I received this from a forwarded email (not sure of its original source) but I thought I want to share it with you:

The following is a "healthy food list" that will give you the biggest nutritional bang for you caloric buck, as well as decrease your risk for deadly illnesses like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Along with each description is a suggestion as to how to incorporate these power-food into your diet.

FRUITS

Apricots
The Power: Beta-carotene, which helps prevent free-radical damage and protect the eyes. The body also turns beta-carotene into vitamin A, which may help ward off some cancers, especially of the skin. One apricot has 17 calories, 0 fat, 1 gram of fiber. Snacks on them dried, or if you prefer fresh, buy when still firm; once they soften, they lose nutrients.




Avocados
The Power: Oleic acid, an unsaturated fat that helps lower overall cholesterol and raise levels of HDL, plus a good dose of fiber. One slice has 81 calories, 8 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber. Try a few slices instead of mayonnaise to dress up your next burger.





Raspberries
The Power: Ellagic acid, which helps stall cancer-cell growth. These berries are also packed with vitamin C and are high in fiber, which helps prevent high cholesterol and heart disease. A cup has only 60 calories, 1 gram of fat and 8 grams of fiber. Top plain low-fat yogurt or oatmeal (another high fiber food) with fresh berries.



Mango
The Power: A medium mango packs 57mg of vitamin C, almost your whole-recommended daily dose. This antioxidant helps prevent arthritis and boosts wound healing and your immune system. Mangoes also boast more than 8,000 IU of vitamin A (as beta-carotene). One mango has 135 calories, 1 gram of fat and 4 grams of fiber. Cut on up and serve it over leafy greens. Bonus: Your salad will taste like dessert!

Cantaloupe
The Power: Vitamin C (117mg in half a melon, almost twice the recommended daily dose) and beta-carotene - both powerful antioxidants that help protect cells from free-radical damage. Plus, half a melon has 853mg of potassium - almost twice as much as a banana, which helps lower blood pressure. Half a melon has 97 calories, 1 gram of fat and 2 grams of fiber. Cut into cubes and freeze, then blend into an icy smoothie.


Cranberry Juice
The Power: Helps fight bladder infections by preventing harmful bacteria from growing. A cup has 144 calories, 0 grams of fat and 0 fiber. Buy 100 percent juice concentrate and use it to spice up your daily H20 without adding sugar.



Tomato
The Power: Lycopene, one of the strongest carotenoids, acts as an antioxidant. Research shows that tomatoes may cut the risk of bladder, stomach and colon cancers in half if eaten daily. A tomato has 26 calories, 0 fat and 1 gram of fiber. Drizzle fresh slices with olive oil, because lycopene is best absorbed when eaten with a little fat.



Raisins
The Power: These little gems are a great source of iron, which helps the blood transport oxygen and which many women are short on. A half-cup has 218 calories, 0 fat and 3 grams of fiber. Sprinkle raisins on your morning oatmeal or bran cereal - women, consider this especially during your period.

Figs
The Power: A good source of potassium and fiber, figs also contain vitamin B6, which is responsible for producing mood-boosting serotonin, lowering cholesterol and preventing water retention. The Pill depletes B6, so if you use this method of birth control, make sure to get extra B6 in your diet. One fig has 37 to 48 calories, 0 fat and 2 grams of fiber. (Cookie lovers - fig bars have around 56 calories, 1 gram of fat and 1 gram of fiber per cookie). Fresh figs are delicious simmered alongside a pork tenderloin and the dried variety make a great portable gym snack.


Lemons/Limes
The Power: Limonene, furocoumarins and vitamin C, all of which help prevent cancer. A wedge has 2 calories, 0 fat and 0 fiber. Buy a few of each and squeeze over salads, fish, beans and vegetables for fat free flavor.



VEGETABLES


Onions
The Power: Quercetin is one of the most powerful flavonoids (natural plant antioxidants). Studies show it helps protect against cancer. A cup (chopped) has 61 calories, 0 fat and 3 grams of fiber. Chop onions for the maximum phyto-nutrient boost, or if you hate to cry, roast them with a little olive oil and serve with rice or other vegetables.

Artichokes
The Power: These odd-looking vegetables contain silymarin, an antioxidant that helps prevent skin cancer, plus fiber to help control cholesterol. One medium artichoke has 60 calories, 0 fat and 7 grams of fiber. Steam over boiling water for 30 to 40 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice on top, then pluck the leaves off with your fingers and use your teeth to scrape off the rich-tasting skin. When you get to the heart, you have found the best part!


Ginger
The Power: Gingerols may help reduce queasiness; other compounds may help ward off migraines and arthritis pain by blocking inflammation-causing prostaglandins. A teaspoon of fresh gingerroot has only 1 calorie, 0 fat and 0 fiber. Peel the tough brown skin and slice or grate into a stir-fry.


Broccoli
The Power: Indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane, which help protect against breast cancer. Broccoli also has lots of vitamin C and beta-carotene. One cup (chopped) has 25 calories, 0 fat and 3 grams of fiber. Don't overcook broccoli - instead, microwave or steam lightly to preserve phytonutrients. Squeeze fresh lemon on top for a zesty and taste, added nutrients and some vitamin C.



Spinach
The Power: Lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that help fend off macular degeneration, a major cause of blindness in older people. Plus, studies show this green fountain of youth may help reverse some signs of aging. One cup has 7 calories, 0 fat and 1 gram of fiber. Add raw leaves to a salad or sauté with a little olive oil and garlic.


Bok Choy (Chinese cabbage)
The Power: Brassinin, which some research suggests may help prevent breast tumors, plus indoles and isothiocyanates, which lower levels of estrogen, make this vegetable a double-barreled weapon against breast cancer. A cup will also give you 158mg of calcium (16 percent of your daily recommended requirement) to help beat osteoporosis. A cup (cooked) has 20 calories, 0 fat and 3 grams of fiber. Find it in your grocer's produce section or an Asian market. Slice the greens and juicy white stalks, then sauté like spinach or toss into a stir-fry just before serving.


Squash (Butternut, Pumpkin, Acorn)
The Power: Winter squash has huge amounts of vitamin C and beta-carotene, which may help protect against endometrial cancer. One cup (cooked) has 80 calories, 1 gram of fat and 6 grams of fiber. Cut on in half, scoop out the seeds and bake or microwave until soft, then dust with cinnamon.



Watercress and Arugula
The Power: Phenethyl isothiocyanate, which, along with beta-carotene and vitamins C and E, may help keep cancer cells at bay. One cup has around 4 calories, 0 fat and 1 gram of fiber. Do not cook these leafy greens; instead, use them to garnish a sandwich or add a pungent, peppery taste to salad.


Garlic
The Power: The sulfur compounds that give garlic its pungent flavor can also lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol, lower blood pressure and even reduce your risk of stomach and colon cancer. A clove has 4 calories, 0 fat and 0 fiber. Bake a whole head for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft and sweet and spread on bread instead of butter.

Hot Toy by Jennifer Crusie

On Christmas Eve, Trudy Maxwell raids the toy store, hoping to find a popular toy, a Major MacGuffin for her five years old nephew. But of course she couldn't find any at the last minute. Instead, she stumbles upon Nolan Mitchell who happens to look for the same item too. Trudy isn't too pleased to meet him, after all he didn't call after their three dates, and moreover she thinks the Chinese Literature Professor to be a bore. He apologizes for not calling her earlier, but she tells him to forget about it anyway.

She continues to go about finding the toy, with Nolan trailing after her. And to her amazement, she did manage to locate it, right at the end of the other shelf. Everyone is stunned with her discovery, including Nolan and a lady in the queue who want to buy the toy from her by raising the prices. Then she meets Reese, who is an assistant to her Professor father and he tells he has a reliable source that they would be able to find the hot toy at a warehouse. Feeling a little doubtful, she follows him anyway, and the three of them crams inside a cab, to each of their annoyance. But the hopeful trip to the warehouse turns out not only a great disappointment, but danger as well as they involve in an espionage.

Christmas Bonus by Lori Foster

Eric Bragg has loved Maggie Carmichael for years, but he hides his feelings well. When her father passed away, Maggie eventually becomes his boss but this doesn't stop Eric from wanting her.

Maggie has always had a crush on her late father's employee, but she isn't sure if he feels the same way towards her, after all they are ten years apart but she intends to strip away her college girl image and do everything in power to get Eric to notice her as a woman instead of a boss, starting by asking him to be her partner for the company's Christmas party. He is thrilled, but nothing thrills him more when he stumble upon her steamy manuscript by chance, and realizes the male character resembles him in many ways. He has no doubt that she wants him the same way he wants her, and he intends to show her he would do better than her fictional character.

Naughty Under the Mistletoe by Carly Phillips

Antonia Larson is a lawyer but will be a senior associate with Corbin and Sons. Before leaving her office, she intends to act on her plan of seducing her boss and not to worry about work and meeting him after should it fail.

Maxwell Corbin is a PI and happens to be at the annual Christmas party as an obligation. Then he meets a woman who dresses as an elf by the Christmas tree, and his world turns upside down after she kisses him. Unknown to him, Toni realizes she has kissed the twin brother to her boss! They then get to know one another a little and had a one night stand...

***

Amongst the three stories, Jennifer Crusie tops my list! Hot Toy amuses me, and I have a fun time reading it. I laugh a lot over her story, and that is a good thing! I will be checking out her books next time! Lori Foster has written a good sensual story in Christmas Bonus, and I enjoy reading two persons overcome their obstacles and falling in love with each other. As for Carly Phillips, I regret to say Naughty Under the Mistletoe doesn't hook me, and I lost interest towards the middle of the story... I just can't get into her story, oh well...maybe it's her writing style, or maybe it's me. {shrugs}

I picked up this book because of the attractive cover, and not to mention the blurb interests me too!

The heroine Helena is the Warrior Maid of Rivenloch. Miriel, her younger sister is forced to marry a Norman, Sir Pagan Cameliard by King David of Scotland. Helena, along with their elder sister Deidre agreed that one of them would sacrifice to be Pagan's bride, but unfortunately Helena was drunk and her attempt to kill the groom ended in her being captured and restrained by his right-hand knight Sir Colin du Lac.

She manages to turn the table on Colin and abduct him, hoping by taking him as her prisoner she might have a chance of asking Pagan for a ransom in exchange of an annulment of her sister's marriage. While hoping and waiting for the ransom to be exchanged, she and Colin had some misadventures, starting from a visit from a bandit known as 'The Shadow', followed by some English mercenaries. Helena always thought Norman people are cowards and that Colin falls under the same category, but she never expects Colin would still protect her in some other ways.

When Helena can't help falling prey to Colin's charm, she tries to take control of their situation and resists him like a warrior would do. Colin, on the other hand faces the greatest and toughest battle of all, for he wishes to conquer the warrior maid's heart and make her his forever!

I truly enjoyed reading Captive Heart, and there are some amusing parts in this story. I didn't realize this is actually the second book of a trilogy, starring three warrior maid sisters. Lady Danger is the title of the first book. Sarah McKerrigan has a way of writing a beautiful medieval romance, and I will keep a look out of the final instalment to this trilogy A Knight's Prize as well as her other books.

I stumbled upon this book by chance when I visited Borders one day. I have come across Lincoln Child's books and he co-writes with Douglas Preston; their bestselling lists include Relic , Still Life with Crows etc. I have read some of their books and they didn’t disappoint, not to mention I’m also a thrillers fan.

Eden is a computerized matchmaking corporation, and they receive lots of clients who promise them they would find them a perfect soul mate, with a not-so-small fee of $25,000 but with lifetime money back guarantee. They would go through strict psychological and physical tests before their soul mates are assigned to them, and all the couples brought together are very happy with their new life.

Then, one of the super couples committed double suicide, and Dr. Christopher Lash, a psychologist who specializes in marital relationships, is called in to find out what has gone wrong. Later, a second super couple committed suicide; and Lash has to work with their security technician Tara Stapleton to find out some of the individuals who were rejected by Eden, and to an extent when he becomes one of their applicants so that he would have a first hand account of what the others have gone through and so forth. He then discovers there is something more behind Eden, and his involvement in the investigation becomes a dangerous act even for himself.

There are plenty of intense and thrilling scenes in this book, making it an entertaining read. I would recommend this to anyone, anytime.

Other Bloggers' reviews:
Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-a-holic

Wow, this book has me hooked right from the beginning!

The story starts when the hero, Grant Sullivan agrees to rescue Jane Hamilton Greer, the heroine who is a wealthy socialite whom is believed to have engaged in an espionage. Grant had been one of the government's most effective agents but has just retired until he is engaged by Jane's father.

Jane is a divorcee and is being held captive in Costa Rica by a group of rebels who thinks she has something that they want. She plans for an escape herself, until a man breaks into her room and spoil her plan.

Grant is amazed with the woman he is going to save, for she has intelligence and not to mention guts as well. As they escape and flee into the impenetrable jungle, Jane begins to realize he isn't what she thinks he is, and her doubts of him begins to fade slowly. In the process of fleeing and the time they have spent together, they begin to fall for each other but Grant feels he has too many seeded memories from his work and that their worlds are far apart.

Then the rebels have caught up on them, and in an attempt of saving Grant, Jane has no choice but to allow herself to fall into the arms of their lead, Turego. Grant thinks she is toying him earlier and feels betrayed, then to realize he couldn't let her go despite he resisted his feeling for her.

Midnight Rainbow is filled with action, adventure, intense and well, romance. I couldn't ask for more. This is definitely another keeper for me.

Woohoo!!! I can't believe I have done it! This all seems so surreal to me.

To-date I have done a total of 50,388 words, and still counting; since I haven't complete the novel yet. I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who has given me support and encouragement during this month; without you all, I wouldn't have made it! And to critters and friends of Critique Circle as well, you guys rock! GO, CC, GO!!!

By the way, this is my link Melody's Profile at Nano if you are interested. It shows you my overall performance and other ranks as well.

Also, I have just managed to print out the winner's certificate, and it looks so cool... and right now, I just don't care if there are lots of craps written in it, hehe. It's a huge accomplishment to me (since I have never written a novel before!), and all the hard work and time spent is definitely well worth it.

I have never read anything by Patricia Briggs, but I thought I would give this a try, since this is a book about vampires and werewolves.

Mercy Thompson works in a garage in the Tri-Cities of Washington State. Being one of the skinwalkers (meaning she is able to take the shape of a coyote), she has supernatural skills besides being a mechanic. She leads a simple life until one day, Mac, a homeless werewolf walks into her garage, asking her for a job. She hires him, and decided he needs guidance from her neighbour Adam Hauptman, who is the alpha leader of his pack.

Later, Mercy finds Mac's corpse in her garage. She has no choice but to look for Adam, and was shocked to find he is drugged and his daughter kidnapped. Soon they all go in search for her, but not realizing they were going into deeper trouble; for as Adams is abducted and they might risk dying in an attempt to rescue him as well as his daughter.

You won't be bored with this book as there are plenty of actions packed in here. Mercy is a likeable character and fans of Laurell K Hamilton will love this new series.

I love this book! Anne Stuart has done it, again! I was having a hard time finding this book initially. Earlier I had called this bookstore which I most frequent and asked them to keep this book for me once it is out. I waited for some time, still no news. I went B&N online to check, and understood it was already out, but still no news here.

After some time, not giving up, I went to Borders to check, and finally found it after two visits!!! Ah...such enthusiastic anticipation. Anyway, back to the book...

Cold As Ice is actually a sequel to Black Ice. If you have missed reading Black Ice, I would suggest that you read BI before reading this. I really enjoyed BI that it was Book of The Year 2005 to me.

The ice series heroes belongs to the mysterious "Committee", whereby they are a group of international secret agents. In Cold As Ice, the hero Peter Jensen works as an assistant to Texas billionaire, Harry Van Dorn whom the Committee believes he has a diabolical plan to create seven worldwide tragedies.

Enters the heroine, Genevieve Spencer, who is a lawyer and she has to board Van Dorn's yacht to hand deliver some legal documents for him to sign. But the publicly benevolent playboy has his own agenda, so he uses his charm to seduce Genny, hoping she will stay and then discard her after having his fun with her.

Genny soon realizes she is in the wrong place at the wrong time; and tries desperately to leave the yacht, but it was all too late. Someone has started the yacht, and they are in for a ride to nowhere. On the other hand, Peter Jensen is damned, for he never expects Genny's presence will spoil his plan of getting rid of Van Dorn, but he is in a dilemma, for he couldn't decide to risk his mission to keep her alive, or allow himself to dispose her as "collateral damage".

There are lots of emotional and sexual intense in this book, and while reading I can't wait to find out what Peter will do next to Genny...will he keep her? Will he kill her...? Definitely a page-turner. And I definitely have no issue with Peter's sexuality preference at all, as I heard some readers were upset after hearing that he might be "gay". But in my opinion, Peter definitely isn't gay, as he needs to cast in this role to convince the baddies during his assignments. He has a job to do, and he has to grit his teeth while doing it, no matter he likes it or not. Period.

I will definitely look out for the third book Ice Blue, which will be out in April.

Deidre Knight is a literary agent to many writers before she decides to pen her first novel; thus this book is borne!

In Parallel Attraction, alien king Jared Bennett and human geologist Kelsey Wells first met as teenagers in Yellowstone Park. He claims he is from very far away, and she mistook him a Russian, but actually he is king of a race of people known as Refarians. He is able to shapeshift in numerous forms, primarily a ball of energy and also as a handsome, dark-skinned human. But when his people take him back to their universe, he vows he will find her one day, before their memories of their meeting are erased.

Years later, Kelsey returns to Yellowstone as a geologist. She finds something familiar in Yellowstone but couldn’t pinpoint what, until she meets Jared again. This time, Jared is wounded and he is holding vital information that can cause chaos to his universe and his people as well should it lies in the hands of their enemy. He has no choice but to turn to Kelsey for help.

Her agreement sparks a chemistry between them again, as they encountered a series of events from the future and back into the present time.

From the look of the cover, I thought this is another paranormal story but it is more like a science fiction story to me, with romance packed into it. Deidre has a unique voice in this story, and not to mention I find her plots refreshing too. I shall be looking forward to her second installment Parallel Heat.

Gosh, it seems like a long time to me since I have last updated the blog. Now that it's November, that means two things:

(1) My daughter is in childcare, finally!
(2) Nanowrimo begins!!!

Trust me, neither one is easy, but at least this month isn't boring for me, that's for sure. During the first three days at the childcare, my daughter just refused to mix around with the other kids; I guess that's normal. After all, one has to take some time to adjust to the new environment, new people and everything else, even in the adult world. There are two teachers in charge for each class, and she is in Nursery 1 (the youngest group). Actually I wanted to stay a little longer, to see how they are doing and also to accompany my daughter (after all she is still new), but the teachers politely requested me to leave, saying that it would be better for her to get used to it as early as possible, so ended up I stayed for only an hour at most. Oh well...

This morning was worse. She just refused to let me go, and cried non stop. The teacher has no choice but to carry her off my embrace; outside the childcare I could still hear her screaming. Well, nothing could describe my feelings right then...I feel heartbroken. But yet, I have no choice but to let go.

Now back to the other issue: Nanowrimo. Honestly I never know I can churn up about 15k words in...7 days' time!!! *Big Gasp* I still have another 35k words to go, and after making a little calculations, I think I will be safe as long as I could type 1667 words per day. It isn't easy when you are stuck in the middle of the story, and you have to think of new plots and new characters as well. Because Nano is more about quantity over quality, so you can just type whatever is in your mind, and worry about editing later. There was a time I messed up with the POVs, and I feel like going back to edit them, but then my fellow Nanoers urged me to move on, and focus on the numbers typed instead. It's indeed very nice to have encouragement and support from other participants as well, as we all face the same pressure of completing the goal in this month. Nano is fun, and not to mention it's also a good motivation so you can push yourself to the limit. You will never think of the extraordinary result; and personally I think I have accomplished something even if I lose in the end because I have not tried writing a novel before, since I write mainly short stories.

That's all for now, folks. I will update this blog as I move along with the Nano and who knows, if I have some time, I might post some book reviews...*wink*

Ahem...would like to make a small announcement here, in case you guys wondering about my disappearance for the next few days... or month? *Gasp*

As you can see the logo here, this is actually taken from Nanowrimo. And you guess it, I will be participating this year! That means I will be typing away furiously for the whole of November, therefore book reviews will have to wait, but that doesn't mean I won't be reading any books! I will most probably jot down my thoughts after reading so that I will post it once I have some time to spare. My apologies.

Another thing is, my daughter is attending childcare, starting tomorrow! That is also another reason why I will delay with the book reviews, since I will be accompany her at the childcare till Friday! Not even sure if I have the time to logon in the first place! Nevertheless, keep checking at this blog! I will have lots of catching up to do then...

Folks, this is definitely not your usual romance suspense thriller. It's darker, more intense, more exciting...and simply make you want to flip the pages faster. This reminds me a little like her other book Nightfall. Gosh, I enjoyed Nightfall so much and it's one of my favourite Anne Stuart's books, besides Black Ice that is.

Annie Sutherland intends to find the answer that cause her father's death. She doesn't believe that her father falls off the stairs and broke his neck, no, she believes it was something more sinister, something like murder...

She has no one to turn to except James McKinley. Before her father's death, he told her James will be the person to look for if she encounters any problem. James is her father's most trusted man. But James doesn't appear as what he is, for all she knows, he can be a killer, and yet this terrified and intrigued Annie at the same time.

Annie is a typical father's girl, for he molded her to be what he wants to be: docile, elegant and ladylike. He even goes to the extent of picking a husband for her. Until his death, she never realizes this until she meets James, again.

James, on the other hand is trying to keep himself alive. He isn't pleased to find Annie appearing at his doorstep one day, pleading answers from him. He just wants to kill her, to make things easier for both of them, but he simply couldn't do it. He has watched her grow from a child of seven to a woman of twenty seven... and she has a way of getting under his skin.

Next, they are on the run to uncover the conspiracy around her father's murder. And towards the end of the book, the tension heightens and hear this...there is even a twist in it! Although I can say I enjoyed this book, but I would think I prefer Nightfall more.

Still, Anne Stuart's writing style amazes me! I simply love her books! I'm still waiting for her next new release Cold As Ice to hit the shelves here, and I'm getting very impatient.

I enjoyed this book so much that I feel like shouting "Encore! Encore!"

Tessa Novak is an investigative reporter in Denver. She stops for coffee at a gas station one day and witnesses a murder of a teenage girl right before her eyes. She then spots a mysterious man in a black leather jacket lurking near the crime scene and is sure he has to do something with the murder... Stunned but determined, she reports the crime on the papers, hoping to get to the bottom of the investigation.

Julian Darcangelo is an undercover FBI agent working with the Denver police. He has trailed Burien, the master of crime for ages; and this time he doesn't want any distractions to cross his path. He isn't too pleased with Tessa whom she misunderstood him as the killer, and to avoid getting his cover blown he wants her off the investigation. But still, he couldn't resist their attractions they have for each other...

I find Hard Evidence an intriguing romance suspense that is able to hook you right from the beginning. While reading this book, I didn't realize there is a first book before this and the title is Extreme Exposure (funnily I have it in my TBR pile. And please don't ask me why I didn't read this earlier.)

Liam Jameson is a famous horror writer. But one has to pay a price for being famous, and so he lives reclusively on a remote Scottish island, hoping no one will invade his privacy while he also hides the scars that inflicted him years ago.

Rosa Chantry is looking for her younger sister, whom she believes is leading her a wild-goose chase. Before she left, she told Rosa and their mom that she is hoping to cast in a movie which is made by one of Liam's bestsellers. Rosa meets Liam along the way, and she doesn't recognise Liam at first.

Thereafter, he begins to feel something for her, but a previous savaged relationship convinces him he will never satisfy a woman again. But Rosa is persistent, so she will help him to forget the fear and hope for a good ending.

This book is an 'ok' read to me, not much excitement and not much disappointment either.

Twelve more days to go and NaNoWriMo will begin. OK, you will probably ask: What is NaNoWriMo? What has it got to do with me? That is, if you have the interest to write, then this is for you.

It is actually a fun approach to novel writing. Participants are requested to begin writing on November 1. The goal? To complete a 50,000-word novel by midnight, November 30. Sounds insane? Yes, you are absolutely right; but for writers it is more like a good opportunity to indulge their enthusiasm on completing a novel within a specific time; and what’s more, it will be a good motivation as starters, so to speak. If you are worried about the words limitation, fear not, as this is all about quantity, not quality. This approach entitles you to write without having to worry about quality, but then if you are thinking of writing a word and copy it 49,999 times, then you can forget about this too.

Once you have completed your novel by end November, you will then be added to NaNoWriMo’s hallowed Winner’s Page and receive a winner’s certificate and web icon.

Hey, there were participants who became novelists after this contest, so what have you got to lose?! Win or lose, it is your effort of trying that counts!

The haze is back again. If not of the smoky smell, one would have thought the nation has become another ‘Genting Highlands’.

It was getting so bad that there was a day that the PSI (Pollutant Standards Index) read 150. For your information, PSI value from 100 and above is considered unhealthy, so it is recommended to stay indoors and reduce any vigorous outdoor activity.

Ever since the haze started, my eyes are especially dry as I wear contact lenses. Also, I find one tends to fall sick easily, mostly with dry throats and respiratory problems. I am not surprised the shops that sell herbal drinks see their profits soar as the PSI rate rises. To prevent having sore throats, here are some remedies that work for me:



1) Green Tea (not to mention it’s my favorite drink too!)






2) Oldenlandia water (Oldenlandia is actually a Chinese herb, and is known to diminish fever, detoxification and assistant in digestion).





3) Chrysanthemum Tea with wolfberries






4) Cup of plain water with a dash of salt

I was so excited when I logged on to Anne Stuart's website this morning and found that she has changed the look of her website.

What's more, she has even put up the excerpts on her next new release Cold As Ice! And gee, I am equally excited to learn that her third 'Ice' book Ice Blue will be out next April! I'm a huge fan of Anne Stuart, ever since I started reading Black Ice. After that, I can't seem to get enough of her books!!! I'm also trying to find some of her older books, but no luck. {sigh}

Nevertheless, do keep a look out for my review on Cold As Ice soon. I'm also glad to note that I have promised a friend that I will read this together with her. And then, I'm sure both of us will start to rave about the hero and the 'cycle' will begin again! LOL.

OK OK, this is not even a book, but I loved these movies that I want to add in to my blog!

I first watched its original, ‘Infernal Affairs’ some time ago and was moved by the plot. (I’m sure most must have known this is a remake of a Hong Kong blockbuster.) Though most of the plot in 'The Departed' is taken from I.A., still there are some scenes that are a little different (I will not list out the difference as it will be spoilers).

Set in South Boston, the state police force is trying their best to wipe out all organized crimes run by the gangster chief who is known as Costello (played by Jack Nicholson). Billy Costigan (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), a young cop goes undercover in Costello’s nest while simultaneously, Colin Sullivan (played by Matt Damon), another young but hardened criminal infiltrates the police force pretending to be a cop. Each man begins to lead a double life, as they provide important information to their respective chiefs. But when both discover there are moles within themselves, they try desperately to find out the ‘culprit’ who tries to expose their secrets. Soon, Costigan and Sullivan find themselves in great danger as they must race against time to uncover and eliminate the other man before he himself is caught and exposed to the enemy.

Cast as the bad guys in both separate films, DiCaprio appears to lead a much tougher life as compared with Tony Leung (as in ‘Infernal Affairs’), I find DiCaprio lacks Leung’s quiet and sullen look, but nevertheless both have played their roles well.

I enjoyed this book without a doubt, and I'm not even talking about the cover mind you! :-P

Nicole Ashton meets Joaquin Luis Sola at a club one night, and both are equally shocked to find each other there. After all, she has left him five years ago, thinking he can't commit to a relationship. But then she faces financial woes with her mother's dancing school and she needs whatever help she can get, even approaching Joaquin despite their strained relationship.

Joaquin Luis Sola is one proud and passionate man, and he hasn't forgotten the day when Nicole has left him. Then there is an opportunity to settle an old score with Nicole, as she offers herself to him for twenty-six nights if he will pay her debts; but he never expects that this proposition will lead him to acknowledge his five-year old daughter's existence as well...

This is one intense romance story that will make you sigh after you have read the last page of the book, never mind about those clichés and other stuff. I think I'm addicted to these Harlequin Mills & Boon series and don't think I will ever get enough of them!

Erin Morgan works as a nurse at Sno-Med Clinic in Manhattan, where her employer Dr. Cinatas researches and provides miracle cures for cancer patients. Then she stumbles upon death of a man, a woman and two teenage girls. Horrified to learn they are victims to the "miraculous" cure for wealthy patients, she flees. On her way during the ride, she hits a wolf on a remote mountain road. When she regains consciousness, she finds a naked hunk lying across the hood of her car.

Jared Hunter has been a shape shifter for centuries. But one night of saving Erin has damned himself, as the poison arising from the battle with another animal stirs a blood lust in him. Erin has a way of soothing his pain, and the more he fights the desire heightens.

When Dr. Cinatas finally catches up with Erin, Jared knows he must risk all to keep the woman he loves safe, but then he is unsure if she will be saved from him instead.

Touch a Dark Wolf is a wonderful romance fantasy with likeable characters like Jared and Erin. This story will not be the last as Jennifer St. Giles will continue this series with a band of heroic warriors known as The Shadowmen...

Hot Night is sizzling HOT! Shannon McKenna's books are always a joy to read, and this is no exceptional.

The heroine, Abby Maitland comes home one night from an unpleasant date and is in for a greater surprise when she realizes she is locked out of her house. She dials her best friend Elaine for help and finds Alexander "Zan" Duncan. Zan not only helps her with the lock issue but also fixes her date from hell, Edgar when he is trying to get rough.

Then Elaine begins to tell her about her terrific secret lover, who wishes to remain anonymous. Though Abby is happy for her friend, she is skeptical about their relationship, and most especially about this man who calls Lucien.

Lucien will try anything to get at the priceless Spanish treasure at a museum where Abby is working, including killing Elaine and eliminate any witnesses who crosses his way. Abby is upset about her friend's death, and wouldn't believe it was a suicide attempt.

Abby is mesmerized by Zan's untamed strength right down to his bad boy image. She has sworn off men of this kind, but yet she couldn't fight the attraction they have for each other. As they begin to fall in love, danger crawls up on them silently...

Hot Night is one sizzling romance suspense thriller, but what makes it even better is having a bad boy hero and a fabulous independent heroine as a combination to this story. I would definitely recommend this with two thumbs up.

I'm supposed to read this together with a friend, but then so many things have been happening to my life lately that I can't seem to concentrate on this book. Don't get me wrong, this book isn't bad, but I don't think I can rate this book as a good read either since I didn't read it full heartedly. My mind was simply not with the book. :-(

Back when I read the first book to this series, To The Edge, I got wowed by the story and the characters. (By the way, this is the second book and there is also a third book called To The Brink.) The hero in that book was sooo sexy!

Eve Garrett, the heroine and a security specialist in To The Limit, receives a late night message from her estranged friend Tiffany Claybourne out in a storm. She befriended Tiff while she was working as a Secret Service agent years ago. Anyway, Tiff is late and Eve feels that something is wrong. Later when she sees someone duck between some buildings and intends to find out more, she is jumped by an unknown assailant who seems to want her to be dead.

Curious to find out more, Eve searches the night spots the next night hoping to find traces of Tiff but instead, she meets the last person she intends to see...

Tyler 'Mac' McClain, a former cop turned private investigator is now working for Tiff's wealthy, reclusive father. It is his job to find Tiff and he has never expected to find Eve face to face under this situation; for he had broken her heart fourteen years ago when they were teenagers.

Eve is equally stumbled to chance upon Mac, but she is worried about Tiff and fearing she has met up in some danger. They have no choice but to work together, although they can't fight off the attraction they still have for each other...

PS: Julia, sorry that I'm being a slow reader this time round but I'm sure you would understand...

Well, what shall I say about this book? The title gives me the impression that this story is all about fashion, or even a chick-lit story, but it isn't. I bought this book because of the author. Ever since I stumbled upon her books some years ago, I was hooked by her stories. But recently it seems like her stories no longer hook me anymore. I notice there is a slight changes of her writing style, and although the idea is refreshing, but in my opinion, they aren't as good as her previous works. You can imagine how disappointed I am.

Lan Li is an office girl who takes great pride in her dressing and fashion. She loves wearing Chanel apparel, have a devoted boyfriend who will say yes to all her needs. One night she encounters a robbery who intends to rob her, despite her feminity there is another side of her that nobody knows. Her neighbour, Ma JunKe fell in love with her at first sight, after seeing her bravery acts towards the robber but Lan Li despise him because she feels they are worlds apart. Ma JunKe is a chef and his dishes are well loved by the public. He has set up many branches thanks to his hard work and determination. He is also a loud person who loves to help people. One night, Lan Li's father committed suicide and she is shocked to find that her father's business doesn't go well as they thought. Then, her boyfriend starts to treat her coldly so she breaks up with him before he does.

Ma JunKe consoles her, and tells her bluntly that he wants to woo her. She tells him it isn't possible, but despite this, she begins to think of him differently as time goes along as they see each other more often as a friend.

The plot isn't complicated, and you don't have to guess the ending. Suitable if you just want a light easy read.

I have never read anything by David Morrell, but this book definitely makes me want to read his other books.

What should I say? As the title suggests, Creepers is creepy. From the moment I started reading the first chapter, it has got me hooked and never let go until the very last chapter.

On a cold October night, five people gather in a rundown Paragon Hotel on the Jersey shore. They are the ‘Creepers’, another term for ‘Urban Explorers’. One of them, Frank Balenger is a reporter who isn’t looking for just a story, and their chilling adventure begins. The Paragon Hotel was built in the glory days of Asbury Park in 1901 with a magnificent structure, by an eccentric and hemophiliac Morgan Carlisle, but is now boarded up and prepared for demolition. Although this activity is technically classified illegal, but it doesn’t stop them from doing so, as they pride themselves on never stealing or destroying anything they find at the sites. The team is led by Professor Robert Conklin, who has done a research on it and has a special agenda on his mind.

While they enter the rat-infested tunnel leading to the hotel, they encounter strange cats with three hind legs and a few corpses. What is more terrifying is that some rooms seem to have their own stories to tell; and they are most eager to find out more. Then, things start to go badly in a life-threatening ways and they realize a little too lately that they aren’t the only ones creeping in this spooky hotel.

All I can say this is a top notch thriller that leaves you no excuse to stop reading it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone; just make sure don’t read it at night, for I can assure you sleep will be the last thing on your mind once you pick up this book!

Ladies' Man has actually published several years ago, but at that time it was distributed as a bonus gift for a subscription service; on top of that, since it was a "hard-to-find" book then, the bidding price of this book went as high as about US$1k in ebay. I was relieved that this book was reissued, otherwise I'd have missed an 'expensive' read. :-P

Ellen Layne is a Professor at Yale, and she is 'instructed' by her TV host Uncle Bob Osborne to fetch her great Aunt Alma at the airport in New York. During the wait, she meets a handsome stranger, Sam Schaeffer in a bookstore. She frantically grabs a book when he catches her staring at him, so he asks if she has read T.S. Harrison's books which she is holding then, and this leads to a conversation. He asks for her number before departing, but she tells him no, although she is a little attracted by him, after all he is ten years younger than her and she had two teenage children. Later both of them realize they were waiting for the same person - as Sam promises his buddy author friend T.S. Harrison that he would meet Alma, in return Bob allows TS to do his biography since T.S. is Alma's favourite author. Later while Ellen gives Sam a ride in the limo, he explains that T.S. is actually his good friend and he is helping him since he couldn't make it; then one thing leads to another, and at the end of the day both of them can't seem to forget each other!

T.S. later explains to Bob what happened at the airport and is glad he still wants him to do his biography. When Ellen first receives threat letters and obscene calls, T.S. turns to Sam (since she is staying with Uncle Bob temporarily). Sam believes the threat is meant for Ellen, who has filmed in a commercial and just aired on TV. Later he knows of her two children, but despite this he is still very much attracted to her.

Towards the end of the story, the tension heightens as they face the bad guy and their relationship spurs towards a new direction.

Though the plot is not new, still I enjoyed this book because after all, it's a romance suspense.

Karen Marie Moning has done it, again! This book is simply divine. I have read most of her Highlanders series and this is simply the best in my opinion. KMM is getting better and better; in Spell of the Highlander, the devilishly handsome hero and warrior, Cian MacKelter was trapped inside an ancient mirror for some centuries.

Jessi St. James, the heroine was a diligent archaeology student who didn't mind spending most of her life in studying ancient artifacts, but there were at times she wondered if she would be a little more fun and let her hair down for once in a while. Then on one occasion she received a package on behalf of her professor and was in for a big surprise. She thought she was hallucinating when she spotted a gorgeous half-naked man staring out at her from inside the glass of an ancient mirror. It turned out that the mirror was a priceless item and someone else would do anything to get it, including the woman who may hold the key to breaking the Highlander's dark spell. Cian offered his protection to her (Jessi didn't know from exactly what), in exchange of sharing her bed.

Spell of the Highlander is both sensual and seductive; a great plot and not to mention the hero was a sexy alpha male that would definitely make you flip the pages faster. I can't wait for KMM's next release.

Nora Roberts (aka JD Robb) is one unique and talented writer who is able to write different genres at the same time, and she writes fast. It is no wonder she has so many fans worldwide, and her books are always on the top of the bestselling list.

In Morrigan's Cross, the first paranormal ‘The Circle Trilogy’, the story started in the 12th century Ireland, the hero Hoyt Mac Cionaoith was known as the sorcerer. He lost his brother Cian to an ancient vampiress Lilith into a fellow bloodsucker. Morrigan, the goddess of battle then appeared before Hoyt, who demanded that he shall lead the forces of good against the evil, but before that he should gather five others (consisting of ‘the witch’, ‘the warrior’, ‘the scholar’, ‘the one of many forms’, and ‘the one you’ve lost’), thus the name Circle of Six. He travels to the present day in New York, where he met Glenna Ward, the modern-day witch and reunited with Cian who had adjusted to the modern world some time ago.

In this first trilogy, Nora focuses on the gathering of the six, and it was only the beginning of this exciting trilogy. As the story moves on, romance sparkled between Hoyt and Glenna, as Hoyt began to understand and adjust to the 21st century.

As usual, Nora Roberts has a way of creating well-liked characters and interesting dialogues. Come October (or maybe early November, depending on the publishing schedule), the second and third book will be released subsequently, and am sure it will once again entice the readers to this exciting trilogy.

I have read this book since last year, and I want to thank my best friend, Jennifer, for helping to buy this book for me! I have had a hard time searching this book! I couldn't even find it in any of the used bookstores, so Jennifer offered to look out for me, and I was thrilled that she managed to get it, along with Into the Fire and a few others. Thank you so much, Jennifer! :-)

Night Fall is very different from the other romance suspence novels which I have read. I was hooked by the story from the very beginning.

Cassidy, the heroine receives a call from her father, Sean who claims is ill. Hearing this, she rushes back home, only to find the situation isn't what she has expected. Sean is a tabloid-like writer, and he enjoys searching for the most gossip infested stories. He stumbles upon Richard Tierna's story and will do anything to accomplish his next writing 'goal', including taking in the suspected murderer into his own home and entice his daughter back home and take her like a bait to tempt Richard! Cassidy is aware of his suspicion of murder, but she isn't sure of the rumors that claims he has murdered his wife and children, but yet she is unable to explain her attraction to him. Perhaps his mysterious aura intrigues her, for she later agrees to edit Sean's novel and is caught in an untangled web that Richard weaves.

Night Fall is intense, a dark romance story filled with intrigue and suspense. This is a must read for all romance suspense readers who like something different from the same genre.

Occasionally I would like to read just a classic romance story, so I have chosen Prince of the Desert by Penny Jordon amongst my TBR pile. Published under Harlequins Mills & Boons Australia (or Harlequins Presents in America), as far as I know, M&B has been around since I was in High School. Heck, it might even go earlier than that, I’m not sure; but that shows M&B is expanding and still growing on strong.

In Prince of the Desert, Gwynneth the heroine has never given her sexuality any thoughts and has vowed never to give in to passion, but one night in the kingdom of Zuran has changed everything. She met a stranger from the desert and they were attracted to each other. She thought she could leave the thoughts of the man and the night behind, but she never expected the man she dealt with was Sheikh Tariq bin Salud, who was determined to claim her despite anything.

Harlequins stories can be equally sizzling as compared with other romance novels and this is no exceptional. This is the right book for you if you don’t want to feel tied up with a thick book and engaged with various secondary characters to a story. Simply a romance story that entertains; not to mention a beautiful cover set in an exotic location.

Don't get me wrong. A Confusing Story isn't confusing at all. That is actually the book title. Gotcha! LOL.

Yazi and Yuanzi lost their parents when they were young. They inherited the apartment from their parents and life is simple. Yazi is a university student who will be graduating soon, while her elder brother get married and leads his own life. Their relationship distanced.

One day, Yazi received a call from her sister-in-law, telling her that Yuanzi is admitted in a hospital, his life is in danger and need an organ transplant. Feeling desperate and penniless, she confides in her good friend, Zhongyun. Zhongyun tells her there is a way of solving her financial issue, and that is to sell away one of a woman most important assets: her eggs. Yazi begins to understand how Zhongyun acquires a car and leading a good life. Yazi is in a dilemma, for she feels this is wrong but she is at her wits' end. Finally she has no choice but to give in to this bizarre solution.

She meets up with Jiashi, a wealthy woman who is willing to buy her eggs and sponsors her every living needs, but on a condition that Yazi isn't allowed to be near the baby once the delivery. Yazi is skeptical but in the end, she signed the contract under the moral and mental support by the doctor and the lawyer, moreover she needs the money urgently to save Yuanzi. Yuanzi is saved, finally; then one day Yazi receives a call from the doctor and the lawyer, informing her that she has to abort the baby because Jiashi and her husband falls out.

Yazi by then begins to develop a special feeling towards the baby, who is already in her third trimester. She tells them she will bring up the baby despite anything. Jiashi then vanishes out of her world. Yazi moves in a simple apartment, and is intrigued by her new neighbour who happens to be Jiashi's ex-husband, Yuzhang. He has finally tracked her down, after all the commotion and the lie Jiashi has told him. Yuzhang tells Yazi his relationship with Jiashi was on the rocks, and that Jiashi will do anything to reclaim the lost love - therefore drawing an agreement with Yazi and hoping the baby will bring back his love, since she can't have any children.

Yazi tells Yuzhang she wouldn't give the baby to him, but Yuzhang tells her he will be patient. His family urge them for marriage, but Yazi isn't sure of her feelings towards Yuzhang. Yazi then gives birth not only a boy but twins! They were exhilarated, until Jiashi re-emerges into their lives again, telling them one of the twins doesn't belong to Yuzhang! To make things worse, Jiashi manage to brainwash Yuzhang's parents of seeking custody to the twins. Yuzhang makes an arrangment for Yazi and the twins to escape to the US, since he has the citizenship and an apartment there. The three of them flees, with the companionship of Zhengming, whom Yazi treats him as only a friend.

Yuzhang manage to contact Yazi when the commotion dies down, and realizes she has befriended a young attractive British-Chinese woman called Guining and finally accepts their special relationship. On the way home, Yuzhang's elder sister tells him, "This is one confusing story."

And there, this story ends with her remark.

I got this book due to the recommendations of my booklover friend, Julia, who claimed she was recommended by her friend but never get a chance to read it, yet! The reviews have been good so far, from what I heard from the bookseller as well as the comments made on B&N. Turns out that Faithless is the fifth book of a series. Oh well...I can always go back to the first book if this is good. :-P

When Sarah Linton, a medical examiner and Jeffrey, police chief and her ex-husband are out in the woods discussing about their past infidelities, they stumble upon a terrifying scenario which shakes them all: a young girl has been buried alive! They began to search for her story, with the help of Lena Adams, who is a female detective.

I am currently reading Chapter Two and I am already hooked with its plot and the turn of the events. The author, Karin Slaughter has a way of writing the story that I, being her first-time reader, couldn’t put the book down! Faithless is full of intrigue, suspense and well...some horror in it as there are some graphic descriptions of the victims.

I will keep a look out of Karin's books in future.

PS: Julia, don’t say I never listen to your recommendations! LOL. Now it’s your turn to grab this copy yourself!

Well, I just can't get enough of Nicci French's books! The other day, I managed to get The Memory Game, The Safe House and Land of the Living at a used bookstore. I was so thrilled! Besides these, I also managed to get Every Breath You Take by Judith Mcnaught, Hit Hard by Amy Fetzer and Faithless by Karin Slaughter. Julia recommended the latter to me, before which it was recommended to her from a friend (although she hasn't read it yet). Go figure! LOL.

In Land of the Living, the story starts with the heroine, Abbie Devereaux wakes in the dark and find herself hooded and bound. She has no idea how she was being kidnapped; while all the time she struggles with the truth and tells herself to live on...

Finally she escapes her captor; but back to the outside world, she finds herself lost for she doesn't remember anything before she disappears - days when she quit her job and then there is her boyfriend, Terry... She stays in the hospital where they put her under some tests, while the police continues to keep watch of her... As the days go on, all of them begin to wonder if they should hold on to her words. But what Abbie fears most is the captor may come for her, again...and this time no one will be able to help her, and she will wake in the dark, hooded and bound...

I was stopping by the bookstore during lunchtime earlier when I found these books on the shelves! I was soooo excited! Of course I have to grab them fast. :-P

Matthew Reilly's Seven Ancient Wonders was actually published in 2005, but it was in hardcover, thus I didn't buy it. It is way too expensive in my opinion; with the same amount I can buy 2 books at that price! Anyway, I am so glad to see it's released in paperbacks now.

As for Nicci French's Catch Me When I Fall, I did mention in my previous blog that I will get her other books, but this is only what I could find in the bookstore. I will continue to check for their other books...{keeping fingers crossed}

That's all for now! ;-)

I have just finished reading Secret Smile. Only one word could describe this book: awesome!!! I was hooked with the story right from the beginning. I was totally blown away with the ending, what a shocker! Actually this was the second book I read by Nicci French; the first book was Killing Me Softly, which later made it to the movie screen. I didn't get the chance to watch the movie, but all I know the book was another page-turner.

Nicci French, is actually a pseudonym by two co-writers, Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. They were married and began their first co-writing in 1995, with their first book The Memory Game, which became a huge success. I intend to read their other books once I have the chance to find them all.

OMG, Secret Smile is great! (I have reached to the part whereby the heroine, Miranda began to ask herself if she was going insane or even obsessed with Brendan!!!) I haven't finished reading this book yet, still I can't stop myself from raving it to Julia and hubby. Julia seems interested though a little skeptical (LOL!), while hubby's reaction was like, "What's the big deal about the storyline?!" He didn't know how much he had missed; anyway he isn't a booklover like me, so I gather it's useless to discuss any books with him unless they are books on photography or IT stuff. Oh well...

Anyway, here is a list of books which I'm going to buy next (sequence not in order):
1) Morrigan's Cross by Nora Roberts (1st book of the trilogy)
2) Murphy's Law by Lori Foster
3) Drop Dead Gorgeous by Linda Howard
4) Every Breath You Take by Judith McNaught
5) Breaking Point by Suzanne Brockmann
6) The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe

That's all for now. :-P

I started reading this book on my way to work this morning and gosh, what a great page-turner! A psychological suspense, the story begins with the heroine, Miranda Cotton wishing she had never met Brendan Block, whom they had went out eight times. She dumped him when she caught him reading her diary, uninvited, when she came home from work. Then things began to worsen when her sister, Kerry phoned her in ecstasy, telling her she had found someone she loved, and his name was Brendan. The next thing she knew, her family members were so taken in by his charms that they wouldn’t believe what she told them about him and their previous relationships.

Great hook, great plot, and I’m already dying to find out what would Brendan do to Miranda, or to anyone in the end! Grab a copy if you want to know the outcome, for I’m not going to type my reviews here! LOL! :-P