[Release Day Blitz] Autumn and Summer by Danielle Allen

It is always awesome to have another author to love. In my case, I have fallen in love with Danielle Allen's since her first book Back To Life. I just couldn't wait for more! Previous reviews on 2 of her books:

Back to Life
Back to Reality

Earlier this month, her fans are greeted with another good news; new book release.
Here it goes, AUTUMN & SUMMER!

~ Synopsis ~

Is it better to have loved and lost or to have never loved at all?

Sexy, successful and stylish, Autumn Jones believes in love. She believes in the all-consuming, mind blowing enormity of love. She believes in the euphoric state of loving and being loved. She believes in it because she’s had it once. And when it was lost, she was devastated, but she never stopped believing in the existence of love. Unwilling to settle, she learned from the past and moved on with the expectation that she’ll love again. 

Beautiful, talented, and slightly jaded, Summer Wilson believes in sex. She believes in the all-consuming, mind blowing enormity of good sex. She believes that love exists, but Prince Charming does not. At least not for her. She’s seen the downside of love—insanity, heartbreak, infidelity, divorce—and she dates with the expectation that she won’t ever subject herself to that type of vulnerability. Instead, she chooses to love her family, her friends, and her work. And although she enjoys the company of men, her heart is hers and hers alone. 

Best friends since elementary school, Autumn and Summer kick off the summer by embarking on a dating experiment. Unfortunately, expecting the unexpected doesn’t prepare them for what the dating world has in store.

~ Teasers ~

~ Dreamcast ~

~ Autumn and Summer Playlist ~

“Back to Black”

Amy Winehouse

“Light Years Away”

Mozella

“Ready For Love”

India.Aire

“We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow”

Soko

“Everything Has Changed”

Taylor Swift

“Can’t Be Love”

Laura Izibor

“Hometown Glory”

Adele

“The Worst”

Jhene Aiko

“Turning Tables”

Adele

“Sweet Thing”

Mary J. Blige

“Take Away”

Missy Elliott

“Sunday Afternoon”

Rachael Yamagata

“My Heart Still Beats For You”

Anna Ternheim

“The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)”

Joss Stone

“Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready)”

Alicia Keys

“I Shall Believe”

Sheryl Crow

“The Words”

Christina Perri

“I Will Be There”

Odessa

“For Real”

Amel Larrieux

  ~ Author Bio ~

Life is good! 

I am a married event planner and life coach. My awesome friends and family and my amazing husband make my life sweet. I love to have fun and enjoy the life I’ve been blessed with. I love shopping and football with equal fervor. I’m an amateur movie critic (i.e. my husband and I watch and critique a lot of movies for fun). I love to read and I enjoy sharing my love of books with anyone who will listen. I love music. A good lyric with a good melody can paint a vivid picture and invoke such a range of emotions. I have a soft spot for most mediums of creative, artistic expression.

With degrees in psychology, human services, and marriage and family counseling, I have a unique perspective on life, love and the pursuit of happiness. As an author, I combine an active imagination and life experiences to create stories that are easily relatable and intentionally intriguing. I want to offer you a peek into someone else’s life and for you to get lost in their story, their trials, their triumphs. My ultimate goal is to create a character or a story that stays with you long after you’ve put the book down.
So in a nutshell: I plan. I teach. I read. I write. I watch. I critique. I shop. I play. I love.
To know me is to love me.

XOXO

~ Social Media Links ~

Website: www.authordanielleallen.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/XOXO_DAllen

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DanielleAllenAuthor

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/XOXO_DAllen

Click here for Giveaway!!

2014 Challenge

Hola! This post is about 3months late but hey! It is still 2014 :)

 

Another year of reading challenge. Looks like my goal is getting lesser. From 100 to 50 and now to 30. Well, goals have to be feasible. ;)

 

How did I do last year?

Sadly, didn't meet the goal set...but only by 13 books. That's not too bad right?

 

 

This year, it will be just 30.

Guess I am reading lesser as I get more into stitching. From my POV, this number is still reasonable.

 

For those on Goodreads, feel free to buzz me.

https://www.goodreads.com/ruz_911

 

Booking Through Thursday - 12092013

How much do you visualize when you read? Do you imagine faces for the characters? Can you see the locations in your mind’s eye? Or do you just plunge ahead with the story, letting the imagery fall to the wayside? 

My answer:

Can I say I imagine everything? For me, it is like watching a movie but with me walking through the scenes. :) Mostly, I visualize what the characters wear, how they speak, where they are and many more. This could be the reason why when I recall a scene, I couldn't tell if it was from a movie or from a book. 

WWW Wednesdays - 11/9/2013

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the 3 questions...

* What are you currently reading?

Tidal by Amanda Hocking

* What did you recently finish reading?

• Back To Life by Danielle Allen
• Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

* What do you think you’ll read next?

• So, You Think You're A  Celebrity, Chef? by Caroline James
• Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Booking Through Thursday - 29082013

Which is more important? Quality for your reading? Or quantity? 

My answer:

It has to be quality! I don't see the point reading so many trashy books or books that is not worth reading. This explains the number of books I have stopped reading mid-way; just can't bring myself to the end of it. I believe there are many more books which are worth my time and which could give me invaluable lessons and of course, satisfaction! :)

WWW Wednesdays - 28082013

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the 3 questions...

* What are you currently reading?

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

* What did you recently finish reading?

Dream New Dreams by Jai Pausch

* What do you think you’ll read next?

Elegy by Amanda Hocking and Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Subang Jaya Book Exchange Programme

I have always thought about book exchanges within the bookaholic community but it just remains in my head. When I first found out about Subang Jaya Book Exchange Programme, I was ecstatic!

This awesome programme started in 2009 but I just found out about it last year. I never got the chance to go; I normally spend my weekend cocooning in my parents place in KL or working.

Last weekend, my lucky star (or sun?) was on my side. :) I manage to drop by to give it a shot!

For all of you who wonders where it is, please find the lovely cabin address at the bottom of this post.

If you know where USJ 12 field is, you will not miss the cabin.

Tadaa! Finally get to check in! *grinssss*


As you walk in, you will see a bookshelf filled with books.


Turn right and check in the books you would like to be exchanged. The books will be inspected to ensure it is good enough for an exchange.

Which books are acceptable?

I believe it has to be :

- in readable condition so no missing pages, not torn and etc.

- relevant; not too outdated. This probably applies to technology-related books.

For more, please get in touch with the organizer. Details at the bottom of this post. Upon approval of your books, you will receive a token similar to the one on my palm below. The person incharge will inform you of the number and type of books you are allowed to pick. This is based on the books you checked in earlier. ;)

The picture below was taken from a corner at the entrance of the cabin. Decent size. It is now housing fiction, non-fiction and children's books.


A lil panoramic view perhaps?


Time for short for me I hunt for gems. Seriously, I was rushing but I have to ensure I pick the right books!


Done!
As you can see, I am a happy girl. Exchanged 3 books with 3 gems. On top of that, I managed to be among the first 50 book exchanger so I got RM10 Times Bookstore voucher. That only means I CAN BUY MORE BOOKS. :p
(One time offer for now. It was a special weekend; Official Launch.)

Thank you Subang Book Exchange. Thank you Times Bookstore.

Books I brought home. :)
I didn't know what to pick. Went around the shelves and these got me.
I now have The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho printed in 1998. :)

My date told me to hurry up. I know I have too because there is a session with an author at MPH Subang Parade which I have been wanting to go!!!! Will post about it too!

Anyhow, few tips on picking books.

1) Don't rush! Go through be shelves. You will never know what you will find. (Yea, I was in a rush so I had to speed hunt!) I saw 2 copies of P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern, 2 out of 4 books from Nora Roberts Wedding quartet and The famous Eat Pray Love book.

2) Never judge books by its cover. Cliché. I know.

3) The books are arranged according to authors and sections so if there is an author you are looking for, the arrangement could help. :)

4) This needs luck. If there is an author you have never tried, this could be a good start. Need luck.

A little bit more about Subang Jaya Book Exchange Programme.

Address : BEP Cabin, Jalan USJ 12/2F.
Frequency : Every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month.
Time : 3pm - 5pm
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/sjusjbep
Email :  sjbookexchange@gmail.com

I believe the frequency will increase if response are awesome and if there are more volunteers to help out. For those who are interested, get in touch with them!

Btw, my date and I made it to the launch album. Spot us there! :p

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod Touch

Booking Through Thursday - 11072013

How do you feel about books about dogs or pets? Fluffy stories of fluffy family members? Solid books on training them or taking care of them? Touching reminiscences of trouble and the way a person’s dog (or pet) has helped get them through? (Mind you, almost all the pet-related books on my shelf are about dogs, but I’m well aware that people love their cats, horses, ferrets, rabbits, fish, etc. just as much, so … any species is fine!) Any favorite books to recommend?

My answer:
Chi's Sweet Home series by Konami Kanata.
The series is told from Chi, the kitten's point of view. Chi was adopted by a family with a son who later grew up with her. Many ups and downs and it is very interesting that the author seems to know what is going on in a kitten's mind!

Booking Through Thursday - 27062013

What’s the worst thing you ever did to your reading material? Sand in the bindings from the beach? Dropped into the pool? Covers smeared with sunscreen?

My answer:
I had once squashed a book in my laptop bag while putting in the laptop......... :'(
It was heartbreaking....
When I was 8, I used to dog-ear my pages......can't believe it did that!

This is done on a Saturday. Since the last BTT was last year, I don't think I can hold back posting on a different day; Mr.Work held me captive man! Mode: Hoping to take part consistently from this point onwards! =)

Teaser Tuesday - 08052012

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: 

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"I think we would have played our new game all day, but Mom saw what we were doing and called me inside. She said our gam was the stupidest idea I had ever had, and she banned me from playing it with Rowley any more."
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid : Dog Days by Jeff Kinney-

p/s: I never tried reading this book but now I know why kids love it!!!! =) 

Teaser Tuesday - 24042012

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: 

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person."
- How To Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie; p.207 -

p/s: OMG! I'm still in the same book..................Not good!

Booking Through Thursday - 19042012

What are your literary “pet peeves”?

My answer:
1. Slowwww moving storyline.
2. Sad ending!
3. Blurry ending! Some say it is the author's intention to leave it to reader's imagination but I want to know more!I need a definite ending! :p
4. Author not up to their normal standard. For example, Author A writes magical stories but in her newly published book, there is soooo little magic injected in it. This saddens me. I need the "ummmppphhh". ;)
5. Super long sentences.
6. Repeating points! This is definitely true for some non-fiction books...

Guess I better end this post here. LOL!

Teaser Tuesday - 17/04/2012

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: 

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic."
- How To Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie -

p/s: Barely half in this book!Need to read moreeee!

Booking Through Thursday - 12042012

What book took you the longest to read, and do you feel it was the content or just the length that made it so?
My answer:
Hmmm I would say one of the technical and classics book. Most of the time, it is the content that makes it a lonnnnnnnnnnnggggg read! Read. Understand. Absorb. =)
p/s: I'm back!:)

7-Month Hiatus

I believe this is long enough to make anyone sneeze when they drop by my page. =p

Pardon my hiatus; work hasn't been kind and health has been not up to par. Now that I'm on my unpaid leave til mid Jan next year, I shall have the time to get back to reading (and now cross-stitching too!).

The only update I've done today is on the post "50 Books a Year Challenge". 22 more books to go in less than 2 months! Wish me luck!

Despite the hiatus, the book hunting and shopping didn't halt at any point. =p

Will add more posting sooooooooon!

Btw, since I've picked up cross-stitch one more blog has been created to dedicate to this new found passion (and patience?). Drop by Ruz's Craft if you would like to see what I'm up to besides reading. ;) Bemindful that it is still undergoing some refurbishment and there is only one post to kick it off. hihihi More to come!

WWW Wednesdays - 16/3/2011

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the 3 questions...

* What are you currently reading?

Scott Pilgrim Vol. 4 by Brian Lee O'Malley,
Writing For Children by Allan Frewin Jones & Lesly Pollinger and
The Manga Guide To Databases by Mana Takahashi

* What did you recently finish reading?

•  Scott Pilgrim Vol. 2 by Brian Lee O'Malley,
•  Scott Pilgrim Vol. 3 by Brian Lee O'Malley,
•  Chi's Sweet Home Vol.2 by Konami Kanata
•  Chi's Sweet Home Vol.3 by Konami Kanata
•  Chi's Sweet Home Vol.4 by Konami Kanata and
•  Girl in The Mirror by Cecelia Ahern

* What do you think you’ll read next?

 Writing for The Web by Crawford Kilian and Scott Pilgrim Vol. 4 by Brian Lee O'Malley

p/s: Planning to complete reading the Scott Pilgrim series which consists of 6 volumns. Shouldn't take long if there is enough time. Writing for Children will stay in the list for quite a bit. Maybe til end of this year. I need to have a TBR list! The pile is definitely growing! =)

Teaser Tuesdays - 15/3/2011

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: 

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"I don't care if you don't care!!! And...and anyway, your music isn't even that good anyway!!"
- pX, Scott Pilgrim Volumn 3, Bryan Lee O'Malley -

p/s: I've don't quite remember reading a book without page numbers but this is one of it. The entire series do not have page numbers so a bookmark is very essential!

WWW Wednesdays - 9/3/2011

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the 3 questions...

* What are you currently reading?

Scott Pilgrim Vol. 1 by Brian Lee O'Malley,
Writing For Children by Allan Frewin Jones & Lesly Pollinger and
The Manga Guide To Databases by Mana Takahashi

* What did you recently finish reading?

 Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott and Chi's Sweet Home Vol.1 by Konami Kanata
* What do you think you’ll read next?

 The Pact or House Rules by Jodi Picoult and Scott Pilgrim Vol. 2

Teaser Tuesdays - 8/3/2011

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: 

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Occassionally, fiction books are co-authored and these can present more problems than non-fiction: rarely you can establish an exact division on who did what. One author invariably thinks they have produced 51 per cent of the work and their colleague, 49 per cent. " 
- p144, Writing For Children by Allan Frewin Jones & Lesley Pollinger -

Booking Through Thursday - 3/3/2011

Do you cheat and peek at the ends of books? (Come on, be honest.)

My answer:
Be honest? LOL! Love that bit. I'd be lying if I've never done it. I don't like to ruin the suspense. Honestly throughout my reading life, I've done it once or twice when I was younger. Now, I just read slowly and "feel" the sentences as I read. :) It is more enjoyable that way!