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Rediscovering Jude Deveraux

I first started reading Jude Deveraux's books in 7th grade. I used to ride home on a bus service, and one of the girls who was with me there devoured her works. Nearly every other day I'd see her with a new book. Curiosity got the best of me, so I borrowed one. I think it was "The Conquest". I fell in love with the fierce warrior yet refined gentleman Tearle, and how he earned the love and respect of his lady love.

I stopped reading Jude Deveraux after I read her trilogy of books, "Forever", "Always" and "Always and Forever". While she has tackled the supernatural in her works before, somehow these three felt a little off for me, compared to her previous works. While it still featured a character from her Taggert and Montgomery series, it didn't endear itself to me like it did in her previous stories. Since the publishing of these books, I haven't picked up her work.

Early this week, I was browsing for something to read when I came across some books from her Edilean series, particularly the trilogy of "Moonlight in the Morning", "Stranger in the Moonlight" and "Moonlight Masquerade". I liked the premise of the stories, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Reading "Moonlight in the Morning" made me remember why I loved Jude Deveraux all those years ago. The sweet yet protective hero? Check. The stubborn, independent yet romantic woman with hidden talents brought out by the right circumstances? Check. The friends and family and small town shenanigans that round up the story? Got it. This book has all the elements that made me fall in love with the Montgomeries and Taggerts all those years ago, and this time, it's with a new clan altogether.

I look forward to the rest of the series, and I think I will dive into the other books in the Edilean series.

Love, Laughter and Lucky Marbles by Kate Hewitt


Nothing makes for a good read quite like a romance novel. The guaranteed happy-ever-after is bound to uplift any woman's mood after reading it.

I came across Kate Hewitt's anthology of short romantic stories "Love, Laughter and Lucky Marbles" while browsing the shelves for something good to read. Here's what the blurb says about it:

A lucky marble... a red clown nose... a fish shop... a trip to A&E. Sometimes love is found in the most unlikely ways and places! Enjoy this collection of ten short stories celebrating the funny side of falling in love. All stories have been previously published in various magazines around the world, and are written by USA Today bestselling author Kate Hewitt.

Each story can't be more than a thousand words, and after finishing the first one, I couldn't help but be reminded of George Asakura's "A Perfect Day for Love Letters". While a manga, it also evokes the lighthearted feel of finding love and falling for that special someone.

The stories in Kate Hewitt's anthology are quick-paced and light, perfect for a pick-me-up at the end of a grueling day. Most romance novels run for longer, presenting the reader with everything from the meeting, a conflict, some other scenes and the eventual ending up together.

"Love, Laughter and Lucky Marbles" focuses mostly on the discovery of love and dispenses with most of the other elements in a typical romance novel. It may not be as exciting as lengthier novels, but it still is fun to read. There are ten stories in all, and I'm hard-pressed to point out which one is my favorite. I had fun reading all of them, and wouldn't think twice of re-reading them on another day.

Bella Andre: The Sullivans

I came across Bella Andre's books by accident. I was actually looking for Jaci Burton books over on Goodreads when I read a comment where someone suggested checking out Bella Andre's series, The Sullivans.

The Sullivans is about a family of eight siblings: Marcus, Smith, Chase, Gabe, Ryan, Zach, Lori and Sophie. Each book tells about each sibling's journey to finding true love.

From left: Chase, Marcus, Gabe, Sophie and Zach's stories

I've always enjoyed books that had families or connecting stories, which was what drew me to this series in the first place. Currently, there are five books out (Chase, Marcus, Gabe, Sophie and Zach).

What I like about each book is that it gives an insight to the personality of each character, both the Sullivan sibling and their partner. Their situation is believable, if sometimes a little unusual. Bella Andre writes their stories that make it appealing and endears each character to the reader.

The Sullivans as a family draws the reader in as well. It's not hard to imagine such a boisterous and close-knit family, and I don't blame you if you want to be part of a family like that. The men seem larger than life, and so far from what I've read, I like Zach and Gabe the best.

I'm already taken by the rest of the Sullivan siblings and look forward to reading the next books in these series. Note that these books contain really steamy love scenes, but even without them, the books are an entertaining read.

If you want to give Bella Andre's books a try, her story "Love Me" is free for download via the Amazon website. Even if you don't have a Kindle device, you can still read it. Enjoy!

BTT: Replay

This week's Booking Through Thursday question is:



Have you ever finished a book and loved it so much you went right back and started re-reading it again?
Oh definitely! When I find a book that I particularly enjoyed reading, I'd read that book again and again. Sometimes to a point where I unwittingly memorized passages, or if someone asks something about the book, I'd say that it can be found in chapter so and so.

Here are some of the books I've read and reread:
  • Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones 
  • Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts 
  • The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder 
  • All of the Harry Potter books, particularly The Half-Blood Prince and The Deathly Hallows. I've even memorized the opening paragraphs of chapter six of the Deathly Hallows because I listened to it when trying to go to sleep.
  • The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
  • The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
I realize my books seem a bit pedestrian, but hey, I don't judge a book by its cover. :) What are your replays?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 trailer

In the news today: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 trailer is released. Fans (myself included) are going crazy with excitement.



I got chills watching this. I'm all excited for July 15, but I'm also sad that it's going to end. It's one thing for the books to end, which didn't really feel like it because you had the movies to look forward to. But with this final installment coming closer, it truly feels like it's the end.

The Harry Potter series is not the best I've read. But it's epic. Truly, truly epic. While I was no longer a child when I read it, I was still young enough to love it. Thank you Jo. Thank you Dan, Rupert, Emma and everyone who made the movie possible. It was an amazing ride.

BTT: Visual

This week's question from Booking Through Thursday:

So … the books that you own (however many there may be) … do you display them proudly right there in plain sight for all the world to see? (At least the world that comes into your living room.)

Or do you keep them tucked away in your office or bedroom or library or closet or someplace less “public?”

I intentionally keep my book in my room. Mostly because there isn't any space outside of it where I can put them. Plus, I'm a bit possessive about them. I rarely let people borrow my books because I have this feeling they won't take care of it as well as I do. I guess that's a factor why my books are usually in my room.

Rest in peace, Diana Wynne Jones

Diana Wynne Jones, author of "Howl's Moving Castle", The Chrestomanci Chronicles and the Dark Lord of Derkholm, has passed away today, March 26, 2011. She was 76 years old.

Jones was diagnosed with lung cancer in the summer of 2009. She underwent surgery in July and told her friends that it had been successful. In June 2010 she stopped chemotherapy saying that it only made her feel "very ill".

Jones, aside from the books mentioned earlier, has penned several stories that have become favorites all over the world. "Howl's Moving Castle" was adapted into an animated film by acclaimed Japanese director, Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. She enjoys a friendship with popular author, Neil Gaiman, to whom she dedicated her book "Hexwood" to.

Our prayers and thoughts go out to Ms. Jones' family and friends. Even though we haven't met her, we feel a kinship to her through her books. Your words and worlds will live on. Rest in peace.

Dana Marie Bell: Paranormal romance author

I recently discovered Dana Marie Bell, a paranormal erotic romance writer. I'm not much a fan of paranormal books, even though I read Sherrilyn Kenyon and Nora Roberts. However, I liked the premise of "Cat of a Different Color" when I first read it, so I decided to give the book a try.

After reading it, I got interested in the other books of the series and decided to get them as well. I didn't expect to like the Halle Puma series, but I did.

The Halle Puma series is about the Pride of a town called Halle. Half of it's residents are weres, or shifters. In this world, weres live alongside humans, much as wizards and witches live alongside humans like in Harry Potter. And like in HP, their existence is not known to humans.

It's also interesting to see an established hierarchy within the Pride, as it is with the other groups --- the wolves, coyotes, foxes and the bears, although the foxes and bears are mostly by groups of families rather than community.

Big communities are headed by the Alpha. The second-in-command is the Beta. In charge of the physical well-being of the group is the Marshall and his second. Last of the hierarchy is the Omega, who connects emotionally with the members of the community. Shifters mate, and while it the mate for a lifetime, some shifters can have two mates. With the Puma, the Alpha's mate is called "Curana", while wolves call her "Luna".

I'm a fan of series. I like reading books that have connections, especially if I meet a character in one book that catches my interest. The Halle Puma series is just that, running five books and even having a spin-off of another series. I love the dynamics of the group, how they treat each other with respect and can joke around without offending one another. Dana Marie Bell's writing is also fluid and realistic, it's not hard to imagine how the characters would be in real life. I do get overwhelmed by the dialogue sometimes, like I'm not sure who's talking and what they are talking about, but that's pretty few in between scenes, as they're mostly fast paced.



I just finished the first of her Heart's Desire series, "Shadow of the Wolf". I hope she continues with the series. I can't wait to read more about the Beckett brothers. I'm also looking forward to the rest of the Halle Shifters series. For more information about her books, you can check out her website and her blog.

Once Upon A Time series

One of my more recent trips to the used bookstore chain I often go to netted me a several short novels that are targeted to teens and young adults and is published by Simon Pulse, the teen imprint of Simon & Schuster.

It belongs to a series called "Once Upon A Time" and it features adaptations of well-loved and known fairy tale classics.

The books I got are the following: Scarlet Moon by Debbie Viguié, Golden by Cameron Dokey (Rapunzel), Water Song by Suzanne Weyn, (The Frog Prince) and The Night Dance by Suzanne Weyn (The Twelve Dancing Princesses).


I've enjoyed all of them so far. The way the authors take on these fairy tales and make them their own makes for a delightful read.

Neil Gaiman in Manila

Neil Gaiman, award-winning and best selling author of "Sandman," "Coraline," "The Graveyard Book" and "Stardust," was in Manila last March 17 and 18 for the 3rd Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards. Fans flocked to Rockwell Tent for the awarding ceremonies, then again the next day for an autograph signing event.

Neil himself writes about his experience in his blog. It's his third trip to Manila since 2005, and it seems that he enjoyed it as much as he did the first time.

Congratulations to the winners of the 3rd Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards, as well as to the winners of the Revelations art contest and the various raffle draws.

Here are some pictures and videos (to follow) of those two days from fans.



Contest: Win prizes worth hundreds of dollars from Mukhang Pera

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Manga: Saint Young Men

Originally posted at Mangabullet

I had heard of the manga "Saint Young Men" from my friend Yvie, as well as via the feeds of Anime News Network. I normally don't read or watch stuff that has something to do with religion (mostly because I find it boring) but I decided to give this a go.

"Saint Young Men" is about Jesus and Buddha taking a vacation from their "jobs" and decided to spend it in Japan. They share an apartment and go about their days living like ordinary young men (though in many cases, they retain their powers).

The manga doesn't tackle religious issues (which would definitely spark some controversy), nor does it try to say anything about either religion. If you remember Joan Osborne's song "What if God was one of us?" this manga goes along that line.

It's full of one liners, funny quips and random moments that you can't help but laugh out loud at. Think of this: Jesus is a popular blogger who reviews TV dramas, Buddha wants to be a mangaka, and both of them wish that people would depict them a little more positively than how they do now.

I take this with a grain of salt and just enjoy it.

Season's Greetings!

Merry Christmas everyone!

I got two new books to read: "Wicked" by Gregory McGuire and "Odd and the Frost Giants" by Neil Gaiman. Hope you have a fresh stack of "to-be-read" books too!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows screen caps

Two images from the upcoming "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" has been released over at Yahoo! UK.

My guess is that both scenes are from the part where the trio escapes the Death Eaters during Bill and Fleur's wedding, then flee to Grimmuald Place.



I'm obviously a big fan of the series. I can't wait for this!

Updated book list

Hi folks. I have a stack of books that I had finished reading the past few weeks. I haven't had time to write about them yet, mostly because writing about a book I've read aside from the "It was good" or "It was bad" is something that I rarely do.

Anyway, here's a list of the books I've finished. Hopefully I could post at least once a week about these.

By Diana Wynne Jones
The Merlin Conspiracy
Conrad's Fate
The House of Many Ways

By Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters
Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse
Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth
Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian

By Dan Brown
The Lost Symbol

My thoughts: After Dark by Haruki Murakami


Though a popular writer, this is the first time I have read Murakami's work. When it comes to Japanese literature, my education is limited to manga adaptations. I am often of the impression that many such writing is lost in translation, especially given the nuances of each language.

Reading "After Dark" was, for me, similar to reading a manga that's a bit dark and melodramatic (a story from George Asakura's "A Perfect Day for Love Letters" comes to mind), or watching an anime like "Perfect Blue."

The story occurs at times between night and dawn, from sometime before midnight to just before 5 am. In between those times, so many things happen, intertwining the lives of the various characters of the story. Due to the "real time" treatment of the story (think of something like 24), where the events happen in a specific time, the reader becomes a part of the story, even if just as an observer.

Though I am far from impressed, I am intrigued. "After Dark" may not be a favorite of mine, but it's enough for me to want to pick up Murakami's other works.

Manga: A Perfect Day for Love Letters 1 & 2

I rarely buy manga. During the years when I first wanted to buy them, a graphic novel can cost up to Php1000, and a single issue costs Php120 to 150. The English translated manga market was cornered mainly by Viz Comics and Dark Horse Publishing, with Mixx Entertainment coming in during the late 90s. Publishers nowadays, like DelRay, are releasing them the same way its released in Japan, tankōbon, or pocket sized compilation manga printed in newsprint paper, which costs less.


I came upon A Perfect Day for Love Letters by accident. It was the only manga in the bookstore that didn't seem to run for volumes. In the end, I got both of them (and at Php10 less per volume, it wasn't so bad).



Each volume is composed of five to six short stories revolving around a relationship that is often sparked by a letter, while in some cases it is sustained by that. With the exception of one story (which seems to be more about a boy getting to understand his late brother by spending time with the latter's lover), everything is about a guy and a girl and their relationship.

Many of the stories evoke a feeling of nostalgia, as they are about first love. But the relationships go deeper than that. Quite a few of the stories have the characters communicate solely through letters, and interacting only at the end of it. Yet some of the stories involve just one letter, while two stories have the characters exchange letters digitally.

It is also endearing to read about young men who can pour their feelings though old fashioned letters. With all the guy friends I've had over the years, only a handful willingly write me letters. But whenever I receive any, it is a wonderful feeling.

DelRay includes some notes and explanations at the end of each volume, which is rather handy for first time manga readers. As American culture is remarkably different from Japanese culture, some comments, instances, words and customs need to clarified to avoid confusion. Even the honorifics used by the Japanese (although absent from the translation) were explained.

Mind you, this a work of fiction, but the feelings these stories invoke are all too real for anyone who has gone through the joy (and pains, of course) of liking someone. The kilig factor definitely there, and for a hopeless romantic like me, this is a light but fun read.


Originally published in my Multiply account.


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