First Impression: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Hi welcome to "First Impression". Let me tell you what's going on today. First I will share the first line of the story and my opinion on the the book that I've just started reading: the cover, the story, and will give an advance star rating to the book. Second, you'll share with me your "First Impression" by linking it back to Coffee N Crackers through the link widget below. Rules: The book must be a book that you just started reading, not a book that you already finished. Easy right? And you can post your First Impression whenever you start reading a new book: no specific day.

 *****

Delirium, by Lauren Oliver: Love (deliria) is a disease and scientists have created a cure for it. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain, safe, measured, predictable, and happy. But with ninety five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

 It has been sixty-four years since the president and the Consortium identified love as a disease, and forty-three since the scientists perfected a cure. - 1st line

The Cover: Just a simple cover. But I think it is creative when you can actually see a face of a cute babe through the alphabet of the title and author's name. But, still I don't like the background's color. What is it? light blue? turquoise? whatever.  


The Story: There're lots of readers out there giving a high credits to this book. But, I don't have a high expectation in this one though. I know the idea of manifesting love as a disease called "deliria" is quite intriguing.  But isn't this just another love story? Wait! don't kill me. That was what I thought before I flipped the cover and  read. But, after reading a few chapters, I think Delirium is going to be a book that I'll enjoy reading.


Advanced Star Rating: 3 Stars

Coming Soon: The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

Hi guys! Here's a new little segment at Coffee N Crackers called "Coming Soon". Let me first tell you what this is all about. Coming Soon is a segment in which I will post about the upcoming books from my favorite authors and most probably books that I would love to add into my personal collections. So, this segment is pretty much like a hybrid of Waiting On Wednesdays and On My Wishlist memes. This is not a meme though as this is just a personal segment at my blog, but you're always welcome to drop comments. Thanks! 

*****

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks ( Hardback)

To be Published On: October 11, 2011

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

The Story (author's website): The heart-rending story of two small-town former high school sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks. Now middle-aged, they've taken wildly divergent paths, but neither has lived the life they imagined and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever altered their world. When they are both called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter, they will be forced to confront the choices each has made, and ask whether love can truly rewrite the past.

Those of you who loves Nicholas Sparks' books, please put up your hands!1, 2, 3, 4....aha! needless to count because I know there are thousands of you out there who really adored his works. Me? I think I am a fan too! So far I've read two books by Sparks, "The Choice" and "The Wedding" and three movies adapted from his books; "The Notebook", "Dear John" and "The Last Song". All of them are good."Dear John" is waiting on my shelf to be read and "Safe Haven" had been listed on my wishlist for quite a long time. And this new baby sounds like a promising read too!

**Pre-Order "The Best of Me" at Amazon.com and visit Nicholas Spark's website for the latest info.

 **Read my reviews on "The Choice" and "The Wedding".

Teaser Tuesdays April 26, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays: A fun weekly meme Hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading where readers share the teaser sentences from their current reads. This week's teaser is from "Nineteen Minutes", by one of my favorite authors, Jodi Picoult. I'm currently on page 152.

Nineteen Minutes: As a midwife Lacy Houghton brings lives into the world. She didn't expect her son to taken them away. But that's what he did one March morning, when he walked into his high school with guns instead of books and killed ten people.The bullying was unbearable and his revenge was murder. So far, I enjoyed this book.

"Morally, no one has the right to judge anyone else. But legally, it's not a right - it's a responsibility." - Nineteen Minutes, pg. 103

First Impression: Under The Dome

Hi welcome to "First Impression". Let me tell you what's going on today. First I will share the first line of the story and my opinion on the the book that I've just started reading: the cover, the story, and will give an advance star rating to the book. Second, you'll share with me your "First Impression" by linking it back to Coffee N Crackers through the link widget below. Rules: The book must be a book that you just started reading, not a book that you already finished. Easy right? And you can post your First Impression whenever you start reading a new book: no specific day.

 *****

Under the Dome by Stephen King: Inexplicably, an invisible barrier has descended over the town. A woodchuck is chopped right in half; gardener's hand is severed at the wrist, the plane explodes with sheets of flame spreading to the ground. Time is running out for those living under the Dome. Can they find what has created it before it's too late?

 From two thousand feet, where Claudette Sanders was taking a flying lesson, the town of Chester's Mill gleamed in the morning light like something freshly made and just set down. -1st line

The Cover: There are several covers for this book, but mine comes in blue (UK Edition).A simple yet mysterious cover illustrating the town from a distance view. And of course shows the supposed to be invisible barrier (the Dome). It's big!  

The Story: A friend from Philippines told me that I have to get this book off my shelf because it's such an amazing story. So, I started reading this book under the impression that it's a good one. Reading the first chapter, true enough that Under the Dome will be a very fascinating unputdownable epic. Now on page 100 and it's getting even better!

Advanced Star Rating: 5 Stars

Review: The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

 The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

Book #1 of Tudor Series

Finished reading: April 17, 2011

Historical Fiction, Paperback, 491 Pages, Borrowed from Library

"I am Catalina, Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has ever known..and I will be Queen of England."

The Story (back cover): Thus, the bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces us to one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Known to history as the Queen who was pushed of her throne by Anne Boleyn, here is a Katherine the world has forgotten: the enchanting princess that all England loved. First married to Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur, Katherine's passion turns their arranged marriage into a love match. But when Arthur dies, the merciless English court and her ambitious parents - the crusading king and Queen of Spain - have to find a new role for the widow. Ultimately, it is Katherine herself who takes control of her own life by telling the most audacious lie in English history, leading her to the role she has rehearsed all her life: Henry VIII's Queen, Regent, and commander of the English army in their greatest victory agains Scotland. 

My Thought: This is yet another entertaining historical fiction by Philippa Gregory. I picked "The Constant Princess" partly because I was enchanted by the amazing story of Boleyn Sisters in "The Other Boleyn Girl", the first book that I read by the author in which Queen Katherine is one of the characters mentioned. So, the main reason why I chose this book is that to know the story of the Queen Katherine, prior to the period when she was pushed of her throne by the very ambitious Anne Boleyn. 

Being told from Katherine's point of views with an alternate omniscient voice, this book really fascinates me with a well-crafted storyline and drama all along. The most fascinating aspect of this novel is Queen Katherine herself as she is a very persistence, a determined to do whatever it takes to achieve her destiny, even lying and manipulating, and keep to be constant through and through over many years to become the Queen of England. I love the affectionate romance between Katherine and her first husband Prince Arthur, but too bad that Arthur died at a very young age and left his wife with a deathbed promise. A promise to push her way through to the top of the throne as Queen of England by marrying his younger brother Prince Harry (later known as King Henry VIII) by telling a single lie which changes the tide of English history. 

While the story is enjoyable, the ending is just not in the way that I like it. But, that doesn't spoiled the book at all. All in all this is a well-narrated story with a strong main character which I really enjoyed reading. I don't know how much of it are facts or fictions but still this is a very entertaining novel. Am looking forward for the next book by Philippa Gregory. Recommended to all historical fiction fans. 

CoffeeNCrackers' Meter: 3.5 Cups of Coffee

**"The Constant Princess" is listed under the Historical Fiction Challenge 2011 hosted by Historical Tapestry.

**This review is linked to Book Review Party Wednesday hosted by Cym Lowell

Friday Memes Mar. 11, 2011

The Friday 56: Hosted by Freda's Voice.This week's Friday 56 is from "The Brethren" by John Grisham. One was sent for text evasion. Another, for skimming bingo profits. And the third, for a career-ending drunken joyride. The Brethren: judges-turned felons can use their time in prison to get rich, very fast. 

"How much can they pay? have you guys quoted a fee?" Trevor asked. -The Brethren, pg. 56

Book Blogger Hop: Hosted by Crazy for Books. This week's question is "If I gave you £50 (or $80) and sent you into a book shop right now what would be in your basket when you finally staggered to the till?". My answer: Book 2-6 of Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage and Book 2 to 4 of Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Is $80 enough for all these?? If not can I ask for another $80?? Greedy...=b

Friday Follows: Hosted by Parajunkee's View: This week's question is "Who are you the Boy/Girl instead of you a blogger? ". My answer: I'm CJ the student. Doing degree in Forensic Science and currently in my final semester. Wish this will end real soon!! 

Friday Finds: Hosted by Should be Reading where book bloggers sharing great books we hear about/ discover this past week. So, here are my Friday Finds!! Mine, this week with Historical Fiction theme

The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan

My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum

Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

First Impression: The Maze Runner

Hi welcome to "First Impression". Let me tell you what's going on today. First I will share the first line of the story and my opinion on the the book that I've just started reading: the cover, the story, and will give an advance star rating to the book. Second, you'll share with me your "First Impression" by linking it back to Coffee N Crackers through the link widget below. Rules: The book must be a book that you just started reading, not a book that you already finished. Easy right? And you can post your First Impression whenever you start reading a new book: no specific day.

 *****

The Maze Runner by James Dashner: The Glade is an enclosed structure with a jail, a graveyard, a slaughterhouse, living quarters, and gardens. And no way out. Outside the Glade is the Maze, and every day some of the kids the Runners venture into the labyrinth, trying to find an exit from this hellish place.What is this place, and does Thomas hold the key to finding a way out? 

He began his new life standing up, surrounded by cold darkness and stale, dusty air. - 1st line 

The Cover: I love the cover. It's a simple one but the walls covered with green (weed??) look beautiful and definitely a world that I would love to know.  

The Story: I already read through a few chapters and found out that the story have a good start. The Maze Runner looks like a story that I'll enjoy reading as the premise of the book sounds interesting and original. I would expect something enthralling  and captivating and it will bring me through an unforgettable ride of adventure and action.  


Advanced Star Rating: 5 Stars

Friday Memes Mar. 4, 2011

The Friday 56: Hosted by Freda's Voice.This week's Friday 56 is from "The Other Boleyn Girl" a historical fiction by Phillippa Gregory.A compelling tale of love, ambition, lust and intrigue. A woman who survived the most glamorous and dangerous court in Europe by following her heart.

"Yes. Send her down to Hever. Tell him that she's ill. Let him imagine her dying of grief." -The Other Boleyn Girl, pg. 56

Book Blogger Hop: Hosted by Crazy for Books. This week's question is "Who's your all time favourite book villain?". My answer: Saverus Snape!! Everybody knew him right? I love this character so much. He was a villain yes, but at the end of Harry Potter series, he was a hero. Or so I thought...

Friday Follows: Hosted by Parajunkee's View: This week's question is "What embarrassing thing have you done on cold medicine? ". My answer: I don't remember..

Friday Finds: Hosted by Should be Reading where book bloggers sharing great books we hear about/ discover this past week. So, here are my Friday Finds!!

Scared by Tom Davis

Priceless by Tom Davis

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson