Electric Impulse (Love, Life and Sex #1) by Angel Hilson | An ARC | A Book Review

The author sent me a review request through the contact us link of this blog. I did agree to review the book and make room for this because this is an ARC. This is a story about a woman who have abandonment issues and who was dumped in front of a lot of people in a family gathering at his boyfriend's house. Then, she meets a real estate mogul in the club she works for and their attraction and chemistry is undeniable. Why this story is called Electric Impulse is explained in the book. It's about the flowers and bees. The real story why bees know which flowers are ripe with pollen is because of electric impulse. Not the flowers and the bees version that parents give to their children to explain sex. It's an electric field that somehow leads the bees to the flowers and then bees carry the nectar so the flowers could be fertilized. How electric impulse is relevant in the story? You will have to find out. I don't want to spoil anything.

So, Aria and Phoenix. These are the two main characters in this story. By the way, this is a steamy book, so read at your own risk. Anyway, these two cross paths and the attraction between them was very palpable. You can feel it in the air but Aria is already taken. Then, the unthinkable happened and her boyfriend dumped her. In some way, fate seems to intervene and these two meet again after that drunken behavior of Phoenix in the club. They hang out and the rest is obvious. 

It turns out, Aria has a lot of things that she did not know about Phoenix and when they were revealed, it was a total shock to her. She felt like she was being played. I too was surprised at the twists in the story. I never expected that Phoenix had secrets but then again, the story would be so boring without those curve balls right. They were just so unexpected that I was totally surprised and speechless, just like Aria when she found out.

The story is not exactly new but the way it was written was very engaging that I couldn't put it down. I had to finish it. There was this unseen force or electric field that urge me to just get on and finish the story. There's no stopping it. I also like that the story seems to backtrack. It did no start with the present but rather from six months ago when main character became undone or at a pivotal point in her life. At some point, some chapters of the present are inserted in between. It was a clever way of arranging the chapters which in a way explains why I was glued and just couldn't let go of the story. It gives me snippets of some thing that's about to happen but then doesn't exactly give me a clue on what it was. The anticipation building was absolutely done perfectly and was the key in making me finish the book in one go. The force was just irresistible. I was rendered powerless and can't do anything but succumbed to it until I reach the final pages. 

So, I give the story 4.5/5 bees. Again, the story is not new but the way it was written was doubtlessly refreshing. It was probably the best thing about the story. How the chapters were paced and arranged was so clever. It keeps the readers anticipating and in suspense but still keeping to the story. I was never at some point, confused or lost as to how the story goes even if the chapters were not done in order of occurrence. This isn't the first time I've seen it but it was the first that have I seen it done this way. I have read books before that was ordered differently but how it was done in this story was a different variation. Great job to the author for attempting that feat and had successfully done it. It was risky but was done perfectly and the timing of the events were not lost at all. 

I really liked what the author wrote below and I think if you want to curse someone this is the best way to do it. This curse will definitely give you good karma and will return to you a thousand fold, which of all the curses in the world you will not definitely feel sorry for. I would definitely want to be cursed this way too. Go on do it!  

I curse you with abundance that's so full and bursting at the seams, it allows you to be generous, kind and caring to those around you in need. 

I curse you with a happiness so deep and profound, that you beam, shining like the sun everywhere you go. 

And for every person that lays eyes on your brilliance, I curse them to be inspired to live as fully as you are.

-  Angel Hilson, Electric Impulse -

Thank you, Angel Hilson for the ARC. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series and find out what else do you have that will surprise me. Hopefully, you'd be able to maintain the same engagement that had me hooked on the story. I hope you could maintain the same pace and keep that electric field and have your readers finish your stories in one sitting. Congratulations on Electric Impulse!

And yes, I like this cover better than the other one.

Pen and Xander by Laekam Zea Kemp | A Book Review

Hey, there. March is almost ending but I have yet to write my reviews. In fact, this is going to be my first one for the month. A lot has been going on and I have been going through a lot of crazy emotions and also not just from books but from what's been happening in my life. I hope everything turns out to be how I wish them to be. I'm still waiting and it's out of my control and the only thing I can do is pray. A little bit of crazy is good sometimes and it somehow made me feel how it is to be truly alive. I just hope things will turn in my favor. Aside from some sprinkle of craziness happening in my real life, that craziness has gotten to my bookworm life as well. I signed up to be listed in the bookbloggerlist.com and I just got accepted this month. To my utter surprise, I've been getting a lot of review requests from authors. I've been bombarded actually, which is really nice and good for my self-esteem. I know a need a lot of boost. Anyway, I can't find it to deny anyone, so I just accepted them but setting expectations that I may not be able to review their books within the next three months but I will try. So, the rest of the year has been spelled out for me. It's going to be fun getting to meet these new authors and be introduced to new worlds and characters. I just love being a bookworm! The free books are all I live for.

So, Pen and Xander. I got this one from Xpressobooktours.com. This site is one of my go to sites to get books for free. Giselle the owner of the site has a varied and interesting mix of books up for review. I usually check out her site if I feel like I need to find a hot new book. Pen and Xander is just one of the two that I signed up for. Then last February, the author herself reached out to me and asked me to review and do a post for her book. I don't know how she found me but she sent me a message through the contact us form of this blog. So long story short, I agreed to do a post for the giveaway blast and here comes the review.

I think I signed up for this book because of the title. Yes, titles always get to me. It's the first thing that I notice and then, that's when I read the blurbs. This one I think appealed to me because of food. There's a lot of food involved in this story and obviously, I love food. I call myself a frustrated chef. Not because I can't cook but because I'm a chef-in-progress. I would like to be a really good pastry chef without having to go to a cooking school or any formal training. So far, what I learned about cooking are from watching shows, practicing on recipes I got online, tips from friends and family. My father is a really good cook. I think I might have gotten from him the ability or skill (I'm not sure yet what to call it yet) to throw in whatever ingredients available in the pantry and make something. I'm proud to say, I have quite a few very creative and delicious adventures through that. And  basically, this story connected to that part of me, especially the part about wanting to be a pastry chef. Pastries are my weakness. A ketogenic diet would never work for me. I can't forgo pastries.

Pen and Xander are both children of immigrants. Penelope Prado loves to cook. Taking over her father's restaurant is all she ever wants in her life but her father doesn't want that. Pen could not understand why. She has done everything for the restaurant. The items she had put on the menu are bestsellers but her dad seems to not appreciate that. Xander is a teenager with a load of abandonment issues. He grew up with his grandpa and the memories of his mom and dad leaving him kept haunting him, even in his waking hours. It consumed his existence and is even the reason why he has strayed and got involved with really nasty people. His need for love and family has gotten him in really sticky situations that only few got out alive.

This is a very relatable story, for lack of a better word. I am not an immigrant but it speaks so much of the minority of the people in the US, especially the Latinos and Asians. If I were to migrate to the US, then I would be part of this minority and would definitely be part of the people in this story. So, it was so easy for me to get into their shoes and feel a connection to the characters. Pen is an exact example of what every daughter wants or longs for. A daughter who needs approval, a daughter who needs to be seen for what she can do and not for what she can't do. A person who longs to be seen as an adult and not some 6-year old who never grew up in front of her father's eyes. As it turned out, there was a reason why his dad didn't want her to take over the restaurant. But after finding out what it was, I think it was a valid reason in her father's perspective. He doesn't want that life for Pen but I think, Pen is a strong girl and is bound to be a very strong woman and adult. I think she has it in her to take on the cares, the demands and the responsibilities that came with the restaurant. I know Mr. Prado's denial of Pen's most dire wish sprung out of his great love for his daughter. But I think it was unfair of him to think that just because Pen is a girl, she would not be as strong as her brother to take on the heavy load of the restaurant. For me, not only sons can be Atlas. Daughters are Amazons and we can be anything we want to be. Our muscles may not be bigger and stronger but our hearts are and we work smarter too.

The story is a very genuine reflection of the life of some of immigrants in the US. How they survive each day in a neighborhood they try to call home. How everyday is a literal survival of the fittest and they live by each day's pay. This is a very touching glimpse of what a lot of us know but refuse to acknowledge. And how a lot of brave people like Mr. Prado have tried to do something in order to help the community. Yes, I didn't agree with Mr. Prado's decision to not let Pen take over the restaurant but Mr. Prado is every inch a very compassionate man. It's both his strength and his downfall. But I see it more of his strength. It is what makes him every bit a hero to the immigrant community in this story. I could never fault him there. 

Alejandro Amaro or Xander is a good kid who has gone astray but was fortunate enough to find angels like Officer Solis and Mr. Prado. Xander is hungry for love and attention from his parents who left him and sought it out somewhere and ended up finding it in the wrong place and in the wrong person. It took an Officer Solis to make hims see the truth and that he can live a different life. He deserves a second, third and every chance he's got because like everybody else he's a victim. Xander realized that  anyone can have a life and family that doesn't need him to prove his worth or do something to prove his loyalty in ways against his good nature. He was able to find people who were in the same dirt hole with him and have managed to change their lives. So, there's still hope for him.

Pen and Xander are two souls that needed each other. They are both imperfect people who needed each other to show that they are both strong on their own. I so love what Xander did for Pen. Yes, it is truly a grand and selfless gesture. He only wanted to show Pen how much he cares for her. Pen in turn did what she thinks could make Xander happy. His most ardent wish. Yes, a happy ending but it was even sweeter because of what each character had to go through. This isn't just some sweet and cute love story but a story of how a family had to stay together and survive the most trying of times. Even building their hopes and dreams back up from the ashes.

I just love the story. Everyone reading this story could find themselves either in Pen, Xander, Angel, or Mr. Prado. Each character could be any living person going through something right now. I could perfectly fit into Pen's apron. Just like every daughter wanting to be seen as someone capable and responsible. The reality is some parents refuse to accept that their children grow up and have to learn things on their own. They wanted to spare us from some things but then, they also deprive us of that opportunity to rise up and be the best of what we can be. We have to make our own decisions and the world now is far more different than what they have experienced. Things have changed and to keep up, we have to evolve too. How we see things and how we approach things are going to be a bit or if not totally different than how they were in their time. What's important is that our values don't change. 

I give the book 5/5 delectable and mouth-watering coconut cakes. Just like every triumph and success after every known hardship and experience, this story has all of that.  Including a mix of characters that add flavor and sweetness to it. This is a very relevant, touching, sweet and entertaining story that had squeezed and inflated my heart. Love in all its forms and that family, regardless of the fact that we share the same blood type or not, means loyalty and sometimes betraying yourself to do what's good for that family can be the best thing. 

That I could be easily manipulated into thinking that pain is some sick form of love.

The depression had wilted me like a hot flame over a flower, making me malleable, and while the medication the doctor prescribed reshaped the neurons in my brain, my father's fears reshaped the structure of my heart.

- Laekam Zea Kemp, Pen and Xander - 

Thank you again, xpressobooktours and Laekam Zea Kemp for the copy.

Sprite by Anna B. Madrise | A Book Review

The Holidays are coming and this book is just in time. This felt like a retelling of The Christmas Carol. Remember the story of Ebenezer Scrooge? This story reminded me of Scrooge but only with some twists that make this its own.

I got this from the author's giveaway on Instagram. Can you believe it? I won six paperbacks from the author. Yes, I felt so lucky. This is the third book of that 6-book prize. Thank you again, Anna B. Madrise.

Sprite, not the carbonated drink but a supernatural being. They are similar to fairies but a little bigger, more like a little child. Their most distinguishing feature is the ability to command snow or shower snowflakes. This supernatural creature is one of the major player in this story. Sprite, which is also her name is tasked to change Blaine Frost into a compassionate, giving, courageous and joyful person. Blaine's motivation is to be able to keep the love of his life--Noel.

Like the very popular Christmas story of Scrooge, Blaine's story also started on the eve of Christmas day. He was driving home with Noel on a snowy night when he lost control of his car because he drunk. Blaine woke up to an unconscious Noel on the passenger side and the appearance of a child-like character with white hair and pink lips sitting on his hood. The said character gave her an assignment to perform so he could have Noel back. Failure to do acts of compassion, charity, courage and joy in seven days will lose him Noel for good. 

This is a very modern twist to the classic Christmas story of all time. Blaine represents the modern-day Scrooge but with more good looks and a very nice girlfriend. Blaine is a workaholic and a person who never thought about anyone else but himself. He grew up in a family who never thought about money because it was never lacking. His only redeeming quality is he loves his girlfriend which makes him an upgraded version of Scrooge. At least Blaine is capable of loving someone other than himself.

The story ended with Blaine being able to perform all virtues required by Sprite. He got Noel back and got more friends who became like family to him because of his change of heart. A happy ending. Great! But what I really liked about the story is how it emphasized paying attention to our surroundings. Blaine, if you really look at him, is not a bad person. He never hurt anyone intentionally but he also never cared about anybody else's business. I think his faults were in his omissions. He did not care about his employees spending more hours at work thereby, missing out on family events. He never cared about the homeless person which turned out to be someone he knew in high school. All these minor details added up have major effects in other people's lives. How many of us are just like Blaine? We are all guilty. What I love about this story is it is so unassuming. It even comes as a cute and funny tale because of Sprite's character but it also poses a very heavy reminder of the very small things we try to not see. The things that we refuse to look and turn our heads away because it has no bearing to us in any way. 

I give this book 4/5 snowflakes. Though the story is done in a light way, with Sprite's character who is very playful, it holds a very important and relevant lesson. It reminds us all of doing a random act of kindness everyday. Just because we are so busy with our lives and our own problems, doesn't mean it gives us the license to forget about the rest of the world. A little random act of kindness goes a long way and this was what really hit me in this story. Though, in here, all the acts done by Blaine were not totally done to strangers, the meaning and essence is still the same. If you can't be compassionate and giving to the people you know, how much more to those who aren't? This book is really in time for the holidays but kindness should be practiced all the days of the year. Kindness is not only done during Christmas. It should be given any day. And let's not forget about love. After all, it was Blaine's love that moved him to be a better man.

Being homeless doesn't just strip somebody of the basic necessities, like shelter and food, it also strips away one's dignity. Somehow, maybe not monetarily, but somehow, I will pay you back for your help. Give me that-- my dignity, my self-worth.

- Anna B. Madrise, Sprite - 

Sweet Sacrifice (The Soul Mate Tree) by L. D. Rose | ARC | A Book Review

I read this last month. I have been unable to post any reviews for the past two weeks because I was feeling so down. To be honest, I have been feeling out of sorts for quite a while, I think, maybe for years. I just didn't realize it. It slowly built up through the years, slowly creeping on me. This same emotion is just very relevant to this story. Not that someone very close died. I just feel so broken.

The story...After reviewing two of the author's books, she asked me if I wanted to read another one of her stories. When she mentioned angels, I readily agreed.

Irene, is still mourning her husband's death after two years. Former Navy Seal Sebastian Lockhard died in Afghanistan when he leaped onto a grenade to save his comrades. To Irene, the lost and grief are still very alive and fresh. It seemed like it was just yesterday. The pain, sorrow and emptiness are still excruciatingly oozing out of her. It seemed like it will never end. Until, Bash suddenly appears to her. Has she truly gone mad with grief that her mind has finally reach its breaking point?

This is a story of angels, guardian angels, of archangels and the unending war between good and evil. This is also a story of undying love. Love that encompasses death. I love stories about angels. I have always been fascinated by these heavenly beings. I believe in guardian angels. I think there had been a lot of times where I truly felt that I have been under the protection of these beings. They have always been a very curious subject for me. Way back in college, I remember borrowing a few books about them and collecting those cute angel figurines. I even named one of my nephews, Uriel, from one of the archangels.

The story centers on Bash and Irene-- on Bash's life after death. How he came to become one of the archangels and his assignment as a soldier for heaven. His selfless sacrifice as a soldier earned him the honor to become one of God's elite army to maintain balance between good and evil. Bash gladly accepted the new life given to him but he still can't forget the love of his life. His undying love for his wife proved to be a more powerful force than any he has to face. Seeing his wife still tormented by his sudden death is crushing his heart to pieces. He just can't continue to stand and just watch his wife slowly and painstakingly consumed by grief and slowly losing her ardor for life.

The story is very heartbreaking but it ended with redemption and undying love. This story proved that love still rules above everything else. It also speaks of second chances. A chance to continue the life of service to humanity again and a chance to be with the person you love. The story posed a choice between these two things. In the end, love for that other person, the other half of your life, far exceeds the love for service and other things. I love how the story ended and what Bash chose. After all, isn't it what God's love is--unconditional love?

I give this book 4/5 pairs of angel's wings. The story is overflowing with raw and painful emotions. It's as if, I too felt the deep and the harrowing grief and loss that Irene felt. I can feel Bash's longing for Irene. Bash's confusion and doubt over choosing between being God's soldier or to reunite with the love of his life. It is indeed a sweet sacrifice to give up everything, just to be with the person who means more than life, itself.

Like a runaway train without brakes, Irene raced along the tracks of life on the verge of derailment. All she needed was the right push and it was all over.

- L. D. Rose, Sweet Sacrifice - 

Thank you, L. D. Rose for the ARC.

Other books by the same author:
Releasing the Demons (Order of the Senary #1)

Black Bullet (Order of the Senary #2)   

Where Jasmine Blooms by Holly S. Warah | A Book Review

I felt like such a slacker knowing that to date, I have only posted two reviews for this month. I have a lot of catching up to do. I have a lot of reviews to write. As I have mentioned in one of my posts, I was in another city for the past seven weeks trying to find opportunities but unfortunately, it was not enough time. I have exhausted my funds. I don't want to call it a failed undertaking because I have learned a lot about myself from my experiences there. I am very thankful for the kindness of new-found friends for all their help. I have now become so familiar with the feeling of being shown so much kindness that I can't help but feel like I'm dying. Yes, you can kill people with kindness. I have been in the receiving end and I attest to the truth of this saying. It's a feeling of being thankful at the same time embarrassed at being given so much kindness that you felt like you don't deserve any of it. So, to all those people, thank you so much. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and I am not sure how I will ever repay all of you. I am humbled.

I love stories that span cultures, traditions and even religions beliefs. I am hungry for stories about other cultures, especially those that are often viewed as radicals like people born in the Middle East, etc. I think those people have a lot of stories to tell but they just don't get a lot of chance to tell them to the world. This story is a great example. This is a story of three women. Three women of diverse culture, origin and beliefs. These three were forced to deal with each one's eccentricities and learned to live with each other because they were bound by love, family and marriage. In the end, they all wanted the same things in life, in spite of their differences. This is a very touching story of Arab people who were originally from Palestine. How they came to the US and live a new life knowing they have family left in the war-torn confines of Jordan.

It was my first time to read a story where some of the characters where from Palestine. It was refreshing and a learning experience to be able to understand their experiences living or being caught in the cross-fire between two opposing countries, both in ideology and in their fight in protecting their territories. It was a sad plight, knowing they can't even visit the places where they used to frequent as a child. It was heartbreaking to hear that these people are depending on the government for their daily sustenance because there are very few or no jobs that they could find because of the turmoil their land is going through. I sympathize with them. We often hear of news about Israel but we seldom hear information about the plight of the other side of the conflict. This is an eye-opener for me. Both sides had their own casualties and difficulties because of this age-old conflict. The people who are mostly affected are the ordinary citizens trying to survive. I hope this conflict ends before generations are lost and the hatred gets passed on to the next generation who will inherit these lands. That is if there will be anyone left. God forbid.

This story also delved into the intricacies of the Muslim religion. The traditions and celebrations of Muslims have to fulfill in order to keep their faith. The prayers, the celebration of Ramadan, how marriages are done, etc. It's a peek into the life of those non-Muslims who married into the Muslim community, whether they converted or not. 

I was fascinated with this story, because it brought me to new places and let me witness new experiences. Yes, this story strengthened my dream to one day visit the Holy Land. Part of the pilgrimage will take me into some of the places mentioned in this story that Palestinians are no longer able to visit freely. Only tourists are given the privilege. Someday, when I will finally have the opportunity to walk in the streets of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, I will remember the fascinating characters of this story which will just make the trip even more memorable for me.

I give this story 4/5 Muslim prayer mats. This story reminds me of the stories written by Khaleed Hosseini. This story resonates with the same theme of love and family. And just like the rest of us, Palestinians have the same hopes, wishes and dreams. We may have different beliefs and cultures but we all strive for one goal and that is to have a better life for our family. And like the three women in this story--Zainab, Margaret and Alison Mansour, we only wants what's best for the people we love. Wherever the jasmine blooms is where her roots find nourishment to grow and nourish. This is the story of all Muslim US immigrants. Just like the jasmine and Zainab, wherever you are in the world, no matter how far or remote you are from the land of your birth, as long as you have your family near, it will always feel like home. Yes, home is where the heart is. It's not necessarily anchored to a specific physical place.

 

Would she ever live in the one place she truly belonged? Or would she only be a visitor, a traveler carrying her homeland around in her heart?

- Holly S. Warah, Where the Jasmine Blooms -

Thank you again, Netgalley for the review copy.