland) -- how wonderful. The scenes were described thoroughly, which just made me want to walk into the book, and the tension was present most of the time, keeping me alert and impatient for the mystery to be solved. But what I found hard to believe was there being a killing among sixteen-year-olds who go to wealthy, preppy schools with skinny, snobby girls. I wouldn’t really know, as I have no idea how those types of people act in the real world. I only know that it felt like there was a drop of murder mystery in a crowd of partying, schooling, fashion, and royalty. However, it is all explained in Kisses and Lies.

Scarlett Wakefield is a gymnast, which really comes in handy at the most sleuthing times. It is amazing to see her use her skills, to see her determined to discover the truth. After all, everything and everyone is pointed at her. What else could she do? Of course she’d want to end the hype. And she’s got comebacks that are enough to intimidate her suspects. With her friend who aspires to be a private investigator, she’s set to get to the bottom of it all.

But it never lasts. Thank goodness for another book in the series! Kisses and Lies ends perfectly to welcome another mystery in Wakefield Hall. Lauren Henderson really knows how to hook people, keep up their interest, and give them a craving that may last for a long time.



Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (65)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.


Wherever You Go
by Heather Davis

Release Date:
November 14, 2011

Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. The fact that she has to spend most of her free time caring for her little sister and Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather doesn’t help. But Holly has no idea that as she goes about her days, Rob’s ghost is watching over her. He isn’t happy when he sees his best friend, Jason, reach out to help Holly with her grandfather—but as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. Is his best friend really falling for his girlfriend?

As Holly wonders whether to open her heart to Jason, the past comes back to haunt her. Her grandfather claims to be communicating with the ghost of Rob. Could the messages he has for Holly be real? And if so, how can the loved ones Rob left behind help his tortured soul make it to the other side?

Told from the perspectives of Holly, Jason, and Rob, Wherever You Go is is a poignant story about making peace with the past, opening your heart to love, and finding the courage to move forward into the light.


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The cover instantly caught my eye. It looks so emotional with the model staring down pensively while the light colours around soften the overall effect. It's really pretty. The synopsis seems haunting yet there's also a bit of the hard subject of letting go. I love how it is told in three perspectives, which would give us a much better understanding of this paranormal plot. All in all, this novel definitely holds potential and I'm quite excited for its release on Nov 14th.



Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Teaser Tuesday (40)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading.



From page 102 of "The Tempest's Roar"
by R.A.R. Clouston

Apollo, the lonely outsider, followed but as he swam through the warm seas in the dawning light of day, he began to wonder if he ever would belong anywhere. It was a heavy burden to bear because loneliness is a more sinister hunter than any made of flesh and blood, on land or in the sea, for it is the one hunter that its prey cannot escape.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Daily Dose (59)



This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly.
(Click the photo to see its source!)












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AND TADAHHH!!!
New layout!!! How do you guys like it? Any thoughts? I'd loooove to hear them :) Have you noticed I tend to stay with the same colours? It's scary to try something else, to be honest. But I'll do that one day...Anyway, green represents the spring season, which I'm hoping to come very very soon. It was snowing just yesterday and that's not a good sign.

So I'll be adding more cool stuff to my blog's appearance later on today. I'll also be commenting lotsss. I'm babysitting at the moment (this post was actually prepared last night) so I'll talk to you all later!

HAPPY MONDAY!!!