Gale Reads: Off-Campus Series by Elle Kennedy

 Hello everyone! Today is the last day of February & it's a leap year too! And I suddenly had an urge to write a book review so that's what I'm going to post for this week. =) 


Starting around October-November of 2015, I got hooked into the new adult romance genre especially the sports-related ones (football & hockey especially). I was in need of a refresher as I was reading a lot of heavy novels and I wanted something light & fun to read. I was searching on Goodreads for suggestions & that's when I saw The Deal that is book 1 of the Off Campus Series by Elle Kennedy. I got intrigued by the synopsis because my black hole in books are nerdy girls that has strong personalities. 


This series has 3 books so far & I'm not sure how many there will be in this series.

*all synopsis from Goodreads.com
 

 The Deal

he's about to make a deal with the college bad boy...

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she's carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush's attention, she'll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice...even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

...and it's going to be oh so good

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he's worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he's all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn't take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn't going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

The Mistake

He’s a player in more ways than one…

College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…

After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.

The Score

He knows how to score, on and off the ice

Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she's going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di-Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over

Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls…he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world—and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love.

 MY REVIEW

COVER TALK:

I love the cover! I really like the fact that it doesn't show the face of the model. I really prefer to imagine my lead hero's face. And why would I complain with these bodies? Haha seriously though, many might think this is romance if they see the cover but this is only a tad more mature compared to young adult books but it's definitely not on the level of 50 Shades. I just think football players are stereotyped as hot & sexy so they used these as covers.

 

OVER-ALL THOUGHTS:

As a whole, I love the fact that all 3 of these stories are not "love at first sight" and all of the characters are interconnected in a way, thus making it a series. I also love the fact that the stories doesn't feel rushed even though it's not a thick book. The author took her time to show her readers how the main characters develops throughout the story. You will also see the development of the different characters that surround the main leads so you know that if ever Elle Kennedy decided to pursue & continue this series then you'll definitely be excited for it since you have already loved that character that is somewhat an extra of each book. For example, Logan from book 2 was introduced as Garrett's best friend in book 1. There's also Allie that first made an appearance in book 1 & also in book 2 before she became the lead of book 3. I really enjoyed reading how these characters interact with each other & gets updates for each book.

I also love the author's writing style. She writes in a way that you feel like you are watching it as a TV series. I love the dialogues & the jokes. Nothing is forced or too cheesy, at least for me. I know there are cliches there but it was used so perfectly that I didn't care that much haha. If you love a new adult romance and also love football players then this is definitely a good series to start.

I definitely give this entire series a 4.5/5 RATING, I didn't give it a 5 just because the storyline per se is predictable. I really hope Elle Kennedy will continue this series. =)

What's your favorite New Adult Romance or sports related book? Please share them in the comment section below so I can add it to my TBR list. =)

Thank you for dropping by!

Gale Reads: Psy Changeling Series Book 8-12 by Nalini Singh

I decided to read the whole series for March & I did! I'm so happy to be able to accomplish my March To-Be-Read list. Its quite hard because I can only read a few pages at a time since I was quite busy at work. Anyhow, here's part 2 of my review of the Psy-Changeling Series!   

Click here to read part 1 of my review.

TITLES: Bonds of Justice, Play of Passion, Kiss of Snow, Tangle of Need, Heart of Obsidian
AUTHOR: Nalini Singh
GENRE: Urban fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Shapeshifters
STATE OF SERIES: Ongoing.

Cover Talk:
As with my previous review, I'm not a fan of any of this book covers. I haven't found any of them to be in my liking, I guess Heart Of Obsidian is the most passable just because of it's mysterious aura. I hope they release a new version for the whole series when the time comes that I will buy them for my bookshelf.

*I hope my new room will be done sooner so that I can make a wall full of my books :)




MY REVIEW:

The last 5 books are awesome! It's so full of action & happenings that it's so hard to sleep at night when it's time for bedtime because I still want to continue reading. Really a page turner. Kudos to Nalini Singh for making the story flow as smooth as possible because it's really hard to create 1 whole story divided into many books and for it to be told in different point of views. I love how she created this society by showing it through the eyes of the different Psy designations & the Changelings. It really created depth to the story & provided a clearer picture since it's not biased from just looking at it from one perspective. 

My favorite among the 12 books is definitely Heart of Obsidian. It's a perfect ending to begin a new chapter of how Psy and Changelings alike will live. There's so many twists in this book & I love how she created the character as both powerful & vulnerable at the same time. I so love Kaleb and I'm so excited to see more of him in the next books ahead.

My least favorite is Tangle of Need. I can safely say that this is a "bridge" book in the series because even though it is meant for Riaz & Adria, the whole book didn't focus on them. It had a lot of scenes w/Sienna & Hawke & the other important people and it seems this book is created to make the transition from Kiss of Snow to heart of Obsidian. Don't get me wrong, I love those 2 & enjoyed every part where they appeared in Tangle Of Need but I hoped Nalini created a more focused story on Riaz & Adria's love story since they both are broken in a way & I would love to see more interactions between them. Aside from that, everything is superb :)

OVER-ALL RATING: 5/5

I really love this series & the last 5 is awesome since it involves a lot more complex situations. I hope Nalini will continue making this series. And more novellas too please!

P.S. I can't wait for Vasic's story in the next book titled Shield Of Winter. It will be out in June 3, 2014.

Thanks for dropping by!

Gale Reads: Psy-Changeling Series Book 1-7 by Nalini Singh

I have been on a reading marathon all March. It's been quite some time since I had the urge to read & read so I rode it. I started the popular Psy-Changeling Series by Nalini Singh, the same author of one of my fave Guild Hunter Series. The first book is published in 2006 & the 13th book will be out on June 2014. I have finished reading 7 books & 2 novellas. I am currently halfway in of book 8 Bonds of Justice. I only have time to read during my MRT ride to the office in the morning & an hour or 2 at night before I sleep (if I'm not too tired) so it's taking me quite a few days before I finish 1 book. It's frustrating sometimes because I want to read them continuously hehe.


GENRE: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Romance
SERIES STATUS: On-going, 12 already out  

COVER TALK:
I'm not actually fond of the cover. No offense meant but I personally prefer my books to have ambiguous or mysterious covers without the face of the cast. I really enjoy imaging the face & built for each them so I hope they can release some new covers. Luckily, I'm reading this series on my tablet so I don't get to see the covers that much hehe. Please please Nalini, do release new covers like the one in the Guild Hunter series.. 

MY REVIEW:

I really love Nalini Singh! I can't believe I just started reading this series this month. I should've started it a long time ago! I love how each & every character is unique in some way from the others even though they should have the "same traits" because they came in the same group/pack. I also liked how each book is connected with each other but still separate at the same time. You can actually see hints & glimpses of the lives that previous (& even future) characters had as time goes by. It's like this series is one big story then each main character was given a book to tell their own story. Even the connecting people outside of the packs are given their own stories like how Max Shannon (the Dark River pack human police friend) was given his own book so that it can connect the dots & tell the story from the side of the Psy. 

I am so in love with all the characters but Lucas & Sascha is still my fave because if theirs is not good, I wouldn't read the 2nd book, then the 3rd & so on. 

I have decided to cluster this series for review because I felt like they should be viewed as a whole story instead of separate. Although you can definitely read any of it without reading the others (I tried jumping to the 10th book hehe), I would suggest you go & invest some time to read it from book 1 so that you can appreciate the wonderful world building & can follow the story as smoothly as possible.

OVER-ALL RATING: 5/5

This is really a page-turner & if only I have all the time in the world, I can definitely finish 1 book per day. No negatives for this series yet and I hope it won't end any time soon coz I would love to read the story of their kids too :)


Thanks for dropping by!

Gale Reads: Dark Slayer by Christine Feehan

I have found this book in the sale bin of National Bookstore last month for only Php30 (that's less than $1!) and I wanted to try reading works from other authors so I bought it. I learned after reading it that Dark Slayer is part of a series called The Dark Series and that it's a Carpathian novel. 

So without further ado, here's my "first impression" on Christine Feehan's work :)

GENRE: Romance, Fantasy, Vampires, Magic
Synopsis: (from http://www.christinefeehan.com/dark_slayer/)
A rumor has persisted in the vampire world of a dark slayer—a woman—who travels with a wolf pack and who destroys any vampire who crosses her path.  Mysterious, elusive and seemingly impossible to kill, she is the one hunter who strikes terror into the hearts of the undead.
She is Ivory Malinov. Her only brethren, the wolves. Long ago betrayed by her people, abandoned by her family, and cast out by everyone she held dear, Ivory has lived a century without companionship or love. She has sustained her sanity by the habit of the hunt and the custom of the feeding. Until the night she picks up the scent of a man, her unexpected salvation. Her lifemate. The curse of all Carpathian women.
He is Razvan. Branded a criminal, detested and feared, he is a dragonseeker borne of one of the greatest Carpathian lineages, only to be raised as its most despised—and captive—enemy. Fleeing from his lifetime of imprisonment, Razvan now seeks the dawn to end his terrible existence. Instead he has found his deliverance in the Dark Slayer.
In spirit, in flesh and blood, in love, and in war, Ivory and Razvan are made for each other. For as long as they dare to live.


MY REVIEW:
I read the whole story without researching anything about it or the series so from the point of view of someone who have no clear idea of the premise of the story, the author was able to make me understand the what, why, who, how questions I had for this story alone. I think this book even though is part of a series can also be read as a stand alone novel. It doesn't really require the readers to read the previous ones since it's already explained somewhat. But on the other hand, I think it would create a better impact on me if I do have read the earlier books prior to reading Dark Slayer as to know the start of the whole conflict and how it affected all the characters I have encountered. Over all, I can say that this is a good read and it has a very entertaining and somewhat unique fantasy world and concept. It's actually a fast read, which surprised me. I loved how the heroine is a very strong woman, that's what really pushed me to get this book after reading the synopsis.  I just can't put my finger on it, I kept on thinking it's good but it didn't wow me that much. I can't pinpoint the exact reason why I can't give it a grade higher.

oh, wait, I take that back. I believe what put me off was the way the dialogues are written. It actually bothered me that they "speak" in Russian (I believe) and then the author will put italized English translation after it or vice versa. It's a nice touch actually until I experienced it in the entire book! It's too redundant in my opinion. Especially the endearments because  you can just put the translation once in the beginning and then continuously use the Russian word throughout the book. Or put an appendix at the end to explain all the terminologies. But aside from that, I really liked the book :)

OVER ALL RATING: 4/5 

I enjoyed reading it & I am intrigued enough on this series. I am still debating whether to buy the other ones or just download ebook copies, but I am pretty sure that i will check out more books by Christine Feehan in the future. Though I won't be reading those until much later coz I still have a lot of book in my list to read first :) 

I would recommend this to those who are looking for an action packed romance novel w/lead the heroine as a warrior.  

Do comment below if you have read other works by her. What should I get next? :)

Gale Reads: Hotshot by Julie Garwood

Happy rainy Monday everyone! Please keep safe and dry so that you won't get sick like me hehe :)

I have finished another book so let's talk about it now. As I have mentioned before, Julie Garwood is one of my all time favorite authors since I started reading novels during high school so it's obvious that I'll get any new releases as soon as it hit the shelves. I won't need to read the synopsis or the excerpts before I buy the book because I know that Julie Garwood's work will always be good so it's definitely a must buy. Her latest release is called HOTSHOT which is part of her contemporary series.

TITLE: Hotshot
AUTHOR: Julie Garwood
GENRE: Contemporary, Romance
RELEASE DATE: August 8, 2013
PLOT:  
*from goodreads.com*
Peyton Lockhart and her sisters have inherited Bishops Cove, a small, luxurious oceanfront resort, but it comes with a condition: The girls must run the resort for one year and show a profit only then will they own it.A graduate of a prestigious French culinary school, Peyton has just lost her job as a food critic. Out of work and in a bad place personally, a year doing something completely different sounds wonderful.There are countless challenges and too many people who want to stop the sisters from succeeding. Among them are Peyton's contentious cousins, who are outraged that they didn't inherit the resort, as well as a powerful group of land developers who have been eyeing the coveted beachfront property.Its soon apparent to Peyton that their efforts are being sabotaged, but she refuses to let the threats scare her until shes nearly killed. She calls on her childhood friend and protector, Finn MacBain, now with the FBI, and asks for his help. He saved her life once; he can do it again.

COVER TALK:
I actually liked the cover because it doesn't show the whole face of the model so there's still space for me to imagine what he looks like.  It also showed that Finn MacBain is an FBI agent so just by looking at the cover of this book, you will automatically know that it's part of Julie Garwood's contemporary series that consists of characters working for the government: FBI, Justice Department and even as Detectives. There will be no mistaking this as part of her historical romance creations.


MY REVIEW:
The premise of the story became more interesting to me after I've read the excerpt when it got available in Julie Garwood's website early this year. I have been actually waiting for this for a long time and got so overjoyed when I was able to purchase an ebook copy a few days after its release date. I immediately read it and I finished it in one sitting since I have the time.

Hotshot revolves around the life of Peyton Lockhart who is an adorable character and can be interesting because of her quirks. She knows what she wants and she's not afraid to take chances and fight off those who doesn't treat her right. She actually have an undying hero-worship crush with her childhood friend Finn MacBain (who is almost perfect in everything) after he save her when she was still 6 y/o and Finn was 14. They met again as an adult after years of just contacting each other through emails so you can just imagine the reaction of Finn when he saw Peyton again and she's not the scrawny little girl he remembers. That storyline alone can give a good backdrop for a lot of interesting twists and conflicts especially when you make Peyton a magnet for trouble and Finn having a hero complex who wants to save everyone.

But then came the disappointment after I finished reading the book. I think I have too much expectation for it and it felt short. Even my best friend who love Garwood's works as much as I did is unsatisfied after reading Hotshot. We are both used to reading book after book of great stories from her since her first book that reading a so-so one is kind of a let down, to be honest. It's not even the editing because it still doesn't have any kind of grammatical errors which can put me off. I think it's just the way how the story unfolded itself that left the author with no space to create entertaining twists or something. Hotshot is so mediocre in my opinion and it hurt me to say it because I really love Garwood's stories and I can't believe this one is not as good as the others.It actually made me feel like I read a book written by a novice writer.

I finished it in one seating but everything about it is so forgettable that right after I read it I didn't felt any gratification. There's no "wow!" factor to be honest and it seems a little empty and it don't have the depth of story that I got used to when it comes to Garwood's creations. Even the villains in the story is predictable and not interesting especially if I will compare it with her other contemporary works like Heartbreaker and Slow Burn (now, those two are great). I guess having a perfect male lead character with no flaws is kinda boring for me. The lack of interesting twists in the development of the romance between the two main character is also another factor why this became boring and not a page turner.


OVER-ALL RATING: 3/5

This rating is so hard for me to give to a Julie Garwood creation but I need to be honest in a review so I will give Hotshot a 3/5 rating. This book is not bad but it's not that entertaining either and that's the main reason why I can't give it a higher rating. I would still suggest you read it if you're already a reader of Julie Garwood so you can formulate your own reaction but if you're new to Julie Garwood's novels I would suggest you try her earlier works first because this can't be used as a basis of her writing skills. I even suspect that either she is lacking inspiration or she have a ghost writer who is writing for her because her latest books are going downhill in the entertaining department.


Thanks for dropping by! Stay safe everyone!

KDrama Review: Flowerboy Ramyun Shop

I had finished watching another Kdrama and I am really digging tvN right now. I have learned to watch cable TV Korean dramas because they are a little less restricted and will most definitely have a better approach to the story :)

TITLE: Flowerboy Ramyun Shop / Flowerboy Ramen Shop
EPISODES: 16
GENRE: Comedy, Love Story
BROADCASTING NETWORK: tvN
BROADCAST PERIOD: October 31-December 20, 2011
AIRING TIME: Monday-Tuesday
PLOT SUMMARY:
Yang Eun Bi is a 25 year old college student preparing for her civil service exam so that she can become a PE high school teacher. She encounters Cha Chi Soo, the arrogant son of the biggest food conglomerate in Korea. Both of them end up working at a ramyun shop run by the lazy Choi Kang Hyuk.


*source of info: drama wiki*

CASTS:
Jung Il woo as Cha Chi Soo
Lee Chung Ah as Yang Eun Bi
Lee Ki Woo as Choi Kang Hyuk
Park Min Woo as Kim Ba Wool
Jo Yoon Woo as Woo Hyun Woo

* for the list of the complete cast click here*


MY THOUGHTS:

OMG! I love this drama! I think I have re-watched this so many time within this week especially my fave scenes. It's so funny and there are some scenes that are really so romantic and "nakakakilig". I know this is not a new drama but I just got attracted to it after watching one episode from a re-run at tvN last weekend. And I don't think I will forget that Kimchi Kiss scene because it's so memorable especially if you will put it beside other dramas in that genre. Even without me knowing the premise of the story and even though it's just that scene that I saw, I got so attracted to it that I went ahead and watched the whole drama in 2 days :)

*the KIMCHI KISS*

This drama is also full of handsome young men and it's really an eye candy even to me who is already 27 y/o haha. I also love how they made them have something quirky in their personality just so they won't appear too perfect and unrealistic. I really would like to give a shout out for the casting director because ALL the cast have done a great job in portraying their parts on top of their good looks which I'm pretty sure is the main criteria why they became part of the cast hehe.

The storyline itself is not that unique (a high school student falling in love with his teacher), but the way they portrayed that is what made Flowerboy Ramyun Shop special. The way they showed how Cha Chi Soo's emotions developed and how he became more mature towards the end is what made it meaningful. Also, Yang Eun Bi is not your typical girl either which is why the whole drama became so fun to watch. She really have a temper  and a very unique charm that attracts guys to her.

I don't want to give out a lot of details as to not give spoilers to those of you who haven't watched the drama, so this is my last one. This drama contains two of the best kiss scenes ever! Jung Il woo really knows how to kiss and he do it so manly that it will make your knees weak if you're the girl he did that to. If you searched in Google and at Youtube "best Korean drama kisses", his kisses here at Flowerboy Ramyun Shop will definitely be included in the top 5 hehe. And having an actress that responds well to the kiss is also one of the major points this drama have. And that is one of the reason why cable TV drama is special because kissing scenes doesn't become a peck with the girl's eyes open and lips not moving with the camera going merry go round LOL.

OVER-ALL RATING: 5/5

I really can't find anything I don't like in this drama. I really really enjoyed it! This is definitely in my drama list that I will re-watch often and still get the same giddy feeling every time. Definitely a must-see drama if you love Asian dramas like me.

To watch the English subbed videos of this drama, go to DRAMAFANS website or click the link below.

FLOWERBOY RAMYUN SHOP

Thanks for dropping by!

Gale Reads: Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Hello everyone! I really miss blogging so much. I can't believe I've been MIA for almost 3 months (again!) as I didn't expect that I'll be so busy and tired during my training at work. Anyway, it is finished and I'm back!

As I had some free time to read, I decided to pick up the last installment of the Sookie Stackhouse Series (True Blood) by Charlaine Harris which was released last May 2013. I have been following this book series since last year and I am planning on buying all the books for my collection as I have just read this series via ebook format and I would love to have them in a printed format so that I can re-read them anytime I want plus it's nice to look at on my bookcase haha :)

COVER TALK:  4/5 
 
I love that it looks like a cartoon and the choice of colors the artist have used. I also think that all the elements on the drawing signified the characters that had a great impact on Sookie's life all throughout the 13 books like Quinn the weretiger, Alcide the werewolf, Sam the Collie and the Bats to signify the vampires.  Even the tomatoes and flowers signified something so every part of this drawing symbolizes the highlights of the story.

When I do buy the complete series, I will get all of the books in this version of the cover because I loved this cover compared to the True Blood version. I really don't like faces of actors on books because they didn't look like what I had in mind hehe :)




MY THOUGHTS:

Sookie is a telepathic barmaid at the Merlotte Bar at Bon Temps, Louisiana and is living in a time wherein vampires, were-species, shapeshifters, faeries and witches are open to the public about who they are. Sookie had been living in the center of the supernatural world as she had been romantically involved with the vampires (Bill and Eric), the weres (Alcide and Quinn) and a shapeshifter (Sam). She's also connected to the Supe world through her family (her grandfather and cousins are fae and her brother is a werepanther) and friends (Pam is a vampire, Amelia is a witch, Mr. Cataliades and Diana are half demons). Personally, I really enjoyed reading this series and I am really looking forward on how Harris will end the story since there's still a lot of uncertainty in the previous book.

This is the last book of this series so I have been expecting a lot from the author to wrap everything up with a nice little bow on top. The story about Sookie Stackhouse's life have been going for a decade already and I really think it is time to end it. It have been so interesting too that even HBO decided to make a TV adaptation on it and it also became popular. I do believe the TV series True Blood is still ongoing right now and it did have a following although I am not part of those people as I hated it.

I liked that everyone had a happy ending and all the conflicts did get answered. Harris did a good job in the writing department, as always, because I have hardly found any error in the story telling and her kind of writing style (which I loved) is still there. It was still a page turner as I have been really curious on what will happen next as Harris is very fond of putting so many twist and turns on a story.


RATING: 3/5

I would have given this a higher rating but the previous books (specifically books 1-9) are way way better compared to this. There's no element of excitement anymore which I don't know why I felt that way even though there's a lot of things happening in the story. Maybe I just got bored in the story or I lacked the enthusiasm because I knew from the beginning of the book who she will end up with. If you want to see the details why I gave this book a 3/5 rating, then read on.

*SPOILER ALERT*

OVER-ALL RATING FOR THE WHOLE SERIES (13 books): 4/5

I have read book 1-10 consecutively, then books 11-12 a few months after and book 13 after a few months again. 

When I read book 1-10, I was so engrossed to the series that I finished all 10 books so fast! I think I've read it in less than 2 weeks, roughly 1 story per day. The way the story progressed and changed made it a page turner and I really enjoyed being part of Sookie's life. There have been no dull moments for me while reading and the way Charlaine Harris build a character make you love them even more even though they are not the main characters. If you want to read my detailed review on books 1-10, click here.

I got afraid to read books 11 and 12 because of the mixed reviews it received so it took me awhile before I read them. I even forgot to make a review of those two here when I did finished reading them. All I can say is that they were less interesting than the first 10. It felt like Harris just made them out of pressure to make the story longer, somewhat like a filler. The story went crazy especially in book 12 wherein Eric got weirder and weirder.

Now, book 13 came and it went downhill even more. I really hoped that she can revive the story but I was so disappointed. After all the emotional building for Eric and Sookie's relationship, they will just go their separate ways and easily forget their "undying love" for each other. They have been through a lot and have came out of those scratched and injured but still alive and in-love.

I really don't know why Harris made Sookie end up with Sam. They never had a romantic relationship in all those 12 books. Sure, they have known each other for the longest time and Sam have the hots for her, but their relationship is really platonic and is always on the backseat of whoever is the current boyfriend of Sookie. If only Harris made it clear since book 1 (or even in the middle) that they like each other or that there's a chance of them romantically loving each other secretly without them knowing, I wouldn't have a problem. BUT they don't have anything between them aside for loyalty and friendship all those years so it's quite a shock when they did end up together at the very last leg of the series. 

I'm also quite sad that Harris made Eric so bad in the last 3 books. Is love for a  vampire that shallow? Is that what Harris wants to show in this series? That everyone should stick with their own kind and be safe and content? 

I don't know the answer anymore to all the questions in my head about this series. I should have stopped reading in book 10 because now I am not sure if I still loved this series or not just because the last 3 books became soupy in content. I'm still giving the whole series a 4/5 rating because the first 10 books are great and I did enjoyed those.


Thank you for dropping by!

Gale Reads: Archangel's Storm (Guild Hunter#5) by Nalini Singh

Hello everyone! Just finished another book last night. My sister let me borrowed her iPad again so I was able to read my ebooks, yay! Thank you Mei! :)

TITLE: Archangel's Storm
AUTHOR: Nalini Singh
GENRE: Dystopian, Romance, Paranormal, Angels, Vampires
SERIES: Guild Hunter Series #5 - Jason
PLOT: (according to Goodreads)
With wings of midnight and an affinity for shadows, Jason courts darkness. But now, with the Archangel Neha’s consort lying murdered in the jewel-studded palace that was his prison and her rage threatening cataclysmic devastation, Jason steps into the light, knowing he must unearth the murderer before it is too late.

Earning Neha’s trust comes at a price—Jason must tie himself to her bloodline through the Princess Mahiya, a woman with secrets so dangerous, she trusts no one. Least of all an enemy spymaster.

With only their relentless hunt for a violent, intelligent killer to unite them, Jason and Mahiya embark on a quest that leads to a centuries-old nightmare… and to the dark storm of an unexpected passion that threatens to drench them both in blood.

COVER TALK:
There are 2 covers available for this book and I'm loving this version than the other one.

I think it looks great with all the shadows surrounding this black-winged angel. It really signified Jason through and through. I am also happy that they didn't particularly showed the angel's face in the cover so I can still create and imagine what he looks like just from the author's description.


MY REVIEW:

I am a fan of the Guild Hunter Series because it is the best among the genre of angels and vampires. It is not Biblical in any way and does not have exaggerated  information. The angels here are beings with extreme powers and capabilities and I liked it that the author didn't put any religious annotations whatsoever on them. I really don't like mixing religious information with fantasy fiction because it really ruins the story for me (like the Halo Trilogy). The vampires here are also just regular mortals that were changed/made by the angels so that they can be their immortal servants. It is also  sort of a dystopian compared to fantasy because it is set up on a different Earth where angels and vampires are roaming freely and the mortals are at the bottom of the social pyramid.

In Archangel's Storm, Jason is the lead character. He is the spymaster of the Seven -- the elite group of people that assists and protect Archangel Raphael -- and one of the most intriguing member aside from Aodhan. He is actually the second member to have had a story... Raphael being the first (you can read my review on his books here) followed by Dimitri (Archangel's Blade) the leader of the group. I am guessing either Aodhan or Venom will be the next Seven who will have a book because they were both mentioned extensively in this one :)

I really liked this book because aside from being a page-turner, it is also full of information about the "whys" when it comes to Jason. It also consists of background information about Neha and her family which can  have an impact on future Guild Hunter stories. I also enjoyed the couple of chapters showing Dimitri and Honor's story because this made the book series a lot more fluid in transition from one book to the next. We  also have glimpses of Raphael and Elena which is great. I miss reading about them and knowing how Elena is coping about her transition to becoming an angel. 

Lastly, I love the woman Nalini chose for Jason. I think Princess Mahiya is the perfect match for him because she is strong and courageous and they both share the same childhood - very dark, traumatic and full of pain -- which makes them understand each other perfectly. I really believe Nalini hit it big this time compared to Dimitri. 



Note: I can't believe I forgot to upload a Gale Reads about Dimitri's story. I will reread it again before I post a review because it was so long already since I've read that hehe :)

All my concerns before with the first 3 books are settled. I guess I just got a bad copy of the ebook that time because this one have a better version -- Italized recollection part -- so I didn't get confused like before. My only remaining concern right now are the typographical errors and few grammatical mistakes. There's a couple of them all throughout the story and I'm quite picky about that in books. I hope the proofreaders do a better job next time.

OVERALL RATING: 4.5/5

I love everything - the story, character development, conclusion -- except for the errors in writing. Those really made me off-track and I like reading flawlessly so that bothered me. Nevertheless, this is a great read and is definitely worth the wait.

I hope book 6 will come out soon! Can't wait to read more about this world Nalini Sing created :)

WILL I RECOMMEND THIS? Definitely! This series is definitely a must read to all book lovers especially those who love romance in the paranormal/dystopian genre :)

Thanks for dropping by!

Drama Review: I Need Romance 2

I know, I know. But I can't help but watch the sequel of the drama I've watched last week. I really enjoyed watching I Need Romance because it's very different from a lot of Korean dramas I've watched...I liked it a lot but I didn't like the wrapping of the story very much...You can read my whole review here.

The second season of I Need Romance was released with a new set of characters. This is still connected with the previous casts in some way but the storyline in here is different.

TITLE: I Need Romance 2012

GENRE: Romance, Comedy, Drama

EPISODES: 16

BROADCASTING NETWORK: tvN

AIRING PERIOD: June 20 - August 9, 2012

AIRING TIME: Wednesday - Thursday

PLOT: 

This is technically a continuation of the first season but with a focus on different set of characters. 

Joo Yeol Mae is torn between the love of her childhood friend/long time boyfriend and the new guy.

This also showed the individual lives of her 2 best friends and also their 20 years friendship.

CASTS:

Jung Yu Mi as Joo Yeol Mae

Lee Jin Wook as Yoon Seok Hyun

Kim Ji Seok as Shin Ji Hoon

Kim Ji Woo as Sun Jae Gyung

Kang Ye Sol as Woo Ji Hee

MY THOUGHTS:
I was actually skeptical to watch this at first because it seems to be the same story as the first season and I'm afraid of the ending, to tell you guys honestly. I was really disappointed how they ended the story. BUT since this is also popular and I know the lead actors, I decided to give this drama a chance.

I finished watching this in 3 days (roughly 5 episodes per day) because I really wanted to know the story. I can definitely say that this has a better ending than the first one and I'll tell you why in a minute.

You can watch this with English subtitles here.

*WARNING: there might be some spoilers in this review*


First, I will tell you the WHAT I LIKED about season 2:

- I still liked the directing style they used. It is exactly the same. I really liked how the director still used still photographs during the important parts. And the change of tone in the colors of the screen when changing time period. I really appreciate the way it transitions from one scene to the next.

- The OST is great too. The background music they used in the drama are really appropriate to each scene. I cried so hard during the sad moments because I was moved by the music. Great choice of songs :)

- This season have a deeper storyline and have more drama than the first in terms of the 3 main characters involved in the love triangle. There's no cheating and petty push-and-pull scenes involved and both men are good people so it was hard to choose which man is better for her. 

- They made the second guy perfect until the end which made me so happy. I was really disappointed to what they did with the second guy's character in the ending of Season 1 so i am really happy Ji Hoon's character stayed intact in this season :)

- I also loved how the they showed the real side of a long term relationship. They've known and lived with each other since childhood and have been in love for 12 years. They know almost everything about one another, and when they reminisce the past, almost all of the big events in their life were spent together. So it is definitely hard to move on from a long term relationship since you can't forget it your whole life.

-The transition of Yeol Mae's love between the two guys is realistic too. It happened so naturally and I don't believe it's a rebound relationship, like what others are saying. Compared to the first season, I really believed she loved Ji Hoon deeply and that's why it took her a year before she was able to forget her love and move on. I liked this better than the easy goodbye In Young did for Sung Hyun in Season 1. They were able to wrap the love triangle scenario very nicely. Clean goodbyes. 

- I liked the "1 year later" addition because this made me think they have all matured and have moved on with consideration to everyone's feelings.It's also nice to see what happened to them after all those trials.

- The story of her two best friends ended very well. Both of them got married and started their own families with the man they love. Even though the description for each friend is the same as in the previous season (one is a fashionista and have many experiences with men and the other is an innocent and timid lady in terms of relationship), I think I liked the maturity of their characters here better. They learn from mistakes and they show true emotions.

- I liked how they depicted the 20 years friendship between Yeol Mae, Ji Hee and Jae Gyung. It's very realistic and you can see why they will stay friends even with all the negatives of each.

- It was also fun to see cameo appearances (either physically or through the dialogue) from the casts of Season 1...It gave glimpses on what happened after the ending ;)

- Fans of Kim Ji Seok  and Lee Jin Wook will be so happy. We know they are best friends in real life and it is great to see them acting together in a drama. This scene really made me laugh so hard...Some fans are calling this "bromance" LOL ^_^

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

- I hoped they gave a closing to the "illness" problem because it is the main reason for the whole story. That's the only thing missing here, to be honest.

- The romantic scenes are lacking. I can't feel any passion or sexiness from the bed scenes. I liked how they did it in the first season..with the sexy background and hot actors. 
I guess this feels like a regular Korean drama meant for 12 years old and up where it's all assuming and the girl just sit still and do nothing.


OVER-ALL RATING: 4/5

I definitely recommend you watch this drama if you want a beautiful love story...You don't need to watch the prequel since they have totally different story :)

WHICH SEASON DO YOU LIKE BEST? I prefer Season 1 for romantic comedy and Season 2 for the love story :)


Thanks for dropping by!

Drama Review: I Need Romance

Happy Sunday everyone! I finally were able to set up the computer in my room! Yay! So happy...it means I'll just need to learn how to take good pictures using my sis's DSLR and I can post my product reviews already...I have quite a lot coz I was trying out a lot of products lately ^_^

Now, going to the main purpose of this post. I'll be reviewing the latest drama I've watched. I was able to finish all 16 episodes in a week's time and I really enjoyed it :)

DRAMA TITLE: I Need Romance
EPISODES: 16
GENRE: Romantic comedy
CHANNEL: tvN
AIRING DATE: June 13 - August 2, 2011
AIRING TIME: Monday - Tuesday

PLOT: (from AsianWiki.com)
"I Need Romance" depicts the love lives of three 33-year-old single women .... 

Sun Woo In Young is a 33-year-old concierge manager at a hotel. She isn't married, but has a boy friend named Kim Sung-Soo who is a movie director. They have been dating for 10 years. Sun Woo In Young hopes her boyfriend will propose to her, but he doesn't seem to have any plans for marriage. 

Park Seo-Yeon runs an online clothing store named Y style. She has a freewheeling lifestyle and is active in pursuing her desired. 

Kang Hyun-Joo is a lawyer specializing in divorce. Her life has been controlled by her mother. From a distance, Hyun-Joo appears as a cold, arrogant woman with a perfectionist mentality, but actually she has a a cute personality and frequently makes mistakes. She is dumped by her boyfriend Kim Tae-Woo at the their wedding. Although they dated for 3 years the couple only has kissed. Kim Tae-Woo later tells Hyun-Joo that he only kissed her because he did not want to have sex with her. 


MAIN CASTS:
Jo yeo Jeong as Sun Woo In Young 

Choi Yeo Jin as Park Seo Yeon

 Choi Song Hyeon as Kang Hyun Joo

 Kim Jeong Hoon as Kim Sung-Soo

 Choi Jin Hyeok as Bae Sung Hyun

MY THOUGHTS:

Oh, wow! I really enjoyed this drama. I know that I'm late in watching this since this was aired a year ago, but I just learned of this drama last week when I was browsing the cable channels looking for something to watch and this caught my attention when I reached tvN. What caught my attention was Kim Jeong Hoon coz I loved him at Princess Hour. After watching the 2 episodes aired that afternoon, I got quite interested coz it was fun to watch. I immediately searched online for English subbed videos so I can watch it from the beginning. (I watched it at dramacrazy.net or you can click here for the English subbed videos)

This is a story about 3 friends who are in their early 30s and how they live and face the different challenges  in their professional and personal lives. The main focus in this drama is about In Young's relationships. She was in a 10-year relationship with her first boyfriend and is just waiting for her bf to propose but ended up learning that he cheated on her with a young actress. This started the whole crazy love-hate relationship between the two. I don't want to get into more details coz I'm afraid I'll give away too much info and ruin it to some of you who might get interested to watch it later hehe :)

This drama actually have a Sex in the City vibe with it showing friendship and romance. Typically, Korean dramas don't have a lot of deep kisses and bed scenes but this one have quite a lot because it was aired in a cable channel and they are not as strict. They were able to show the chemistry and passion between the characters perfectly without it looking fake. It was actually quite real and artistic, IMO, and it doesn't look forced or cheap. That's the thing that really frustrates me sometimes on Korean and Japanese dramas, they lack so bad in portraying physical love and romance. Who will believe that a married couple only gives a peck on the lips during their honeymoon, right? And the only skinship you can find are holding hands and pecks on the cheek or forehead hehe. To tell you honestly, I prefer it the way the director of I Need Romance did it, coz it became romantic :)

I personally think all of the casts are great. They were able to make me believe in their character's story, especially the emotions portrayed per scene. I really appreciate great acting when I see one. And this drama, although the storyline is quite light, you can really see that the actors are quite experienced already which is a nice change from all the dramas I've been watching lately with main casts being Kpop idols and doesn't actually know how to act deeply YET because it was their first time trying acting.

Also, this drama actually hit close to home coz as you know, I am also in a long-term relationship (9 years) right now with my bf (I met him when we were still 18), I'm getting older and we're still not married. I can really relate to the main character coz I'm like her in a way so I really laughed and cried with her during the 16 episodes. I also got quite scared about the possibilities that can arise in the future which I pray won't happen to me, but it's still scary to think the "what ifs". There's really no guarantees in life, right?

OVER-ALL RATING: 4.5/5

SPOILER ALERT! I love everything but I'm not sure about the ending. I am happy that In Young and Sung Soo got back together again but I hoped he proposed and they got married at the end. I also wished they gave Park Seo Yeon a happy ending by showing she learned how to love and Kang Hyun Joo getting married to her boyfriend. And I'm so sad that Bae Sung Hyun got out of the picture...he was the perfect guy except for the fact that he can't deny the requests of his grandparents. But over-all, I love  it and I definitely recommend it to everyone ^_^

Have you watched this yet? Do share your opinion in the comment section below, i would like to hear your thoughts :)


Thanks for dropping by!