[Review] Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

Chain Reaction
by Simone Elkeles


Hardback, 308 pages
Published: April 16th 2011
Publisher: Walker Books

Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill. 

Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules. 

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?

-Goodreads

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Nobles

A beautiful story that I want to live in! I can’t find a word on how AWESOME this book is!

The third of the Fuentes brothers Luis has come of age. After his brothers encounter with the Latino Blood that made their lives at risk it didn’t stop Luis from dreaming big and taking risks. His life goal was to be an astronaut and he’s back at Fairfield to pursue his dreams. Nikki Cruz has three things to say about guys: boys always lie, don’t trust a guy who says “I love you” and I’m not dating anyone from south side of Fairfield. And then she met she met Luis at Alex’s wedding thus then she felt a connection, and she’s tempted to break all her rules. Will they find their way on each other’s arm if Luis is part of the Latino Blood? Will Nikki risk it to be with Luis even if she knows Luis is a part of a gang? Will her feelings stop Luis from being this dark and violent person and permanently stop leaving on the edge?

My Thoughts:

I honestly don’t know where to start to tell you about how this awesome story is, I have the read previous books and it was really epic that I made sure to read this third installment. I was not disappointed reading it. The whole while I’m reading this book, I felt that I’m in high school again, experiencing the ups and downs of every character in the book. Simone has her ways of engaging the reader to read the story until the end. This book mainly concentrates about Luis and Nikki though it has some Alex & Britanny and Carlos & Kaira moments which were really worth reading if you’ve read the first two books *I secretly miss Carlos though shh*. As for me I was totally hooked on the first few pages, the story of Luis and Nikki I can say will take part of me until the day I can remember. It was a beautiful story about family, trust, and LOVE. And have I told you that this one is the hottest among the three books? Like seriously I was not really expecting and SC but I think it was need but it was lightly written, I totally liked it.

On reading this book I found myself like this:

*Nikki talking to Luis*

*Luis talking to Nikki*

*Nikki saying NO to Luis*

*Nikki finding out the Luis is part of the Latino Blood*

SPOILER

hidden word below just highlight teehee

*On Luis finding out he’s just part Fuentes*

*On the Ending*

This book has totally made me insane and even made me MORE bipolar as I’m reading it. The effect of this book has captured every single emotion in me!

Luis has been a teenager as he was, he always takes risks and likes doing fun. Nikki in the mean time is a girl who has just experienced a heart broken. Both characters are equally written very well, I love to meet them in case the characters are really true! The way they were written it seem like that you know them in person, they seem to possess a quality that makes you want them to be real. The story where they’re in, is a story that will capture you in every single way! All in all I can never say anything bad against each character, I love them all. Just for the record I love all the brothers but then if I have to pick ill go for Carlos ♥

Cover is very much love! Totally love it, one thing I just notice about the cover of the three books is that the couple is always kissing. But to be honest this book has the hottest cover 😉

Overall this is one book I totally recommend! Absolutely recommend! If you haven’t read the series YOU SHOULD START IT NOW! Cause you’re totally missing how beautiful and awesome story this is, It’s a story about redemption, trust, acceptance and love! A beautiful story I dare you not to miss out. I love it, they love it, I believe you WILL love it!

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♥ HAIL THE FUENTES BROTHERS ♥

SIMONE ELKELES IS MY GODDESS!

[Review] Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Forbidden
by Tabitha Suzuma
Publication Date: May 27th, 2010
Paperback, 432 pages
Publisher: Definition

She is pretty and talented – sweet sixteen and never been kissed. He is seventeen; gorgeous and on the brink of a bright future. And now they have fallen in love. But …They are brother and sister.

–Goodreads

Barnes & Nobles | Book Depository | Amazon

My thoughts?

How could such a book be amazingly and brilliantly written, yet leaves me emotionally devastated and completely broken?

OH MY GOD. I am so out of speech. Tabitha Suzuma is a genius. Yet, seriously, this is the most difficult and painful book I have read in my entire life. And believe it or not, I am still grieving about it. I stayed up very late to finish the book, and I swear I couldn’t hold back my tears and I wasn’t able to get some sleep. It was all I could think before I sleep, and til the morning when I wake up, and it pains me everytime… Oh God I’m pathetic. But dang, I want to scream at the top of my lungs! I want to tear the few pages left and write down a happily ever after for them. How can this be so painful? It has moved me in every way, and I couldn’t believe it made such a powerful and unmovable effect on me. And writing this review, it is not so easy… I tell myself, “For God’s sake! This is just a story, a fictional story, why would you be that affected??? C’mon don’t be ridiculous!” But I couldn’t help it!! Why? Because Maya and Lochan… I felt them in every way. Their pure and true love, their unconditional love to their siblings, doing whatever it takes to pick up the broken pieces of the family. And Kit, Willa and Tiffin. OMG, they’re all absolutely perfect characters. Maya and Lochan’s love made me feel so alive. Suzuma made the readers feel their deep genuine thoughts and feelings, and they’re two characters I won’t forget until I die.

Reading this book was a ride of rollercoaster full of emotions. So yeah, this review turned about to be all about my emotion. Seriously, I don’t know yet how I’ll recover from this. It just soooo amazing, yet I can’t eliminate my sadness, shock, horror, everything! And guess what? I feel that a part of me has been cut, wasted, and torn into pieces I could never put back. I don’t wanna discuss about how the story went anyway, it’s just so painful, but I will definitely recommend this masterpiece, but don’t ever tell me I didn’t warn you about how you will feel. You will completely BREAK DOWN.

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Visit Tabitha on her Official Sitehttp://www.tabithasuzuma.com/

[Review] Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella

Shopaholic Takes Manhattan 

by Sophie KinsellaPublication Date: January 1st, 2011

Mass Market Paperback, 388 pages

Published:March 2nd 2004 by Dell

 (first published September 3rd 2001)               

The irresistible heroine of Confessions of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Ties the Knot is back! And this time Becky Bloomwood and her credit cards are headed across the Atlantic.…

With her shopping excesses (somewhat) in check and her career as a TV financial guru thriving, Becky’s biggest problem seems to be tearing her entrepreneur boyfriend, Luke, away from work for a romantic country weekend. And worse, figuring out how to pack light. But packing takes on a whole new meaning when Luke announces he’s moving to New York for business—and he asks Becky to go with him! Before you can say “Prada sample sale,” Becky has landed in the Big Apple, home of Park Avenue penthouses and luxury boutiques.

Surely it’s only a matter of time until she becomes an American TV celebrity, and she and Luke are the toast of Gotham society. Nothing can stand in their way, especially with Becky’s bills miles away in London. But then an unexpected disaster threatens her career prospects, her relationship with Luke, and her available credit line! Shopaholic Takes Manhattan—but will she have to return it?

-Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Reading Shopaholic Takes Manhattan is just pure BLISS! Just when you can’t laugh any harder, here strikes Rebecca Bloomwood again in a crazier, funnier and wittier second installment of the Shopaholic series! Absolutely, Becky is my most favorite chick-lit character. EVER. With a character just so outrageously funny, totally entertaining, and one who will drive you crazy, this is a wonderful book simply I could not put down and just the thought of this book even after I finished this, it doesn’t fail to make my lips curve upward. (:

In the second installment, Becky goes to the Manhattan with Luke, in attempting to making it big. I’ve witnessed her misadventures throughout the book, and she’s just utterly entertaining! Who would have thought of wearing her clothes on top of each other just to bring her whole wardrobe on a three-day trip, or faking out your boyfriend is around when he’s nowhere to be seen? I swear, I would lost count if I try to count the times I laughed my head off! But oddly enough, she wasn’t able to contain her control again, and she was in a skyrocketing debt. Again. Because seriously, staying in Manhattan where welcoming shopping stores are around, she just couldn’t resist. But she tried! So there comes her hilarious excuses again and all, and of course, when you read the first series, now you’ll get the picture. She just would do anything. But as much as she keeps me laughing all the time, I couldn’t help but really feel sorry for her downfalls every time. I love Becky and I hate it when one day she’s at the top of her game, and the next… everyone is turning her down. I mean, she makes mistakes. She can be careless at times, but she doesn’t deserve to be treated as a joke by everybody else. I immensely love Becky not just because she makes me laugh, but because she’s also a character to admire. She’s a strong woman, and at the end she didn’t fail me because she tried to fix every single mistake she did.

And unmistakably, Sophie Kinsella is such a delicate writer! I commend her skills of writing such a light, funny, fast-paced and inspiring piece which will lighten your mood after a bad day. I am thankful for her for a Rebecca Bloomwood, because she’s such an inspiration! I totally missed her the second I finished the book, and I sure will complete reading the whole series! 😀

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[Review] Dark Lover by J.R Ward

Synopsis

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly turf war going war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing their enemies more than Wrath, the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood…

The only purebred vampire left on the planet, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But when one of his most trusted fighters is killed – orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate – Wrath must usher the beautiful female into the world of the undead…

Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn’t there, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of brotherhood and blood frighten her. But his touch ignites a dawning hunger that threatens to consume them both….

My Thoughts:

Dark,Sexy and Totally Addictive!

Beth Randall is the daughter of Darius a member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. A dangerous gang of which has their own set of issues. The Brothers have sworn their loyalties to the King and fight alongside him to protect the vampire race from the `Lessening Society’ waiting the day when The Blind King will ascend to the throne. Darius came to Wrath (The Blind King) to ask help for her daughter Beth, a half human half vampire in which will be in transition soon. This is a very dangerous time and Darius’s hope is that The Blind King’s almost pure blood will be of help to ensure her daughters survival.

J.R. Ward has established a good sense of rapport to his readers, I love how the story was written and how it unfolds beyond reading it. It was a great pleasure reading this book, I was constantly blown away by the SOUTH CAROLINA moments of Beth and Wrath *If your’re a Mortal Instruments Fan like me you should know what SOUTH CAROLINA means* but more likely you’ll know this if you read the series. If you’re planning on reading this I suggest you prepare for the pleasure and the ride. My look on vampires has never been this sexy for all I know of is the sparkling one.

I haven’t read Paranormal Romance lately and I’ll tell y’all that this one is a must read. I didn’t expect really much about it but then after reading it I honestly want more! I love Wrath and Beth, their love for each other is really true and that is what I love about the whole story. You can never go wrong with a love that is true and a man who’ll do everything for the one he loves the most. The story of Beth and Wrath is the first of the series and seriously I’m hooked to this can’t wait to read the other books of the series.

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[Review] The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister’s face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah’s world stopped that day and she’s been waiting for him to come home ever since. Without him, her life doesn’t feel much different from that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then she meets Catcher and everything feels alive again.

Except, Catcher has his own secrets—dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah’s longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it’s up to Annah—can she continue to live in a world drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return’s destruction?

My Thoughts?

Another extraordinary book from Carrie Ryan! Now I’m positive that she’s always topping her previous ones with her latest book. And this she had proven again with The Dark and Hollow Places, the last book of The Forest Of Hands And Teeth trilogy.

In the brink of the world collapsing, you’re sure to feel like giving up because of hopelessness. The magic of Ryan’s words would make you feel so cynical of the survival of humanity and you could only feel bad for the characters that you grew to love.

Things happen in the book that you never thought it would. In other words, it’s not predictable. The only thing that would be in your mind while reading is; what’s going to happen next? And for that same reason that you wouldn’t really be able to stop from reading. I mean that’s probably the case in other books that you also love but I just thought I might point that out in here.

It’s indeed fascinating! And Annah might most likely be my favorite character among the three female protagonists of the trilogy. I mean all of them are strong minded, yes. They’ve all been through many difficulties and I even doubt I could keep myself from becoming insane if I was in their position. The difference with Annah in comparison to the other two is that she’s not just strong emotionally, she could as well protect herself from the dangers in the Dark City despite being a woman. She was able to continue living in a city full dangers without her “brother” Elias to protect her. Unlike the other two, she survived even if she was alone. It’s pretty amazing. She’s tough and I knew I liked her for that.

Through her, Ryan made another life from gaining hope and belief that somehow Annah, along with her sister and her friends, will find Utopia. That’s another thing from the book. It might not always sound like there’s going to be a happy ever after, but there’s somewhat hope that we could hold onto to keep pushing and never give up.

I love the book! This trilogy is a masterpiece!

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[Review] The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

In Mary’s world, there are simple truths.

The Sisterhood always knows best.

The Guardians will protect and serve.

The Unconsecrated will never relent.

And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.

Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?

My thoughts?

People are usually into futuristic zombie apocalypse. It makes most of us giddy and excited. And for that reason that I tried Carrie Ryan’s debut book The Forest of Hands and Teeth. It turns out I was not disappointed. It became an interesting and exciting dystopian of a book.

The story is told by Mary, a girl who lives in a village in the middle of the Forest of Hands and Teeth where the Unconsecrated, the zombies, are swarming. It revolves around her and how she lives her life when the zombies are trying to get to her.

With that being said, I know it would already get you excited. Who doesn’t love an adventure of busting and killing the Unconsecrated? But the thing with Carrie Ryan’s book is that it’s realistic. There aren’t supernatural things going on, well not when zombies are just actually cannibalistic diseased stricken people, which is really possible with our wild imagination.

Ryan wrote a piece to, once again after many wild movies and stories, give us a glimpse to a life where people could be going against each other. Not in a warlike way, no, but a cannibalistic way. And of course, it would be boring as heck if there’d be no fight for the survival of humanity which of course would bring us into some excitement and agitation for our heroine’s survival. And in the process of surviving, you will see the inevitable change in her life and how she deals with it. It’s amazing that despite everyone thinking of her in a different way, she knows what she’ll do. For me, that makes her tough. She has a strong mind to keep herself to being sane.

This is a well written book. It’s definitely a great one.

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[Review] The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Gabry lives a quiet life, secure in her town next to the sea and behind the Barrier. She’s content to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. Home is all she’s ever known, and all she needs for happiness.

But life after the Return is never safe, and there are threats even the Barrier can’t hold back.

Gabry’s mother thought she left her secrets behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, but like the dead in their world, secrets don’t stay buried. And now, Gabry’s world is crumbling.

One night beyond the Barrier…

One boy Gabry’s known forever and one veiled in mystery…

One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned.

Gabry knows only one thing: if she is to have any hope of a future, she must face the forest of her mother’s past.

My Thought?

This is an amazing book. I just figured I should start with that because it really is. Carrie Ryan is officially one of my favorite authors out there. She had written another remarkable piece that I am lucky to have read.

Of course, you’d expect a sequel of a book to have a pattern you can find from the prequel, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, and as I was trying to spot it, I actually found myself loving the new setting and the new characters and how they are connected to the first. But I got to say that the second is actually better, not that the first one is any less likable. Enough with the comparing, really both are written by the same person. Maybe I was just trying to express my adoration to her books.

I bet many would agree with me if they like novels that have lots of conversations. I mean sometimes, that’s just what’s keeping me from continuing to read. Ryan writes a book full of narration. But with Ryan’s words, narration would mean another thing to me, definitely not boring. As a matter fact, I think she’s cruel enough to be keeping me from ever stopping from reading. How could it be so dull when things keep on happening? Really, you’d think it started to get boring only to find out that there’s another thing to look forward to. Crazy, yeah? That’s how Ryan does stuffs.

And no please, it’s not all just that. This book is rich, very rich. In a world where you wouldn’t be sure why you still even exist, gah, it’s frustrating trying to find a reason to live; trying to find concrete evidence that you’d be satisfied to know how you’re different from the Infected people you’re running away from. So I say rich because despite the diminishing hope and any other human emotions that only human beings are capable of feeling, Ryan could still find a way to your heart and speak how everything human about the people should not be given up. That people should keep pushing no matter how hopeless you feel.

I could only imagine how people at the post-zombie apocalypse felt. The fear that’s never going away and the thought of how significant is life that it would still exist even the world has already fallen into pieces. The will of being able to survive and continue being the human that you are to be able continue living and fighting would make you sympathetic as if you’re the one who’s there. The ironic thing is that I think this book is full of life even when it actually is a dystopian novel.

And I’m assuming that you already guessed how amazing this book is. I mean with all that being said, I hope you got what I mean. And note, I’m only usually able to write a little lengthy paragraph if I get excited. *winks

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