november book challenge

this month was a bit light for me so i was able to spend some time to read.

82. jen calonita - on location
4 stars. nice story though a bit predictable. just love kristin and austin together. this should be made into a tv movie or disney series. better than hannah montana and miley cyrus' bad acting.

83. joanne rock - getting lucky
4 stars - i think the author got her idea from jerry maguire and just added a little ghost whisperer twist. but it was a fun and quick read with some action in the end.

84. kristin hardy - the boss's proposal
4 stars - i've read her previous novels and this one does not disappoint. a simple love-hate romance that just makes you root for them to get together in the end.

85. kody keplinger - the duff
4 1/2 stars - at first, i wasn't exactly sure why wesley called bianca the duff, but i think in the end it's just a way for him to get her to notice him. though i didnt like that bianca was having sex and using wesley for sex at such a young age and to escape, i thought it was well made and realistic. im glad that they did end up together. that goes to show that sometimes, even the good looking people are wrongly stereotyped as arrogant airheads.

86. simone elkeles - perfect chemistry
4 1/2 stars - this reminded me a bit of a teenage version of west side story but with a happy ending. a bit too perfect though with the epilogue which i thought was unnecessary. it would have been nicer if she left room for a sequel or like a "who knows whats going to happen in the future but lets take it one step at a time". but otherwise, a really solid novel.

87. nancy warren - power play
4 stars - after having a hard time reading robin kaye's romeo, romeo (the story was okay but a bit dragging - i think i dont like stories about new york italians), this book was quite refreshing and i finished the book in a couple of hours. story was the usual but i wished the author gave emily the chance to say no to her family for once and for her family to understand that just because she's single does not mean she gets to do all the errands (no, im not bitter, haha).

88. sarah mayberry - take on me
4 1/2 stars - ive read a lot of sarah mayberry and so far, i've only been disappointed once (below the belt). this novel is fun and easy to read. i dont know why i love romance where the guy and girl keeps fighting. i guess it's better than the boring, everything's too perfect kind of relationship (i mean, who has that anyway in real life right?).

89. jill shalvis - slow heat
4 1/2 stars. arrogant too handsome jock meets sexy publicist. love the sizzling romance even if the story's unoriginal. can't wait to read the next in the series!

90. toni blake - sugar creek
4 1/2 stars. part 2 of the destiny series. this time it's rachel and mike romo. small town sheriffs just sounds so hot! i wonder if it's true though (i mean, if you go to small town usa). tessa is next and i think she's going to be paired with mike's brother lucky. too bad, i was actually hoping for adam becker's story. and how about amy? i think amy will end up with logan in the end!

91. susan mallery - ultimate millionaire
4 stars. i just love millionaires and the pretty ladies who can bring them on their knees. fast paced romance but still showed how their relationship grew from friendship to love. im also curious about the other 2 sisters' stories so i'll be searching for the other books. the only letdown of this book is the TMI discussion of the sister's sex lives! it's so kiss and tell. i wish marina had left some parts to herself and todd. oh and ew.. i just saw the cover of "todd" and so not what i had imagined!

92. melissa dela cruz - keys to the repository
4 stars - this is a companion book for the blue bloods series. this book helped me a lot in understanding the remembering who is who and some of the back stories of what happened before. im impressed that melissa can come up with her own new world! i hope this series also gets a tv series or a movie. i think her stories are deeper than the twilight saga. i wonder who will be casted as sky and jack if this happens?

eight books to go! i think i will be able to reach my 100 goal! yay!

bali offsite

i was in bali last nov 2-5 for our company apac offsite. it was nice finally meeting everyone from the team. we were a group of 78 auditors. the first day was a bit serious where we had some workshops and presentations but the second day was just a whole of team building activity.

i wasn't able to go around bali coz we were mostly stuck inside the hotel and barely had the chance to have a free time. so i was only able to take pics around the hotel and beach front on my last day.

here are some of the pics of the pool, the wedding chapel and the beach. so funny that my dress looked like the towels!! haha! and it was so hot, i could barely open my eyes (forgot to wear my shades).


maybe we'll have another offsite next year *fingers crossed*

NKOTBSB !

this was my teenage dream so many years ago... nkotb + bsb together singing their hits!

their voices started shaky during the early part of the performance but then they got better until the end! love the reaction of the crowd (though i wished they showed more celebs rocking to their song than the fillers) -- i did read somewhere that since this was the finale, most of the stars have left. i think between the two groups, nkotb did better.. still love jordan knight! he's still as hot as ever, and still has that great voice! i did cringe a bit though as i remember that these men are already in their late 30s to early 40s dancing and singing teenybopper stuff. and i wish kevin was there for this performance - he was my fave bsb! i think tonight, they showed the people how to sing and dance live and that these two groups are the best boyband ever!

okay. enough fangirling and back to reality.

big bang theory

after watching season 1 of the big bang theory, i finally realised that i'm not that nerdy because i can't understand most of the technical jargon they discuss during the show but i'm still geeky enough that i can understand and laugh at their jokes and actually somehow relate to their unsocial and uncool behavior.

i think it would be funny having these 4 nerds as your neighbors. very entertaining.

oh, and i love the theme song from The Barenaked Ladies:

Our whole universe was in a hot dense state,

Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started. Wait...
The Earth began to cool,
The autotrophs began to drool,
Neanderthals developed tools,
We built a wall (we built the pyramids),
Math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries,
That all started with the big bang!

"Since the dawn of man" is really not that long,
As every galaxy was formed in less time than it takes to sing this song.
A fraction of a second and the elements were made.
The bipeds stood up straight,
The dinosaurs all met their fate,
They tried to leap but they were late
And they all died (they froze their asses off)
The oceans and pangea
See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya
Set in motion by the same big bang!

It all started with the big BANG!
It's expanding ever outward but one day
It will cause the stars to go the other way,
Collapsing ever inward, we won't be here, it wont be hurt
Our best and brightest figure that it'll make an even bigger bang!

Australopithecus would really have been sick of us
Debating out while here they're catching deer (we're catching viruses)
Religion or astronomy, Encarta, Deuteronomy
It all started with the big bang!

Music and mythology, Einstein and astrology
It all started with the big bang!
It all started with the big BANG!

october book challenge

74. kasey michaels - can't take my eyes off you
4 stars. while this is a nice novel, it was nothing extraordinary with the plot and the characters. it took me several days to finish this book. i liked quinn but shelby not so much. the brandy's boyfriend and his mom reminded me of the true blood character.

75. michelle reid - bellini bride
4 stars. while the story is very dramatic and explosive, and the twist was really good, i hated the 2 main characters. they were both so strong and they kept fighting and trying to get the upperhand in the relationship that i thought it would have been better for them to be apart than force them to have a happy ever after.

76. susan mallery - a little bit pregnant
4 stars. the title is a bit misleading in that the pregnancy thing happened almost in the middle (or the last few chapters) of the story that it wasn't really the reason that they had to be together. however i liked how the story progressed coz you can really feel how the relationship grew and blossomed into love.

77. rachel gibson - nothing but trouble
4 1/2 stars. her latest novel just confirmed why she is one of my fave authors today. i dont remember mark in the previous novels but i love him and chelsea. the story is funny and sweet with lots of love and romance from the couple. i also liked the side story on chelsea's twin.

78. carly phillips - brazen
4 1/2 stars. reading carly has been a hit-and-miss experience for me. but this book is one of her hits. loved sam and mac' story. even though the story is a bit cliche, i enjoyed this book and finished this in no time.

79. jane sullivan - risky business
4 1/2 stars. couldn't put this book down. i've always liked these kinds of plot/story. makes me wonder how i would react if i was in rachel's place and there's a hot hunk who would gladly pose as my make believe husband :)

80. lisa gardner - live to tell
4 1/2 stars. i just watched Mirrors a few days ago (Kiefer Sutherland) and it was a creepy movie. this book reminded me of the movie and also gave me the creeps because the thought of having evil and disturbed kids sound so scary. another reason why i love this novel is for the first time gardner made the killer to be someone we know and has interacted with everyone, so it was fun to guess the killer.

81. nancy warren - my fake fiancee
4 1/2 stars. childhood crush, faking a relationship, delicious food and gorgeous guy.. what's not to love about this book? the author also got her inspiration from sabrina (audrey hepburn, bogey, william holden), one of my fave movies.

19 books to go!!

next attraction: eric mun

"Eric’s management told Star News, “Eric is determined to put in his best  efforts in his work until his last day as a public service officer. He  has already received offers from 3 or 4 dramas so far and will consider  carefully before he chooses his comeback project.”

Various news articles are beginning to pour out about Shinhwa's very own leader, Eric Mun. On October 22, Eric will be officially discharged from the army and will make a comeback in the entertainment industry. His "love call" from various agencies (including CF's, dramas, and movies) has garnered great interest.
Eric fans! Be prepared for his arrival!

For those who don't know him, get ready to be swept away!
 
Woohoo!!! Eric is coming back soon to Hallyuwood! He's my fave out of Shinhwa. Hope he makes a drama next year!

september book challenge

65. Shiloh Walker - Her Best Friend's Lover
3 1/2 stars - though the story is nice, i just dont like the fact that they're best friends but he can't remember their night together and for Lauren being such a coward and telling him that he's the father of her child. oh, and the cover looks cheap.

66. Sarah Mayberry - Can't Get Enough
i love this author! she does not disappoint! this time it's Jack and Claire as office mates in love. beautiful romance, funny scenes, heartfelt passion. 4 1/2 stars.

67. Toni Blake - One Reckless Summer
i love reading about small towns in the US, where everybody knows each other. her style is more kristan higgins with a little rachel gibson. though i dont like Mick's past - as being a bad kid with a record and with Wayne committing crime and breaking out of prison and just dying, i still loved the romance and the pacing of the story. and i love Sue Ann.. i wish i had a best friend like her! looking forward to read Rachel's story and also hoping the other 2 girls will have their own story too! 4 1/2 stars

68. Kristan Higgins - All I Ever Wanted
i love how kristan can always come up with a great girl, guy and crazy family in all her books. i love ian mcfarland, even though at first he came out as a bit of standoffish, he was actually nice and i think he and Callie were perfect for each other. For Callie, i understand her "obsession" with Mark, and i like how she was able to overcome it and find the right guy for her. For Mark, he started out really okay and made us think that he was such a great guy and that's why it's hard for Callie to let go, but was disappointed when he became a jerk in the end because then i thought Callie wasted years pining for a jerk. i was hoping that he's a bit like Joe Carpenter (the Carpenter. hehe) a really nice guy but just wasn't in love with Callie and i wish they could have remained friends in the end and the bitchy girl was so awful, i thought it would have been better if it was Mark who dumped her and not the other way around. but i'd still give this 4 1/2 stars.

the second half of the month had me reading YA novels one after another.

69. Danielle Joseph - Shrinking Violet
the plot was really simple but i love her and her boyfriend, Gavin. 4 stars. i can imagine myself to be like Teresa because i would love to be a DJ - i think i have great taste in music and would love to have my own show, except that i don't like talking on air (i wouldn't know what to say and my voice sounds like a kid) and talking with callers.

70. Jen Calonita - Secrets of My Hollywood Life
sounds a bit like Hannah Montana but this was is a whole lot nicer. i love Kaitlin Burke - even though she's a 16 year old A-list actress, the author portrayed her as mature and not spoiled. I doubt though if there really is a young star in Hollywood as nice as her (maybe Selena Gomez?). looking forward to the rest of the series! 4 1/2 stars.

71. Lauren Oliver - Before I Fall
4 stars. one of the reasons why i started reading this because of the plot. the idea that she wakes up everyday redoing the last day of her life, plus the fact that i loved watching Groundhog Day when i was a kid. i loved the way the author made me like her in the end and how she changed from being a bitch to a better person. what i didn't like is how the story started really strong then slowing down until it ended on a flat note. i liked how she tried to change the things she did differently everyday and you can see how each action she did changed the course of the evening but i thought some of the sideplots were unnecessary - like anna cartulo and they guy cheating on his gf, or seeing the two teachers making out. i especially didn't like why the story had to center on juliet sykes. *spoiler ahead* and it because of that, i didn't like the ending. i thought the reason Sam was supposed to relive her day was to teach her a lesson but instead, it was like it was really her last day and Sam was just being given a chance to die of a better cause than because of booze. juliet didn't want to live no matter how much Sam tried to persuade her, she wouldn't listen so i dont understand why Sam had to die for juliet. i dont see why her dying for juliet made her stop reliving her last day. it wasn't even her fault juliet became an outcast - it was her other friend, so i didnt understand why she had to suffer instead. and speaking of her friend, there was no resolution to her, its like understanding that she's scared made up for her lying and bitchy ways, which i thought was wrong. another not so good thing is Sam's relationship with Kent. the first half of the story, Sam didn't like Kent or didnt feel anything romantic with him. and just when she started being nice that she started falling in love with Kent? and why bother trying to force a romantic relationship for Sam and Kent if she will die in the end.. how will Kent feel?? it would have been better if she didn't have a boyfriend, and instead just carried on with breaking up with her boyfriend. one last thing, she did not die every night so how come she still had to relive the day again?

72. Jennifer Ziegler - How Not To Be Popular
4 1/2 stars. loved this book. i respected how Maggie was so gutsy enough to wear those hideous outfits! i think if i were in that school and saw her, i would also be laughing at her. as this is high school and it's in high school that we make our immature mistakes i thought her idea was both ingenious but at the same time dumb. she started with the idea of trying to be a loner and outcast and i thought that's what she should have done but by being so outrageous and outlandish, people noticed her more. so in a way, i did agree with the principal. too bad though that the ending was a bit abrupt. they just left her and Jack's relationship in a to-be-continued kind of way, and i thought that if he really liked her, he would have liked her for her still and not back off and just end up being friends in the end. it would have also been nicer if they had a short epilogue where she's back in school and no longer had to wear her hideous outfits. oh and why make shanna the homecoming queen? all throughout the story she was made into a lying scared girl so i didnt think she deserved winning it.

73. Sarah Ockler - Twenty Boy Summer
4 1/2 stars. this book reminded me a bit of sarah dessen for the tragedy and hailey abbott for the boys. i loved how she ended the book with Anna and Frankie being friends again, Anna getting closure on Matt's death but what i hoped was that there would be a resolution between Frankie and her parents, and hoped that Anna would be able to continue her relationship with Sam beyond that summer. they looked so in love and yet in the end, they didn't promise to meet each other. but then i guess the main point was for Anna to be able to let Matt go. The title seemed a bit misleading though that was their original plan, but she could have made it Ten Boy Summer instead or made Anna and Frankie meet more guys. and i was also disappointed with Jack. all through out the story, there never was an instance where Jack was rude or a jerk yet in the end Frankie tells Anna that she refused to have sex with him and he dumped her and he's a jerk. i thought it would have been nice for Frankie to end up with a nice Jack who will love her. but maybe another reason is for Frankie to learn and grow up first (you know the saying, you can't love someone if you dont love yourself). oh and Anna having sex with Sam - did she do it because she really wanted to or she just felt obligated to do it? because she blamed Frankie for pressuring her until she found out that Frankie has never done it in the first place.

yay! 27 books to go! i can't do this!!!