Backlist Revival Tour: One Night At The Palace Hotel by Bianca Mori

The Backlist Revival Project, in case you don't know, is where books released some time ago are back in the spotlight. These books deserve some love too, you know. For the month of January, One Night At The Palace Hotel by Bianca Mori is on the spotlight!

Publication Date: February 14, 2014

Buqo

It's the night before The Palace Hotel opens, and the entire city is abuzz with what everyone is calling a throwback to the Gilded Age. Everyone, that is, except Consuelo De la Red. Faced with a destiny picked out for her and a dream she just can't forget, she confronts the choices she has made and the man she was forced to reject. When the past comes crashing into the present, will she listed to her duty, or give in to the urging of her heart?

One, I'm a sucker for high society stuff. Anything and everything about old families and their dramas, I'm in. Two, I love romances like these.

Consuelo, or Sue, is a trustfund princess. Her family came from the old money. Surely, being born in that type of family has a reputation to put up with. Sue has heard stories of her other relatives who were driven by their passion and determination to live their own lives away from the gilded cage that their last names represent.

So, when Sue met Sam, she almost did just that. The two met in Chicago and immediately fell in a whirlwind romance. Until Sue was forced to come back to Manila or else she will be disowned. Six years later, Sue is back in the good graces of her family and their golden circle of friends now that she has a boyfriend they approve of.

Things took a turn during the opening night of The Palace Hotel. The architect who so lavishly designed the hotel is none other than Sue's old flame, Sam. Sam wants Sue back. To say that I fell in love with Sam is an understatement. Here he is, a hardworking man who's smart, funny. handsome, good natured, I mean, what more could a girl ask for> Frankly, I'd rather have someone who got rich by working hard day in and day out than someone who was born rich. His love for Sue is so strong and Sue couldn't deny that Sam is the one she wants to be with.

Can I just say that Bianca Mori did a good job in this book? Everything about this book is so vivid-from the design of the hotel to what the characters are wearing to what the characters are feeling. They all came alive in this book.

Bianca Mori is the author of "One Night at the Palace Hotel" and "Tame The Kitten." She is interested in exploring power in romance and enjoys reading about demimondaines, pin-up girls and Jazz Age personalities and hopes to reinterpret these in her stories. She lives with her family and a hyperactive pug.

Twitter || Goodreads

Hello 2016! Better Late Than Never~

What? It's still January, first month of the year. I can still do this, right? Right.

So, hello. I survived. You survived, because duh if you didn't then you wouldn't be reading this and that will suck.

Okay, brand new year. What do you do with a brand new year?

I guess, it's time to let you guys know that I'm not a planner kind of person. I don't make grand plans for my life because I know that 1) PLANS CHANGE and 2) YES PLANS CHANGE. Simple as that. I mean, if plans on going out with friends don't change, who says you're plans for the whole year won't change either? Amen? Yes? Yes.

I don't even bother with the general plans (i.e I WILL LOSE WEIGHT and etc) I mean, me? NO WAY.

But one thing's for sure, this will be an awesome year. IT WILL BE, TRUST ME. I've learned that if I keep thinking about this over and over then it'll be true. 2015 was awesome to me. I got to finish all my required units for college but I'm not graduating because the ceremony won't be until this April 2016. But I'm done with college! No more school for me! My school life is officially OVER!

Huge achievement, yes. But next to that is finding a job. That part, not easy. Real world is scary af. I mean, fresh grads like myself are basically bait in the big ocean with the big fishes. Whew~ But it's all part of life. Yup, life. Gotta experience it to live it.

2015 was good in terms of books, so good that I'm on a self-imposed book buying ban because I have a lot of books from 2015 that I haven't even read yet and I need to read them before I buy a new one. You don't believe me? Gotta see it to believe it!

But in all seriousness though, as much as I love having books, I can't keep on buying books even if I win the Powerball Jackpot (btw, the jackpot is huge and I'm not even American). I was raised to be thrifty and to value money because one day I will earn that and I will realize how fast money can disappear.

So yeah, until I finish checking out all the books I bought in 2015, then I can do it again in 2016. A lot of bookworms are stressed with a growing TBR pile and the answer is easy: SELF-IMPOSED BOOK BUYING BAN. It doesn't have to be forever! You'll save a lot of money too.

I hope 2016 is the year I can finally open my eyes to other genres of books. I feel the need to branch out, to get out of my comfort zone. I have to be up to par with other people and the only way I can do that is to, duh, read books other than what I read on a daily basis. And that says a lot already.

And this year, in say five months time, I'll be a Taylor Swift song...If you don't get the reference then you suck. But if you do then you're awesome. Oh boy, birthdays. Yaaay...no.

Goodbye for now. Let 2016 be an awesome year!

Wicked Photo Diary: December 2015

Wicked Photo Diary is a feature on the blog where I recap what happened in my life, bookish and non-bookish, in the form of my Instagram photos. Do follow me on Instagram here.

Would you look at that? December is almost over. 2015 is almost over. 2016 is upon us! My, my, time...well, it's flying, alright. I hope you had an amazing time spending your holidays with your loved ones! I know I have!


December 1, 2015

The mall near our house put up this LEGO Christmas display right smack in the middle of the mall. It was pretty and crowded as everyone wanted to take a photo in front of the display.


December 2, 2015

This year is memorable for my college alma mater as the men's basketball team bagged the 20th UAAP Championship crown making us the winningest team in Men's Basketball. I watched the game at home and I was screaming my heart out while watching the game.


December 4, 2015

It was a pretty clear day, I had to take a photo.


December 11, 2015

Submission Moves - Camilla Sisco

I spent the whole month of December reading up on #SparkBooks, a series of books that were written by Filipino romance authors. This one, Submission Moves, is a sports romance, particularly in MMA. It was hot. That's all I have to say.

December 13, 2015

Welcome to Envy Park - Mina V. Esguerra

Welcome to Envy Park is such a good read. A good balance of romance and drama, perfect for the day.

December 15, 2015

Tame The Kitten - Bianca Mori

A kitten usually meows but in this book, well, the kitten went from meow to rawr~

December 16, 2015

The Kitchen When It Sizzles - Chrissie Peria

Sizzling hot read that will make you very hungry-figuratively and literally. I'm all about food but I'm hopeless in the kitchen.

December 17, 2015

The Boyfriend Backtrack - Dawn Lanuza

This book is amazing. Seriously. I mean, everything about it spoke to me. It's the kind of book that connects you with the characters.

December 18, 2015

Snow Like Ashes - Sara Raasch

Brought this book with me in the province where it's colder than the city. For a debut high fantasy novel, this one packs a punch!

December 19, 2015

This beagle belongs to one of my cousins. His name is Titan and he's very gentle and fluffy and naughty when you let him out.

December 21, 2015

I did another #BookTurnedArt and this time I did November 9 by Colleen Hoover.

December 22, 2015

Once Upon A Player - Agay Llanera

Another sports romance that loads on the drama. Beautifully written that tugs your heart.

December 23, 2015

Titan with my cousin and my grandma. He wanted another picture taken. Quite a photo lover this dog is.

December 26, 2015

Our resident cutie patootie is all grown up now. Mom is all over this kid and this kid enjoys the attention.

December 28, 2015

I did the #2015bestnine on Instagram because everyone I follow was doing it. If you want to do it, just go to www.2015bestnine.com to get your best nine photo and share it on IG! 2015 has been good to me in terms of books. Here's to hoping that 2016 will be the same.

What Else Happened On The Blog?

Wicked Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

{COVER REVEAL} The Hometown Hazard by Dawn Lanuza

Book Turned Art: November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Wicked Review: Welcome to Envy Park by Mina V. Esguerra

Wicked Review: The Boyfriend Backtrack by Dawn Lanuza

Wicked Review: Savor by Kate Evangelista

Wicked Review: The Kitchen When It Sizzles by Chrissie Peria

See you all next year!

Wicked Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Published: October 14, 2014

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Series: Snow Like Ashes #1

Acquired: Paperback

Amazon || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Fullybooked

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

For a debut novel, Sara Raasch did a fantastic job with Snow Like Ashes.

Since Winter fell into the hands of Angra, King of Spring, Meira and seven other Winterians have scaled Primoria for the other half of Winter's magical conduit in the hopes of defeating Angra and restoring Winter back.

The lore about the Royal Conduit, items that hold the magic in Primoria, is pretty confusing at first but then as the story drew on, I understood it better. There are eight kingdoms in Primoria, four Seasons and four Rhythms. I'm a fan of high fantasy novels and this one captured my attention. It was beautiful.

The storytelling was set in a moderate pace which makes this book perfect for newbie high fantasy readers out there. The characters are very unique. They can stand alone on their own, especially Meira. She was, for me, the most real out of everyone. I felt her emotion. I felt her need to save Winter, her determination to prove herself to others without having to sacrifice her identity.

I'm very excited to read the sequel, Ice Like Fire, which is out now. The preview of the second book is very, very intriguing. I can't wait.

Sara Raasch has known she was destined for bookish things since the age of five, when her friends had a lemonade stand and she tagged along to sell her hand-drawn picture books too. Not much has changed since then — her friends still cock concerned eyebrows when she attempts to draw things and her enthusiasm for the written word still drives her to extreme measures. Her debut YA fantasy, SNOW LIKE ASHES, the first in a trilogy, came out October 14, 2014 from Balzer + Bray. It does not feature her hand-drawn pictures.

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{COVER REVEAL} The Hometown Hazard by Dawn Lanuza

Title: The Hometown Hazard

Genre: New Adult, Romance

Release Date: January 29, 2015

Jules Coronado has been away from her hometown for almost a decade but when an intruder breaks in to her childhood home, she finds herself coming back. Changes evidently took place in her small town, including her childhood best friend’s younger brother, Kip – now tall, slightly scruffed, all grown up and caught climbing into their garden wall.

Kip Villamor has a mission and despite Jules’ doubts, they team up: going on fieldtrips, tackling unsuspecting men, and trespassing offices to dig up dirt. But Jules has secrets of her own, one that might be exposed – unless she keeps her walls up. But climbing walls are Kip’s forte, remember?

Will her secrets keep her on his side, or will it force her to disappear again?

Dawn Lanuza started writing stories when she was just a kid (they weren’t good or even finished). She works for the music industry by day and writes meet cutes and snappy comebacks by night. ‘The Boyfriend Backtrack’ is her first book. She currently lives with her family and an adopted dog.

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You can join the Blog Tour by clicking here. So excited for this book!