ARC Review: No Love Allowed by Kate Evangelista

I am typing this review literally 10 minutes after I finish reading the book, so forgive me for the review that is also thinly disguised as me fangirling.

Oh man. The feels. It's all about the feels in this book.

(I've actually live tweeted while I was reading the book, so if you're interested in my reactions, you can follow the hashtag, #KaireadsNoLoveAllowed.)

Title: No Love Allowed by Kate Evangelista
Release Date: April 19th 2016
Published by: Swoon Reads
Source: Won from the author's contest

Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

It's all fun and parties until someone falls in love in this modern fairy tale from author Kate Evangelista.

Caleb desperately needs a fake girlfriend. Either he attends a series of parties for his father’s law firm with a pretty girl on his arm, or he gets shipped off to Yale to start a future he’s not ready for and isn’t sure he wants. And sadly, the last unattached girl in his social circle has just made the grievous mistake of falling in love with him. Fortunately, Didi, recently fired waitress and aspiring painter, is open to new experiences. As the summer ticks by in a whirl of lavish parties, there’s only one rule: They must not fall in love!

It's the classic "two people who belong in two different worlds, brought about by certain circumstances" kind of love story but by the Book Gods, it worked and then some.

And it all started with ice cold water. Didi was having a bad day and glasses of cold water got dumped in a girl at the right place and the right time, she was fired, and she has met Mr. Golden Boy, and was given an opportunity for an unforgettable summer with no strings (or emotions) attached. That is, until feelings get in the way.

As I've mentioned in my live tweet, I was skeptical, maybe a little bit apprehensive with Didi's character (I blame the summary of the book for this!) but the first few pages changed my impression of her, what she did in those first . Unpredictable, yes. Funny and honest, yes. Creative person with a a complicated soul, yes. And to use Caleb's description of her: smart, perceptive with a hint of spice for flavor. Dare I use the word 'fierce'? Not really, but Didi is spontaneous and she views the world in colors, giving off a vibrant feel each time and I just can't help but be drawn and like that part of her. I love the way Kate framed her personality, that feeling where something more hides beneath the portraits, paints and pills.

For someone who's supposedly mastered the art of being a jerk, Caleb is a little bit less than that and more sensitive and attentive over Didi, which endeared him to me a lot. Seriously, a lot of what he does, may they be on purpose or just by instinct, makes me swoon. As a reader, I always have a smile on my face picturing Caleb inside my head. Described as someone who has everything (a.k.a. money and extraordinary good looks), Caleb's life has been maped out for him, pretty much been ruined by love, and I understand why he's trying to get away from it. Ah, but the feeling of smugness at that moment when the very thing he's avoiding happened was priceless.

I just found myself enjoying everything about this book, immersing myself in the story in a flash, relishing every moment of my reading experience. Didi and Caleb were mesmerizing enough to read of with the combination of their banter and perpetual teasing, the subtle cues and hints that they're slowly but surely falling for each other, but the supporting characters added such flair to the story that made it ten times better. Raise your hand if you love Nathan! He's like the fairy godmother Didi needed, and he's this bright ball of sunshine, all smiles and kindness and was just basically one top notch specimen that entertained me so much and made me so curious about him at the same time, that I found myself wishing that he gets his own story. (And we are getting one, thank goodness!) Him, Natasha and Preston are proof that they might be rich but they aren't a bunch of spoiled brats, with them providing good support for Caleb and their interactions with Didi, which more of then than not reduces me to giggles.

See, Kate piles fluff and feelings on top of the other until you feel warm and fuzzy and then she cuts you off with a conflict that on hindsight is something you know will happen, but the feels just overcomes you when you're at that part. A bunch of bated breaths and a whole lot of bracing (myself) around 30 pages before the end because at that point, I was eager to know how it was going to end, rooting for them and needing a happy ending. I was totally swept along with the story and I absolutely love the touch of reality that Kate added, of things not being "always like the movies", and being faced with an illness that puts uncertainty not just in their relationship in the long run but both Didi and Caleb's life as well. I didn't expect Caleb to be that emotional nor his decision on how to face it. Ah, love. It just does things to you. And I don't know how Kate managed to weave such an important theme into the story and make such an integral part click and make the story whole.

Overall, I can say that I really loved this book and I recommend it to everyone who loves a feel good read! It's got such a simple premise but the way it was written just made me breeze through it. It made me laugh, it made me smile, it made me feel frustrated, it made me sad and ultimately it made me feel such fluffy, romantic feelings. Ultimately, No Love Allowed made me fall in love with YA contemporary romance stories again.

Content (plot, story flow, character):

I flipped to the last page and I'm like "where are the rest?!" because all that was left were acknowledgements. I needed more! Also, this might just be me nitpicking a bit, but using and inserting the word "f*cking" in quite a few sentences got on my nerves a little because sometimes it felt unnecessary. Still a REALLY GOOD book though!
.5

Shining: Worthy of a Goddess' Love!

Book Cover:
Perfect visual for what the story is about!

Relish by Kate Evangelista Scavenger Hunt!

Welcome, welcome. *using my best Effie Trinket voice*

So you're here for the Relish scavenger hunt, yeah? You came to the right place. Now feel free to check the blog, or you can just scroll down below to see the next page of the story. (I'm Page 2!)

A fair warning: It's a good chapter. You'd want to keep on reading. So give it to the urge and continue with the hunt right after! You just need to click on the link for "Next Page" to find out what happens next.

~Page 2~

My breathing hitches. I open my mouth, but no words come out. Another twist just below my navel forces me into a fetal position, clutching my abdomen. It feels like something wants to crawl out, ripping me from the inside.

I opened my eye to the predawn darkness and gasped. Holy hell! Chanting? Fuckin’ chanting? Really? I swallowed down the bile rising up my throat. Tremors ravaged my sweat-slicked body beneath the thick comforters smothering me.

Since returning to my apartment, my dreams had taken on a creepy aspect. I must be losing my mind. It was bad enough I woke up to some strange man chasing me, now I had added a weird old woman performing some sort of sick ritual to the mix? Where were these images coming from? I must have a twisted imagination to come up with this stuff. I’d never considered therapy before—dismissing my dreams as nightmares—but now I came really close to giving in. Maybe sleeping pills could knock me out deep enough that I’d find myself in the land of no dreams like the time I’d gotten sick at Lunar Manor. I smoothed away the black hair I kept in a bob from my cheek, shaking my head. Not going there. Thoughts of that place only led to worse memories.

With each breath I inhaled, I did my best to calm my racing heart. My fingers groped for my belly. Beneath my fingertips I felt the sea of scars there, marring the otherwise smooth skin. The largest one ran from my navel down to just above my pubic line. Nothing wanted to crawl out of me like a creature from Alien. I was fine. I was fine.

I repeated the mantra several times, wiping away the cold sweat on my brow with still shaking fingers. At least the tremors had subsided some. It sucked balls. Just when I thought I understood my dreams for what they were, new information threw a wrench in my acceptance, sending me back into a spiral of unnecessary panic. What were my dreams trying to tell me?

~Next Page~

Title: Relish (Vicious Feast #2) by Kate Evangelista
Release Date: January 12th 2015
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Summary:

I left Lunar Manor broken, seeking comfort in the hands of Laurel “the Dragon” Hardy, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Gossip. Okay, I may have used him to ease the pain He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named caused by his confession of loving someone else. On New Year’s Eve! Granted, he was drunk off his ass, but still! I stay with Larry mainly because the dreams are getting worse. Worse enough to wake me in the middle of the night needing the touch of another to save me from losing my mind.

Unfortunately, the handsome bassist of the uber successful indie rock band, Vicious, is never far from my mind. I thought I was rid of him once and for all only to have him show up at my hotel in London. Luka Visraya’s power over me is intense. No matter how far I run, I always end up circling back to him.

If you think my story is just some romance about two lovers getting back together, think again. Little did I know that returning to Luka meant I’d be plunging myself into a world more familiar than I ever thought possible. Trust me when I say I didn’t believe it either when the truth finally came out.

About the author:

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department and never looked back. Today, she is a graduate of De La Salle University - Manila with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature. She taught high school English for three years and was an essay consultant for two. Currently she writes full-time and is based in the Philippines.



Links:

Website | Twitter | Tumblr | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram | Wattpad

Raise your hand and so a happy dance if you're excited to read Relish! Because yeah, I AM. *does the Happy dance* Big thanks to Kate for letting me be part of the scavenger hunt!

Recap: Kate Evangelista's Til Death Book Launch!

And the slew of awesome YA book signings continue with the launch of proudly Filipino author Kate Evangelista's book, Til Death, published by Entangled Teen. If you're curious to know what Til Death is all about, you can read my review to get an idea. It's good, I promise!

After a hearty meal at Shakey's with Leslie of Bibliophile Kid and Nina of The Bookish Confections, we arrived at the venue early for once! Our other book blogger buddies overslept and were still on their way so we had some time to kill. Which Leslie spent doing this:

The lovely Mina Esguerra, also an amazing Filipina author (Fairy Tail Fail, Not that Kind of Guy, Interim Goddess of Love) hosted the book launch/ signing. Mina asked a lot of questions regarding Kate's journey through publishing her novels (from Omnific to Entangled) and Kate answered questions about her writing process, querying, why she writes multiple novels at a time and how she does it. She also gave advice to future published authors. Just write that novel, people. Everything starts from there.

A quick rundown of the Q&A:

- When asked why Wyoming was the setting for Til Death, it was because Kate needed to find a place to set her story that was remote enough so it won't attract a lot of attention.
- When asked how many books she needed to write, she said 11. (Wow!)
- Also, she's a "glorified typist". Her characters just want their stories to be written!
- Kate loves having mixed reviews. At least she knows what she needs to work on. What's scary is having ALL good reviews, because if your next novel comes out and people started hating it you'll tend to ask "why? they loved my work before!" and also, you wouldn't know what you need to work on if you just keep on getting good ones.
- Query everybody. Find which path you need to take as an author. Some are satisfied with self-publishing because that's how they want to start building their platforms on.
- Write the whole novel first before you start querying!
- Rejection doesn't mean you're a bad writer. It just means that your story is not for them.
- When asked if her being a Filipina affected the reception of her books in any way, Kate said no. Because that's the beauty of the internet. It's not about where you came from, it's about your story.
- When asked if she plans on writing a book set in the Philippines, she said she's writing one already. A dystopian kind of novel, complete with robots!

A 9th grader reading Til Death chapter 2.

Kate was aware that she needs to work on the pacing of her story, and that it will be addressed in Til Death's sequel, where everything will make sense!

Photo from Kazhy at My Library in the Making

Also, Kate's momager, her ever supportive mom was there for her daughter's book launch! We talked to her a few times throughout the signing and she was such a sweetheart! Was the siomai her very own masterpiece? Because we loved it! Good food + good friends + awesome book and book launch = happy day for me.

Kate and I are both Kuroko no Basuke fans, so it was so fun just standing there talking to her about the anime (and Aomine) while she was signing my book! I even got a chance to take a (blurry) selfie with her!

The launch was also a venue for me and my book blogger friends to meet again! It was so fun to see all of these gorgeous ladies once more. I miss them all! We tried doing the Oscar selfie, but nope, it didn't happen. I failed. Twice.

Of course, because Mina was there, we couldn't pass up the chance to have our books signed by her. We had to run around NBS and buy her books in a hurry so we can have them signed! Thanks Mina for the impromptu mini-signing!

It was another awesome bookish day I spent with my friends, where we lost track of time bonding over books again even when the signing's over. I look forward to seeing these ladies again soon! The 29th! See you all there!

The obligatory group photo with Kate! Thanks to Kate at The Bookaholic Blurbs for the photo.

Thank you National Bookstore for another great event! See you soon fellow bookworms!

ARC Review: Til Death by Kate Evangelista

I am so glad to kick off this tour for fellow Filipino, author Kate Evangelista!

Please give me a moment to compose myself before I start screaming. What a cliffhanger. Cliffhanger!

Title: Til Death (Fractured Souls #1) by Kate Evangelista
Release Date: March 4th 2014
Published by: Entangled Teen
Source: Publisher (for blog tour)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

Sixteen-year old Selena Fallon is a dreamer. Not a day-dreamer, but an I-see-the-future kind of dreamer. Normally this is not a problem as she has gotten pretty good at keeping her weird card hidden from everyone in her small town. Except from her best friend Kyle and her grandparents, of course. But when Selena dreams of her own rather bloody death, things get a little too freaky even for her.

Enter Dillan Sloan. Selena has seen the new guy in a different dream, and he is even more droolworthy in person. Beyond the piercing blue eyes and tousled dark hair, there is something else that draws her to him. Something…electric. Unfortunately, Dillan makes it more than clear that he does not feel the same. They just met, so why would he act like he hates her?

When Dillan and Selena are forced together one weekend to work on a school project, Selena prepares to be ignored as usual. But when she stumbles across a few undead in the backyard, Dillan comes to her rescue and reveals a whole lot more. Not only is he part of a society that hunts otherworldly creatures…she is too. And she is being targeted by a force bigger and darker than anything she ever imagined. Despite her death dream, Selena is not going to give up easy, especially when she discovers that Dillan might not actually hate her after all.

Selena has been having visions of the future, getting a glimpse of what was to happen through her dreams. It wasn't supposed to be a big deal, but when creatures started to target her, something must be done. If only she wasn't busy keeping her ability a secret and keeping a clear mind for the new boy in town. Dillan Sloan gets on Selena's nerves, and she hates how he easily pushes her buttons. But Dillan's got secrets of his own to keep, and Newcastle, the place he was exiled to, seems to be much more than it seems and it seems to be connected to Selena. The question is, how and why?

It was exhausting to read this book, and I mean that in a good way. Emotions keep on shifting a lot and if you lose focus, you will find yourself lost and confused. Selena and Dillian are both strong characters, and sparks literally fly whenever their paths cross. Selena's feisty in her own way and I like how she reacts towards Dillian. It's both amusing and very funny at times. Dillian is a certified bad boy. It doesn't help that his mood shifts ever so often, and that unstable, dark vibe draws a lot of attention to him and his past as much as it does to Selena and the story behind her ability.

It's interesting how Kate crafted Newcastle, and how it became such a perfect place for the supernatural and the bizarre to thrive in. It's such a crazy place! It seemed surreal at times, but it's quite a location for such a story to happen. I like how everything is not what it seems, what the surface looks like is an entirely different thing once you delved deeper. Also, I like how every person in Selena's life is tied to each other. It's not a surprise, but what was surprising is how each character, with their own secrets to keep, really are. The contrasts of their personalities once their secrets are out is quite a thing to read. Nothing and no one is what they seem in Newcastle.

The pacing however, is a bit slow, and it took time for me to figure things out. You might need a bit of extra patience, because things will get clearer as you get deeper in the story, this I promise you. Hold on tight! Kate masterfully held all the answers to the questions and secrets surrounding Selena that piled up throughout the story and unleashed it all towards the end, which gave it such an impact and a memorable finish. I loved how Kate was able to inject the creep, the mystery vibe and the thrilling sequences in the right parts. I found myself breathless a few times as well. Talk about breath taking scenes! It's like it's possible to feel the electricity between Selena and Dillian physically when I read of their clashes and encounters. They're so entertaining to read of especially when they bicker. They have the love-hate relationship down to a tee! Secondary characters like Kyle, Penny, Ranier, Grams and Gramps were inserted in such a way that made the story a bit more lively. They will all make you wonder how they all fit in Selena's life and what role do they have in it.

Also, can I please have Sebastian as my friend?

Overall, Til Death is quite an absorbing start to the series. I'm not surprised that the pacing is a bit slow, as this is the first book, but it's enough to feed the readers quite a tantalizing opener for what looks like a promising series! What an intriguing opener, Kate! It's something new and enjoyable. I liked this book and I will definitely be on the look out for the sequel!

What a way to end the first book. Katarina will be proud!

Content (plot, story flow, character):

Kate is evil! She just had to cut the story off just when it was getting to the juicy part. My biggest problem really was the pacing of the story, since I felt like it wasn't moving forward for quite the majority of the book, but the tension between Selena and Dillan more than made up for it! I expect a lot more BOOM and earth shattering moments in Book 2. When do we get it? :)

Shining: Worthy of a Goddess' Love!

Book Cover:
The cover made so much sense when you read the book!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Signed copy of Til Death courtesy of Kate Evangelista

PH only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, if you're in Manila this March, you can catch Kate at National Bookstore this March 15th for the book launch of Til Death! I hope to see you there!

Cover reveal: Reaping Me Softly by Kate Evangelista

I am so proud to be able to be a part of the cover reveal for a fellow Filipina's new YA book, Reaping Me Softly by Kate Evangelista! When I first saw the cover in my e-mail's inbox I had to resist the urge to post it everywhere. Now I get to share it with all of you! Behold its beauty!

Reaping Me Softly by Kate Evangelista
Expected release: October 30, 2012 by Omnific Publishing

Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

My thoughts:

Can I say 'wow'? I haven't read her other novel, Taste, but I sure will not miss this one once it releases. And did I mention that she's a Filipina YA author? I am so glad Kate's making waves in the world of YA. Don't the cover just make you want to know more about the book? There is definitely some significance in the way the girl was blindfolded and reaching out to the cage. I wonder how it's connected to the story? I love how just by looking at the cover, it makes me all curious about the book even more!

What do you guys think? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

And thank you AToMR Tours for letting me be a part of this cover reveal!