2012 Hits and Misses

Check out my "Hits and Misses" for 2012! 

I'll put a link if I have done a review for them already...BUT if there's no link, it means I will be reviewing it in the near future :)

*in no particular order*

BEST PRODUCT FINDS OF 2012

1. Google Nexus 7 

This is the best 7 inch tablet ever! Super fast and responsive since this contains the latest android (Jelly Bean 4.2) on it's purest form. It can also play full HD videos, pictures and music plus i'ts a good ebook reader. There's also a lot downloadable applications (games, programs, etc) at Google Play. 


2. Allue Lip Conditioner

This is one of the best finds I had this year because it is very affordable and it works!


3. Artist Studio Brushes

Again, you can never beat the affordable price of these brushes AND you are getting high quality product at the same time. Definitely the best makeup brush to start your collection.


4. Payless "Lower East Side" flats

*sorry about the dirty appearance of the shoes*

These are my favorite pairs of flats. They are really comfortable and is built to withstand everyday abuse. Full review to follow as these babies need more attention :)


5. Lush Hair Duo: Ultimate Shine Solid Shampoo + American Dream Conditioner

These combination is absolutely divine! Long lasting cleanliness and your hair will definitely smell great until your next wash. I will post a full review soon :)


6. Laser Hair Removal - Underarm

I got a gift coupon from Ensogo that entitled me 8 sessions of UA LHR for only Php3,000! I am done with my 8th session this month and I am just waiting for at least 5 weeks to gauge the result. Will post a more in depth review :)


MISSES OF 2012

1. Bench Jeans

Definitely poor in quality especially for the price.


2. The Face Shop eyelash curler

Oh my, I can't use this even if I have all the time in the world to be careful. The shape of the curler is definitely not a match for my eye-shape as it keeps on pinching my lids.


3. Skin Food Black Bean Eyeliner

This liner sucks big time! It is too creamy that even if you wait for it to set, you'll still get panda eyes after 1 minute. 

4. My Phone Cellphone

This has low quality...It's definitely a waste of money because even though it's cheap, it gets broken quite easily.

5. Lush Soak & Float solid shampoo

I can't get over the smoked scent and it didn't work for me either in controlling my dry scalp.

5. Ipanema FlipFlops

It's too flimsy to be comfortable to use for walks. It makes my feet hurt after an hour of walking so I still prefer my Havaianas over this one. 

6. Styli-Style 24hr Liquid Liner Pen

This dried up very fast. I believe this just lasted me 2-3 months..That's too fast and it's quite pricey too at Beauty Bar. 

Those are my Hits and Misses for the year 2012. All of these items are purchased and used this year and were tried extensively by yours truly before I decided which should go to which.

Thank you for dropping by!

2012 Best TV Shows

Happy Friday, guys! It's another long weekend coming up and I'm pretty sure a lot of you are excited to spend it with your love ones. I, myself, is gonna go with my family to our rest house in Tagaytay this weekend so I will put up 2 post today because there's no internet there hehe :)

For today, I have decided to put up my BEST TV SHOWS for the year 2012...As with the books, this can include shows aired from the past years but as long as I have just watched it this year, it is included :) 

* If I have reviewed it, I will put the link on the title*

In no particular order:

1. Rooftop Prince

This drama is perfect! Among the 2012 Korean drama releases, this is by far the best because it's story is complete and the storyline is well executed. Even the explanation for the time travel and the ending is good. I also enjoyed the drama and comedy all throughout the 20 episodes. There's no repetitive conflicts and every scene is needed to make the story whole. Highly recommended!

2. Faith: The Great Doctor

I really, really liked this Korean drama. It starred Lee Min Ho and Kim Hee Sun which are both great actors. Even the supporting roles are played perfectly so thumbs up for the whole cast. This drama have everything: love story, comedy, drama, fantasy and time travel. The story is very well executed and there's no loop holes. I just hope they ended it with a hug or kiss but aside from that everything was tied up in a pretty little bow. I definitely recommend it to anyone :) 

3. Vampire Diaries

Season 1,2

Season 3

Definitely one of the best vampire TV shows now. The casts of Vampire Diaries are great actors and I can't single out anyone who can't portray his/her role perfectly. Even without having able to read the book, the show itself got me hooked with it's own storyline and adaptation (unlike with the Twilight Saga wherein I just watched it because I love the books =/). This is still ongoing and I am currently watching Season 4-- It's still good! Bonus points for having good looking casts too hehe :) 

4. Skip Beat

This is a live action Taiwanese drama based on a Japanese Manga. I love how true to the story this is and I really felt like I'm watching anime except the actors are real people. Kudos to Ivy Chen for making the whole show enjoyable to watch because she was able to act perfectly according to the character of Gong Xi. Definitely recommended for manga/anime addicts and Super Junior fan like me :)

5. To The Beautiful You

I really enjoyed watching the Korean version of Hana Kimi. I am a fan of the manga and my favorite live action was the one made by Japan a couple of years ago. I can't even remember how many time I have re-watched the Japanese version so I really have high expectations for this drama. I am just so happy that To The Beautiful You made their own adaptation and they gave it a new flavor that is their own. I loved it! 

6. I Need Romance 

Season 1

Season 2

I grouped these 2 together even though they are different dramas because they have the same concept. I really applaud TvN for making these Kdrama unique from others. These have a new appeal and is more mature in content because it was shown in a cable channel, which I think is an advantage because the writers had a lot of room to work with. Great cinematography and perfect execution. I can't count how many times I have re-watched Season 1 just to see the romantic scenes that I can't normally see on other dramas. Perfect for those looking for something different than your average Korean drama :)

7. The Romantic and Idols

Another TvN show but this time it is a reality TV/variety show type. I really enjoyed watching this 8 episode cable show that consists of 8 idols going on a 3 days 2 nights dating game in Jeju. I will do a separate review on this once the last episode got aired next week. But for now, all I can say is, it is worth watching especially if you are a Kpop fan :)

8. We Got Married Season 4

My first impression

I am really enjoying the current season of We Got Married. I liked the concept of having a WGM Village and there's a constant interaction between the 3 couples. All 3 couples really gives me a lot of laughter every Sunday night with each episode. I always look forward in watching them. I hope there will be more funny episodes to come with no interruptions :)

So, there are my best TV shows of 2012! Do check any of these out and I'm pretty sure you will enjoy them as much as I did. I am looking forward on what I will watch for 2013 :)

Thanks for dropping by!

Best Reads of 2012

I am now officially starting my 2012 lists with my BEST READS of the year. I will include all books I've read starting January 2012 even though some are released years ago. I hope you can share yours too so I can check them out :)

*In order*
**CLICK on the title to view my in depth review of the book


10. Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood

READ ON: August 2012

Julie Garwood is always on my auto-buy list since time immemorial. I have loved her since I was in High School and I have re-read all her books countless of times. I especially love her historical romances and even her contemporary ones like Heartbreaker and Shadow Dance. I just don't know what happened to her latest releases starting from Shadow Music. They are still good but I felt, like, her writing style changed or something. I still enjoyed reading them but the depth and captivating story that I loved were kind of short. So, even though I liked reading Sweet Talk, I can't put it on my top 5. BUT This is still a good read. I just miss seeing her old style. Still waiting for her 2013 release :)


9. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

READ ON: June 2012

"Of Poseidon" is Anna Banks debut book as a writer and I'm glad I was able to read it. This is my first "adult" mermaid book...my last was Disney's Little Mermaid haha. Anyway, this is the only mermaid book I have read  since I became an adult so it's quite entertaining for me. I loved her writing style and her world building. I can't wait for book 2 of this series. Definitely a must-read book for those people who love fairytale-type of book and loves mermaids as much as I do :)


8. Shadow Falls Series by C.C. Hunter

Book 1-3

Book 4

READ ON: July 2012

This is a surprisingly good book for me. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did while reading the series. What I loved about this story is that it has a really good fluidity and it felt like I'm reading a Japanese manga wherein each book means just another chapter and you need to pick it up asap to know what's next. It really is a page turner for me and I can't wait to read the finale of this 5-part series..This series felt like X-men because it consists of all supernatural beings studying in one school and trying to live civilly with each other. I really love the concept and I'm so glad it was well executioned too  :)

7. Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa

READ ON: March 2012

Now, this is a faery book. I really enjoyed Julie Kagawa's writing skills and her character building. She was able to create a beautiful but dangerous land, Nevernever, to serve as the perfect backdrop for her characters. I enjoyed reading about Megan, Ash, Puck and Grim's adventures and character development. I also liked reading the short stories for this series, they are that entertaining. I definitely recommend this series for those people looking for an adventure fantasy book :) 

6. Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlainne Harris

(aka True Blood Series)

READ ON: April 2012

After reading a lot of Young Adult books about vampires and shapeshifters, I really was quite happy to have found a good adult version through this series by Charlainne Harris. Book 13, the finale, will get released on May 2013 and I am looking forward on how she will end this very long series about Sookie Stackhouse. If you loved watching True Blood on HBO, you should definitely read this coz this is way better! The TV Series sucks big time since it's so R-18 but these books are great and it really was told in a way that it seems realistic even though it's fictional :)

5. Bloodlines Series by Richelle Mead

READ ON: April 2012

This is a spin-off from the popular Vampire Academy Series. This is still ongoing and is following Sydney, the alchemist who if a friend of Rose. I just love reading these books coz the way Richelle Mead created another side for the same world as with Vampire Academy is superb. I can also see glimpses of what happened to the characters  I loved like Dimitri and Rose through this as the setting for Bloodlines happened right after the events in VA ended. I can't wait to read Book 3 and 4 next year coz there's a rumor that 2 books will be released consequently. Yay! :)

4. Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead

READ ON: February 2012

As I have said, this is what started my love for Bloodlines. This series made me cry, laugh and feel every emotions that a book could give you while reading. Richelle Mead is a fantastic writer and I love her female characters because they are strong willed and knows what they want. Rose and Dimitri's love story is epic and I really enjoyed the way how her character evolved from being an immature teenager to a mature woman. Love it so much! :)

3. Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews

READ ON: September 2012

This is one of those books that I can't wait for it to arrive. I actually ordered a hard copy instead of an ebook for this one the moment it became available in the US. I really was so happy with Raphael and Andrea's story because it is full of sparks and action. This is also the best cover for all the books in the Kate Daniel's series! I really love having this on hand coz I can re-read it anytime and I didn't regret the long wait because it's worth it :)

2. Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh

Book 1-3

Book 5

READ ON: January 2012

This is the best angel book out there in the market because this does not have any religious stuff integrated. It is sort of like a dystopian genre because Nalini Singh created a world wherein Earth is ruled by Archangels with Vampires as workers and humans are just there like "pets". I specifically love  the stories about Raphael and Elena so this being in 2nd place is because of the first 3 books. I just love Elena's character because she is full of spunk and she is a warrior through and through. I can't wait for book 6 because the author said the story will go back to Elena and Raphael instead of one of the Seven (Raphael's elite guard unit). I can't wait!

1. Kate Daniel's Series by Ilona Andrews

READ ON: June 2012

I have been contemplating whether my top 1 will be this series or the Guild Hunter one because I love both and I have re-read them over and over again since I got them...I just can't decide but I nitpicked my criteria and Kate Daniel wins! This won because I loved each and every book in this series even the novellas (Jim and Dali, Raphael and Andrea, and even Curran's POVs) and I can't get enough of them even though I have re-read them countless of times already. While I only am in love with Raphael and Elena's books in the Guild Hunter Series. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed reading book 4 and 5 too but they are not on my top 10. 

This is definitely the top book series of 2012 and I can't wait for book 6 to read more about Kate and Curran and also the other member of the pack :)

You can follow me on GOODREADS if you wanted to see a more regular update on my reading. It's more updated than on my blog because I don't review all of the books here in detail especially those that I have read a long time ago before I started Gale Reads. 

Thank you for dropping by!