sabthebookeater

This morning I went on Twitter and a lot of bloggers were talking about BookLikes. I decided to make one myself and see what the fuss was about. 

 

It looks a lot like Tumblr.

 

But for books.

 

And there are some Goodreads features.

 

I'm cool with it though. I don't really use my Tumblr for anything book related so I hope this could be like my Tumblr-book-thing. 

 

I'm not making sense. Haha. Anyyyyway. I hope this site will get more users. Looks cute.

Check out my tour stop and enter the giveaway for swag! Sab The Book EaterLife, Love & Lemons felt a lot like a fluffy teen chick flick. The highschool bullying was theatrical, Bentley's mother was unbelievably selfish and Kai was the perfect boy next door (minus the typical clean look though). Having said that, I find this book to be quite entertaining. All the chick flick feels worked well and were actually pretty nice.Bentley Evans got handed a whole bunch of lemons and, even though she wanted to screw the lemons and bail, she didn't. She made lemon water (because she's not much of a lemonade fan). I loved seeing how Bee transformed gradually throughout the book. She surely was beyond bummed about their change in lifestyle but she dealt with all the crap with grace. She wasn't so accepting of her situation at first but as she grew used to her new life, she traded in her bad attitude for a positive outlook on life. Another thing that I liked about this book were Bee's relationshi[ with her father. It's rare for YA books now to have parents really present in a book and even if Bee only had one parent who was there for her, it was refreshing to see moments were she bonded with her dad over the simplest things like cutting coupons. It showed some other side to Bee that you can't see elsewhere.The romance started out a bit rough for me. Bee went from hating emo boy Kai to liking him so quickly. Fortunately though their relationship became more likable because of how sweet they were without getting all serious and insta love-y. Kai was super sweet and adorable! I never thought I'd find fictional  emo boys to be attractive but Kai's charm was definitely irresistible. He complimented Bee well and together they made the story more colorful.The only downside though was how the bullying and other nasty things that occurred in this book was too unrealistic. However it does add a bit of fun to the book in a way. Some people may find that unappealing, some might. I'm in between, to be honest, but overall I think it helped liven up the story. I was able to finish it in less than 4 hours so that's got to mean something, right? So pick up Life, Love, & Lemons if you're looking for your next fun and light teen read. You'll surely find that here. ;)(I received a copy for review. This did not influence me in any way.)

Also posted at Sab The Book EaterI honestly thought I would like this book. The story deals with alcohol and sex addiction. It's out there, you know? I was interested in how the authors would tell the story of two addicts. I wanted to see how they would make me feel for the characters. Unfortunately there wasn't much to feel for. I was so close to not finishing the book but I had to see the ending. That was a major buzz kill by the way but I'll discuss it further later.Now I wouldn't know how Lily feels, constantly wanting sex every minute, because a) I've never been in Lily's shoes and b) I don't personally know anyone who's been there. So Lily's addiction was an exaggeration to me. It's funny to think her addiction's exaggerated because the very idea of being addicted to something means wanting it at any given time of the day and being resistant to help. It seemed like an exaggeration of an already extreme addiction because I didn't see enough background to her story. There's an explanation but I feel like it wasn't enough to beef up Lily's story. The same goes for Logan's. I also didn't like Lily's voice. There wasn't anything about it that made me sympathize for her. I get that they're addicted and that they're stubborn because of that. But since I couldn't really see things from their perspective, it was hard to feel any sort of positive feeling towards them. I was just pissed off the whole time.For a book about a sex addict you'd think this has a lot of action in it. It doesn't. Yes, you read that right. It doesn't. It barely has any kind of action in fact. I'm not really looking for steamy scenes (don't give me that look! I'm serious) but I found it ironic how clean this was. I think diving further into the sex scenes (at least one of them) would shed some light into the complicated mind of a sex addict. I'm not a writer but I'm pretty sure there are ways to explore the topic by using those key scenes.It frustrated me to know that Addicted To You is the first book in a trilogy. A trilogy! Because everybody's writing trilogies now, right? How far can you take a story about a couple of addicts? I read the entire thing only to find that it doesn't end there. I knew I should've DNF-ed this. It's bad enough that they bounced back and forth in the first book and that it took a complete stranger to turn things around. I can't imagine what could possibly go down in the next books. I couldn't care less if they don't recover or don't end up together. I don't see the point in stretching out a story like this. It's not, in any way, gripping. No, this really isn't for me.(I received a copy for review. This did not influence me in any way.)

Also posted on Sab The Book EaterI don't know how to write reviews of Lilliana Anderson's books anymore. Heck, I don't even know how to write a proper intro to this review! Anderson's work blow me away each time. So much that I'm running out of things to say because they're all so good! If only I could write a review with just, "Super good. Get it." in big bold letters, this'll be easier. But I can't...because I have to let you all know why you should check out her work.So anyway.I've been eagerly waiting for this novella ever since Anderson announced she'd be writing The Beauty in Between series. I was curious to see what happened to Katrina and David after they finally got together. They had a happy ending in A Beautiful Struggle and it was too happy.... so I wanted to see more of it. I mean, you can't just leave readers hanging like that, right!? Just like other Anderson books, this one's steamy. She writes romance like no other! It's hot but it's also passionate, which is important in any romance book. You can just feel the love between Katrina and David that took years to build. I love how it made me sigh a lot. Happy sighs and possibly a couple of sad ones because LIFE.At first I wasn't quite sure how the story would turn out (and if I would like it) because this is about Katrina delaying the wedding. There weren't just enough logical reasons for her to do that, I thought. They've been hopelessly in love since they were children, so what gives? When the revelation came though, it was surprising. In a good, adorable way. Her reasons were understandable - any girl would get it. Katrina became all the more relatable. She thought like any regular girl would when it came to weddings. Now I don't want to spoil anything for you but I will tell you this: the way David resolved the issue was heart-melting. Super heart-melting. You'll want your own David. ;)Fans of Katrina and David will surely love this one to bits. Similar to previous books, it'll give you what you're looking for but at the same time craving for more. Anderson's characters grew on me with every book and this definitely ensured I will never forget them. (ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. This review is based solely on my opinion.)

Check out my stop on the blog tour and enter the PHILIPPINES ONLY giveaway!At first I had a hard time trying to get a feel of the story. There were quite a number of minor characters introduced early in the story that I felt lost at some point. But no worries though, because the story picks up quickly and you'll easily get drawn in Patrice's crazy university life.I like the authenticity of college life depicted through Patrice's eyes. Now, I may go to an all-girls college but a lot of the things that happened in this book happens in your typical Filipino university/college. No matter how chaotic Patrice's semester was, it was still believable. I also like the mix of characters. The variety of minor characters may have bothered me at first but reading more of the story showed me how important they all were in building it. College will introduce you to a diverse student body and a whole bunch of drama comes with it sometimes. Well Played showed exactly that. It was also interesting how Atienza incorporated the side stories with the main plot. I think they meshed together well and were told in a good pace.Patrice, the main character, is very likable. She's sporty and kickass but at the same time she has a softer side that I'm pretty sure a lot of college girls could relate to. I enjoyed her interactions with Lars and Paul. She was very different with both boys. She was very judgmental of Paul at first and I kind of hated her for it, but really, I can't blame her. Paul was shady and Lars had a way of charming people. The two boys were complete opposites and it was easy to pass judgment. I liked how Patrice somehow changed as she learned more about both boys. The love story's predictable but enjoyable nonetheless. Feels inducing, I swear. The last line, especially.I just wish this was longer though. Books like this should be longer. *wink wink* Well Played is a great read for Filipina girls who are up for a light romance and lots of crazy college fun.(Review copy provided for blog tour. This review is based solely on my opinion.)

Drop by my tour stop on theAll's Fair in Blog and War + Well Played Blog Tour and enter the giveaway to lots of cool stuff!Sometimes you don't need a lot of pages to come up with a well-rounded and enjoyable story. All's Fair in Blog and War shows exactly that.I was surprised by how easy it was to love this book despite it being a novella. It's not that I don't normally enjoy novellas but often times I find them lacking in some areas. That wasn't the case here, not at all. What I liked the most about this book was the pacing. The story covered Five's 3-day tour in Macau along with her fellow travel bloggers. From the places they visited to the romance between Five and Jesse, there was indeed a lot of ground to cover. The cool thing about it is everything fit perfectly. Five is a travel blogger so naturally plenty of tourist spots were featured. I liked how the author described every destination and even delicacy vividly. I've been to Macau and reading descriptions of the same places I went to made me feel like I was there again. It made me crave for bakkwa real bad and I hate the author for that (okay not really). Peria's fluid writing captured the beauty of Macau. It'll make you fall in love with it and make you want to take a trip there if you haven't yet.The romance between Five and Jesse was subtle yet sweet - definitely kilig. I liked how Peria made a balance between the travel and the love story. Five hated Jesse at first and it was within reason. He seemed condescending and full of himself. As the story moved forward however we see a softer, fun loving side to Jesse. One that's undeniably charming - and boy did he charm Five's pants off. Not... literally. But she was very smitten even before she realized it. I think that's the main reason why I was very kilig with their romance - they had moments that didn't go all the way but you'd still feel the vibes. I was a bit shocked though when towards the end Five said that she fell in love with Jesse over the weekend. Insta love's a big no-no to me but at least it didn't become such a huge deal here. Five just happened to mention it and I was glad for it.All's Fair in Blog and War is a great debut for Chrissie Peria. It's short read that won't leave you hanging... except maybe for more Five and Jesse because they're super cute. The great thing is you can follow their Twitter and Instagram accounts online. Yes! They have social media accounts! I will link them up below. Be sure to check them out as well as their story in this fun novella that will without a doubt put a smile on your face.(I received a copy for review. This did not influence me in any way.)

Come check out my stop on the Interim Goddess of Love blog tour and enter the giveaway to win copies of the trilogy!In the second installment Hannah learns to do new cool things with the help of her trainer the Sun God, Quin, and is flung into a messy goddess of love project involving her bestfriend, Sol. Now I won't dive into details about the project itself. All I can say is it's a huge step up from her project in the previous book. Here, Hannah can do so much more with her abilities and now she has to deal with something so much more than fixing someone's love life. I liked the overall flow of the story. There's just a lot more going on here! For example, we learn more about deities and how they work. We actually get more god/goddess action from everyone here and I liked how Hannah was slowly becoming one of them. I especially liked that the story was multifaceted. There was Sol's story but there was something else about that would only be dealt with in the last book. I was dying to know more but at the same time I liked where the story was heading so I didn't want to ruin that. There was so much teasing in this book and I freaking enjoyed every moment of it! Is that weird? Perhaps. *shrugs*Another aspect I liked here, and this is probably my favorite was Hannah finally getting a chance to experience love. (Insert happy sigh here) It was exciting to see how she would handle it. Being interim Goddess of Love gave her powers like being able to hear people's thoughts or know what they would do (as long as it was grounded on love). How could a girl who can hear a guy's thoughts about her just fall in like with him? I mean, there's no element of surprise to keep things interesting. So there was that. Definitely something to look forward to. ;)The verdict? 4 stars. Mina Esguerra did great in building up from the previous book and did more to entice readers to check out the conclusion to the trilogy.(I received a copy for review. This did not influence me in any way.)

Come check out my stop on the Interim Goddess of Love blog tour and enter the giveaway to win copies of the trilogy!OH MY GODS, YOU GUYS. Where do I even begin? It's funny how at first I didn't really expect to rate any of the books higher than three (hey, I gotta be honest here) but with every book in the trilogy I was left wanting more. I guess that's just the magic that is Mina Esguerra's writing.(I've tried writing this paragraph's intro so many times but I just have so much feels for this book I kept pressing the backspace because I can't think straight. It's been four days, guys. FOUR DAYS. I'm still hungover this is insaaaaane. *clears throat* moving on...)There are two big things that this book is about: Hannah's love life and her goddess duties. I just loved how Hannah's love life panned out! We got to meet Robbie in the previous books but here is where we really get to know him. And boy do I love him. Seriously. Robbie can go head-to-head with a lot of popular young/new adult book boyfriends and he'd come out victorious. Okay that's a tad bit dramatic but I'm all for drama because this book has so much of it. Yes, drama. You'd think things would be easier for Hannah, what with her powers and all that but it really isn't. Apparently, playing temporary Goddess of Love complicates your chances of falling in like. Robbie and Hannah's relationship was sweet and complicated but I liked it. Despite knowing everything that Robbie was going to do, Hannah was surprisingly cooperative. It's like she just allowed herself to be normal. I was half expecting her to just give up on making a relationship with a regular human work but she didn't. And that's one of the things that made her character all the more lovable. No unnecessary drama. She's simply uncomplicated. And Robbie.... oh yeah. Robbie. So adorable and cute. And in love. This may be the one time I choose the regular human over some paranormal being. The ONE time. How can you not?! We need more Robbies in the world. Please? Thank you.Now in the final installment, pieces of the puzzle are finally put together. I won't drop hints whatsoever because I want you all to get goosebumps, just like I did, when everything's uncovered. Hannah's dreams were finally given meaning to and everything that were vague before. Which goddess did the dreams belong to? Is the Original Goddess of Love ever coming back? What happens with Quin? And Robbie? (I'm getting goosebumps as I type this) All of that is answered here and I can't express fully just how AMAZING it was all tied together. Hannah's also a lot more kickass here so that's definitely a plus. Everything that transpired made me want to read the whole book all over again and write fan fiction for myself just to satiate this need for more. It's not that the story didn't satisfy me, because it did - so much, but there was room left for a lot of possibilities. And I think that's what the story leaves readers with - this attachment to all the characters. That's probably the reason why I'm still very much hungover this story.An exciting conclusion to an imaginative and well-written trilogy, Icon of the Indecisive has it all. You'll regret not picking this trilogy up. ;-)P.S. #TEAMROBBIE I'm calling out to the Goddess of Love, I need a Robbie in my life. Heeh.(I received a copy for review. This did not influence me in any way.)

Check out my review on the blog and enter the giveaway for signed copies of the book and Amazon gift cards!I'm always up for reading books with controversial topics. I'm interested in how authors explore the matter and how they deliver. A few months ago I reviewed a couple of books that deals with a taboo relationship - one between an underage highschool student and her much older teacher. Long story short, I didn't like any part of it. I was very disappointed that I was so eager, almost desperate, to read a similar book that would meet my expectations. Then I found Good.And I was blown away.Yet another book by S.Walden that got me completely hooked and invested in the characters. It's exactly the kind of book that shows student-teacher relationships in a softer light. Cadence and Mark are ten years apart. What I love about them was how, despite their age gap, they had incredible chemistry. They were sweet and hot and...awkward. I'm not gonna lie. There were parts where I had to close my Kindle, laugh and just prepare myself for more awkwardness but I find that it's all part of the book's charm. Cadence is a virgin and I think it's only natural for her to say something really awkward when things are getting quite intimate. In fact, it made their relationship more believable! I absolutely fell in love with the pair and I couldn't wait to find out what happens to them in the sequel.Yes, there is indeed a sequel. So be prepared to go on a very intense yet highly enjoyable ride when you read Good. Cadence and Mark's story doesn't end yet so you can expect A LOT to happen here. The story's pacing was really good because there's enough background and light moments without slowing the story down to an unbearable pace. I like the way the religious theme was incorporated into the story. It was a big part of the story but it didn't really dominate it. And I think it served its purpose molding the characters and the plot. I love the build up to the conflict and how the climax was written. I knew what was going to happen because it's inevitable but somehow I still felt so stressed over it. And that's a good thing! That is how well written this book is.Good is more than good. It's incredible. S.Walden gives readers a story that has always been told but not always appreciated or heard. It's the right mix of everything that makes a story worth reading and addicting. Good is a great start to a series that's only bound to get better.(I received an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. This review is based solely on my opinion.)

This review and more at Sab The Book EaterL.M. Augustine is back, this time with an emotional New Adult book with the right dash of nerdy cuteness that is sure to charm its way into readers' hearts.While I enjoyed the book to an extent, I had some issues with it too. My biggest concern is that Cali and Logan remind me so much of Cat and West from Click to Subscribe. It's like they could pass off as college versions of themselves except they have intense pasts and that's totally not Cat and West. I suppose this wouldn't have bothered me had I not read Click before. It may seem unfair but I like characters from two different books to have distinct voices. Reading Two Roads was a bit like déjà vu.Another thing I didn't quite like about the writing were the long paragraphs describing all the feels. I like detailed descriptions of how the protagonist feels but in Two Roads, it reached a point where Cali was being repetitive. I like feels, really, but you have to offer the reader something more. I wanted a clearer explanation of Cali and Logan's rivalry for one. The whole time I was reading the book I didn't really see their rivalry to be anything serious. I just thought they were being playful. Flirty, even. As Cali's backstory unraveled though I finally got the idea that, oh okay so she really is mad at Logan. I just wish that they weren't so freaking cute together. The message would've come across clearly without having to explain it all in long paragraphs.Did I say they're freaking cute together? Despite my complaints, I still found myself enjoying their cute nerdy banters. I'm all for nerds falling in like so this pair's romance was definitely for me. They had terrific chemistry and it showed whenever they would loosen up. You just know they're bound to get together but the anticipation was frustrating. In a good way. Forget about the fake rivalry and just kiss her already, Logan! Yes, Cali and Logan are adorable like that. Oh and I also like that this is a clean New Adult book. It's a nice break from the usual, you know?Three stars for for L.M. Augustine's first New Adult book. It was sweet alright but my biases got in the way. The romance was very enjoyable though and that's something you'd want to check out.P.S.The term "nerdhole" was used in this book. Win.(I received a copy of this book for review. This review is based solely on my opinion.)

This review and more at Sab The Book EaterI didn't like the general direction the book was going. So this girl goes missing and Alley's bestfriend, Val, decides it's up to them to crack the mystery. I thought it would be cool and fun because it started out pretty well but as I read on it turned into a series of really bad decisions. The most annoying factor for me was how Alley felt more like the sidekick in the story. She constantly saved her bestfriend's ass and had barely anything to do with the story until she had to step up near the end. It was always her bestfriend coming up with ideas on how to find their friend. They weren't good ideas but at least she made an effort. Val kept coming up with crazy ideas that only got them in trouble (it's like watching Hanna do stupid things on Pretty Little Liars) but Alley didn't do anything to stop her. She always went with the flow which frustrated me to no end. Her bestfriend may have been an idiot but at least she had more personality! Alley was just so bland that it made me wonder why she had to be the protagonist.It was surprising to see this labeled as a 'humorous YA chick-lit.' It wasn't exactly humorous for me. A lot of the supposedly funny things that happened were slapstick - basically Val tripping and taking something or someone with her. In fact, Val was such a klutz that she fell down a lot. So much that it got annoying and pointless. I hate it when there's a character who fits the 'dumb blonde' stereotype perfectly. It's so cliché! And reading a book where the dumb blonde outshines the main character isn't such a pleasant experience. I honestly thought that I could bump up my rating to two stars once the big revelation came because I love that part in a mystery. Unfortunately, that didn't do the trick because the ending wasn't wow-ing. That's it? That's what you're leaving me with? I think hints dropped before the last quarter of the book made the explanation uninteresting by the time I read it. I was expecting some kind of shocker but I was only left disappointed by then. This book is clearly not for me. I didn't like any part of it. Not the plot, not the characters, not the slight romance (that could've been good but way underdeveloped), and especially not the humour. Not even the cover! It's cute but I like covers that actually has something to do with the book. To me, this is a mash of a lot of potentially good things that need polishing. It just wasn't gripping. So... 1 star.(I received a copy for review. This did not influence me in any way.)

Also posted on Sab The Book EaterDISCLAIMER: A lot of ranting. Some spoilers. You have been warned.I really don't get it. Real? Real would be the last word I would use to describe Brooke and Remy's relationship. It would be the last word I'd use to describe the entire story. The beginning was too fast, the middle was frustrating and the what the hell was going on with that ending?! I was really excited to read this book because everyone seems to love Remy. I don't. I don't find anything about this book convincing. Okay maybe a couple of things were pretty nice but I still don't like the book as a whole.My main problem? The romance. So Brooke sees Remy for the first time and she immediately feels this urgent need to jump his bones. Oooookay. Page after page, Brooke graphically describes how she feels upon seeing Remy. He's a hot piece of ass, I get that, but can we get a move on here? The book isn't even 5% in and you're already salivating. That's got to be a record for a new adult contemporary romance. And of course he spots her in a sea of crazy fans screaming his name, cheering him on. Of course he does. He goes down from the ring, approaches her and... kisses her?! That is creepy. And sick. No, no, no. Not romantic. Well okay maybe he wasn't going for romantic. Hot? Somewhat. Fine, it was. But still creepy! I knew right then I wouldn't like the book. So why did I bother continuing? I was curious how broken or what broke Remy. I mean, that's how it usually goes right? Someone's got to be broken and in this case it was without a doubt, Remy.So yeah, I kept reading and I actually liked Remy's backstory. It was unexpected in comparison to other similar novels. I liked that there was this sensible explanation to how or why Remy acts the way he does. It wasn't unnecessary drama. And I would've appreciated it more if the author pushed that storyline more. I just felt that it was touched on lightly considering how big it was. Maybe it'll make more sense in the sequels. Hopefully.Even with the backstory I still wasn't convinced. I simply didn't feel the authenticity of Brooke and Remy's feelings for each other. Most of the book was about Brooke feeling so sexually frustrated and the parts that should've mattered weren't maximized. And what is up with them sharing songs with each other all the time? I know Remy needed a way to communicate but can you just imagine what it would be like reading this book a few years from now and seeing all those song titles? The whole song sharing could be romantic but it was so overused, almost cheesy, I grew tired of it. Speaking of cheese, a lot of the lines Brooke and Remy said were really cheesy. At one point Brooke said, "I've fallen head over heels, irrevocably in love with him." OH PLEASE. Barf. I've read/heard that many times before. Are you for real right now? I just didn't see that spark, that illogical but totally believable explanation of why they feel the way they do. In romances I want to see and even feel how crazy they are for each other - no matter how unrealistic it is. I didn't get it here. I didn't see what made their feelings real.The part about Brooke's sister was so unreal. The way she was integrated in the story was so bad and it was ridiculous how she recovered in the end. I mean, how can a former druggie just go back to the way she was, as if nothing ever happened, after a couple of months in rehab? I understand that there had to be some sort of side story to enable Remy's "sacrifice" but everything about it was off. No. Just, no.Real is definitely not for me. This book is crazy... and not in a good way. I'm all for new adult contemporary romances and all but this is. I don't know what this is. And I still don't freaking get it.(I received a copy of this book on NetGalley. This review is based solely on my opinion.)

This review and more at Sab The Book EaterThe disappointment that is Walking Disaster. Let me start off by saying I didn't like Beautiful Disaster. Travis' womanizing, the constant push and pull and the underground fighting didn't spell out AMAZING for me. It gave me a headache. So I started Walking Disaster with low expectations and a little bit of hope that I'll somehow find Travis' thoughts endearing. I usually enjoy reading stories (or bits of it whenever authors decide to be generous and share bonus content on their pages) written in the guy's POV. I love reading how guys think. There's this quality to it. However I didn't get that satisfaction from reading the same story written in Travis' perspective. Very little satisfaction.I think it's the fact that Walking Disaster is exactly like Beautiful Disaster save for the first chapter, very few of Travis' alone time and the epilogue. The same lines were used and even if I vaguely remember every detail of Beautiful Disaster I suddenly had a deja vu reading Walking Disaster. There wasn't much to look forward to and that sucked! I was also expecting a lot of insight into Travis' head but it was half-baked. The only thing that this book accomplished was make me hate Abby. I neither liked nor hated her in Beautiful Disaster because I was so focused on hating Travis. But when I read this... oh man, Abby turned out to be such a bitch. If you barely remember what happened in Beautiful Disaster, like me, you'd end up confused and hating her. Her actions were confusing because she'd be all cuddly with Travis one second then go on a date with Parker. Then again maybe that was deliberate so you'd really get a feel of how Travis was feeling and why he acted the way he did. But anyway. It's like a huge chunk of the story that's essential to making readers understand everything that's going on was taken out. A lot of the scenes were confusing because they made references to events that were told in detail in Beautiful Disaster but were only mentioned here. I think the only thing that I really liked here was Travis explaining his nickname for Abby. Other than that? Nope.Now. The first chapter and the epilogue. THOSE I like. I liked reading the brief chapter with young Travis. It really gave me an insight on why Travis was so bent on making him and Abby work out. And the epilogue, it may have been far fetched but at least it was something new. It would've been better if a little more detail was put into it. As it is though it was good - probably the only thing I found truly interesting in the whole book.Fans of the first book would most likely love this book. Most likely. But for people like me... yeah, it's disappointment is inevitable. You could skip a whole lot of the book because you'd already know they'd kiss and make up several times before their happily ever after. Walking Disaster barely gives you anything new. Cut-paste-edit. That's what this book was.(I received a copy via NetGalley. This copy is based solely on my opinion.)

Check out The Maurene Goo Three Blog Hop and enter the giveaway for a chance to win lots of great prizes!Story. Of. My life. Maurene Goo couldn't have made a better protagonist. I'm not sure if it's my Asian tendencies (whatever that is hah) or that I can still remember what it felt like to be fifteen. Either way, I could easily relate to Holly and that made reading Since You Asked twice as enjoyable. The humor alone was enough to keep me interested but with a main character like Holly, everything was so much more hilarious.The story follows Holly Kim, a fifteen year old Korean-American, who lands her own column in the school newspaper after accidentally submitting an article which added her own snarky flair to. The story takes place within the span of a whole school year where Holly and her equally sarcastic but funny friends try to survive their sophomore year. In the columns that Holly writes, she contemplates on the mundane school events and things teenagers typically go through.I absolutely love how real Holly is. Yes, she’s always sarcastic and snarky but truth be told it’s only common among teenagers, especially fifteen year olds. It’s the early years of being a teenager where there’s way too much angst – the awkward years where you feel so misunderstood and you constantly feel so angry at your parents (oh the drama!). Holly’s definitely the epitome of a typical teenager. She’s the kind of teenager who’s more inclined to observe than to participate because she’s neither a total outcast nor a popular kid so she’s somewhere in the middle of things. A lot of times I laughed out loud at all of Holly’s thoughts about highschool because it felt like something I said or would’ve said six years ago (oh my god. SIX years ago?!). Aside from that, I enjoyed Holly’s Korean family dynamics because a lot of it is something that I could definitely relate too, me being Asian and all. It was funny how Holly and her friends described the most mundane, weird or frustrating things she went through with their own brand of humor.I also liked how varied the events in the book were given that the story happens within a whole school year and yet it didn’t feel so crammed. I liked the overall flow of the story as well as how Holly’s insightful and witty monthly columns summed every season up. There’s also this one side story that leaves a hint of romance and possibly even a sequel….? *grins* I personally would like to see how that’ll pan out so I hope this isn’t the end for Holly and her friends. An overall entertaining and light read from start to finish, Since You Asked is a great debut from a promising writer.(I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review is based solely on my opinion)

This review and more at Sab The Book EaterFirst things first! I think it's highly unfair for this book to be shelved under 'dystopia' in Goodreads. It's misleading, people. I can't blame them though. This book does sound like a dystopian novel. It's set post Fourth World War in a new country called Illea where USA and Canada used to be. They have a monarchy and a caste system in place. Everything about it appears dystopian but it really isn't. The focus of the story is, surprise surprise (or not, if you don't get sarcasm), The Selection. So actually this should be shelved under YA romance. Kiera herself said in a blogger forum during her visit here that she never intended the book to be a dystopia. She needed a way for the caste system to work and everything that came with it so she had to create this entirely new world of Illea. It's a fantasy or a fairy tale more than anything else.At first the only reason why I wanted to rate The Selection three stars is how confusing the world was to me. I was so bothered by how people labeled it as a dystopia when it didn't appear that way. But after much thought (and Kiera answering my question) I realized it really is one heck of an entertaining book. Yes, it had elements of a dystopia but at the core of it all what is the book really about? It's about love and choices. And that's exactly what I came to love about this book.It's amazing how at the onset I really didn't care about America and who she chooses (or who Maxon chooses but we'll get to that later). However with every chapter I learned to appreciate the characters. I cared about them. Okay maybe I didn't care about Aspen as much as Maxon (Team Maxon for realz!) but the point is they grew on me. Even the minor characters like America's sister May and fellow contestant Marlee had an effect on me. I think a book goes up a level on the awesomeness meter when you're able to fall in love with characters you previously didn't feel much for.I especially liked America's characterization. She's rough around the edges, acting like a badass, initially shunning the idea of The Selection and hating on Prince Maxon. I liked how driven she was in trying to create a better life for her and for her family. She went from being slightly deprived to having anything she wanted while part of The Selection. And that sudden shift caused her to reconsider her stand on the whole competition. Her gradual transformation was only understandable. America's a strong character overall. Love!Speaking of love (well that went smoothly....not), while I usually dislike love triangles, the whole America, Maxon and Aspen hullabaloo (HA! I spelled it right the first time) didn't bother me at all. Main reason for that is, duh, it's a love story. It's essential to the plot...unlike some other books like Twilight. *coughs* So yeah, it was believable. You can see the stark contrast between both guys by how intense their moments with America were. Aside from the obvious difference in social classes, Aspen and Maxon were different kinds of romantic. Maxon's naive because of his upbringing so he appeared to be dorky but in a very adorable way. Aspen on the other hand is more intense and passionate. Although I didn't really feel or see what made Aspen and America's connection special, I totally understood why it was hard for her to let go of him even if she was starting to have feelings for Maxon. The story can go either way and I both hate and love how unpredictable it is. Will America choose Aspen in the end? Or will she fight for Maxon's heart? Stressful, I tell ya'.I still have a hard time trying to picture Illea and everything in it so I couldn't give it a five star rating. But as far as characterization and plot go, The Selection got it covered. Highly enjoyable and full of feels!P.S. I would freak out if America doesn't become The One. I would do despicable things to the books.

Check out my stop on The GAP Club Blog Tour and enter the giveaway for a KINDLE FIRE or a signed paperback!The cover really didn't do much for me, to be honest, but boy oh boy... this book took me by surprise. I wasn't actually planning on reviewing this for the tour because I wasn't sure if I could fit it in my reading schedule. But it cleared so I decided to go ahead and give this a shot. And what do you know? I had a hard time putting it down! I slept so late even if I had a 7:30 a.m. class the next day and when I got to school, I read it during breaks. I got so hooked I didn't even have time to post status updates on Goodreads. THAT'S how gripping this story is.The plot sounds unoriginal with play-the-player angle but before you pass judgment, let me tell you what exactly got me hooked: Sebastian. Is it so wrong that the main reason I enjoyed this book immensely is because of the love interest? I say not. You can't blame me! He's so... different. Different than most New Adult book boyfriends. Let's cover the basics first:1. He's not just hot. He's Latino hot.2. He's confident but in a charming way (that makes sense, right?)3. He says all the right things.But what makes him different? He's sensitive. And there's not a badass bone in his body. He's not your typical badass book boyfriend who actually has a heart of gold. What you see is what you get. He's into Latin dance, theater.... he serves tea to his guests. You read that right. Tea. Chamomile tea to be specific. I love all of that about Sebastian but the one thing that really endeared him to me was how fondly he spoke of his father. He truly idolized the man so he did his best to do everything his father taught him before he passed. And this is he's such a gentleman even to girls who come on too strong (*coughs* Jessica *coughs*). Sebastian gave me butterflies - I'm not kidding. You wouldn't be able to help the inevitable squealing and gushing.So that's Sebastian. What about the main character, Maddie? Well, I love her too! I know I went on and on about Sebastian but that doesn't mean he overshadowed Maddie. Not at all. Maddie is a great character all throughout the book. She had a crappy past (something totally unexpected, by the way. Brownie points for that!) that gave her trust issues when it comes to guys. That's also the reason why she agreed to create the GAP Club with Jessica. I loved Maddie's back story and seeing how she overcame all the heartache. Aside from that, I enjoyed reading chapters where Maddie bonded with a ten year old cancer patient named Hunter. Those parts really made me smile because Hunter was such a darling and Maddie was so sweet to him. It showed a whole other part of Maddie that made her an even more lovable character.The romance from the time Sebastian started flirting to them finally getting together was both sweet and hot. I couldn't get enough of these two! Maddie and Sebastian's chemistry was so amazing you'd fall in love with both of them. That's how great they are together. That's how addicting this book is.I enjoyed the overall flow of the story. With this kind of plot the conflict is predictable but the way everything unraveled was surprisingly good. I just hate it when conflicts that are so easy to resolve happen for the sake of adding speed bumps to a story. Fortunately that didn't happen here. Everything... made sense. In the end, I think this book deserves 5 pink stars. It has a good plot, memorable characters, a steamy romance and just the right amount of conflict. It's a quick read that will have you reading nonstop and will most definitely leave you with a Sebastian hangover.(I received a copy of this book for the tour. This did not, in any way, influence my opinion of the book.)