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babaylansamaynila

babaylansamaynila

I prefer to read books, whether its about history or a romance novel, than go out (reading is cheaper but the experience it will give you is priceless!)
Aside from reading, music is also one of my many passions... although I'm not musically-gifted
My favorite cheap thrills are hanging out at bookstores (Fully Booked Gateway and National... more »
  • member since October 31 2008

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 23 reviews
  • Spell of the Highlander
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Extremely engaging with intense chemistry between the two leads and a humour-filled story, I loved this! Not only because of the romance that developed between a 9th century alpha-male and a 21st century independent woman, it also talked about the ancient Druids and the Celts - topics which I have very infinitesimal knowledge. Although at times I got lost with the details, the paranormal stuff that went on with it, and supporting characters with "archaic" names I still enjoyed the characters' banters and journey from uptown Chicago to the misty Highlands.

    Cian MacKeltar was the FORCE in this book. He was so funny! With his ability to use his VOICE that make anyone who hears it follow him and the uber-sexiness that he exudes, I just like him! Plus, he was a Highlander wearing kilt whose entire physique screams of hotness! He was also very virile and sexual who was forced to celibate for 1,133 years that's why when he smelled Jessi St.James for the first time, he immediately want to bed her! Hahaha... And his first attempt to do just that using his VOICE was really hilarious! But their first time was really hot! I always want the first time of a Romance to be in bed but this one was an exception. Even though they did it on a library, I still liked it! Never would have thought that a first time which was done in a library would be so hot and steamy! And the way he described things:
    Christ, woman, must you catapult forward after each cessation?
    Are you certain you’ve strapped the mirror securely?
    By all that’s holy, woman, what is that hideous noise? Cease and desist! A battlefield at full charge could be no more cacophonous!
    You just got to love a man whose use of words is so centuries ago! He's also very bossy and sometimes Jessi can't stand his "barbaric" stance on how a man should lead and the woman must yield but he's from the Middle Age so it's understandable.

    It's the first paranormal romance novel that I read and it's one great read!
    ”

    babaylansamaynila wrote this review Wednesday, June 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • To Seduce a Sinner
    • Rated 4 stars

    “The second book in Elizabeth Hoyt's The Legend of Four Soldiers, TO SEDUCE A SINNER follows the quest of the survivors on who betrayed them at Spinner's Falls. Jasper Renshaw, Viscount Vale continues the search for the traitor while adjusting to his new life as a married man. As a member of the peerage, Jasper must marry and produce an heir. But finding the next viscountess Vale proves to be an ordeal. Imagine, being betrothed twice just in six months but never really getting there...?

    Enter Melisande Fleming. She's an ordinary looking woman who has love Jasper for ages. She offered herself to him just after seeing him dumped on his wedding day, hoping that he would say yes to her preposterous proposal. Surprisingly, Jasper said yes, thus began a love story where the two characters are trying their best to hide themselves (unsuccessfully) from one another.

    Even though there's no scars to prove of the horrors that he experienced during the massacre at Spinner's Fall, Jasper is a changed man. He created a jolly, devil-may-care facade to mask the pain, guilt, and sorrow of Spinner's Falls. Instead of sleeping comfortably in his king-sized bed, he opts to sleep in a pallet, beside the wall, with all his provisions because he still couldn't shake the ghost of the past. The traitor is still on the loose and Jasper is on the hunt, determined to finally put to justice the man who is responsible for the death of many.

    Although, Melisande is already married to her beloved, she vows to never let him know her true feelings. She's scared of rejection, a lesson she learned in a very hard way. She hides her love for Jasper with a composure as firm as a steel. Her uptight facade is what makes Jasper mad with desire and curiosity. How come she's so wanton at night while being so stiff by day? What makes her a seductress, driving him with lust? Jasper is really desperate to find out... which he does, in a very sensual way...

    I liked it! The love scenes are steamy but also because Melisande and Jasper deeply cares for one another. Both of them helped one another to reveal who they really are. Melisande is very frustrated everytime Jasper leaves her after making love but when she learns of his trauma, she makes an arrangement that caught Jasper in a surprise - in a good way. Meanwhile, aside for her love for Jasper, Melisande has another secret. When Jasper learned of this, he didn't get mad at Melisande and accepted it as a part of her past.

    Elizabeth Hoyt has become one of my favorite romance authors because of her ability to tell exquisite stories. I can't wait to read TO BEGUILE A BEAST, the third installment in the series wherein the most visibly scarred among the victims of Spinner's Fall fell in love with a beautiful mistress disguised as a housekeeper... And yes, the haunt for the traitor still continues! ”

    babaylansamaynila wrote this review Thursday, May 14 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • To Taste Temptation
    • Rated 5 stars

    “A very good start to a great series! Samuel Hartley comes to England with a mission: to uncover the truth about the massacre at Spinner's Falls. Samuel became a changed man after the horrifying massacre that left him and his British comrades scarred for life. He was a Colonial soldier serving the British army and he was guiding the regiment through the forest when they were attacked by their enemies. When the survivors were taken by the Huron allies of the French to their camp, Samuel escaped and ran for help. He believes that this action of him - leaving his comrades to suffer the tortures of the Indians is an act of cowardice. Six years after the massacre, he still couldn't shake the horrors that befell on the soldiers he left behind while he was running for help. He believes that by finding the traitor who told the French of their journey to Fort Edwards, he would finally get absolution.

    The psychological trauma that is still hunting Samuel felt very real. He couldn't stomach being around a lot of people because he can smell their sweat - a reminder of the smell of the soldiers who died at Spinner's Falls. He likes to run in his moccasins because it is the only time he could be free and think. He went to London despite its claustrophobic atmosphere, and being close to Lady Emeline Gordon is the perfect way to disguise his true intentions.

    Lady Emeline Gordon is the quintessential aristocrat. She is a respectable widow and a mother of an adorable 8 year old baron. She has an impeccable manners that all the young girls she accompanies have successful society debuts. But her perfect world turns upside-down when Samuel came to hire her as his sister's chaperon to London's society. Emeline thinks Samuel as crude and without manners. But she has an undeniable and forbidden attraction towards him. This she felt despite the fact that she's spoken for to Jasper Renshaw, Viscount Vale. Jasper was with Samuel during the tragic Spinner's Fall massacre and has been a friend of Emeline since they were young. Although she likes Jasper a lot, she thinks of him only as a brother and her attraction with Samuel complicates her flawless reputation.

    Can Samuel overcome the emotional and mental scars to finally open his heart to Emeline? Can Emeline risk her reputation so she can follow her heart?

    I like this book! From the attraction that's killing both Samuel and Emeline; the intrigues behind Spinner's Falls; the London society's condescending manner towards Samuel, a Colonial and an outsider; the interaction between Samuel and Emeline's son, Danny; Emeline's sharp-tongued aunt; the growing attraction between Rebecca, Samuel's much younger sister and the Irish footman O'Hare; and yes, the hot and many love scenes... this book is totally great! Elizabeth Hoyt is defintely one of my favorite romance author because she writes great stories! She writes incredible love scenes but what really makes her a fantastic author for me is her ability to make her reader get hooked from the beginning until end.

    The hunt for the traitor didn't overshadow the growing love between the two characters but the ending is a bit rush for my taste. Anyway, the traitor is still on the loose and the next book in the series, TO SEDUCE A SINNER will provide some clear answers to the tragic event for sure. After all, there are four books in this series so I have to read all of them to find out who the traitor is. ”

    babaylansamaynila wrote this review Thursday, May 14 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • To Beguile a Beast
    • Rated 5 stars

    “This is the story of the most scarred survivor of the Spinner's Falls. Sir Alistair Munroe was a gifted naturalists who was with the 28th Regiment when they were attacked by the French and their Indian allies. After the attack, Alistair and the survivors were taken by the Indians to their camp and that was where he was tortured - his left face were burned, his left eye and two of his fingers were removed. To save himself from the contempt that his face always elicit, he hides in his dirty castle. There, he can roam freely, contently, and peacefully.

    Helen Fitzwilliam has been the mistress of the powerful Duke of Lister for 14 years. At 17, she fell in love with the duke (or so she thought!). The duke never really loved her and although he hadn't bed her for years, he still considers Helen and her two children, his possessions. But one day, Helen had enough and decided to run away from the clutches of the possessive duke. With the help of a friend, Helen and her children flee London... to Scotland.

    When Helen and her children landed on the doorstep of a dilapidated castle, she thought that her friend made a mistake. They were greeted by an unwelcome owner who appears to be more of a beast than a man. But she is desperate so she becomes Sir Alistair's housekeeper, despite his reluctance and her lack of experience as one.

    The interaction between Sir Alistair and Helen's children - Abigail and Jamie feels like this is a wholesome novel. He shares to them his knowledge about nature by patiently explaining to them various flora and fauna; engageing them in nature trips; and teaching them how to fish. His behavior towards them is more than enough to convince Helen that despite his arrogance, Sir Alistair is a good man. Although they were fathered by the Duke of Lister, he doesn't even know their names, or care about them!

    The moment Sir Alistair saw Helen in his doorstep, he became enchanted by her beauty. Although she introduced herself as Mrs. Halifax, Alistair knew immediately that she was lying. He wants to uncover the secret that she's hiding but he's not in a hurry to know because he's beginning to enjoy her company and her children's. As for Helen, she knows that she has to be more carefu now when it comes to the matters of the heart-why it became her undoing years ago! But she can't help but to feel something towards her employer. Can she bring herself to love once again? By doing that, can she reveal her true identity to the man she's beginning to care for, knowing that it can destroy their newfound feelings?

    When Helen's children were kidnapped by the duke, she has no choice but to tell Alistair the truth. Ofcourse, Alistair was so enraged by her revelation that he shouted hurtful words at her. I can understand his distress because the realization that the children he's beginning to love as his own were bastards of a duke. But he helped Helen anyway and he's tactic of retrieving the children is very clever and shrewed of him!

    Both Alistair and Helen are survivors. Although his scars didn't stop him from becoming a celebrated author of a naturalist book, it made him wary of people. Thus, he shut himself from the world, contented with his life at his desolated castle. But with Helen and her children, he found a new strength that enabled him to forget his worries and give his heart to someone he never thought would come. Helen survived 14 years of contempt and loneliness. Her decision as a young woman to trust a powerful duke became her anathema. She was disowned by her own family and London's society was very hostile to her. But she overcomes unacceptance because she has two children that she love the most.

    This book was all about second chance. I'm glad Elizabeth Hoyt wonderfully brought these two together so that they can find love and happiness with another. The love scenes were hot and the attraction was very intense. Their journey wasn't easy but in the end, love conquers all so they lived happily ever after.

    The traitor hasn't been put to justice btw. I have to wait until November to know who he is!”

    babaylansamaynila wrote this review Thursday, May 14 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • Saving Grace
    • Rated 5 stars

    “If I want to read a Medieval Romance, Julie Garwood is my go-to-author! Following the footsteps of THE PRIZE and HONOR'S SPLENDOUR, SAVING GRACE is another beautiful novel from Ms. Garwood. From the witty dialogues, delightful exchanges between the lead characters, the wonderful supporting characters, the Scottish Medieval backdrop... I can read this book over and over again!

    Young, beautiful, and newly-widowed, Lady Johanna became the wife of the MacBain - Gabriel MacBain that is. A Highlander who is a powerful laird to two clans. Johanna was reluctant to marry Gabriel at first because of her bitter experience with her first abusive husband. She also doesn't like the idea that Gabriel is big, burly, has a foul attitude and yes, handsome. But due to the insistence of her beloved foster brother and Gabriel himself, she gave in. She also softened her heart towards her Highlander husband when she met Alex, Gabriel's illegitimate son. Johanna believes that she's barren - which was one of the reasons why she was beaten by her first husband. So when she learned of Alex, she immediately accepted the child, much to the surprise and satisfaction of Gabriel. The wedding was totally hilarious and it's the best wedding scene I've ever read with Johanna vowing that she will love, honor, and try to obey her husband upon occasion.

    Johanna was very fearful towards Gabriel at first. She's also very timid and she doesn't interact with her household not only because Gabriel wants her to rest all the time, but also because of her past experiences. She doesn't want to get attached to anyone, including Gabriel because in the end, she will get hurt. But her behavior changed months after her wedding. Through her newfound freedom, she slowly becomes a courageous woman who isn't afraid of her husband, his big dog Dumfries, and anyone else. Because of her quiet defiance, she got the respect of the MacBain and MacLaurin clans which eventually lead to the union of the two. She also learned how to tame her husband when he's in a foul mood - a discovery so funny, thanks to her interaction with Dumfries.

    Gabriel is the illegitimate son of the former Laird MacLaurin. He was never acknowledged by his biological father but this didn't become a hindrance for him to become the Laird of the MacBains. When the Maclaurins' fort was attacked by the English, they asked the protection and guidance of Gabriel thus making him their laird. He's a man of strength and honor. His unquestionable trust towards his soldiers was proven when he defended them from another laird who accused them of wrongdoing.

    The story of a young Gabriel, dreaming of a family - with his wife sewing by the hearth is very touching. But what really endeared me to Gabriel is his total acceptance of his love for Johanna. He didn't deny or fight off his feelings. Instead, he became determined to make her fall in love with him no matter what it takes!

    LOVE IS A TRICKY AFFAIR all right!

    Another brilliant thing about this novel is the secondary characters. From the old MacBain warrior Auggie and his obsession with balls and holes; the good Highlander priest MacKechnie; the MacBain and MacLaurin soldiers (Johanna can't stand their rambunctious nature so she sets her sights in teaching them proper manners - a scene so funny and very endearing since the soldiers don't want to disappoint her!); Claire MacKay, the resilient woman who was humiliated by another laird; Johanna's very hilarious attempts in matchmaking; Alex's devotion towards his new Mama; and Johanna's foster brother, Baron Nicholas Sanders... all of them contributed in the beautiful love story of Gabriel and Johanna.

    So far, all three of Julie Garwood's medieval novels that I read are great! What makes them unforgettable is how the love story between the main protagonists develops, in a fun-filled way. The heroines have very endearing qualities that will make readers like them. In Johanna's case, it's her transformation from a timid and shy creature to a bold and strong-willed woman. She's also good with her bow and arrow btw. Plus, there's a huge surprise in the middle of the story, something that Johanna never expected!

    Read Saving Grace... it's entertaining and thoroughly engaging! ”

    babaylansamaynila wrote this review Thursday, May 14 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • Stealing Princes: Calypso Chronicles, Book 2 (Calypso Chronicles)
    • Rated 2 stars

    “This book gives us a glimpse about an English boarding school and how one ordinary American teenager tries to cope up with her aristocratic classmates. Calypso Kelly's experience is definitely not a walk-in-the-park because she has to deal with her psychotic new dormmate Honey who is just the devil incarnate, her increasing jealousy over the new roommate of her two best pals, and the choice that she has to make between her two very fit txtmates: Billie, the sabre team captain of the neighboring all-boys school and Freddie, the Crown Prince! At 14, what's a girl got to do?

    Some parts of the book are totally hilarious but there are a lot of times that I find myself very irritated with Calypso! I know, she's only 14 and is capable of making a lot of bad choices but still, choosing to spend the weekend with the evil Honey (who is really really mean to her and her friends) rather than at her best friend's estate is a horrible decision! I just couldn't get over it! And because of her paranoia over her relationship with the Crown Prince, she tends to listen to whatever Honey is injecting on her mind, a factor that contributed to the demise of her good relationship with their other roommate, Lady Portia Herrington Briggs.

    Definitely an angst-ridden story with a lot of insights to what's Calypso is thinking since it's narration is in the first person, this book is not for me. The vocabulary list is very helpful for someone who is more exposed with the American way of English use, though.”

    babaylansamaynila wrote this review Thursday, April 30 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Leopard Prince
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Ahhh... this is one is definitely my kind of book! Once again, Elizabeth Hoyt delivers in this second installment of her much acclaimed Princes Trilogy. This book is better than The Serpent Prince, the third book which I mistakenly read first, although I believed that among the three, The Raven Prince is the best! Anyway, The Leopard Prince tells the story of Henry "Harry" Pye, a land steward of Woldsly Manor and Lady Georgina Maitland, daughter of an earl and the owner of the manor. Georgina has been employing Harry for months and her treatment of him is just like how she treats everyone under her employ: like a chair! As an aristocrat, she treats her staff like an inanimate object. She's not being heartless ofcourse, but that's how the way it is!

    But everything changed when an accident occurred while she and Harry is riding to her manor that she realized that Harry Pye is a man. Harry is an ordinary-looking man who always wears brown from head to toe but Georgina can't deny her attraction to him that she began to think of having an affair with him. Will she give in to her desires? Can Harry, who is also attracted to her, resist the urge to bed him and claim his as his woman? Can they challenge society and risk losing their reputation? Can they?

    I'm not giving away that much but I can assure you that there are plenty of very steamy scenes in this book. Harry and Georgina weren't described as handsome and beautiful but it's ok, it makes them more relatable. It's also much lighter than the two books in the trilogy but it still has a dark aspect, especially when you learned about Harry's past and his age-old feud with the evil Lord Granville of the nearby estate. Georgina and Harry are also entangled in a nasty sheep-poisoning case that is endangering the livelihood of the tenants of Lord Granville. Everyone is suspecting Harry of committing the crime due to his hatred of Lord Granville.

    The funny moments in this book can be found between Georgina and her three younger brothers who came to her rescue after their youngest, Violet warned them about their eldest sister's involvement with the land steward. All of them went to Georgina one after the other and their care towards their sister is quite obvious because of that. Violet also has a dark, embarrassing secret that I find her interference with her sister's life hypocritical. There was also a brief cameo of my favorite Hoyt hero, Edward de Raaf, 5th Earl of Swartingham and his meeting with the Maitland brothers is one of the funniest scenes in the book! It's also amazing to read about Georgina inheriting a huge manor from her aunt... something rare for a woman during that period. Also, the tale of the Leopard Prince added to the allure of this amazing book.

    Read The Leopard Prince. A romance novel set during the Georgian Period in England. Writer Elizabeth Hoyt gave another outstanding story that will make her readers crave for more! ”

    babaylansamaynila wrote this review Thursday, April 30 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • Mine Till Midnight
    • Rated 3 stars

    “I first encountered Cam in Devil in Winter as the manager of Jenner's Gambling Club and since then, he became embedded in my mind. I thought that Kleypas will write a story of him and Daisy Bowman because there was a scene with the two of them in the Devil in Winter and I felt there chemistry. Obviously, I was wrong because Daisy got her own story with another man in Scandal in Spring which was the finale of Kleypas' The Wallflower Series. Anyway, Mine Till Midnight is a very sexy novel. The love scenes were hot but I couldn't really feel the chemistry between Amelia and Cam. Quite ironic because there were a lot of steamy scenes between the two but their connection didn't really extend beyond the bedroom. Sure, Cam became Amelia's shoulder to lean and cry on everytime a Hathaway sibling is in trouble but I couldn't really feel their magic!

    What interests me more is the connection between Win, Amelia's sickly younger sister and their gypsy companion, Merripen whose love story develops in the second book of the series, Seduce Me At Sunrise which was better and which I read months ago (there goes the bias!). It was also a delight to read again about Sebastian St. Vincent and Evie Jenner, the main characters of Devil in Winter (my very first Kleypas' novel). Their chemistry is still very alive and I couldn't help but grin everytime they were mentioned in the book. Overall, Mine Till Midnight is an OK book - not good but not bad either. Is it worth buying? Not really, other Kleypas' historical novels are better! ”

    babaylansamaynila wrote this review Thursday, April 23 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Serpent Prince
    • Rated 2 stars

    “The third and the last of the Princes Trilogy by Elizabeth Hoyt, this one failed to live up to the standards of The Raven Prince. I find the revenge theme of the novel tiring. I couldn't also see the parallelism of tale of The Serpent Prince with the life of the hero... Lastly, after I finished the book, I couldn't even remember the protagonists' names - a sign that the book didn't have any impact on me!

    ”

    babaylansamaynila wrote this review Thursday, April 23 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Raven Prince
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Wow! This book is just amazing! I just loved it! The characters are unforgettable, their chemistry is very palpable, and the love story is simply spellbinding! ”

    babaylansamaynila wrote this review Thursday, April 23 2009. ( reply | permalink )
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