About That Night (FBI/US Attorney #3) by Julie James

My first impression of Kyle Rhodes when I first read about him in A Lot Like Love, I imagined him as a nerdy and geeky kind of guy. But in this book, expect the exact opposite. And what I like about Miss James is that she never fails in making great heroines, and Rylann Pierce is no exception.
Kyle and Rylann first met nine years ago, after meeting in a college club. They're supposed to have a date the next day but surprisingly, he stood up... with no reasons at all. So when they both met again, Kyle just released from prison, in a courthouse nine years later they were both stunned by the undeniable chemistry they have for each other despite the years that have gone by.
Let me tell you about the main characters. First Kyle Rhodes. Despite being a half-billion-dollar heir, an ex-con, the Twitter terrorist, and a Tech God, he is a sweet and old-fashioned guy, and a true gentleman. And in all of the heroes in the FBI series, he's the funniest and the most lovable! You'll definitely fall in love with him the first chance you've got. And Rylann Pierce. She's strong, independent, funny, smart, beautiful... (insert all wonderful adjectives here) haha!
Well from the sentences I've written above, you probably know by now that I loved this book! All the FBI series, at that.
And if you're looking for a very sweet and funny read, this is a complete package for you. You will laugh (I'm 100% sure of that) and you will die of "kilig" (that's Filipino for blush).


Rating:
A+

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I wasn't planning on reading a John Green book again since I didn't liked Looking for Alaska that much and I can't force myself to finish reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson. But this book suddenly appeared on my Goodreads homepage and asked if I could read it. Out of curiosity, I checked it out and see if I would like the description of the book. I actually liked it so I marked it as to-read and downloaded a copy in the vast world of Internet.

I din't get the chance to start reading it until last night, when I'm desperately searching for something to do. And then...

After 10 pages or so, I was smiling like an idiot because it's a John Green book and it was just so good. I didn't stop reading until midnight and continued reading it the next morning and when I finished... I. WAS. SO. SMITTEN.

The characters, the story, the theme, the everything. It's perfect. I only read 1 and a half books by John Green and both heroes of the novel seems to be wimpy and cute, so it's quite refreshing to see the hero of this book to be quite... vain. In a good way. I love Augustus Waters in every way that's possible. The wittiness, the leglessness... everything.

And of course, Hazel Grace. I don't even know how to describe my thoughts toward her. She's strong, smart, selfless, lungless... I know, how can a heroine be so selfless?!

And... shit. THIS BOOK MAKES ME WANT TO MAKE A REVIEW IN TAGALOG!!! Urgh. Haha. But well, you know you've read a good book when it left you speechless in the end. And this book made me speechless indeed.

Rating:

A+

Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

(I already made a review of this book last March 4 but since I reread it last night, my point of view suddenly changed and so I planned to revise my review. So this post is the refreshed edition. )

I wasn't intending to start a book before our trip to Manila but boredom struck and reading was the best thing to do. Kiss an Angel was next on my to-read list at that time so I sat down and start reading it.

The female protagonist is named Daisy and just like any other rich Dad's daughter, she doesn't know how to survive in life basically, without the help of money. Her circumstances led her to a marriage with Alex Markov, a prestige college professor slash consultant of the biggest museums in the U.S. and slash the leading authority of Russian iconography also in the U.S. But he doesn't want Daisy to know so he made her believe that he's a circus performer so that she will give up their marriage.

An event led Daisy to be the main suspect of the lost $200 in the circus thus labeled her a thief by her co-workers and her husband as well. Alex thought she would call it quits while bestowed a job of shoveling animal poop but well... he was wrong. And I was too. Because Daisy was tougher than we all expected. And after reading it the second time, it actually made me appreciate that certain aspect of Daisy more because when I read it for the first time, I was actually reading in a fast pace since I want to finish the book before our trip.

I also cried while reading the book which surprised me because I didn't felt that way two weeks ago.

Scenes that made me teary-eyed:

•     The scene when Daisy was crying while shoveling dirt and Alex was asking her to give up but she refuses.
•     When she was looking in their bathroom mirror and Alex found her crying and told him,"I was never really pretty, not like my mother, but now I'm ugly." I know this should irritate me because of her vanity, but it didn't. At all. It actually moved me in a way.
•     When Alex saw Daisy that she couldn't lift her spoon toward her mouth because she was so tired and eating became an enormous effort for her. God, it broke my heart.
•     When Daisy told Alex that she was pregnant and he got mad because he doesn't want to have kids. He said he's not capable of loving somebody with all his heart. I know, he's so blind and so... stupid. *rolling my eyes here*
•     When they were doing their "spec", Alex accidentally hit Daisy with his whip because of his rage. Then he suddenly told her all his secrets, blah blah blah...

I know I should list all the sweet moments too but that would be like telling the whole story of the book because I already told the half. Haha! Find out for yourself then. :p

YOU SHOULD READ THIS! For those people who're looking for a sexy, sweet, and funny read!

Rating:

A+

A Lot Like Love (FBI, #2) by Julie James

Can I just say that Julie James is a great author? I mean, really. Something About You was fantastic but this book was downright awesome!
The greatness of this book:

•     Nick McCall. Tall. Dark. Handsome... Smoldering. And can I just say he's on the sarcastic side, too? Just the perfect hero for a story like this.
•     Jordan Rhodes. Blonde. Rich. Beautiful. And down-to-earth. I mean, how many billionaire heiresses in the world are actually nice these days?!
•     The story! Nick "needed" to pretend to be Jordan's boyfriend but after a while, they began developing feelings for each other and it was so sweet!
•     The additional facts about wine and the FBI. They made the book very realistic.

I don't have any other comments about this one, but needless to say, YOU REALLY NEED TO READ THE FBI SERIES! Hahahahaha. Well... I think that's good enough.

Rating:

A+

Something About You (FBI, #1) by Julie James

So, one word... AWESOME. It's been a long time since I read something this good.
Things I love about this book:

1.     A hot, sarcastic, and rugged FBI agent. Eherm... what more can you ask for? Hell-o Agent Jack Pallas.
2.     I imagine our female protagonist as a sexy, beautiful, and intelligent lawyer who's equally sarcastic. And funny. That's Cameron Lynde everyone.
3.     They are both made for each other!
4.     The plot, the mysteries and the thrill while reading it. Geez. I've got goosebumps.
5.     The second characters especially Collin and Agent Wilkins!
6.     This book made me laugh.
7.     And blush. Because of the sweet scenes Cam and Jack had.
8.     And I was smiling like a freaking idiot all throughout the book! That's how good it was. And you know you've read a good book when it left you speechless after the last word, right?

Enough said.

I highly recommend it! The scenes weren't exactly requiring parental guidance so young adults ages 15 and above can also read this.

Rating:

A+

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Payton Gritas is a 15-year-old girl who's living a good life when  suddenly it became... not-so-good. She found out that her Dad has multiple sclerosis and her family hid it from her for a long time. Feeling betrayed and left-out, she decided to ignore her family and refuse to speak to them unless needed. So her parents told the school's guidance counselor to help Payton deal with their problem at home and her guidance  counselor told Payton to choose a focus object (something to concentrate her emotions on) and she decided to choose the thing that she's been staring at since third grade: Sean Griswold's head. The focus object exercise seems to be working since Payton find herself focusing more on Sean Griswold rather than her problems at home.

So...

The very first thing that I liked about this book was the sarcastic humor of the main protagonist. And the romance between Gritas and Griswold is very cute, so this is a book for all ages. I also like Jac, Payton's bestfriend and although there are obstacles in the book for them, I still loved her. The family bonding between the Gritases was also very good, and you can feel the love they have for each other even though Payton refused to speak to them at first, you can feel that she loves her family so much. And it's also a tear-jerker for those who like a little drama in their reads (like me!).

All in all, this book is a very touching story about dealing with family problems and sickness, friendship and love all combined in one! Highly recommended! ;)

Rating:
 
A

Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins

I can say that I'm a fan of Ms. Higgins because I already read 5 of her books and I enjoyed all of it. So when I heard that she released a new book, I grabbed a copy and sat down (or lie in my bed) to read it. Just like any other Higgins book, Until There Was You is more of an Adult book so there are scenes that require parental guidance, although not harshly.

The-things-that-I-liked-about-the-book:

1.     Posey. She has this very likable character and has a very kind heart. There were times in the book when I wanted to hug her so tight!
2.     Liam. Of course, who wouldn't admire Mr. Murphy? He's a very responsible father to his daughter who's in the "adolescent stage" and I admire him for that although he's having a hard time dealing with it (being a widower and all).
3.     Nicole. She's the daughter of Liam and although she's just a secondary character, I liked her. I understand her in a way that a girl can understand a fellow girl (Does it make sense?). And I love how she wanted her Dad to be happy.
4. It made me cry on several occasions and laugh at other times!

This book will tug your heartstrings so for those who're in for a little romance reading, this book is the one for you!

Rating:

A

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

It's fanfreakingtastic! It's my last book for 2011 and I've been wanting to read this way back then, but I think destiny wanted me to save the best for last! It's awesome. I am a Filipino, and I don't know a thing about football. At all. So I was hesitant to read this until one day, Ms. Miranda Kenneally herself and Lauren (of Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf) tweeted me in Twitter and told me that you don't have to understand football to love this book. And so I did.

Let's start with Jordan Woods. She's captain and quarterback of their high school football team. Even though I'm Asian, I know that being a quarterback's the highest position in a football team. So I was surprised and astounded that she got the position. I really love her and (secretly) want to be like her. There's a cloak of hierarchy that surrounds her and will make you respect her on a different level.

Then there's the rest of the Woods family. First is the "great" Donovan Woods. I really like it every time Jordan mentions him like that (Lol).  Even though he's a jerk, I really like him. I think it's because I knew from the start that the reason he doesn't want Jordan to play football is because he loves her so much and is scared that she might get hurt someday. Next is Mike. I want a brother like him! So supportive and you can feel that he wants the best for Jordan. And then her Mom, the one who's always there for Jordan. The one to get to see all of her games. Always present and encouraging. I love her.

And of course, the Hundred Oaks High Football Team. My favorite is JJ. He reminds me of my oldest brother. You can see him as this tough and huge character, but behind that is a guy who loves crossword puzzles and loves to hang-out with Jordan. Then Carter. I also like him, although his part was not until half of the book.

Then Ty. I hate him. I know that he's this hot and cute guy, but I don't like him from start to finish. I hate that he's so emotional and protective (Probably because I hate boys that cry), especially when it comes to Jordan. And I hate it when he feels like he's the captain of the football although he's just the back-up quarterback. He's stealing the spotlight from our football hero. Hear me, hear me.

And we can't forget about *insert awesome background music here* Sam Henry. Oh. My. God. He's like, my favorite male character of all the books that I've read this 2011. Seriously (I'm blushing right now. Shit.). He never fails to make me laugh! Especially the scenes with Jerry Rice (Lol).  I can imagine him as this cute and comical guy, with green eyes of course. You will DEFINITELY fall in love with him from start to finish. You can hold my word on that.

So yeah, Catching Jordan is by all odds one of my favorite books of all time. And I love how approachable the author is! I can't wait to read her next release next year. Once again, this book is a must-read. Happy New Year guys!

Rating:

A+

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

I loved it! It's the second book that I've read from the author, and I'm so happy that I stumbled upon this.

Let's start with Lola, a 17-year-old girl who believes in dressing-up, costumes, asking advice from the moon, and everything in between. I like her point-of-view and the way she talks, but I don't like the way she respond to things and how she solves a certain problem. She has a boyfriend, Max, a cool musician who's 22 (Or is it 23?). And that's the main reason why her "fathers" (Her uncle and his boyfriend that are both gay and took care of her because her mother, Norah, is incapable of the job) doesn't like her current relationship with Max.

And of course, there's the Bell twins. Lola's neighbor in which the male twin Cricket, has a window opposite of her window. Lola suffered a heartbreak from him when they left, thus causing everyone who cares about Lola to not talk about him for two years, until their arrival one day.

Cricket. I love him. For me, he's goofy and cute, with that killer smile that make your toes curl, and of course a genius. He loves mechanics and is taking up Mechanical Engineering in Berkeley, where Anna (I know, Anna from Paris and is Lola's co-worker) and her boyfriend St. Clair are currently attending.

Skip skip. The main problem is Cricket still likes Lola and Lola still likes Cricket BUT Lola has a boyfriend. Period. And then there's Calliope, the female twin who's overly protective of her brother and is one heck of a figure skater and does not like Lola, at all. Probably because she thinks that Lola is stealing Cricket from her. So skip skip skip.

Everyone knows that Cricket and Lola are meant for each other, but there are complications like Max. But you know, Lola tries to find herself, with the help of everyone she loves, including her biological mother Norah, and her bestfriend Lindsey, and her Dads.

The ending was great! I also love how things fall into place. How the characters changed throughout the story. And I also love the funny parts which made me laugh, and the romantic scenes which made me blush! So I am really recommending this for you to read. Happy Holidays!

Rate:

A+

Silver Lining by Maggie Osborne

For the last five or six months, I was enwrapped in reading Western and Historical Fiction novels and I really dunno why. I guess I was always amazed by how people from way back then had simple ways of living and can find contentment easily.

After many months of reading Romance books, I stumbled upon this. It's my first read from the author and I was getting hesitant if I should read it or not because I can't find a copy. Then fortunately, I finally found one and started my journey.

The introduction didn't gave me sparks at all (at first), but I told myself to continue reading because I felt that there was more to it than that and I am very, very happy that I followed my instincts because I was right after all.

Let's start with the main protagonist. Living in the Rockies along with other miners (who're men), you can easily guess that Low Down is boyish and doesn't care what her outer appearance looks like. Then there came the epidemic of the pox and Low Down was the only one who's brave enough to take care of the sick men.

Days after that inauspicious event, all of the miners were left indebted to her. They asked her what she really, really wanted and told her they would give her anything and they'll find a way no matter what. She surprised them by telling that she wants a child of her own, not an adopted child. And it doesn't mean she wants a husband, too. Just a baby.

That caused an unwanted uproar from the men and finally ended up with a compromise that states whoever draws the marble that's crossed with an X, he'll be the one to give Low Down a baby, no buts and exceptions. And that finally leads us to Max McCord, the one who pulled the marble from the hat and was married to Low Down by the priest on that very same night. He's well-built and handsome, but there's a catch. He's in love with someone else.

I really loved this book because it was funny and blithesome, but there's also the distressing parts of the book that'll make your heart hurt for Low Down, now called Louise by Max's family.

There's a lot of complications in the book that made me want to look for spoilers (I think I did at one time, I can't remember). I loved Livvy McCord, Max's mother, although at times she has this bitchy attitude (or is it most of the time?). I loved how strong Louise was. Hands down. I don't want to give any spoilers, but really, she has this amazing character that'll make you acknowledge her with reverence.

And of course, the villain of the story. I don't want to name her as the antagonist, because "villain" is a more appropriate term for her. I'm talking about Philadelphia — that cold, selfish b*tch that always think highly of herself and thought of ways to make herself ahead of anyone. I detest her. She always made me want to slap her face. HARD.

I don't want to wipe-off the suspense, so I'm just leaving it as that. A really great Romance book that'll left you asking for more from Ms. Maggie Osborne. ;)

Grade:

A+