Sweet Evil

Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?
 
This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

I keep holding my breath like someone is taking the air out of me and away from my lungs! Oh my gosh! This book is killing me like are you trying to kill me or what? Even just the introduction between Anna and Kaidan, the connection between them, GAH! It’s literally killing me to death because of their delicious flirting. OMG. I can make out Kaidan’s h-o with t accent! Oh good! I’m such a fangirl over these YA characters!!

I’m so gonna die right at this moment and seriously fangirling mode is switched ON like it can never be switched off! Never! Kaidan!!! I don’t even know how to breathe through my nose!! It’s choking me! Kaidan omg omg Kaidan!!! I practically fans myself with my bookmark and it doesn’t seem to make myself not to feel hot over Kaidan!! I even used a Sci-fi book to fan myself!!! AAAAAAHHH!! Remarkably Kaidan is freaking h-o with t guy!!! EVER!!

He’s even trying to kill me with his flawless skills with him playing drums!! I’m not really into drummers but Kaidan extremely get me on the hook!!

I’m so happy. Happy. Sweet Evil is sweet!! Utterly delicious!!

I gotta give it 4 stars though. Minus 1 star off the rating. I have my reasons by the way. Believe me I really really do like it. The romance and paranormal that puts into a story—brilliant!! However, I was kind of upset with 446 of pages and there weren’t really exciting story to it. Mostly it was about between Anna and Kaidan. Most of the 3 stars were for that deliciously irresistible romance—perfectly written, good use of vocabulary which i’m so impressed at with the author. 1 star for the plot—it lacks of story. It’s missing it’s important points. So many events that happened but then along somewhere part of the book it got lost to what it really wants to tell the readers. There was a story about them being Nephs and stuff but then much of it wasn’t put into action or something. Like the author was too focused on the lovebirds which I’ll not say is a bad thing. I’m still considering whether to give 4 stars. Yes, I’ll still give 4 stars! Good that I still have a soft heart toward books.

“…there is no way of truly knowing one’s heart until one is put to the test.” <–I like Kopano's wise advice. Really. He's a natural, kind guy I think I'll like too!

Anna: “How do you know if a drummer is at your door? … The knock speeds up and he doesn’t know when to come in.” lololol XD

I’m looking forward to the sequel and I hope it gets better than this!

Beastly

I am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature who walks upright – a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I’m talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It’s no deformity, no disease. And I’ll stay this way forever – ruined – unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I’ll tell you. 

I’ll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and a perfect life. And then, I’ll tell you how I became perfectly beastly.

Lindy’s Diary captures all the romance and edgy mystery of the original!

3.5 stars, approximately 4 stars!

I actually watched the movie first before reading the book. I didn’t know that Beastly was a book before came the movie. Seriously. However, i’d still prefer the book to movie. More detailed and got me a couple of laughter here and there between Will and Kyle. But still I wish I hadn’t watched the movie because all along while reading, I imagined Lindy as Vanessa Hudgens which I didn’t get it why she kept popping up in my imaginations though she’s not what I really imagined Lindy looked like.

I love how both characters loved sharing their interests in English Lit (believe me I’m not good in English Lit—I only got a chance to get an A just because we did a drama. I like acting. I did well. Surprise, surprise to English teacher).

Anyways, it’s nice that the author wrote this fairytale retelling. It’s nice and I really enjoyed it! I LOVE it!! The memory of me, first time watching Beauty and the Beast Disney movie when I was young kept rushing through my head…a good, cheerful, hopeful, magical, memory. All those flashbacks, I love Beauty and the Beast. It’s one of my favorite Disney movies. And now my head is stuck with the song Beauty and the Beast as well though it’s not a bad thing—I’ve always wanted to watch it again. I hope I can have the time to.

I love Kyle’s tutor, Will, so much that he kind of reminds me of my English teacher—Mr A. Will is wise and helpful. Funny man too! Pretty much the exact English teacher I have.

I’m glad too that I read this Beastly edition that includes Lindy’s diary—her diary described much more of what happened between her and Kyle and from her diary I understood more of their experiences and some of the events I think I missed—like Adrian and Lindy sent gifts to 2 kids. I won’t spoil it for you though. And yeah, you’ll find more interesting extras to read in this edition of the book! It’s fun, adorable to read!

Definitely a read for anyone! Fantasy, romance, fairytale lovers/fairytale retelling lovers whoever you may be of lovers…it’s amazingly magical!!! I’d love to reread it if I have a handful of time again with me.

Imaginary Girls

Chloe’s older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can’t be captured or caged. After a night with Ruby’s friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers a dead body floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away—away from home, away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns home at last, she finds a precarious and deadly balance waiting for her. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

I want to slap myself for even reading this book really. I literally surrendered. I’m done with this! Not interesting enough, boring! Not clear! Sooo boring! I had yawned a couple of times just because I really tried reading until now I’m still trying to read it until the last page. I want to understand what is it really with Ruby. I even went back to reading it and then…look, I’m so disappointed!! What I did: I put the book down, flipped it through, read a bit of this bit of chapter here and there. Read the very last chapter. Skipped. Go back to read it again. Stopped. Read it. Skipped pages. Then… Blegh!!

I’m so into the cover, it’s so beautiful. The photography underwater—perfect! Love it! That’s probably my only love that’ll give the book seriously. I considered not giving a star but maybe 1 star will do just for the stunning cover.

I am confused about Ruby’s super phenomenal power whatever power she has and can manipulate people or something. Lure them, I guess. It’s weird. How’d she get it and… I don’t think it was revealed to the readers either. I can’t. I don’t like Imaginary Girls! NO! SO disappointed though the author is really good, creative but somehow something still missing that wasn’t I expected. Yeah, it was creepy that wants you to crawl back under your bed kind of mystery/thrill/horror… But really, it wasn’t what I thought the book was. It’s not the book for me with this I don’t even know riddles, hidden messages. The whole story is just—confusing it got me headache already.

Ruby, she is the kind of elder sister that I don’t want to listen to, not all the time. She’s pretty rude. One thing, I like about her will probably be taking care of Chloe. But I guess she does it differently and for me, it’s so terrifying clueless of what she wants and it’s so disturbing, in my opinion, of them both. Chloe worshipping her sister goddess like Ruby is the only living person revolving around her space and time. She’s loyal as if she has no mind of her own that makes decisions herself. It’s always Ruby she’s listening to and her advices and warnings. Precautions about boys, just about maybe every thing and stuffs.

I actually thought that maybe to answer Ruby’s ‘power’ is because she’s a siren. Who would have thought? Yep, that’s a wild guess that’s all. Possible though. Or she is a ghost like London. Who knows. And I noticed that when Chloe does something or about to do or did something, Ruby will potentially always be on her head like Ruby’s the mastermind and like Ruby has given her the list precautions of everything she’s about to do right then.

From my understanding though i still have no idea what’s the book talking about, is that at the end of the book, what Ruby did to Owen when he was London happened to Chloe with Ruby taking the keys to her car and let Ruby handled the driving. And maybe before they even get to town, Chloe was one of them like London and Ruby and Olive.

That’s all I would say, my opinions—sucks I had read this book. SO not the book I had imagined it would be. Bad for my taste. 1 star.

Waiting

After her brother’s death, a teen struggles to rediscover love and find redemption in this gripping novel.
Growing up in Africa and Latin America as the children of missionaries, London and Zach were as close as could be. And then Zach dies, and the family is gutted. 

London’s father is distant. Her mother won’t speak. The days are filled with what-ifs and whispers: Did Zach take his own life? Was it London’s fault? 

Alone and adrift, London finds herself torn between her brother’s best friend and the handsome new boy in town as she struggles to find herself—and ultimately redemption—in this authentic and affecting novel from award-winning novelist Carol Lynch Williams.

It’s been difficult on the protagonist part as I read the book, only took me hours to finish it. I’m rating 3.5 stars not reaching the “about 4 stars” for me though.

All London needed was love. From her parents especially. Needs support. And she needs to forgive herself so that she can move on. It takes time and she had all the time she needs. Her friends around her made her see that she still surrounded with people she can lean her shoulders to cry on. That’s what’s good about her friends—they give her their full support and understands how she feels by listening when she speaks of her dear brother.

Out of all her friends, I really love Lili. Lili who has no idea, not even a clue of what she has got to say but say pretty random stuffs about herself, family, shares anything anyway—I like that about her. She’s a Miss Chatterbox. Like a radio that won’t stop unless her story ended or it’s time for questions or something. And she’s really cheerful, loves her family. Lili made friends with London not too easily but she kept London close to her even when she didn’t know what happened to London or her family. She still like to be with London and be her friend.

I am thinking of why the title is “Waiting” after now that I am done reading the book. I guess she’s waiting when she’ll ever forgive herself let the past be past. When she’ll let go of repeating everything that happened to Zach’s in her memories of him that ended him once and for all. Waiting for the moment to be loved by the people she loves so much, she have been waiting for like eternity to get the love return back to her and be happy again, alive, loving living life. Waiting for something that it’ll be the same way like it had before the tragedy. Waiting for someone to say to her that none of it was her fault. No ones fault of what happened.

I can relate one thing though and I agree with the book, that if one family is gone, i don’t know if it ever be whole again. I don’t know. Here’s the quote from the book: “When the best part of a family dies, everyone falls apart…” Like everyone is affected by it all. Can’t seem to move on. Time can heal not everything but most of it. I can much say that. It’ll be scars one day and to my wounds, it’s now scars and I know it will be too, for London and her family.

Goodbye quotes (not from the book) that I like and probably what London feels:

“You never leave someone behind, you take a part of them with you and leave a part of yourself behind.”

“Life wouldn’t be the same without you and all the memories you have given me.”

“Every goodbye makes the next hello closer.”

“You know that you are in love when the hardest thing to do is say goodbye.”

“The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.”

Pushing The Limits

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

I wonder when I’ll feel when love saves me from all the hurt and pain and tears, fear and almost every possible nightmare in my life. I wonder.

Both sides of the story are really realistic. I didn’t expected it to be more than just about high school problems. or another ridiculous, draggy, girl-falls-in-love-with-boy chick flicks plots I heard probably countless of time. Never it occur to it’s more of personal, deep issues that the characters has to go to the bottom of it all and make things work if ever ‘normal’ exists at all.

Noah’s part really had me crying. I felt it like he reminded me of my past. I cried. Not that we’re exactly on the same situation but I know it in me that, I saw the pain I had then— past I never wanted to ever touch at all I had buried long ago and when I read on Noah’s thoughts about his parents

“They’d never know that they lost the most amazing people on the face of the planet. They’d never know how the loss had torn me up every single day of my life.”

I had imagined of what would happened to me if that came real.. ….My parents..if they continued… I can’t exactly say it. It hurts. I had imagined too much even imaginations killed me already to just think it.

Noah, I know it hurts. So much especially you had every knowledge about your parents. I almost… yeah. I know how it feels. *takes a deep breath*

Almost all of my memories of my past then sprang in my head, flooded and tears just flowed down my cheeks. I don’t even know when a book had reminded me of my past.

I don’t know why the one thing I love that was said by Noah is, “You’ll be fine.” I guess it’s just nice to read/hear “you’ll be fine” every day. I’ll listen to that person or read that everyday. What I love about Noah too is that he’s not just about words, when he said something he will do, without a doubt, he’d do it. He’s committed and true to what comes out from his lips. Not letting down the people he loves surrounding him good vibes even though inside he feels like dying each day. He’s good guy, Noah, that is.

If you lost one of your parents, would it still feel whole? Would it feel like you’ve lost both even though you know you still have the other parent left?

That’s my burning questions whenever I say Echo’s name or think of her character. I sympathize with her. Funny though, at my attempt reading her name, Echo, and thought it’s a boy’s name. Whoops. Yeah. I admit. I’m pretty dumb.

Echo reminded me of my favorite singer, David Archuleta’s song, “Broken”. Simply because the lyrics are relevant to her. “Broke but not broken.” that’s one line lyric that I love for Echo. Reminds me of what she went through.

Anyway, I love how the author includes Greek mythology, and constellations plus art to the character. It gives Echo a beautiful background which I am so happy of!! I love it!!

Oh my, i almost forgot I like Mrs Collins even at first the author introduced the readers to her. I automatically thought that she’d be a great help and supporting Noah and Echo. She has the role that stood out by just stepping into Noah and Echo’s lives and trying to make a change and lending a hand to both without asking for anything in return and she’d always help and always try to get many help as possible just so she could help Noah and Echo.

I guess there’s a reason that this book ever came to me and so in love with it! I want to hug Noah and Echo so bad for being the inspirational fighters!! Amazing book!!!

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Nine-year-old Oskar Schell has embarked on an urgent, secret mission that will take him through the five boroughs of New York. His goal is to find the lock that matches a mysterious key that belonged to his father, who died in the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11. This seemingly impossible task will bring Oskar into contact with survivors of all sorts on an exhilarating, affecting, often hilarious, and ultimately healing journey.

I’ve tweeted about this book few months back that seems like yesterday but it wasn’t yesterday haha!

I have to be honest I didn’t finish the book. I started reading it on Sep and I left it unread. And so… Now that I have so much time in my hands because it’s holidays (2 months!) I gotta go read and finish this incredibly inspiring book! I find it bizarre (sort of). It’s funny. But thinking it though, the whole book—crazy, so original.

There’s just so many things running through my head now and I thought about what the book says especially a quote that has got me was: “There’s nothing wrong with not understanding yourself,” *shakes head, slightly* isn’t it weird to feel like you don’t understand yourself at the same time you KNOW yourself?? is it possible that sometimes we don’t understand ourselves? Then you ask yourself, “yeah, why? Why?” the brain starts to think enough to find the answers, it can be through experiences, etc.

ANSWER: I can say that, it is ok not to understand.
Because truly, i don’t understand myself sometimes. However, I don’t want to give up trying to find what I don’t understand, I want to dig deep and find what it is. It’s really hard to search what you’re looking for—maybe if you know what it is truly, then maybe…yeah, you can.

Probably Oskar Schell may think the same way. Not to stop finding what it is. How. Why. All these questions shouldn’t be missing in our daily lives.

I have to say Oskar Schell gets inside my head and right now I saw this library loan receipt that has got the name of who borrowed it and the books he borrowed, and well… I said, “why do some people slip these loan receipts in between the pages of the book. Don’t they need it? Or do they want people to know who they are maybe? Or do they simply forgot about the loan receipt is even between the pages?

Crazy, right. Now I sound like Oskar Schell. Thanks to this book! It’s so wonderful!!

“Even if I don’t like what I am, I know what I am. My children like what they are, but they don’t know what they are. So tell me which is worse.”

I don’t like what I am—some part of me I haven’t really like still but I know what I am and that good? I say, yes!

This quote from the book has somewhat struck me and it rang the bell. “It’s that at the end of my search I wanted to be able to say: I don’t know how I could have tried harder.” by now I should be finishing this book but because of youth camp it pretty delayed me to finish it but all is well and I’m so grateful that I had attended the camp. The quote just felt right to me because no matter how hard i try while I was at camp to really come out of my comfort zone instead i want things to just take it slowly start from baby steps and continue it.

Till now I find it hard to deliver or share my thoughts to people. Afraid to speak up… It’s difficult. I want to try everyday to be myself, set aside the fears that makes the barriers that makes things difficult for me to do and these barriers i have is too hard to break.

*takes a deep breath* I always want to try. Try, try. Until I do not know what is “try” and the word “do” comes in. That’s what I want.

There are some points that I had to rack my brain for understanding what it says and made me think of what it may define. I had it slowly read the book and I truly like it in someway or another. Some were ridiculous like it’s just written for the sake of writing it—quite of a nonsense actually haha! Well, sometimes not making sense still make sense. And I relate to that and it’s different.

I may have no favorite character but I kinda like Dr Fein because of what he told Oskar that I did could relate,

“… I end up crying a lot usually in private. … I also can’t sleep over at friend’s apartments because I get panicky about being away from mom I’m not very good with people.”

“I feel too much.”

“My insides don’t match up with my outsides.”

“I don’t know. I’m only me.”

I’m not really sure those are really Dr Fein’s sayings. Anyway, another that I like is from Oskar

“I promised myself that I wouldn’t be the first to look away. But, as usual, I was.”

I really like the part of when Mr Black and Oskar were at observatory deck of the Empire State Building aka (in the book) Empty State Building hahah!! “Lovers who kiss up here may find their lips crackling with electric sparks.” I have to admit—it’s sort of a wonderful book at the same time my brain seems to just wander and think of what it really means. The ending… Well. The expectations that I was looking for was not in it. I was hoping for a superb ending but it was fine. 3.5 stars. Approximately 4 stars. Strangely familiar to a book but not at all. Really strange, bizarre (kind of), beautiful. Go read it if you have enough time to. You might ask yourself deep question you never have thought of yourself.

What I tell myself inspired by the book: Sometimes the key you’re looking for is with the person you won’t be able to find, ever. Unless the person who has got the key is looking for the owner himself.

“It’s that at the end of my search I wanted to be able to say: I don’t know how I could have tried harder.”

The Mortal Instruments #3: City of Glass

To save her mother’s life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters — never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and her best friend, Simon, has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family’s past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he’s willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City — whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling The Mortal Instruments.

I gasped in surprise here and there gasped in horror from the deaths that I didn’t expect would happen. Grotesque, horrible death especially of what Valentine did with the Inquisitor. I have to say I like this book better than the second— City of Ashes. I give it 4 stars! I really think about it, if only I could visit this fantasy world, I would. I’ve been wishing, daydreaming about it. Alicante, Idris particularly.

I hope Clary’s character get well-develop and make better progress. This one did a little bit but I want more from her. I didn’t really like her attitude from City of Ashes. I just hope her character improves more in the next book.

There’s one huge question burning in my head about Jace. Let’s face it, it’s quite of a spoiler but how the heck did get the mark like star (birthmark of Herondale)? He was a baby and his biological parents died and he was only in the womb? How did he get the scar/birthmark? Who had marked him? It couldn’t be his real parents because they died. Hmmm. Unsolved question.

I like how I’ll guess about what’s going to happen. I can’t wait to read the next to this i don’t know what City was it though, haha! Oh well. I don’t believe Jonathan/Sebastian was dead. He had probably survived and now lying-low, recovering and lurking for the meantime. I guess.

Anyway, I really like Simon and Isabelle to be together!! And yes, Magnus and Alec! SQUEE, people!!!! many events happened in the book such a thick book and I like like it!!! Never to late to read the TMI books!!! GO GO!! I love you Cassandra Clare!! Continue to do what you do! Make Clary’s character more likable. Thanks, bye!

I was arguing with myself while reading the pages, who do I like more Jace or Sebastian haha!! You’ll find out who you like by the end! I somehow knew it Jonathan/Sebastian could’ve just said at his cousin at Penhallows and new friends the Lightwood plus his ultimate sarcastic smart mouth challenger, Jace is amalayer amalayer? Omg amalayer??? Loooooool XD

And omg just some spoiler again, live long Herondale family you guys are charming enough haha!

Ok I’ve gone too far and out of control. And it feels like i’m still bad at reviewing books because it all includes my fangirling mode. Oh well. Enjoy TMI: City of Glass!!