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Dreamland Book Blog


              


He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he’s homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day. 


Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She’s the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe. 


When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she's surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it’s not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives. 


Blake’s heart beats for Livia’s, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right? 


Dark, intense and PHENOMENOL.

Poughkeepsie left me breathless and seeking for more. Caught by the promising cover and bound by the astounding trailer, I knew I was a goner as soon as I laid eyes on it. Soon enough, I was 'preaching' and 'spreading news' about the book to my friends without even reading it priorly. I was that captivated by the book that I impulsively used my Amazon gift Card to buy it and had it shipped to my country. (And gone is my carefully structured plan to use my maybe-once-in-a-lifetime gift card diligently.)

I had high hopes for the book even though it was from a new author and from a publishing company that I am not familiar with, I ignored the bad reviews (although I secretly enjoyed reading them) and took the gamble. I never expected Poughkeepsie to exceed my expectations by a whole lot!

Beautifully crafted and sophistically written, Debra's writing had amazed me and I am proud to add Poughkeepsie to my list of MUST read books. Being a teenager who adores contemporary romance, Poughkeepsie is something extraordinary compared to the typical stories that I've read. Intense, dark and thrilling, Debra dived into society's taboo and cruelty, yet in the midst of it all showeed humanity. Poughkeepsie is a mix of thriller, action and romance, a tale that will surely touch your heart.

It will take a long list for me to point out what I adore about this book, but to emphasize, I really respect the diversity of personality of each character, that to me, every character is the main protagonist. Each character has their own tale to tell, their own secrets to share, their own pasts to hide that you can't just ignore. And each character is so different yet so alluring that you just can't fight the attraction. Beckett, Blake's brother from his foster home is a hard man with a soft heart. Everything he does, he does it self-sacrificially for the sake of protecting his brothers.

“Beckett's probably the hardest man there is to love," Blake said. "He does life wrong for all the right reasons.”  

One of my favorite character in the story is probably Beckett, he says the funniest thing, swears the most and God knows what he worked as, but all those aside, he is the most loyal guy who puts his brothers above anything and everything including himself. He would fight for them and even kill for them if it puts a smile on their face. He might be notorious and has 'WANTED' spelled across his forehead, but he has the most beautiful soul that I've ever read about. Then there's the second brother, Cole who is training to become a priest. He's quiet and conservative and a total opposite of Beckett, but like him, he is loyal to his family. Then there's Blake who's heart is so fragile and innocent that he come across as childlike. Pride was all he has besides his cardboard piano and his talent in creating music.

In one word, adoration. Debra did a great job telling the horrific past of the three brothers that formed their unbreakable bond and how their future was weaved from the first time Blake counted Livia's smile. It was a true romance novel that defies all norms, filled with intense scenes that leave your heart pounding. I was swooned by Blake and Livia's blossoming romance, respected Cole's impeccable behavior, love Beckett for being hard ass and funny, awed by Eve's quick comebacks and adore Kyle and Livia for being who they are. Poughkeepsie was metaphorical, and I just loved everything about it.

From family values to human's ugliness, Poughkeepsie has it all. Let Debra whisked you away to Poughkeepsie and embark on a reading journey that will enchant you all! (I'm feeling poetic)

If I can 'chase' this book down till the ends of the Earth, I believe it is worth a read.

*sigh* Mission accomplished. One book off my DESPERATELY-NEED-TO-READ Wishlist.

Due to certain violent and sexual content, this book is not suitable for readers of certain age. All in all, I love it!

This is the trailer that started it all....


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Saturday, March 31, 2012 4 comments

Follow Me Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Click on their links and check out their blogs!

I've lost count on how many FF posts I've missed but it's good to be back on track again! I sincerely apologize for the lack of posting and commenting this year and I will try my very best to visit your blogs every once in a while like how you do to mine. Without further ado :


Q: Do you read one book at a time or do you switch back and forth between two or more?


A few years back when I started reading, I can only read one book at once because I would end up losing the mood to read if I was delved into two amazing stories at the same time. However as time passes, I have no difficulty reading two or more stories at one time although it takes a longer time for me to finish them. Sometimes, if I am in the middle of reading a great book I would lose interest in the other, and sometimes it would just be really disorientating. 

The best for me is still sticking to one book until the end before I start the other. 

Thank you for stopping by my blog! Please leave a comment and your link so that I could visit yours! 

Happy Friday.

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Friday, March 30, 2012 2 comments

Carrier of the Mark - Leigh Fallon
Published : October 4th 2011


Their Love was Meant to Be.


When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to the darkly handsome Adam DeRís. 


But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago - and the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.  

I've spent about literally half an hour pacing in front of this book debating with myself whether I should buy it or not, considering the mixed reviews that I've read about this book. But obviously, I've bought it. I thought this book deserved a chance and since I was attracted by the cover, I made the decision to buy it.

I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it, although it has it's not so impressive moments. The first few pages into the book, I began to regret my decision. It spelled Cliche in every single sense, from Megan being attracted to the mysteriously sexy Adam, to Megan trying to fit in in her new high school. Seen that! Read that! It was nothing new and constituted what I had read for the past few years, and I've long outgrown the new-girl-fall-in-love-with-school's-most-unavailable-guy mindset.

I was bummed and would've put it down if it weren't for the boredom I faced while waiting for my flight. I was snickering and making snide comments as I proceeded with the story, rolling my eyes at the ironics and shrugged at the expected, but about halfway through the book, the story really did picked up and took an unexpected twist. It piqued my interest, and well, I was always a sucker for magic powers.

Ever since I was introduced to the term "elemental powers", I have since then developed a morbid fascination towards the concept and continually search for books related to it. I have to say, I was impressed by the sudden twist in the story.

To be honest, Megan reminded me a little bit of Bella, probably because she was so attracted to Adam, as Bella did with Edward. It was unhealthy really, but I couldn't deny that her affection towards Adam softened me, and to see Adam's mutual attraction towards Megan reminded me of how innocent and powerful love could be. The book has a few tear jerking moments when Adam and Megan faced an obstacle which prevented them from being together.

 Furthermore, I adore the characters in the story, like I mentioned before, the story bears a slight resemblance to Twilight (in my opinion)and the DeRis' family was as warm as the Cullens.

One of the main thing that drew me in was the mystery behind the "Mark", it was one of the time where I was truly interested to unravel the mystery behind the Order of the things and is actually interested enough to read through the history.

Overall, it was a recommended book. I had mixed feelings for the book but it did paid off in the end. Looking forward to read the next!


Reviewed by,

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 2 comments


Hey y'all,


I know I haven't been blogging much (blame school!) and I haven't been getting around to your blogs or even to reply your comments (blame school!), but thank you for still visiting my blog and comment on my posts! (I swear after this year, and if I'm not repeating the course, I'll be much more free).


Getting to the point, few Fridays ago, I was extremely excited to write a review for Counterfeit Love, an ebook that I won from Ritesh's blog that I was daring enough to approach the lovely author, Elysa Hendricks for an interview! Thanks Ritesh for the encouragement! So without further ado...

Introducing the Family. 


1. Hey Alexandra, I heard you have a recent addition to your family. How’s your little pet doing? And how about school? Does daddy make you breakfast every morning?

Hi, Miss Anne. Samson is my best friend. Daddy said he's living up to his name. He's getting too big to get in my lap. (She tugs Samson's large head onto her lap. He gives her a happy doggy grin.)

School's fun. I like math. Ms Reed, my teacher says I'm really smart with numbers. I get A's. Maggie thinks it's in my jeans, but I figure out the answers to the problems on paper or in my head. I don't keep the answers in my jeans. That'd be cheating. Besides some days I wear a dress.

Daddy still makes dinner most nights. Grandma Blake taught him how to cook and she shows me stuff when she visits. But Maggie's taking cooking lessons from Mrs. Larkin and she's getting better at cooking. Even though sometimes they're lumpy, I like her pancakes. She puts chocolate chips in them. (She gives Maggie an apologetic smile. She grins back.)

2. What do you think of Maggie?

Maggie's the best mother. Since she and Daddy got married we have lots of fun. She lets me help catch computer bad guys. And she's a lot better with girl stuff like clothes, make-up and boys than Daddy.
"Make-up? Boys?" Jared butts in looking mildly alarmed. "You're not allowed to be interested in boys until you're a least thirty."
(Alex giggles.)

3. With Maggie in the family, does your dad still sew your costumes and cook dinner? And in your opinion, who’s food taste better?

Like I said, Daddy does most of the cooking and I help. Maggie cleans up. She says it's safer and better tasting that way. But she sews a lot. She made me a bunch of new clothes. All my friends are jealous.


4. Maggie, in our eyes, Jared is the epitome of perfection, but surely he has some bad habits, does he?

Not really. Sometimes he can be a little bit stuffy, but mostly I think he's just about perfect.

5. Jared, where do you see yourself ten years from now?

Right where I am now. Teaching at Council Falls high school and living with my two favorite people. (He wraps one arm around Maggie and the other around Alex.) I've also started my own small computer consulting firm in conjunction with Maggie's computer security company. I tell companies what they need and she makes sure their systems are secure.

6. Maggie and Jared, how’s life? ~grins~

(Jared looks at Maggie.) Perfect. (She blushes.)



7. What is your idea of family time?

Jared - Spending our evenings together, going for a walk or a bike ride, reading, playing a game, watching some TV. Nothing terribly exciting I'm afraid.

Maggie - Since moving to Council Falls I've discovered that excitement is vastly overrated. In real life boring can be good. The simple things are what's important. Like waking up in the morning when Alex and Samson invade our bed.

Jared groans - We really need to get a king-sized bed.

Alex - I like when we go to the park or Great-Grandma and Grandpa Blake's farm. I'm learning to ride a horse. Visiting Grandma and Grandpa Blake in Florida after we went to Disney World was fun too.

8. Jared and Maggie, what is your sweetest memory yet?

Jared - Finding out that the woman I love was indeed a woman and not a teenaged girl.

Maggie - Funny you didn't seem happy about it at the time. I think just knowing that there are people who love me and will always be here for me is the sweetest thing of all.

9. This question is open to everyone! Tell me something random about yourselves.

Alex - Can I tell? Can I? (Alex bounces up and down, disturbing Samson who plops down on the floor with a disgruntled woof.)
(Jared looks at Maggie, who smiles and nods.)

Alex - In September I'm going to be in the fourth grade and (she pauses for dramatic effect) I'm going to be a BIG sister! Daddy and Maggie are going to have a baby. We don't know yet if it'll be a boy or a girl, but Daddy and I are hoping for a girl. Maggie says she doesn't care, but if she wants a boy she can have him the next time. (Maggie looks slightly alarmed, but Jared grins.)

10. This is unusual for me, but…Samson….tell us how you feel to finally found a home.
Woof, woof, ark, bark, growl. Howl.
That means he likes living with us. And he wants a baby girl too. (Alex translates.)

And now, introducing Elysa Hendricks, the one who make the story happen!


1. How did you come up with the idea for Counterfeit Love? And where have you found your inspiration to write about such wonderful characters?

Characters seem to spring to life in my mind without much conscious thought on my part. Sometimes I think they'll real people who exist in an alternate reality and somehow I've tapped into their lives. If I could teach them to type my writing would go so much faster.


Truthfully, the character of Maggie was inspired by a woman I knew who at 26 years old was always being mistaken for a teenager as well as my 28 year old son who was once asked if he needed a child's menu at a restaurant. And Jared is loosely (very loosely) based on one of my high school English teachers who I had a crush on. It wasn't until decades later that I learned that handsome hunk was gay.

2. What was the hardest part of writing the story?


Balancing Jared's sexual attraction to Maggie with his strong moral resistance to even thinking about one of his students as woman. I think I managed to walk that fine line. 

3. Do you have a favorite quote and character from the book?

Not really. Counterfeit Love is pretty much a three character book - Jared, Maggie and Alex - each is my favorite in their own way. I did like Widow Larkin's line - "Don't go giving me a look like butter wouldn't melt in your mouth. I've been alive a long time and I've learned to read people pretty well. If you're eighteen then I just turned thirty, and Eisenhower was president then. Watch your step little miss. Council Falls protects its own."


4. Can you tell us something random about yourself?


What do you want to know? My life is an open book. No deep dark secrets. No skeletons that I'm aware of. Basic vanilla bland and boring. But like Maggie says, Boring is good. Excitement is vastly overrated.


I'm 5'6" tall. I have curly hair and brown eyes. I'm an author, a wife, a mother, and a daughter. Everything else is subject to change without notice.


Oh, I'm a freaking optimist. I rarely take things totally seriously. And I have an absolutely terrible memory for people's names and faces. So if I run into you and we've met before, don't be insulted if I get a deer-in-the-headlights look. It's not you, it's me. 

5. So do you have a new story in mind?

I always have at least two or three stories actively in progress along with dozens of ideas in the simmering stage. As I lie in bed at night waiting to fall asleep characters whisper in my mind - write my story, no, write mine.


I love to read and to write all different sub-genres of romantic fiction - contemporary, historical, sci-fi and fantasy.


Right now I'm working on finishing up a contemporary fantasy romance about a matchmaking cat. I also have an adventure romance set in the jungle between a mercenary and a grade school teacher caught up in a South American revolution.


And a friend and I co-wrote a humorous women's fiction novel called GRANNIES AND TRANNIES: VEGAS OR BUST, which we're shopping around to agents and editors.






Friday, March 23, 2012 5 comments

Hello everyone!


As you can see, today is my day for Lizzy Ford's blog tour! Don't you just love the amazing blog tour button? It took my breath away every time I see it. Without further ado, let's get started!


Guest Post by Lizzy Ford

Ten things I love about being a fulltime writer

1. Interacting with readers.  I had no idea how rich the interactions with others would be when I started.  My writing has improved dramatically this year because of the feedback I receive from my readers, and I’m grateful to them for helping me become a better writer.

2. Unleashing the demons!  I call my muses ‘demons,’ mainly because they give me little time to rest! It’s wonderful to be able to create new worlds and books for a living.

3. Living a dream.  I’ve wanted to be a fulltime writer since I was knee-high, and fulfilling that dream is an incredible feeling.

4. Owning my own business.  Being an independently published writer is a lot like owning your own business.  You have to manage the development of a product, marketing, advertising, sales, everything.  Results are directly related to the efforts you put into the business, which isn’t something I’d experienced as someone who worked full time for The Man my whole life.

5. Learning from other writers.  I’m a huge fan of lifelong learning, and I’m meeting a lot of other authors out there who I’m learning a great deal from.  It can be something as simple as a new advertising opportunity or debates on what is the best choice when dealing with book placement.

6. FREEDOM.  Can’t say it enough!  There are tons of opportunities right now.  For those who like to control their own fates, they now can, whereas a lot of writers didn’t have that choice before epublishing came along.

7. Covers.  This will sound funny, but one of my favorite parts of the process is seeing what my cover artist has done.  She’s incredible, especially given that I’m a very poor client in terms of specifying what I want.  I normally give her a blurb and describe how the book feels, and she creates something beautiful and sends it back.  I dance around every time she does!

8. Seeing the paperback version of my book for the first time.  Ebooks are awesome, but it’s not until I receive the paperback version that I sit back and think, WOW!

9. Building a team.  I was always good at building teams for my old jobs, but I never thought about applying that skill to my own goals, until I released my second book last year.  I started working with a freelance book editor and freelance graphics designer in March.  My husband does my I.T. work and helps me with my online presence.  I’m expanding this team now to include 2-3 core beta readers.  Producing a book is a team effort!

10. Achieving goals I never thought were possible.  My favorite book that I’ve written will be released at the end of this month.  It was based on an idea – and a story I started – over ten years ago.  It’s always held this sort of magic to me, so seeing it go out into the world is something I’ve wanted for ten years.  I tried for 10+ years to land an agent or publisher without success (or responses, in most cases), and decided a year ago I’d do it on my own.  And now, ten books later, I’m getting ready to release my favorite book!

About Lizzy

Lizzy Ford is the self-publishing phenom of the sweet paranormal romance series: "Rhyn Trilogy" and "War of Gods" series; and the young adult fantasy trilogy, “The Foretold,” all of which launched in 2011.  She has also authored multiple single title young adult fantasy and paranormal romances. Lizzy's books have reached the bestseller lists on both Amazon US and Amazon UK in multiple categories. Widely considered a freak of nature by her contemporaries for her ability to write and publish a new book every 30-45 days, Lizzy attributes her success to a team that consists of her editor, graphics artist, I.T. Sherpa, and her rabid readers.  


Lizzy released ten books in 2011 and intends to release another ten in 2012, including launching two more series. Lizzy’s books can be found on every major ereader library, to include: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Sony and Smashwords. She lives in southern Arizona with her husband, three dogs and a cat.  

Links to Lizzy online:

Website: http://www.guerrillawordfare.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LizzyFordBooks
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/LizzyFord2010
Google+: https://plus.google.com/b/106728579413949863215/#106728579413949863215/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4558309.Lizzy_Ford
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lizzy-Ford/e/B004XTTYOC/

About Lizzy's books


Book 1

Katie thinks she’s going crazy when a baby immortal and death’s personal assistant appear at her doorstep. She’s drawn into a world filled with immortals like Rhyn, an outcast half-breed who claims her as his mate in a show of defiance to his brothers. Rhyn rescues her from Hell and discovers his little human has the gift of immortal immunity that will help his brothers protect the immortal and mortal worlds. 


But Rhyn must keep her alive from good and bad immortals determined to use her and her gift of immortal immunity to their advantage, and Katie must find a way to trust the outcast of the immortal world.

Book 2




Three weeks after leaving Rhyn, Katie learns the Immortals have no intention of letting her go despite her deal with their leader. Rhyn discovers he can only protect her if he accepts his place among the Immortals. However, doing so may cost him the only thing that matters. 


Meanwhile, demons are closing in, and Death orders Katie killed. Death's assassin and the demons pursue them, and Katie will have to choose between Death or Hell to save Rhyn from both.




I seldom see book covers in red. I LOVE THEM.

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Friday, March 16, 2012 3 comments
Follow Me Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Check out their blogs and join in the weekly meme fun!



Q: Have you ever looked at book's cover and thought, This is going to horrible? But, was instead pleasantly surprised? Show us the cover and tell us about the book.




My first impression of the book.

Childish.

Truthfully, I was hesitant to read the book because of the cover, and the obviously-very-kiddish title. I remembered my last 'kiddish' book was Captain Underpants before I moved on to Teenager's Dreamland. Back to the cover, it looked something cut straight out of a fourth grader storybook, despite how thick it was. However, I should have known not to judge a book by it's cover, ever.

I was pleasantly surprised at how funny the story was, and how carefree and vibrant the characters were! I initially planned to just read  a few pages into the story, before I knew it, I was in too deep. I had the best laugh and best cries, until today I still remembered how the book had got me excited.

I.Love.It.

Thank you for stopping by my blog! Please leave your link and I'll be sure to check your post!

Have a great Friday!

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Friday, March 09, 2012 6 comments


Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly meme created by Cambria Hebert. Click on her link and join in the TMST fun!


Tell Me Something....


Do you usually like the book better than the movie or the movie better than the book? What is your favorite book to movie adaptation you have ever seen.

Definitely not the latter.

I am huge fans of both movies and books, however I disliked watching a movie adaptation if I had read the book beforehand.

Take Twilight as an example. I had great time watching Twilight because I had zero expectations for the movie, but the subsequent chapters weren't that much appealing because I've gone ahead and bought the books to read. Which I sort of regretted because I have high expectations for the next installments and hated when I disappoint myself. I have to blame myself for not liking New Moon as much as I liked Twilight, I supposed if I never read the books, I would love Twilight even more instead of criticizing the movie for not being like the book. I have to say, books set a pretty high standard for the movie.

I love to watch movie adaptations, only if I have never read the book because I couldn't stop myself from comparing, and I hated myself when I do that. Well, I am looking forward to Hunger Games though, I try to not expect anything and just let the movie 'wow' me.

I enjoyed watching several movie adaptations such as Percy Jackson, I am Number Four and Beastly because I went to watch the movie without knowing the plot, and I came out happy and content. Even more, I found myself loving the story even more after I watched the movie and then read the book.

In a nutshell, I will like a movie adaptation if I haven't read the book.

And for my favorite? Well....I can't say I read much books which was made into movies, but I loved Harry Potter, so there ya go!



Comment and please give me a feedback! (I sounded so cynical in this post....) Don't forget to leave your link below so I can check yours out too. Happy Tuesday!

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Tuesday, March 06, 2012 6 comments
Hello Everyone,

It's Sunday and I'm too lazy to do my homework, so today I have been reading Free Short Stories that I downloaded from Smashwords.com, and to my surprised I was addicted to each and every one of them.

Theme of the day : Romance. 
Song on loop : The Council of Elrond - Howard Shore ft Enya

1. Brenin by Mirriam Smyth
Dylan can't say he's ever met someone like Bre before. She's warm, giving, loving and compassionate. Dylan just doesn't realize how giving she is until she suffers an immense loss. It's not about just understanding but about depending on each other. It's about Dylan giving her what she's always given away so easily: love. 

My Review 
This one is a real tearjerker, a short 42 pages story that will leave quite an impact on your day.  A great and heartwarming story about family and love.



2. A Secret Admirer by Alexia Pranks 

A romantic short story about a lonely girl finally meeting her guy on Valentine's Day. 

My Review 
14 pages.
I must have a thing for short stories.
Besides the promising cover art, the story was surprisingly good! A quick and cute romantic story that left me grinning like an idiot.



3. Madison by Mirriam Smyth

Madison's first glimpse of Damien Stone was fleeting - she walked by him, greeting him with a smile. He was nothing more than a stranger. Damien barely acknowledged her existence until he caught her scent - she was his. But his appearance in her life forces a change she doesn't understand, a change he wants to help her understand. 


My Review
A refreshing short story about werewolves and vampires which reminded me how seriously a werewolf takes his mate!


For more free books, please visit Smashwords! Only from 4th-10th March!

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Sunday, March 04, 2012 No comments


            


Ten years ago, in a failed attempt to save his marriage, Jared Blake left his hometown. Now he’s widowed, back in town to raise his young daughter and return to his true calling – teaching. The last thing he needs or wants is his attraction to his student - high school senior, Maggie McCade.


Maggie McCade is in high school hell. To ferret out a computer hacker and further her dream of starting a security firm, 29-year-old Maggie goes undercover as a student. The last thing she needs or wants is to fall in love with her prime suspect – her teacher, Jared Blake.


4.5 stars 

The cute cover attracted my interest.
The blurb further pulled me in.
The name Jared definitely sealed the deal.

I don't deny, I am that shallow when it comes to reading a chic lit novel and Counterfeit Love was one of my anticipated books-to-read this year, so that explained my overwhelming joy when I received the news that I had won an ebook copy from Ritesh's Valentine's Mega Giveaway. Thanks Ritesh! Seriously, you have to check out his blog, he is a great person and a great blogger!

I picked up this book hoping to get a clean, contemporary romance, however I couldn't explain why I was tearing up and wiping away tears throughout the book. As I was sucked into Maggie's facade as a high school student, I was also absorbed in her depressing childhood past. Maggie McCade was a character that I could easily respect, she was a strong protagonist who emerged from a horrific past with an admirable level of optimism and self-confidence. However, no matter how strong Maggie appeared to be, there was no hiding the vulnerability that comes along with Maggie from her childhood days. She was from a broken family with drunks as parents, she never knew of love.

I liked the way Elysa written the story, unlike most contemporary novels which was often overdone, it was not the case with Elysa. Although the book was just 83 pages long (seems like an awfully short novel), it was the total opposite. Adequately elaborated and written with such sophistication, I couldn't have imagined Counterfeit Love written any other way. I have to give extra credits to the plot because I never imagined I will read an undercover story as cute as this one.

It was such a relief to read that the story was not overly dramatic, once again affirming my admiration towards Maggie. Elysa created characters who were realistic and easy to relate to, not to mention she is good in making my heart race and pumped up with adrenaline. The author once told me that the book has no graphic sex, however she definitely did not warn me about all those 'almost' moments, which in my opinion makes me bite my lip harder than any love scenes. Those 'almost' moments between Jared and Maggie was certainly something beyond flirting, it felt so intimate that I felt like an unwanted invader.

Despite the unspoken attraction between Jared and Maggie (ROMANCE), I liked that the author incorporated moral values in the story. Jared Blake was the epitome of moralism. 10 years ago, Jared was accused of harassing his 14 year old student, but no one in his small town believed him of his allegations, yet broken by the accusation, Jared resigned and fled town, only to resume his post again as a teacher after his wife's death. Returning to the topic, one of the reason why I adore Jared is because he was so determined to not repeat history again. Although he was as innocent as his child Alexandra, he fought hard to not think Maggie as anything else besides a student.

Do you know in most romance novels when the guy character says he will fight hard against his attraction towards the girl character? They normally succumbed to their attraction literally after that? Jared was different, he really did fought hard to not notice Maggie, but he still couldn't help the way how she stirred his heart and awaken the primitive, possessive instinct he buried inside. Jared really showed maturity as a teacher and a father, and that was what attracted him to me.

One word. Alexandra. Elysa captured the mind of a little girl perfectly!  Alex, Jared's daughter was a great addition to the story, she made the novel more vibrant and carefree. Her innocent inquiry often left Jared and Maggie in a tangle of words, and her demands was what made Jared and Maggie happened. Without her, there would be no story. And I also really liked the big Blaze's clan! Jared's mother reflected open mindedness and that is what I liked in a character.

To summarize my lengthy review, Counterfeit Love is a quick and great read for all of you romance lovers. Thinking of spending the night curling up with a teacher/student romance? Counterfeit Love  has that + undercover investigating + family & moral values +  heartbreaking story all in one Mega just-enough-dramas package!

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Saturday, March 03, 2012 7 comments

Follow Me Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Check out their blogs and join in the weekly meme fun!


Q: What book would you love to see made into a movie or television show and do you have actors/actresses in mind to play the main characters?


Interesting topic for today! 

Well I have always been hoping to watch Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire on screen ever since the first I read it. These days I am in desperate need to watch a romantic flick with bad boys or steamy romance, and nothing fits the description even more perfectly than Beautiful Disaster. As for the casts, I always imagined Travis to be someone with dark hair and buff body (I am basically describing 90% of what girls would think of bad boys) and Abby to be someone who is reddish-brown headed with a kick ass personality. 

I admit, I forgotten how Abby and Travis was described in the story, but when I thought of them, this two characters automatically popped into my head. 

Travis Maddox -  Max Irons



Max Irons was also my dream cast for Four from Divergent.










Abby Abernathy - Deborah Ann Woll 





You might recognize her from True Blood. She played Jessica and I love her from the show!







I'm sorry I haven't been getting to your blogs on last Friday but I promise I'll make it up to you in this week. It is hard to juggle between University assignments and blogging but now that I am through with this hell week, I am a little bit more free to dedicate my time to blogging!

Thank you for dropping by my blog and check out my FF post, please leave a link to your  blog and I'll check out yours too! Happy Friday!

Posted by,

Friday, March 02, 2012 9 comments
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Hi! I'm Natasha! A twenty-something-year-old who has way too many hobbies and passions for her own good. I'm recently into drawing (hence, artmateur), binging shows on Netflix, reading romance novels and stalking Pinterest board for my next project.

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Natshane's bookshelf: read

Booty Camp Dating Service
it was amazing
Booty Camp Dating Service
by Debra Anastasia
Finding Dandelion
really liked it
Finding Dandelion
by Lex Martin
Saven Disclosure
really liked it
Saven Disclosure
by Siobhan Davis
Dearest Clementine
really liked it
Dearest Clementine
by Lex Martin
Killer Potential
really liked it
Killer Potential
by Aften Brook Szymanski

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