In My Mailbox (32)

Idea taken from The Story Siren


Some new cool books laid in my mailbox this week :)


Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick.

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.


Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson.

Her new summer job comes with baggage.

Scarlett Martin has grown up in a most unusual way. Her family owns the Hopewell, a small hotel in the heart of New York City, and Scarlett lives there with her four siblings - Spencer, Lola, and Marlene.

When each of the Martins turns fifteen, they are expected to take over the care of a suite in the once elegant, now shabby Art Deco hotel. For Scarlett's fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite, and a permanent guest called Mrs. Amberson.

Scarlett doesn't quite know what to make of this C-list starlet, world traveler, and aspiring autobiographer who wants to take over her life. And when she meets Eric, an astonishingly gorgeous actor who has just moved to the city, her summer takes a second unexpected turn.

Before the summer is over, Scarlett will have to survive a whirlwind of thievery, Broadway glamour, romantic missteps, and theatrical deceptions. But in the city where anything can happen, she just might be able to pull it off.


Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag.

A story of four American teens in Paris... and the scandal that leads one girl to disappear.

This sparkling novel reveals exactly how it feels to be a teen in love, in angst, in a big, gorgeous, unfamiliar city. Fall in love with the elusive model-gorgeous PJ, on the run from a mysterious past. Or Olivia, a hardworking ballerina whose fall from grace—both literal and figurative—lands her in the arms of the wrong boy. Witness the melodrama of jaded but beautiful Alex, whose seductions will never fill the void left by her father. Finally, let fun-loving Zack warm your heart with his vulnerability and sweet Memphis accent.

On their own for the first time, these kids go wild in Paris. But when PJ disappears, the others must face the lies they've told and the secrets they've kept in order to help find her.

Three lovely books that I've been after for a while. It's such a cool thing to have Hush Hush after all these weeks. I can't wait to read it, but then, I think I should save it for later. I also love my copy of Beautiful Americans, which happened to be a hardcover. Gotta get to this one fast so I can have a look at Wanderlust soon.

Thanks Sara from Penguin, Becca and her editor at S&S and Carrie for sending me these books.


So what have you got? I want to know if anyone get Tenners books :D

Sunday Special (29) Fanart covers for Sarah Dessen books

If you're a member of Sarah Land, you know that since June we've have one or more challenges with coolest prizes ever. This month it is all about creating an advertisements for one of the books. Participators can either take a photo, create a video or make a widget and the likes since there's no limitation of how far your creativity can go. It's so fun that I cannot stay on the side. I wasn't really creative or talented enough so I chose to make some fanart covers. I'm gonna share them with you guys today : )

Just Listen (hardcover edition)

Along For The Ride (Paperback edition)



The Truth About Forever (Paperback edition)



This Lullaby (Paperback edition)

What do you think? They're not that great but I love making these because it's entertaining. I found out a lot more about the books, especially the quotes that are beyond beauty. My favorite of this batch is This Lullaby. The picture was taken by my friend's cousin and it happened to fit the story exactly. And don't you just love the lyrics? I kinda hope I win this month because the luckiest one will get a complete set of Sarah Dessen books in hardcovers. If not, it's okay too. I gained a lot and lost nothing already.


By the way, if you want to partake in this challenge, there are still two more days to submit your entries. So hurry up!

Angel Cake by Cathy Cassidy

Publisher: Penguin Australia
Pub. Date: 27 April 2009
Age Range: Young Adult
Pages: 228
Format: paperback
Source of copy: from publisher - Penguin Aus

The new bestseller from teen queen Cathy Cassidy.

Anya used to dream of moving to Britain to start a brand-new life. But as she sits in a school where nobody understands her, she dreams of Polish summer skies and the place where she once belonged.

Then Anya meets bad boy Dan. He's no angel, but she's sure there's a sweeter side to him. And when things begin to fall apart, Anya realizes she's not alone - how can Dan be such bad news when being with him feels like heaven?


I finished Angel Cake in three hours. It was fast, simple, one for readers who love happily-ever-after kind of books. Want to take a break from painfully realistic stories? This one will make a good cheer-upper.

The book was inspired by one of Cathy Cassidy's fans whose family left to settle down in a new country. The story followed Anya from Polish to England where she found her visualization of a whole lovely life turn out to be nothing but a dull picture: her father's business was going down, the teachers thought she was clueless, her schoolmates considered her something fun to look at. Added to that was the fact that Anya was falling for the mysterious boy Dan - who, for a second, could be amazingly sweet, and the next one, more indifferent than ever. There was nothing new but because it came from a real experience, Anya's story felt close and easy to take in.

Frank to say, I wasn't very impressed with Angel but I don't have any problems with the story either. The only weakness of this book, in my opinion, was that the characters were typical. They reminded me of other characters I've encountered in other books, that was why I didn't feel the need to read on anymore sometimes. Anya was a sweet, adorable kid but the fact that she was too naive and meek put me off. Lily, the mean girl, was too familiar - spiteful comments, bullying actions, deceiving plots weren't enough to make her strong or remarkable. The only one that stood out must be Dan, thanks to his inconsistency.

Regardless of that flaw, I enjoyed this book to a degree because it was so cute. Every, even the crisis, seemed very light-hearted. Angel Cake would be a good choice for winter books because it made me feel very warm inside. Too good to be true as it was, the story helped lighten the readers' views of life - that miracles happen sometimes and anyone can be an angel, even if it's a icy guy who sets fire on his notebook and hangs out with a bunch of bad ones.

Recommended to fans of everything-will-be-okay-in-the-end novels.


Rating: 3/5

Living On Impulse by Cara Haycak

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: August 2009
Age Range: 12 and up
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source of copy: from publisher - Penguin US

Mia Morrow is impulsive, plain and simple. While her friends are concerned with grades and colleges, Mia would rather focus on the things that make her happy— like chasing boys or snatching something off a department store shelf. No big deal, right? But then Mia gets caught shoplifting, and her thoughtless behavior doesn't just push her friends away, it gets her into a lot of trouble, too. In this eye-opening tale of friendships, family, and negative impulses, Cara Haycak subtly shows that the power to heal is within all of us, and it almost always starts with forgiveness.



I don't want to say it but this book is suitable for a slow read - one that you can put down any moment to do something else because the story can hardly stay on your mind for long. Living On Impulse held a a nice storyline, too bad it wasn't enough to make the whole book a successful one.

Mia Morrow was a somewhat rebellious girl who took actions before she could even think. There was something in her that drove the girl to do all the risky and wild things and there came the trouble. Caught shoplifting a single sandal one day, Mia's life was totally changed when her Mom forced her to apply for a job as a punishment. Everything that happened later gave her a new view about her life: her Mom, her Grandpa, her friends and herself. The arrangement sounded very hopeful and I did expect this story to turn out better than how it looked (sorry, but the cover is boring).

The thing that didn't allow me to get myself engrossed into this book was the fact the outline of the scenes. For example, Mia's process of stealing, which I considered worth being thrilled about, was so short the readers would barely feel any excitement or fear for the girl at all; whereas some uninteresting parts just went on and on. So many times I found myself wondering when is it going to be great? I also had issues with the characters. I felt indifferent to them, no connection at all. I did feel bad for Mia sometimes, like when she was ditched by her friends but that was it. Even occasionally she even appeared not impulsive enough for me. Also, I hated Gael and Michelle really much. What kind of friends they were to judge Mia all the time, looking down on her as if she was nothing good at all. Besides, not as much important, but Mia calling her Mom by the name was a little odd to me, even though the book was told in third respective.

In spite of having all those flaws, Living On Impulse did have something that the readers might like. There was a lot on fly experiment and it could help you look at those insects with a totally new attitude. The rebellion of Mia on the night she met Clancy did draw my attention for a while and. Her relationship with her Mom got better near the end, I mean the description, the flow and whatnot.

Basically Living On Impulse is an alright read. Even if it's not my type of book, don't let that stop you from picking it up. You may like the story better than I did, who knows?


Rating: 2.5/5

Waiting On Wednesday (28)

Idea taken from Breaking The Spine

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti.

There's no synopsis for this book yet but here's what Susane said about the book in an interview at Bookluver Carol's Reviews. Nothing much, but at least it gives us a clue of what the story is about.

Right now I’m revising my fourth book, Something Like Fate, which should be released next year. As usual, at the heart of the book is a story about soul mates. The book examines ideas of fate, energy, and how much control we actually have over our lives. I’ve also started my fifth and sixth books.

Reasons why I'll do anything to get an early copy of this book:

1. Judging from the cover the story has something to do with triangle and if you read my blog often you'll know that I have a obsession with triangles. Hopefully there'll be no unacceptable cheatings or else it'll drive me crazy.
2. It's Susane Colasanti's work. Do I have to say more? I wasn't really satisfied with Take Me There but I really adore her writing. It's simple, cute but meaningful too.
3. Cute cover~!!! Susan Colasanti books along with Elizabeth Scott ones always have the cutest covers don't you agree?


What does fate look like? Find out on May 13rd 2001

In My Mailbox (31)

Idea taken from The Story Siren

Some books have just been added to my narrow shelf and here they are...


An Abundance Of Katherines by John Green.

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washedup child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy—loving best friend riding shotgun—but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl. Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself.


The Lost Summer by Kathryn Wiliams.

"I died one summer, or I almost did. Part of me did. I don't say that to be dramatic, only because it's true."

For the past nine years, Helena Waite has been returning to summer camp at Southpoint. Every year the camp and its familiar routines, landmarks, and people have welcomed her back like a long-lost family member. But this year she is returning not as a camper, but as a counselor, while her best friend, Katie Bell remains behind. All too quickly, Helena discovers that the innocent world of campfires, singalongs, and field days have been pushed aside for late night pranks on the boys' camp, skinny dipping in the lake, and stolen kisses in the hayloft. As she struggles to define herself in this new world, Helena begins to lose sight of what made camp special and the friendships that have sustained her for so many years. And when Ransome, her longtime crush, becomes a romantic reality, life gets even more confusing.


Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern.

Based on Halpern's (Toby and the Snowflakes) experiences, this first novel begins as a run-of-the-mill story about a 16-year-old girl's short stint in a suburban Chicago psychiatric hospital: think sterile hallways, dysfunctional group therapy sessions and foul-mouthed, pissed-off adolescents who have been committed against their will. Before long, however, it evolves into an upbeat story that offers a hype-free, realistic look inside a teen ward. The narrator, Anna Bloom, actually enjoys Lakeland by the end of her stay. She feels more confident in her thinned-out body (although her loss of 12 pounds in 11 days seems a stretch), has opened up to her peers and even had a reciprocated crush on the lanky boy down the hall-none of which would have befallen the pre-Lakeland Anna. The talk about kissing and playing cards could make some forget they're reading about time spent at the loony bin, as Anna sometimes calls it, but Halpern balances these sorts of discussions with Anna's reactions to fellow patients who hear voices or claim to worship "the Dark Lord" and to rules forbidding all physical contact.


Into The Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern.

Fifteen-year-old Jessie develops the self-confidence to dump her selfish friends and ventures into unfamiliar territory to find new ones in this often hilarious, quirky work of contemporary realism. When her two best friends turn poseur-punk to impress her brother's friend Van, Jessie is left wondering where she, a math star, audiobook addict and accomplished seamstress, fits in. As their rift deepens, Jessie discovers that a group of Dungeons & Dragons-playing peers are not as socially inept as she once might have thought and loses herself in a crush on a sweet, if fashion-challenged, guy at school. The overarching message about being oneself and growing apart from friends is familiar teen-novel territory, and there is never any real doubt as to the end of Jessie's journey.



They look cool aye? This week is a good one for me since I got the books that I'd been waiting forever to get my hands on. I'm not sure which one I want to read most. An Abundance Of Katherines? Heard so many fabulous comments on John Green's writing. The Lost Summer? Just my type of book. Get Well Soon & Into The Wild Nerd Yonder? Too cute to resist!

Thanks Kathryn, Julie and Erin from Penguin Aus for these babies *hugs and kisses*

So what have you got? Which book will you read first?


P.S It is very off topic but I cannot wait to post about this. Check out Living Your Five - an amazing site launched by four amazing authors that you all love to win books and stuff while saving the world. What could be better? Go there RIGHT NOW!

Sunday Special (28) Book Blogger Appreciation Nominations or Thank You So Much :)

We all know that the past few days were quite hectic for the Book Blogger Appreciation Week committee because it was the nominations week. Lots of emails have been sent out various bloggers notifying them the categories their online-homes were nominated under. Guess what? Serene Hours was one among those lucky blogs too. I was super duper thrilled to receive not one but two nominations. One for Best Writing and the other Best New Blog. Since I don't think my writing is amazing enough to fit the first category, I did withdraw. But I have submitted my 5 favorite posts for Best New Blog ^^

Well I have no ideas who nominated me but if you're reading this post, I just want to say thank you so much. It has been a honor to be under the same categories with lots and lots of cool bloggers that I adore and the mere fact of being nominated makes me feel like I've already won something special. And of course thank you all, my lovely readers for sticking with me through thick and thin and inspiring me. I owe you guys a lot :)

I decided to also do the BBAW for fun

1. What has been one of the highlights of blogging for you?

Not one but tons. Book blogging opened a whole new world to me where I can find fellow book lovers, awesome authors as well as remarkable publishers and publicists. I'm more up to date about the books and I have a chance to share my thoughts and emotions on the stories without being stopped even though sometimes I overdo it. I feel more happy, energetic and constantly inspired.

2. What blogger has helped you out with your blog by answering questions, linking to you, or inspiring you?

Kristi was the one who inspired me so much with her blog that I just had to create my own. Lenore and Chelsea helped me a lot with the preparations for Serene Hours. They encouraged me and explained to me every single detail that I was clueless about, making the idea of being someone new less stressful or scary. They are extremely friendly too.

I also love Steph and Jenny who happen to be my early and regular readers. Their sweet comments brighten my every day. They're both new this year but both have gone a long way with their blogs. I'm happy and proud of them.

3. What one question do you have about BBAW that someone who participated last year could answer?

To tell the truth I don't really know *smiles*. I guess what I want to know most about at this moment is how difference BBAW this year from last year and how it felt to be nominated/to win. In addition, I'm curious about how the committee works with a huge bunch of awards and stuff. Well, that's a lot of questions.


To end this entry, thanks lot again for the nominations and I hope BBAW this year will be a success. Have fun~!

Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Pub. Date: August 2009
Age range: Young Adult
Pages: 336pp
Format: ARC
Source of copy: from publisher - Disney Hyperion

Using the skills you've learned so far in Introduction to Psychology, please write a brief self-assessment describing how things are going in your freshman year.

Presenting Concerns:

The Patient, Leigh Nolan (that would be me), has just started her first year at Stiles College. She has decided to major in psychology (even though her parents would rather she study Tarot cards, not Rorschach blots).

Patient has always been very good at helping her friends with their problems, but when it comes to solving her own...not so much.

Patient has a tendency to overanalyze things, particularly when the opposite sex is involved. Like why doesn't Andrew, her boyfriend of over a year, ever invite her to spend the night? Or why can't she commit to taking the next step in their relationship? And why does his roommate Nathan dislike her so much? More importantly, why did Nathan have a starring role in a much-more-than-friendly dream?

Aggravating factors include hyper-competitive fellow psych majors, a professor who's badly in need of her own psychoanalysis, and mentoring a middle-school-aged girl who thinks Patient is, in a word, naive.

Diagnosis:

Psych Major Syndrome


Are you fond of psychology? Are you the type to analyze everyone you come across? Or simply think too much all the time? Guess what? You might have just found your fictional soulmate who happened to be the main character of Psych Major Syndrome. Following Leigh's college days, the book was a perfect choice for self-ascertainment and full life-enjoyment.

The layout of Psych Major Syndrome was very original. I didn't think it was done on purpose but the ARC version looked like a psych patient file which just sucked me right into the story. Each and every chapter started with a psychological concept and even though some were not really familiar or easy to comprehend, they were so fun to look at. You know what was more fun? That the concept fitted with the content of the chapter so well. It was praise-worthy because I'm sure it took a lot of time and effort from the author to do such a thing.

The story to me, wasn't the kind where one huge problem was set up to solved so everything could end up nicely. It combined quite a lot of things that played important rolew on a teenager's life: study, future goal, boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, family. Thus, it felt very natural and delightful. You don't have to focus on one issue only but have the chance to take in other details. Alicia Thompson did a good job of balancing parts of Leigh's life and her writing was great. It was mind-probing yet would make the readers feel comfortable still.

I have a lot to say about Leigh. She was such an outstanding character. I liked the way she analyzed everything and everyone that she encountered. Sometimes she had a lot of thoughts that I couldn't catch up with. She was also a fun and silly one. Her not-so-hilarious acts had me either laugh or chuckle. That was one of the reasons why I was so eager to tag along with her throughout the story. And despite how uptight and clueless sometimes she was, she didn't lack strength or confidence.

Aside from Leigh, I also liked Nathan. Such a sweet guy! The way he expressed his feelings to Leigh was adorable. Seriously, how could you not love someone who recognized every little thing you do? His grumpiness was something that added to the cuteness. I don't usually go for shy guys but hell this one was too cool. And Andrew, what could I say about him? Definitely the biggest jerk. But don't you agree that jerks make stories more interesting?

To sum up, Psych Major Syndrome was a likeable read that I recommend you to pick up as soon you as you can. Hopefully you'll enjoy watching Leigh figuring out the real problems of her life and how to solve them all - let loose and take the changes when needed - just as much as I did.

Rating: 4/5

Sleepless by Terri Clark

Publisher: HarperCollins
Pub. Date: September 2008
Age Range: 12 and up
Pages: 288
Format: paperback
Source of copy: from author - Terri Clark

The swaying Palms Hotel late-night room-service menu

Tuck-Me-In Tuna Salad on Rye $7.50
Catch-Some-ZZZs Cheeseburger and Fries $10.00
Up-All-Night Chocolate-Chip Cookies with Milk $5.50
Bedtime Banana Split $7.00

I can't go to sleep!!! And not because of the cute boy lying next to me. There's a killer stalking me in my dreams. And if it's up to him . . . I'll never wake up. I have to find a way to get him, before he gets me.

Sleepless was a remarkable novel that will please fans of thriller and romance abide. It was fast-paced, mysterious and also, really sweet.

The story was a bout Trinity, a teenager who had the ability of seeing the happenings and talking to people through her dreams. Lucky wasn't she? Not quite. This special thing kept her from living her life in a normal way and got her involved in so many unexpected depressions. For example, being chased in her dreams by a killer who she'd helped arrest earlier. Trinity's run to rescue herself was also the journey to self-adaption and finding true love. Everything blended into each other perfect, creating a page turner book that you'd love to pick up.

The premise of Sleepless was good. From the very first moment you laid your eyes of the synopsis you wouldn't be able to shake the curiosity off. I enjoyed it. Reading about the murders and the stalkers was fun, but the psychic and scientific factors took it to the next level. The story seemed complicated, then again, the whole thing was simple. I quite liked the fact that the author didn't beat around the bush at all. The adventure began at chapter two and trust me, you'd have much time to relax starting from that point.

For the characters, Trinity was a very likable one. Nice, straight forward, someone will fight for justice till the very end even though it'd push her into jeopardy. Her personalities radiated clearly at the last few chapters through the actual fights with the killer. Readers just have to love the actions in this book. There weren't a lot but all were well-done. How about the romance? Cute and reasonable. The two seemed to fall in love faster than expected but it was a matter of life and death so I guess we could all tolerate that.

At large, Sleepless was a delightful read. If there was anything to complain it must be the fact that the secondary characters had very little appearance. The story was just about Trinity and Dan, and therefore, felt "lonely" sometimes.

Rating: 3.5/5

Waiting On Wednesday (27)

Idea taken from Breaking The Spine.

Sleepless by Cyn Balog.

Eron DeMarchelle spent seventeen years on earth before his death in 1908. Now, he’s part of another world that invisibly coexists with earth. He is what humans call in their bedtime stories a “Sandman,” and his only purpose is to seduce them to sleep night after night. This dull, meaningless existence wears on him until he falls for the one girl he cannot seduce, a human named Julia. He conspires with his oldest friend, the princess Chimere, to find a way to be with the object of his affection forever. But even the most carefully made plans sometimes have unexpected consequences . . .



Sleepless drives me crazy because:
1. It's written by Cyn Balog and although I wasn't lucky enough to get my hands on Fairy Tale, I heard nothing but compliments on it so another book from the great author? Definitely something I have to watch out for.
2. I like the idea of the sandman. Seducing people to sleep night after night sounds kinda purposeless and silly but it's still compelling don't you think? It's dark and hawt.
3. Forbidden romance. Who doesn't love forbidden romance?


Get some sleep cause you'll be sleepless in spring 2010.