Review: Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl and April Henry

Around March, I wanted to try something new. I signed up at Booksneeze as part of their book review bloggers program. I picked a novel that I don't usually read. A mystery novel. And I've received a copy of Hand of Fate for free, with the understanding that I am to review the book based on my opinion and reaction. I'm disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Summary:

Hand of Fate is a murder mystery that revolves around the death of Jim Fate, an outspoken radio host with a mouth that drips poison and annoys and infuriates lots of people every single day of his life. Nicole, Allison and Cassidy search for justice in a world where words are sharpened by hidden agendas and thrown like weapons. Intentions are weaved into a tapestry of truths and lies that cover the identity of the killer. Will they manage to find out who the killer is, when the line of suspects seems never-ending?


My Thoughts:

Being a girl who loved watching CSI and Bones, I found this extremely interesting. It had me flipping the pages madly.
Jim Fate had grown to have lots of enemies in the past years. I’ve learned to hate him for his harsh words. But at the same time, I pitied him for his death. No one deserved to die just because of something spoken in the air, something done to earn a living.

The women of the Triple Threat Club were all well developed. They weren’t just people who solved the crime. I loved that the readers got see into their lives and discover what’s going on in a deeper level.

I found the faith in God really inspiring. This wasn’t the kind of novel that pushed readers to believe. There was scepticism within the lines. In the end, it proved to be a great source of hope and strength.

Rating:

Crescendo Cover Reveal

Yeah, I know, I know. You've heard. But I just can't help it.

And I hate the fact that I passed out while I was watching the video.

Oh, the complications of living halfway across the world.

The chalk artist did a nice job! Really!

Right now, I'm thinking that Crescendo will be one of the best YA covers

for the year 2010. Just look at that. And that right there is just the copy of the real one.

Let me present the 'real' cover with Nora in it:

I love the 'rain effect.' It makes it look more dramatic, more intense. And the position of the girl, with the head tilted to the side, looking for someone (or looking for Patch) is just great. The light of the lightning touching a side of her body...and the feather. Nice touch. :)

Can't wait until November!

Princess Bookie Contest Craze

  Princess Bookie is having a contest craze at her blog. Tons of contests for everyone - some open for US, some for international readers.   Some of the books up for grabs:  

 

Heavenly Saturday (7)

*photo credit to Luce

Heavenly Saturday is a new meme hosted by Precious (me) from Fragments of Life, which features verses from the Bible that can spark inspirations within our lives. Personally, I have experienced God in my life and I can attest to the fact that He is 'real.' If He isn't, I don't think I'll be where I am right now.

Be content with what you have, for God has said,

"Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you."

So say with confidence,

"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid."

- Hebrews 13:5,6

Angelic Friday: The Fallen 1: The Fallen & Leviathan by Thomas Sniegoski

Angelic Friday is a new Meme started by me, that features books that explore the lives of angels, nephilims and fallen angels.

Angelic Friday is back for this week. I'm really finding it difficult to look for angel books nowadays. Last weekend, I watched a marathon of the movie version of Fallen, in which Paul Wesley aka the Stefan Salvatore in the Vampire Diaries TV series, played the role of Aaron, the main character of Fallen. I was glad that I got to watch the movie before I read the book, and not the other way around. Or else I would've been disappointed. The Fallen - the book - was so much more.

Book Description (from the back of the book):

THE ULTIMATE QUEST FOR REDEMPTION
On his eighteenth birthday, Aaron begins to hear strange voices and is convinced he is going insane. But having moved from foster home to foster home, Aaron doesn't know whom he can trust. He wants to confide in the cute girl from class, but fears she'll confirm he's crazy.

Then a mysterious man begins following Aaron. He knows about Aaron's troubled past and his new powers. And he has a message for Aaron: As the son of a mortal and an angel, Aaron has been chosen to redeem the Fallen.

Aaron tries to dismiss the news and resists his supernatural abilities. But he must accept his newfound heritage -- and quickly. For the dark powers are gaining strength, and are hell-bent on destroying him....

My Thoughts:

Upon reading this book, I had this expectation that it would be almost the same as the movie that I *loved*. And as I tore through the pages, reading on and on, I found out that there were chunks of it that wasn't in the movie. The book exceeded my expectations.

Aaron's character was just so real. He didn't jump into the 'i'm-powerful-phase.' He restrained himself, rooted for something that he had wanted all his life: to have a loving family and to graduate high school with flying colors, get into a good college and land an awesome job. Being a foster kid made him more appreciative, more sensitive to the things around him. It was something that I appreciated, him choosing his family over power.

Sniegoski takes readers into the world of ancient missions and lets them witness a different face of ethereal beings. The Powers, a group of angels who are ever so determined to fulfill their mission in wiping out all abominations here in Earth, isn't what I expected them to be. They were so sure and at times, smug of their superiority over man. They even labelled man as 'animals' and treated humans with an intense cruelty that I never expected. I've learned to hate them. I've learned to worry and feel pity over their victims - harmless humans, their fallen brethren and nephilims, abominations by nature but are also still half-human, half of God's most-prized creation.

I really enjoyed this book. Sometimes when I'm busy, I'd open the book, try to read a few lines and get myself instantly hooked. I even forgot to email someone back because of this and I was typing the said email at the moment. That's how Fallen captured my attention. This action-packed novel satisfied me. Finally, an angel book with mystery and action. The idea of the prophecy was brilliant. It was great how Sniegoski was able to connect all these little occurrences together and make them appear as a part of a bigger plan that's supposedly made by the Creator. The second part of the book - Leviathan - shocked me. There were things that I certainly didn't see coming. As the tension built up, I found myself lost in Aaron's world and unable to pull out of it until I found out what's really happening to the people in Blithe, a seemingly peaceful town with secrets. Secrets that are connected to an ancient evil lurking in the darkness and of course, to Aaron's nightmares and to the sword of great light that mysteriously and unexpectedly manifested in his hand.

And I really really loved Gabriel, Aaron's yellow Labrador and bestfriend. I found his lines very interesting and humorous. After coming back to life as something more than a simple dog, he accompanied Aaron in his journey and made things more easier, happier in a doggy way.

Rating:

Photos from the movie taken from http://paul-wesley.com/

Book Blogger Hop (3)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event that lets bloggers and readers find new blogs to read and follow! This is wonderful opportunity for new bloggers, like me, not only to gain readers that are interested in the books that I review, but also to discover other amazing book blogs out there! Further more, it's a great way to connect with other people who have the same interests as I do. Head to Crazy-for-Books to participate.

And I'm looking forward to meeting you guys!
If it so happens that you stumble upon my humble blog, leave a message here so I can look through yours!

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend Giveaway

Book Description from Emily Horner's Blog: 

For months, Cass Meyer has heard her best friend Julia, a wannabe Broadway composer, whispering about a top-secret project. Then Julia is killed in a sudden car accident, and while Cass is still reeling from her death, Julia’s boyfriend and her other drama friends make it their mission to bring to fruition the nearly-completed secret project: a musical about an orphaned ninja princess entitled Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad.

Cass isn’t one of the drama people. She doesn’t feel at home with Julia’s drama friends, and she doesn’t see a place for her in the play. Things only get worse when she finds out that Heather Galloway, the girl who made her miserable all through middle school, has been cast as the ninja princess.

Cass can’t take a summer of swallowing her pride and painting sets, so she decides to follow her original plan for a cross-country road trip with Julia. Even if she has a touring bicycle instead of a driver’s license, and even if Julia’s ashes are coming along in Tupperware.

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend is a story about friendship. About love. About traveling a thousand miles just to find yourself. About making peace with the past, and making sense of it. And it’s a story about the bloodiest high school musical one quiet suburb has ever seen.

Emily Horner is giving us a chance to win one of 3 ARCs of this wonderful wonderful novel while she's in Japan. Click here to join. Goodluck!