What books do you have next to your bed right now? How about other places in the house? What are you reading?

I don't keep books next to my bed. In fact, I have a small table in our living room where I kept all my current reads, including magazines. As for the rest of my TBR pile, they are kept in our study room and store room.

Though my choice of books are always on-the-spur-of-a-moment thing, however I do have a few books in mind for my next reading; two of which are review copies, a few YA novels and a Japanese fiction titled Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse, translated by John Bester. I'm currently reading Hate List by Jennifer Brown, which is both a powerful and a riveting read. My review will be up next week.

So what are you reading? And what's on your reading list next?

I have to confess that the main reason I picked up this book was due to my addiction to a drama serial I watched lately, in which it featured a charismatic lawyer who had lost his memory due to a brain surgery and how fate has brought him and his ex-girlfriend back together again. Though this book has nothing to do with that show, the hero in this book was a lawyer too and on top of that, I have read a few rave reviews of it which are enough to pique my curiosity.

Anyway, Practice Makes Perfect was a fun and entertaining read. Packed with witty dialogues and with a theme surrounding the battle between the sexes, this story is about two talented and ambitious lawyers who managed to find love in each other despite their differences and through some ordeals they encountered.

What I enjoyed about reading this book is the clash between the protagonists; Payton Kendall is a feminist at heart while J.D. Jameson is a cocky hero who thinks he has it all. It is no wonder that they could not see eye to eye with each other; and the most interesting part is where they are to compete with each other for the role of partner at the firm but what they did not realise is that despite all the competitions their feelings for each other have already taken shape right from the beginning they have set eyes on each other. Though I liked the idea that they are more or less attracted towards each other earlier (never mind if there is any misunderstanding issue or whatsoever), I have to say it might make the story more intense and interesting if they are portrayed as a pair of bitter rivals and nothing more as I would like to know how they would resolve their differences and all.

My views aside, I have to admit I had great admiration in Payton because of the way she handles things well in a calm and professional manner, and not because of her role as a lawyer but more of how she could manage to turn things around during an awkward situation (readers who have read this book about the court scene would be able to get what I meant). As for J.D. Jameson, the feminist in me cheered when I learnt that he did show remorse after all the things he had done to Payton earlier, and vice versa. All in all, I enjoyed reading this book. It made me laugh and think that opposite attraction does work. After all, there are no rules when it comes to the laws of attraction, and I couldn't agree more with that.

Other reviews:
Angieville
Babbling About Books, and More
Books Lists Life
Dear Author
The Raving Readers
(Let me know if I missed yours.)

• Grab your current read.
  
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

Ben paused to look at each of them. "We've decided to name only one litigation partner this year. Only one of you will make it."

It was as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page where readers get to share the books that came into their house last week.

Here's what I received last week, which I bought from The Book Depository:

1) Seize the Fire by Laura Kinsale

2) Extreme Danger by Shannon McKenna

What books came into your house last week?

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

I know I did mention before that I haven't visited a library for a long time, due to the fact that I'm such a slow reader and that I'd rather read books at my own pace (and not to mention I've a huge TBR pile waiting to be read), but last Friday while I was waiting for my husband to arrive so we could have our dinner before we went for grocery shopping at a neighbourhood mall, I spotted a public library situated next to the foodcourt so as a way to pass the time and also out of curiosity, I stepped into the library not expecting to borrow any books until my attention fell upon this book:

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Suddenly, I lost all my self-control when it comes to saying no to library books and I knew I just have to read this! So there you have it, my very first Library Loot post! So does that mean that I would be borrowing more books in the near future? Frankly speaking, I have no idea and with this little experience I have learned to say, "Never say never".

Below are just a few exhibits shown in the museum. We did not take many pictures due to the lightings. And most of the pictures we took are too dark anyway.

I can't remember what artefact this is. It might be a religious artefact but I am not sure.

A Dragon Robe worn by the Chinese Emperor

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

In the top right margin of the right-hand page was handwriting, the black of the ink now a bruised shade of purple.

The broad, thick strokes of the letters were undoubtedly made by a male and as she brought the book closer to read it better in the dim light, she found herself blushing at the intimacy of his words.

(Pg 32, On Folly Beach by Karen White)

1) Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti *

2) The Karma Club by Jessica Brody *

3) Spells by Aprilynne Pike *

4) Mariana by Monica Dickens (bought from Persephone Books)

5) Never Let You Go by Erin Healy (review copy)

What books came into your house last week?

Are your book choices influenced by friends and family? Do their recommendations carry weight for you? Or do you choose your books solely by what you want to read?

I am late for this week's question, but I loved the topics so here I am.

I love looking at books, and with so many variety I have to choose the books I want to read. That said, I also have to say most of my book choices nowadays are influenced by fellow bookbloggers. I like seeing what other readers are reading; and I always look up for recommendations if I know we have the similar taste in the books we read. Sometimes, I do check out books that are out of my comfort zones if the premise really interest me. It is always good to expand our reading horizons, isn't it?

What about you?

I received a few emails from the publicists and thought I would share them with you here.

First of all, Book Club Girl will be doing a radio show with Minrose Gwin (author of The Queen of Palmyra, which I reviewed here) on May 17th at 4pm eastern standard time.

Follow up next is the release of mass market paperback, The Accidental Bestseller, by Wendy Wax on May 25th (see my review here). To celebrate the release, Wendy has a 'Match the Cover Contest' and all you have to do is to send Wendy a shot of yourself reading The Accidental Bestseller on any beach by August 1st. You will be entered in a drawing for a beach bag of books by some of Wendy's favourite writers.

How to participate?
Visit http://www.authorwendywax.com/, click on ‘Join Wendy's email list,’ fill in the form, attach your photo, and hit 'submit' to enter.

Photos will also be posted on Wendy's facebook page, and please be sure to friend Wendy so that you can see your shot!

Have fun, and good luck!

The building behind Anderson Bridge is The Fullerton Hotel.

The Fullerton Hotel
(It was originally known as The Fullerton Building, and also as the General Post Office Building)

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

Early on I'd felt drawn to Patch by a mysterious force field. Now I felt drawn to him by something entirely different.

(Pg 284, Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick)

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading time.

Do you have to carve out time in your day for reading (due to work and other obligations), or does your reading just happen naturally? (Question courtesy of MizB)

I have to say I spend most of my reading time during the commute. My journey from home to office takes me about an hour (and that includes a bus and a train ride) and vice versa, so overall I have at least two hours of reading time every weekdays.

When work is busy or when I want to lunch in depending on my mood, this will allow me some time for my reading. I will still read a little when I get home but that is only when I have some time to spare and that my children have gone to bed (the same goes to my weekends since most of the time will be spent on chores and my family).

So that is my routine where my reading is concerned. What about you?

So … you’re halfway through a book and you’re hating it. It’s boring. It’s trite. It’s badly written. But … you’ve invested all this time to reading the first half.

What do you do? Read the second half? Just to finish out the story? Find out what happens?

Or, cut your losses and dump the second half?

I think the minds of an editor and a reader is very much the same, at least when it comes to the opening line of the book they are reading. Sure, a great opening line captures the attention of the readers, but what if the context becomes boring towards the middle of a book? Will you continue to read it? Give it a second chance? Or just simply dump the book? Decisions, decisions!

Unfortunately, I don't have a definite answer for today's question. There are times I skim the book because I hate not knowing what happened to the story. Then there are times I give it a second chance and read a few more pages, hoping there would be a change of momentum. And then there is the dread of dumping the book all together, but this would be my last resort. I would only do this if the book is super boring, or I am no longer interested in the story and doesn't care what happens in the end.

Anyway, this reminds me of a question which I am interested to find out from all readers: What if the book is badly written but the author is a great storyteller? Would you read it?

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

Some stories run for their lives. They zig and zag, moving so fast you can't find the secret path of their steps through the fields, only soft prints here and there to let you know something with a quivering heart and a soft belly passed that way or this.

(Pg 297, The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin)

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page where readers get to share the books that came into their house last week.

Here's what I received last week:

1) My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day (bought from The Book Depository) Don't you love that cover?

3) On Folly Beach by Karen White (review copy) I am so thrilled to be able to get a copy of this! You see, I'm a huge fan of Karen White! Many thanks to Joy Strazza for sending it to me! :-)

What books came into your house last week?