It's a well documented fact on this blog that I sufferred a major heartbreak when my seven-year relationship ended. I don't want to go into the details on what happened (just read my previous blog entries) but it really felt like it was the end of my world back then. I was sad and depressed and if not for my daughter, I don't know if I would be able to survive having my heart shattered into million pieces. I've been single for almost three years now. I don't have any complains though because I'm enjoying every bit of it but there are those rare times that you just need a kick in your pants when you're single and Mandy Hale's The Single Woman did all that and so much more.  

It was a little over a year into my "singlehood" when I was browsing through Amazon E-Book section on what to buy when I stumbled upon a self-help book. I was a bit hesitant to purchase it because honestly, I'm not really a big fan of this genre. However, the five star rating and positive reviews intrigued me and I thought of giving it a try and thank goodness I did because it was so worth it! The Single Woman is a very inspiring read. With to do lists, faith, anecdotes and what nots, it was a big help to me when I read this while nursing my broken heart. So for today's book quotes entry, I thought why not share some of my favorite lines from this book. It was so hard to choose some of these quotes because almost all of the pages of this book are all so quote-worthy.

So, here it is:

On why heartbreak is okay:

On why it's okay to not be friends with your Ex:

On what to do while waiting for "The One":

The villain of Rosemary Beach finally gets her own happy ending! The 13th and final installment of the series is here and was released worldwide last June 28. I gotta admit, I honestly was never a true Nan hater. Yes, she did quite a number of nasty things specially to Blaire and Harlow but I have always felt that she was just misunderstood and just needed someone to understand and push her to the right direction. So, I went into this book with much hope and excitement that finally I would know more about Nan and what made her be that way but sadly, it wasn't what I expected or hoped it would be. Here's why:

» Just because it's part of the series doesn't mean it is good

I love the Rosemary Beach Series after I was introduced to Rush and Blair and had been following the whole Rosemary Gang since then. I didn't bat an eye when Abbi Glines announced that Nan will have her own book because I'm kinda excited to know about her but this one was a total letdown. I don't know exactly what had happened but it wasn't at par with the other books in the series.

» Never Trust The Hype

Abbi Glines + Rosemary Beach Series + Nan, come on?! what could go wrong? Well, almost everything. Days after the announcement that the last book from the series was going to be about Nan, the hype was real. Fans of the series shared their own thoughts and it really got me excited but then again, it really didn't live up to the hype so there, never trust. I think it would be better if you would read a lot of reviews before you click  on the order button.

» Not all love triangles are good plot conflicts

I couldn't stress it enough that this Major - Nan - Cope love affair got me scratching my head. I swear it is so confusing and not romantic at all. Honestly, there wasn't really a build up as to why Nan should be with this guy or as to why this particular guy is better for her than the other. It's frustrating because it was sold us a romantic and erotic read but the hopeless romantic in me wasn't happy.

Overall, I was really disappointed with how Up in Flames turned out. Maybe because I expected more? I mean, Nan is an interesting character. I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to know why she's being a bitch. I wanted to read about her background story and her personal growth but I really didn't read it in here. It's sad that I really didn't get to know the real her and I felt bad because I really like Abbi Glines but her latest book was a total let down for me.

Ratings : ★★

There are two kinds of people in the world. The ones who look first, and the ones who leap. I’ve always been more of a looker. Cautious. A planner. That changed after I met Drew Evans. He was so persistent. So sure of himself – and of me.

But not all love stories end happily ever after. Did you think Drew and I were going to ride off into the sunset? Join the club. Now I have to make a choice, the most important of my life. Drew already made his –in fact, he tried to decide for the both of us. But you know that’s just not my style. So I came back to Greenville. Alone. Well, sort of alone.... 

What I've come to realize is that old habits die hard and sometimes you have to go back to where you began, before you can move ahead. 

TWISTED picks up two years after Tangled’s end, and is told from Kate’s POV.

Black Crow White Lie tells the story of Carson Calley, a thirteen-year-old with the curious ability to heal people. He lives in a variety of Hollywood motels with his alcoholic, fortune-telling mother, Juliette Bravo. She tells him fabricated stories about his past life and his hero father, to keep the boy believing in his great gift-- so that he might rise above his true circumstances. Believing his mother, Carson does become a healer, with the people of Hollywood waiting in long lines to see him. He secretly saves the money he earns from healing in the hopes of visiting his war-hero father's grave in Washington, DC., but just before he leaves, one of Juliette's stories is finally exposed. As Carson wises up to his mother's lies, he is faced with rediscovering who he really is. With the help of some unlikely mentors-- Faris, a tattoo shop owner, and Casper, the albino at the head shop on Sunset Boulevard-- Carson sets out to find his own identity on the provocative and colorful streets of Hollywood. - Goodreads

I wasn't sure what to expect when I received a printed copy from the author back in June. I was just happy that time though because it would be a first for me to receive a printed material for review and not through net galley. 

Black Crow White Lie is a coming of age story about a little boy who grew up and discovered what he truly is underneath the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. This is a wonderful debut novel for Candi Sary. I was mesmerized on how she portrayed the hidden shadows of the world that we only knew to be glamorous and I was in awe how she carefully and realistically wrote growing up with an alcoholic mother. What I love about this book is it's not your usual YA/Paranormal read. I love how explores relationships - not the romantic kind though but those kind that was will stay with you all throughout. It's a quick and easy read but it will keep your attention all through out.

Bravo!

••• EXCERPT •••

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs. - Goodreads

••• REVIEW •••

I literally screamed when I got an ARC of this from Atria Books via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Why? because first its one of my favorite books ever by my favorite New Adult Author and secondly, it will be release next week and I wasn't sure when I signed up for the ARC that the publisher would grant my request considering that the release day of this is only a few days from now. I am such a fan of Hopeless when I read it last year. It's one of those books that I've read in a single sitting because you can't just simply put it down. So, I had high hopes for this one considering that this is Holder's POV but thankfully I got more than what I had hoped for.

Losing Hope is marketed as Holder's POV but for me it doesn't felt like Hopeless all over again in fact it could be a stand alone and one can actually read this without reading Hopeless because this felt like a totally different story. It's not just Holder's POV but this is his story - his story before and after everything that happened in Hopeless. We see a lot of his heart breaking and devastating past. His struggles after loosing the two women that mattered to him. And his insecurities on how he let them down. Thanks to Colleen Hoover's magical ability with words and stories, I felt him. I felt his sadness. I felt his happiness. I felt his hope. 

I'm not gonna give out everything about the story because I don't want to ruined it to those who have yet to read it but basically Losing Hope begins the day before Holder's sister kills herself and then moves on to how he deals with her death down to the day he meets sky and realizes who she really is and the secret of the past that affected and triggered the present. The scenes right after he meets Sky were familiar and at the same time new because it was told on a different angle. It doesn't felt like you're re-reading Hopeless. I love how all those things that had happened in Hopeless was given a fresh and new view. I love the fact that another character in the person of Daniel (Holder's best friend) was introduced that brought humor to this book. But what made this book a great read for me? It was Holder's letters to his dead sister. Oh my God! Reading those letters destroyed me. It brought tears to my eyes I had to constantly look away from my kindle to wipe the tears and composed myself. You think you knew Holder by getting inside his head on each scene but those letters made him real. His emotions are on full display when you read those you would realized how he really loves his sister and how her death really affected him. 

I was not sure at first how another book would top Hopeless but this broke my heart and fixed it again. Another best seller in the making! Colleen Hoover is truly great at what she does.

••• EXCERPT •••

Emma leaves Weslyn and everyone in it behind to attend Stanford University, just as she always intended. A shell of her former self, she is not the same girl. She is broken, and the only way that she’ll be whole again is through forgiveness. Emma must find a way to forgive herself and recognize her own worth before she can receive the love she deserves. This final installment will have readers holding their breath until the very last page - Goodreads

••• REVIEW •••

I have been addicted to this series ever since I read Reason for Breathing last year. I can't describe how much it affected me emotionally. I still remembered how I sorta died when I thought that Emma died in Reason for Breathing and how upset and broken I am when she left Evan on Barely Breathing and on how frustrated I've been for the past months that this book's release date was moved back because I was so eager and dying to know what is going to happen. Seriously, it's one of the most gut wrenching series I've ever read in my life and I'm glad and sad at the same time that this - Out of Breath is the last one of the trilogy. Like many of you that are fans of this series, I've been waiting for this book to come out. It's in the top five of the highly anticipated book on my list. I've constantly stalked Rebecca Donovan just to get a glimpse of this book on the teasers she posted on her site. So when I got my copy of this, I was in heaven.

I am not going to ruin this book to anyone who haven't read it yet by relaying parts of the story but I have to say the wait was worth it. Everything from the writing style, how things were revealed, the characters and the storyline was done perfectly. I was so emotionally invested with the characters in this book specially Emma and Evan that I was also feeling what they went through. I joined them in the roller coaster ride of their relationship and honestly at some point I was convinced that maybe they're better off without each other but I had to say that reading how they fix that part of them towards the end was the most beautiful thing that came out of this book. Their reconnection wasn't right away. It took them or should I say Emma a long time to finally realized that Evan is her reason for breathing. I gotta commend Rebecca Donovan for creating an amazing book. The whole series had affected me emotionally but this book made it worst because this time its not a cliffhanger that greeted me at the end but an epilogue and when you have it, it means its over. 

I'm sad that this is the end of their journey but thankful at the same time for having to read and share a gem of a book. This series will forever hold a spot in my heart.

Ratings: ♥♥♥♥♥

••• EXCERPT •••

I read this book for two hours and had to scream with frustration when I got to the last page when I discovered that it was a cliffhanger. Quite honestly, I knew that Remember When is a trilogy when I read the first book last month but I still had a major fit because of that cliffhanger. Ugh! I wanted to read book three badly! T. Torrest you need to release it sooner!

I said it before, Remember Me 1 is one of my favorite reads this year. It was such a fresh sweet pick on contempory romance. I fell in love with it, the story, all of the characters and the sweet happenings. It left me hanging so that's why I looked forward to its sequel Remember Me 2 and it did not let me down. If in the first book we are thrown back to Layla's high school life when she first met Trip, the sequel fast forwards to nine years later, when they met again under a different circumstances. Trip is the upcoming Hollywood star and Layla is a struggling reporter. I don't want to gave more details about the story line because I don't want to spoil the book for those who haven't read it yet. But I had to say, this book was so good and so amazing I did not put it down. I don't mind being sleepless and tired I just had to finish it right away and it was so worth it. Everything about it from the characters, the storyline, the pacing and the dialogue was so well-crafted. I just had to commend Ms. Torrest for creating a gem and sharing it to us.

To those who haven't read it, I think you have to wait for the third book so you would not frustrate yourself with all these cliffhangers. But trust me, even all these cliffhangers would not dampen how much I appreciate and love this book

This is still not the end of Layla and Trip's story. I had to wait until the third book to be released if they will have their Happy-Ever-After.

Evie and Leo met in foster care as children and formed a bond of friendship. As they grew, their bond turned to love, and they vowed to make a life together when they turned 18 and were no longer a part of the system.

When Leo unexpectedly gets adopted as a teen and he moves to another city, he promises Evie that he will contact her as soon as he gets there and come back for her in a few short years. She never hears from him again.

Now eight years later, in spite of the odds, Evie has made a life for herself. She has a job. She has friends. She's content. Then a man shows up out of the blue, claiming that her long lost love, Leo, sent him to check up on her. The attraction between them is undeniable. But, should she trust this sexy stranger? Or is he keeping a secret about what his connection to Leo is really all about and why Leo disappeared all those years ago? - Goodreads

Woods had his perfect life mapped out for him. Rise up the ranks of the family business. Marry the rich girl of his parents’ dreams. Pretend that wealth and privilege was all he’d ever wanted. Then a girl named Della breezed into town, a beautifully imperfect stranger who captured his heart and opened his eyes to a new kind of future. Woods is ready and willing to sacrifice everything for her when the sudden death of his father leaves him with his mother to care for and a business to manage. 

Della is determined to be strong for Woods, even as she’s quietly falling to pieces. No matter how far from home she’s run, the ghosts of her past have never stopped haunting her. Struggling to hide her true feelings from Woods, Della fears she can’t be his rock without dragging him down into the darkness with her. But is she strong enough to let go of the last thing holding her together?

Pre-Order: Amazon

Jack appeared at my door last night after six months of no communication wearing a Mets jersey and holding a dozen red roses. He told me he was sorry, that he loved me, and that he would earn my trust again. It took everything in me to not fall apart at the mere sight of him. I wanted to take him back into my life, but I needed to know that this time it would be forever…

In J. Sterling’s highly anticipated follow-up to her USA Today bestselling novel The Perfect Game, Jack and Cassie quickly realize that their new lifestyle can often be cruel and unforgiving. Their happiness is put to the test as the past is never truly far behind. 

How do you stay together when the world's trying to tear you apart? 

Park Reed is a bastard in every sense of the word. He hasn't always been this way. But after his heart was broken by the only girl he ever loved, being heartless gets him through the day and allows him to fill his nights with the nameless girls he has no intentions of seeing again. He now lives his life following his ever-growing list of “life lessons.”

Lucy Braden is everything Park is not. She’s sweet, caring, and an all-around nice person. She tries to follow Lucy's Rules to Live By everyday.

When Park moves in with Jessie, which happens to be the floor below Lucy, Jessie's one stipulation: Lucy is off limits to Park. The problem with that is Lucy is determined to be a good friend to Park and see past the drinking and random girls to find the man beneath it all. The other problem: Park follows his own rules. - Goodreads

Claire Nixon is a college student with a past full of secrets and heartbreak. She was saved once by her first love, and rock star, Chris Knight. But when she encouraged Chris to leave town to pursue his dreams, both Claire and Chris didn’t realize it would be the biggest mistake of their lives.

After a devastating year apart and thousands of miles of distance between them, Claire met sexy surfer Adam Parker. With his awful jokes and profound patience, he helped Claire pick up the shattered pieces of her broken heart for the second time.

But now Chris has returned and he is willing and determined to make Claire’s dreams come true—the same way she did for him when she let him go.

With Adam’s former girlfriend in the picture, Claire finds herself torn between the new, passionate love she shares with Adam and the family she shares with Chris 

The Shattered Hearts Series is perhaps one of the best book I've read this year. I blog about my love for this HERE and I seriously can't wait for book three to come out. Thankfully Cassia Leo on her website posted an excerpt of this book and a gorgeous cover. Look at that cover! Looks like Claire finally held Abigail in her arms. 

Claire

EXCERPT

There’s complicated. And there’s Rowen Sterling.

After numbing pain for the past five years with boys, alcohol, and all-around apathy, she finds herself on a Greyhound bus to nowhere Montana the summer after she graduates high school. Her mom agreed to front the bill to Rowen’s dream art school only if Rowen proves she can work hard and stay out of trouble at Willow Springs Ranch. Cooking breakfast at the crack of dawn for a couple dozen ranch hands and mucking out horse stalls are the last things in the world Rowen wants to spend her summer doing.

Until Jesse Walker saunters into her life wearing a pair of painted-on jeans, a cowboy hat, and a grin that makes something in her chest she’d thought was frozen go boom-boom. Jesse’s like no one else, and certainly nothing like her. He’s the bright and shiny to her dark and jaded.

Rowen knows there’s no happily-ever-after for the golden boy and the rebel girl—happily-right-now is a stretch—so she tries to forget and ignore the boy who makes her feel things she’s not sure she’s ready to feel. But the more she pushes him away, the closer he seems to get. The more she convinces herself she doesn’t care, the harder she falls.

When her dark secrets refuse to stay locked behind the walls she’s kept up for years, Rowen realizes it’s not just everyone else she needs to be honest with. It’s herself. - Goodreads

One thing that I love about reading? discovering a gem of a book unexpectedly. Lost and Found found a way into my system and settled there for quite a long time. It wasn't what I expected. It wasn't what I was prepared for but I was hooked from the beginning till the end. It was an enchanting and amazing read that I have a hard time forgetting it. This is not just a romance story but it is also a story of finding ones self. This is not about summer romance but is also about discovering new things and new loves and self worth. And again, I found myself walking into a new man to add to my elite list of book boyfriend, the ever gorgeous, sexy and good natured Jesse Walker. He's not a manwhore but is in fact a virgin. He's not a rock star but a country boy. He's not a badboy but a cowboy that wears pants that are too tight. He's not mysterious but is laid back and had no dark secrets to hide. He doesn't drive a Harley or any kinds of muscle and luxury cars. He has an old truck he named Old Bessie and a stallion  he named Sunny. He isn't what I go for but I found myself falling in love with him because of his goodness, loyalty and his good boy personality. 

Lost and Found is not the first Nicole Williams book that I've read. In fact this is already the fifth one but this had solidify Nicole Williams status as one of my favorite New Adult and Contemporary Romance author. How she created and weaved her stories are truly amazing. 

EXCERPT

Abbi Glines is one of my favorite New Adult author. I've read and loved all of her works but the Too Far series is my favorite from all of her babies. I can still remember the first time I read Fallen too Far, I've fallen in love with the sexy Rush Finlay and the admirable Blaire Wynn. I loved how their story started and ended and the bumps they had crossed together. It was then that I was hooked. I've pre-ordered my copy online and had to pushed back some books on my To Read list just to finish this series. 

In Relentless, college student Claire Nixon and surfer Adam Parker each had a painful past too heavy to carry alone. Claire tried to push Adam away, but Adam's relentless pursuit of her heart and her secrets made her walls come crumbling down.

Though their hearts will never be whole again, Claire and Adam now know they are stronger together than they are apart.

But now Claire's attending college a hundred miles away from Adam. With their relationship already hanging by a thread, Adam is sent to Hawaii on business.

And rock star Chris Knight is back in Claire's life.

Chris wants his ex-girlfriend back and he knows just how to get her: only he has the power to mend the final missing piece of Claire's broken heart. Now Claire must choose between a long-distance relationship with Adam and a second chance at love, family, and home. - Goodreads

If you're a fan of Rick Riordan and his works like me and have read the The Heroes of Olympus series. This is an exciting news for us. The cover for the fourth book from the series has just been released.

At the conclusion of The Mark of Athena, Annabeth and Percy tumble into a pit leading straight to the Underworld. The other five demigods have to put aside their grief and follow Percy’s instructions to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death. If they can fight their way through the Gaea’s forces, and Percy and Annabeth can survive the House of Hades, then the Seven will be able to seal the Doors both sides and prevent the giants from raising Gaea. But, Leo wonders, if the Doors are sealed, how will Percy and Annabeth be able to escape?

I see Percabeth on the cover. And I hope there will be a lot of Nico's POV being the son of Hades and all. This guy is too mysterious. I don't know if he's on Percy's side or the other and I just want to read his thoughts.