Saturday, May 31, 2014

Jumping Genres in June Hop


Kumusta everyone? (Kumusta is the Filipino word for How are you) Hey I'm doing another giveaway! (Generous people are generous okay?) This is my first time to join and participate a blog giveaway hop (but this is my second time to do a giveaway in my blog) as a way of saying thank you to those people who have faith on me in blogging and who are always checking out the whatever stuff I'm posting on my small little blog and also maybe because the semester is starting and I'd go semi-hiatus soon.

So okay, this blog giveaway hop is meant to feature a book outside our normal genres. What is my normal book genre? I'm mostly into Dystopian (that is my genre) and I really had a hard time deciding what to give if I should do contemporary or graphic novels. Since I can't decide, I choose to just do them both. ;)

Contemporary books:



Graphic Novels:


RULES
  • This is open to anybody age 13 and above. (I'm sorry kid but if you'd like to join you can ask someone older than you to join the giveaway for you.)
  • ONE winner chooses TWO books from the above pictured (ONE from the contemporary books and ONE from the graphic novels)
  • The Book Depository MUST ship to your country for the book you choose, to find out if TBD ships to your country: click here
  • You must choose a book from the ones pictured only- although, I know many of those are series so you can pick ANY ONE from the series (e.g. any of the Summer series by Jenny Han of Clockwork Princess Manga from The Infernal Devices by Cassie Clare)
  • Pre-orders are fine as long as the book is listed ready for pre-order on The Book Depository! (e.g. On the Fence by Kasie West, Landline by Rainbow Rowell, Isla and The Happily Ever After etc.)
  • Winner must respond within 24h or a new winner will be picked.

That's about it. Spreading the book love, people!!!! Drop me a comment if you have questions alright? Good luck!! <3 Let me know what books you would choose from the books above! 


The first rafflecopter tab has been closed because I cannot change the date and the giveaway should've ended by June 14th. However you can still gain more entries, on this other rafflecopter tab. I'll pick a new winner and will export all the other 528 entries from the first form. Thank you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Go to Stuck in Books for more giveaway posts on Jumping Genres in June blog hop! 
http://www.stuckinbooks.com/2014/05/jumping-genres-in-june-giveaway-hop.html


And here's the linky to other giveaways! Join as many as you can for more chances of winning! ;)

Book Swag Update 5/30/2014

Book Swag Update!


Here we're my book swags when I first posted a pic: 


Here are they now! Look! :)








Also if you want to have some of my book swags just send me an S.A.S.E and I'll put some of my stuff in there and send it back to you! Here's how to send an SASE. Click here.


Have you guys also a collection of book swags, comment the link to your post on this post and I will check! 

Stacking The Shelves #4


Stacking The Shelves: May 31, 2014

I got a lot for review this time, there are lots on my kindle app and I'm not sure where to start. Okay, here are my books!

For Review:
Source: Edelweiss, Netgalley & Amazon

Press Play by Eric Divine
Smart from Pan Macmillan
My Life from Hell from Te Da Media
Boys Like You from Sourcebooks Fire
The Young World from Little Brown Book Group UK
The Practice Date by Victorine Lieske
The Light Tamer by Devyn Dawson
Just Breathe by Heather Allen
Ignite by Jamie Campbell
Project ELE by Rebecca Gober
Haven by DL Akers
The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching
Promise You Won't Tell? By John Locke
To Be With You by Opal Mellon
Everflame by Dylan Peters
Summer Unplugged by Amy Sparling
Cornerstone by Kelly Walker

Bought:
Paperbacks & Hardcovers
Source: NBS

Proxy by Alex London


Ebooks
Source: Amazon (Kindle Edition)

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments #6)
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Tales from Shakespeare by Mary Lamb, Charles Lamb
Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Shakespeare
Bloom by AP Kensey


Audiobooks
Source: Audible

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments #6)

Stand Alone Review: City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6)

A Stand-Alone Review
Title: City of Heavenly Fire
Author: Cassandra Clare
Release Date: May 27, 2014
Publisher: Simon and Schuster


Synopsis:
ERCHOMAI, SEBASTIAN HAD SAID.
I am coming.
Darkness returns to the Shadowhunter world. As their society falls apart around them, Clary, Jace, Simon and their friends must band together to fight the greatest evil the Nephilim have ever faced: Clary’s own brother. Nothing in the world can defeat him — must they journey to another world to find the chance? Lives will be lost, love sacrificed, and the whole world changed in the sixth and last installment of the Mortal Instruments series.


First sentence: “On the day Emma Carstairs's parents we're killed, the weather was perfect.”

My thoughts:
*UNSPOILERY REVIEW*

Do you have any idea how long I've waited for this?! I really don't have any idea how to review this. I'm just emotions and feelings and tears and heart-break and happiness rolled into one single person. My head and my thoughts is a mess right now, stars that I can't fathom into constellations but still I am writing this.

“Erchomai. Veni. I am coming. I am come.” said CoHF. And now it has come and wrecked my life. And I don't know how to cope. And I don't know if I'm thinking straight. And I don't know what I'm writing in this review.

Who will survive? Well, I did, at least. I thought no one would survive. I thought all my ships would be blasted off to bits and pieces. Cassie said so. NO ONE IS SAFE. 6 characters will die. 2 weddings. That's all we knew before CoHF. I didn't have any theories and predictions on what might happen in the book because I don't want to make one. I never think of theories because I'm afraid they might be right and then there wouldn't be fun, so I don't.

Okay, let's get this over with. We all know that no one is safe because of Sebastian and his demon blood. He want's to wipe out the whole Shadowhunter race and make them his minions-err I mean his Endarkened Ones (whom he can control and bend to his own will) and no one can stop him but Jace and his heavenly fire. So that's basically where the plot revolved. Fighting Seb and fighting Seb and fighting Seb and his Endarkened for the peace of the Nephilim's race.

There are new characters, Jules and Emma and the other Blackthorns. They're young yet they are essential characters. So that we will be introduced and prepared to the new series, The Dark Artifices. The main characters though are always developing along the way. We still see Clary and her new runes. Jace is back to his old self, the sarcastic and hot Shadowhunter. Though for me he's lost his charm ever since City of Fallen Angels. I can't really see the Jace on City of Glass anymore. The one I fell in love with. Magnus and Alec were still stubborn and in denial of their feelings. Simon and Isabelle are--- (excuse me I'm speechless about Sizzy) They are the best couple and has the best conversations and the best chemistry and basically the best everything in this final installment.

But what I really loved the most in this book is about Bro Zachariah. How he was cured. How he helped in the war and how he was back to his old self. MY JEM. I loved everything Zachariah said all throughout the book. And I love that Jem and Tessa is also here. *wipes tears* I love all their little conversations and—well you get my point. I love them the most that it overshadows all the main TMI characters even. Honestly before you read this book and you haven't read The Infernal Devices, I suggest you read the other series first. Because if you read this before TID you'd be kind of lost either way.

I'm only sad about one thing. I hope I can say it without spoiling but I can't. I would have to spoil you if I mention so. (I'll put this on the spoilery review). No one should be beyond redemption, you know. *chokes sobs*

Finally after 5 books, Cassie found the story to end this beautiful series. And it's a very good ending. Well written and very satisfying. I can say that after City of Glass, City of Heavenly Fire is my next favorite book. There weren't a dull moment. After all the feels and everything we'll now be saying goodbye to TMI and saying hello to TDA. The conclusion is beautiful. I am happy and contented now. Thank you so much, Cassie. I cannot ask and say anything more.

Ave Atque Vale, TMI. Hail and Farewell.

Rate: 4.5/5 stars

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Warning: If you haven't read or finished the book, please stop here. Spoilers ahead. You have been warned. Scroll on at your own risk.

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*SPOILERY REVIEW*
AAHHHHH! FINALLY I'VE BEEN HOLDING MY SILENCE FOR RAZIEL KNOW HOW LONG ENOUGH. I JUST WANT TO RANT AND NEVER STOP RANTING ABOUT COHF.

Okay who we're your 6 deaths?????? (I'm just a little confused on this because other have different characters) Let me enumerate. I think they are:

*Jordan
*Maureen
*Meliorn
*Raphael
*Amatis
*Jonathan

Some says that Praetor Scott or Andrew Blackthorn should be on the list. I don't know, I'm not so sure. Can't wait for Cassie to confirm it though. BTW who are yours?

Okay, so can we just talk about Sizzy first. HUHUHUHU. Simon at the last chapters. So heartfreakinbreaking. WHY HIS MEMORIES? And at the epilogue, the name of their band is The Mortal Instruments *rocks self bc crying* Sobs at least Simon chooses to Ascend in te epilogue. *sighs a happy sigh*
Malec though. LOL I was getting sick of their denial when we all know they'd finally get back together because they love each other.

Remember Magnus's father?! For a moment there I THOUGHT MAGNUS WOULD DIE!!!! (I braced myself for what might have happen and I can't I nearly broke down) COHF: Okay, Magnus doesn't die..but wait there's more! I THOUGHT SIMON WOULD DIE TOO!!!! For the love of runes everywhere Cassie gave me a heart attack! But Jordan died. Lol I was expecting that one because I was spoiled (I hope the one who spoiled me is pissing blood right now.) And I expected that would be early too so I wasn't surprised. Other deaths are like, “Yeah, Okay” to me.

BUT HAHAHAHA. What is with Herondales and their sexy dirty scenes in caves? Why weren't they called Heroncaves rather? But still laughing at the foil in Chapter 20. Like wow Jace aren't you a boyscout! Lol. My initial reaction: WAIT..FOIL? WHAT IS A FOIL DOING IN A CAVE HOW COULD A FOIL BE THERE???????? I understand that before they go to war (whatever war it is) It really is a practice -lol not really a practice but some kind of need- to do it even in the early days because it kind of wakes up your blood, body and mind, I guess?? Love making in a cave at the midst of war? Only Cassie. (But I think this scene is not stong enough to be compared with the alley scene and the other sexy scenes in the past books) In here they just had to do it. Like there's no choice because it's the last book already.

I just feel sad for Jonathan. When Jonathan has his green eyes. I don't know, I may or may not have been crying. When he said he dreamed the same dream as Clary I--(wait excuse me there are tears) I mourn for Jonathan. If only he'd just been affacted of the Heavenly Fire as that in the previous book then maybe everyone could've still accepted him. When I was halfway of the book, I gave up on him. I didn't think he could still have been redeemed. But no one should be irredeemable right? Right? TEARS. I like Seb, because of Jonathan you know. I still loved Seb even if he's like that because deep deep deep inside he's still a normal guy. It would have been better If Cassie made a way on how to save Jonathan.

2 WEDDINGS. One is Jocelyn and Luke's and the other one is Jem and Tessa. (LOL THOSE WHO HAVEN'T READ TID, THEY THINK IT'S CLARY AND JACE'S DREAM WEDDING WHATEVER BUT NO) It's Jem and Tessa's! But crying only the UK and AU versions have the wedding comic strip of the book I am sobbing. I need that so bad! I hope it would be on the CP2 Manga, I hope :(((((
Can't help to think what happened after the wedding. Ooops. :D


So I think TMI ends here. Ave Atque Vale TMI. Hail and Farewell.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday #7: Freebie Topic


Top Ten Characters Who Can Make You Laugh

Who doesn't love books with humor? I love books with humor, they're all the books I can ask for. And how can you not fall in love with a guy or a girl who can make you laugh?

1. Kenji (Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi)
Ahhhh who doesn't love Kenji and all his innuendos (not sexually okay, just funny innuendos) lol. I loved Kenji because of his hilariousness. And if I won't have Warner for myself. I'd be glad to take Kenji. Let me love Kenji! And if I won't have Kenji at least let me be his best friend.

I am going to MURDER YOU—”
No,” he says, pointing at me as he shifts backward again. “Bad Juliette. You don’t like to kill people, remember? You’re against that, remember? You like to talk about feelings and rainbows—”

2. Toraf and Rayna (Of Poseidon by Anna Banks)
No book has ever made me laugh the most than this book, than these two. This is like the most hilarious YA I've ever read. I don't even know how many times I've laughed out loud. Who knew mermaids could be so funny? I love Toraf so much, he could marry me anytime he wants to. Also Rayna is a funny mermaid princess, I like her a lot better than Ariel, the little mermaid.

Emma this is not a joke. Look at your hands! They're... they're... wrinkled!"
"Yes that's because-"
"No way. I'm not going down for this. This isn't my fault."
"Toraf-"
"Galen will find some way to blame me though. He always does. 'You wouldn't have gotten caught if you didn't swim so close to that boat, tadpole.' No it couldn't be the humans fault for fishing in the first place-"
"Toraf."
"Or how about. 'Maybe if you'd stop trying to kiss my sister, she'd stop bashing your head with a rock.' How does my kissing her have anything to do with her bashing my head with a rock? If you ask me, it's just a result of poor parenting-"
"Toraf."
"Oh and my favorite: 'If you play with a lionfish, you're going to get pricked.' I wasn't playing with it! I was just helping it swim faster by grabbing its fins-"
"TOR-AF."
He stops pacing along the water, even seems to remember that I exist. "Yes, Emma? What were you saying?”

3. Rock (See Me by Wendy Higgins)
He's an Irish rockstar! Lol jk. He's not a rockstar, he's a farm boy. A lost boy. I mean he's a small guy, but he could get tall ok? -Claurichaun- He's rough and he's cute at the same time. He's totally adorable. He can make you giggle and I repeat, he's IRISH.

4. Roar (Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi)
Handsome and funny. He could be BFFs with Kenji. But he could be bffs with me too. I just wish he could have been with Aria. I like them together better than Aria and Perry.

Roar leaned across the table and smiled at her seductively, his dark hair falling into his eyes. 'When you say everything happens in the Realms, do you mean everything?'
Aria laughed nervously.'Yes. Especially that.There are no risks in the Realms.'
Roar's smile widened. 'You simply think it and it happens? And it actually feels real?'
'Why are we talking about this?'
'I need a Smarteye,' he said.”

5. Leo (The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan)
Who cannot love this guy's jokes and comebacks? He's not really that ugly right? -lol sorry about that Leo- So what if he's a son of Hephaestus? He's still funny and cool. Plus he's awesome. He can invent you anything you want him to. #TeamLeo

Gaea?” Leo shook his head. “Isn’t that Mother Nature? She’s supposed to have, like, flowers in her hair and birds singing around her and dear and rabbits doing her laundry.”
Leo, that’s Snow White,” Piper said.”

6. Jay (Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins)
Dude, this human guy is one funny and heroic man. He's just but human but he is still very helpful and very nice. Good guys are good but good and funny ones are fab.

What were you and Kaidan Rowe talking ’bout?” Jay asked me. “Man, y’all looked like you were gonna rip each other’s clothes off!” I gasped and smacked his arm, but he didn’t flinch.
We did not.” My eyes darted over to Kaidan for a fraction of a second, and though he was too far away to have heard, the wink he sent me brought another flush to my skin.”

7. Mik and Zuzana (Daughter of Smoke and by Laini Taylor)
I ship these two so much! They're humans (not angels, not chimaeras) but they are fearless and brave and funny! Especially Zuze (you know, I think I'm actually Zuzana in real life). Everything Zuze says, I'd bet all my books on it, you'll laugh no matter what. Violin guy and a rabid fairy marionette. You'll love them to bits and pieces.

You are a conniving, deceitful hussy. I stand in awe."
"You're sitting."
"I sit in awe.”
----
World peace for dinner," mused Mik, scratching his beard stubble. "Does that come with fries?"
"It freaking better," said Zuzana. "Or I will send it freaking back.”

8. Morpheus (Splintered by A.G. Howard)
English man. Actually no, he's a Netherling (from Wonderland) with an English accent. Pale, long blue hair, high fashion, hot stuff. Cocky and funny. What more can you ask for? (Send me Morpheus in a box please)

I coax my palm into his lapel in search of my wish, returning his feverish kisses.
"Checkmate, you son of a bug," I say against his mouth two seconds before my fingers find an empty pocket.
"Sleight of hand, blossom," he says right back. " 'Tis in fact in my pants pocket, if you'd like to search there.”

9. Dante, Max and Blue (The Collector by Victoria Scott)
Side-kick boyfriends are cool, very cool. Especially when they can make you crack-up all the time. Funny boys are hot! I mean, you'll forget everything but them and their stupid and corny jokes, also they can save the world and their friends by just being funny. Lol jk. But yeah, you want funny book boyfriends? Read this series. Read about these guys. There are lots in this book.

Can you take me back into town?" I say. "I can't get my voicemails."
"Why don't you calm down, D-Dub. I know you're menstruating, but everything's going to be fine. Once we get inside, I'll explain all about maxi pads and personal hygiene..”

10. Puck (The Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa)
The sweet, heroic, funny, true friend Puck. Wouldn't you want a funny and loyal friend like him? Because I would. Puck will never leave you and unlove you even if you love someone else more than him. He's funny and always on the rescue. I just love guys like Puck.

Time to switch to decaf, princess. If you're going to shriek at every bogey that jumps out and says 'boo', you'll be exhausted before we reach the edge of the woods.”

Ooops I'm being a rebel, I have another one! (again) hihihi

11. David (Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson)
David and his metaphors can make you laugh like crazy! He's not good with metaphors but he's smart. He's the bravest and the funniest orphan superhuman ever. And yes, he's also hot. Steelheart is a very underrated book. But this book is like 5/5 stars! If you haven't read this you're missing the third of your life!

They looked so dangerous, like alligators. Really fast alligators wearing black. Ninja alligators.

Who of these guys on my list would you like to make you laugh too? :)

Sunday, May 25, 2014

My Fandom Merchs

Who of you doesn't want items from your favorite shows, bands and hobbies? Well, I'm pretty sure all of us readers want to have the items that our favorite books has on it. It's kind of like what you guys call band merch etc, but we (in our fandom) call it FANDOM MERCH. There are many online fandom stores in the country (bless them) and from them we can buy the items that represents or is to alike what a character had worn or accessories that are makes us know or remember a certain book. Okay, since I loved reading, I started collecting some fandom merch I wanted to have along the way. And here are they:

I got all these items for a very affordable prices from FandomShirtsPH. (They actualy sell fandom shirts and merchandise) And you can contact them anytime and they are trusted sellers. Here's the link to their online shop~

Mockingjay Pin and Mockingjay Necklace (The Hunger Games Trilogy)
This is the symbol of the rebellion, you can see and read that Katniss Everdeen wearing it.


Four's pendant and Nine's pendant : Loric Pendants (Lorien Legacies)
Actually, the garde's have the pendant with their own numbers imprinted on it and Setrakus Ra is hunting for those so be careful.


Percy Jackson Bead Necklaces : (Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus)
Actually this should be two necklaces but I joined them together lol. Camp Halblood and Camp Jupiter's. So in Camp Halfblood you get a bead after every quest, Annabeth and Percy has this necklace.


Clockwork Angel, Angelic Rune, Parabatai Necklace and Carstairs ring (The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices)
Shadowhunter items. Clockwork Angel is worn by Tessa Gray, and the Carstairs ring is worn by James Carstairs (idk if that's how it looks like though, but it looks like stairs to me so yeah) and i'm not sure if the shadowhunters wore their runes as necklaces but I got them anyway. Since mundanes can't have marks we can have the necklaces right? I have a parabaitai necklace but don't have a parabatai lol


Multi-fandom necklace
It's all Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Hunger Games and Divergent and The Mortal Instruments fandom all combined together in one necklace.


Here they are all. Eep fangirling~


  


Really though, If I saw you wearing one of these, please don't freak out if I just might approach you to fangirl about it. I think I might be posting about my Fandom shirts too (soon). :)

Series Review: In The After and In The End ARC

A Series Review
In The After Duology
Titles: In The End, In The After (ARC)
Release date of last book: July 24, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: HarperCollins


Synopsis:
Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.


After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.


I received a copy of the second book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. No compensation of any kind have been received for this review and all of the opinions in this review are solely my own.

First Sentence (First book): I only go out at night.
First Sentence (Last book): I long for the comfort of night.

My thoughts:

Thank you HarperCollins for the ARC of In The End.

I really like reading Post-Apolyptic dystopian books. Why? Because of course, it gives me an idea of what I may or may not encounter one of these days. These books are better than any survival guide you can even get at those stupid bookstores out there. Post-apocalypic books gives a lot of possibilities of what might happen in the future but all their theme is survival to the fittest and staying sane and human.

The world is ending and the cause of it are green, ugly, and slimy creatures. My first thought was that I was reading an apocalypse book with aliens. But of course, I'm wrong. They're not aliens. They're some kind of mutated things that is caused by some biological warfare. These creatures feeds on protein and they are most potent during daytime. Yeah, weird right? Daytime? Shouldn't they be like afraid of the sun or something? (Read this book and you'll eventually know why). Amy calls the creatures “Them” and “They”.

Amy is left there alone in her house when the end of the world started. You could've thought she died then eventually but she manages to survive. Her mom and dad is nowhere and didn't came back for her. But at least they left her a house that could stand against these greenie monsters. After surviving a few weeks, months maybe, she now calls the world, Before and After. Before the creatures and After the creatures. She learned how to adapt. Most importantly she learned how to survive. She goes out of her house to scavenge food, clothing and books. (I really love the scavenging books though, I'd love to do that too) Then she meets Baby.

Baby is what Amy named the little 4 year old girl she saw and picked-up at a grocery store. Just wow right? A 4 year-old little girl surviving on her own against Them. When Amy took the little kid home, she easily got attached to her. Of course she would, she'd been starving to have human contact for months and she found someone. Baby and Amy grew nearer to each other like sisters. They learned how to live in the After. They even made a silent way of communication through a modified sign-language. (Which is very awesome, I'd like to learn it too.)

Within three years surviving in the After, they soon find out they weren't the only surviving humans here on earth. They learned about a society. A new society in the After that in first sight you can tell it's the best after the end, but every society has it's flaws. Amy could not keep up with that so she leaves to find someplace safer for a new home.

In 'In The End', the last book of the duology, Baby is in danger. Amy is willing to give everything, even her life to Baby. And only someone from another colony/society in the After could help her to get her back. In here she deals with the rough way of people living in the After. She battled with what the After had made of the people to put it simply. She cannot trust anyone and she meets new people. She fought off many more monsters—the green ones and monsters with human faces.

Wait is there no romance in this series? Of course it does. In “In the End” Amy is torn between Rice – the handsome geek scientist guy and Jacks – the rough and rugged gorgeous boy in another place. (By the way I'm Team Rice) This is what I like with Amy, she easily makes decisions, not like any other girls that loves to run around the circle. If you read the last book, you'll know who she is really into. Even in post-apocalyptic times, love prevails. There is always hope and there is no place like home.

In the After is fast-paced and a very easy read. (I finished up the 2 books in just 1 day) That's how good this series is. This series is best recommended to those who have read The Maze Runner, Across The Universe and Warm Bodies. These books are a mixed of those books, or at least you can associate it to. The main character is fearless, and brave. Even a lot braver than the guys here. That's what I love about girl protagonists. We girls don't need your saving, we can survive and adapt like you guys could. This series is a must read. It teaches us that not because a person is not of your blood it doesn't mean you can't consider them as family, you can't love them even more than yourself. That is what love does. You just cannot give up love, not even for the whole world itself.

I don't know about you but if I can't talk you into reading this, I'm not sure you're in your right mind. This is an underrated and unmainstream series that you readers can get your hands on. These books are so good, I can assure you that. So if you haven't read In The After, do something and read it now. And well, wait for the conclusion In The End, once it'll be out on July, you guys run over to the bookstore and read onwards!

Favorite book in the Series: In The After

2 Books. 2 Phrases. 2 Words.
Read now. Survive after.

Rate
In The After : 5/5 stars
In The End : 4.75/5 stars

PS:
I've never read a duology. And wow, I think I like duologies now. Thank you for the tweets Demitria Lunetta!

Add InThe After and In The End on your to read.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

ARC Review: (Don't You) Forget About Me

A Stand-Alone Review
Title: Don't You Forget About Me
Author: Kate Karyus Quinn
Release Date: June 14 , 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: HarperCollins (ARC)


I received a copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. No compensation of any kind have been received for this review and all of the opinions in this review are solely my own.

Synopsis:
Welcome to Gardnerville.

A place where no one gets sick. And no one ever dies.

Except...
There’s a price to pay for paradise. Every fourth year, the strange power that fuels the town exacts its payment by infecting teens with deadly urges. In a normal year in Gardnerville, teens might stop talking to their best friends. In a fourth year, they’d kill them.

Four years ago, Skylar’s sister, Piper, was locked away after leading sixteen of her classmates to a watery grave. Since then, Skylar has lived in a numb haze, struggling to forget her past and dull the pain of losing her sister. But the secrets and memories Piper left behind keep taunting Skylar—whispering that the only way to get her sister back is to stop Gardnerville’s murderous cycle once and for all.


First sentence: It was a bizarre May day parade at midnight instead of midday.

My thoughts:
I just want to thank HarperCollins again for their generous hearts in providing this book. I just cannot thank them enough. This is my third official ARC Review. I might not be as good as the long time reviewers yet but I will be better in time.

Another suspense book. I'm mostly into dystopian but it seems I've been reading a lot of paranormal books lately. Since I needed to finish reading and reviewing all the ARCs before the next semester starts, I decided to read Don't You Forget Me. “Pairing the otherworldly touch of Tuck Everlasting and the eerie suspense of Stephen King (Don't You) Forget About Me is perfect for fans of Maggie Stifvater's The Raven Boys.”

I have read or encountered neither of Tuck Everlasting, The Raven Boys and any Stephen King's books. I really have no idea what this book would be like. I thought it would have creepy and disturbing things like the last suspense book I've read but I'm not so sure. Before reading I thought it would be something like the Beautiful Creatures by Kamie Garcia and Margaret Stohl. But it isn't. I haven't read anything like it yet. The style of writing of this book is nearly poetic. Just like Tahereh's writing style of Shatter Me but without the numbers. I liked the writing style of this book, it's beautiful.

“Those secrets run through me like cotton candy, sweet and airy and insubstantial. The others are like sticky spiderwebs – they cling no matter how you try to pull them away.” - (pg. 37)

It was slow paced but it doesn't make you stop to read it. It's a bizarre read. Everything about this book is weird. The good kind of weird. Gardnerville is Bizzaroville. Gardnerville is a town where all kind of otherwordly things happen and it just leaves you there like, “whaaaaaat?” People with otherwordly abilities like read secrets like it's nothing but something being handed to you as nothing. Making people bend to your will. Charming people to love you with no boundaries. Absorbing pain and death for other people. Making people blink out of existence. Willing people into existing. Those kinds of things.
When you live in Gardenville, the kind of paradise most people dream in this wicked, sickly world. You would never get sick, you never get old. But nothing good comes with a great cost. Every fourth year in Gardenville, something, (okay the most bizzare of the bizzarest things) happens in the place. Where teens die and not survive puberty. That is the cost of living in Gardenville, your life is in the brink of danger every other four years.

It was just a bit hard to follow the story because the chapters of the book is alternating from the past and the present. Sky has lost her sister and cannot bear her lost. She cannot unforget her. Normally, if you've lost a love one you'll eventually forget about them but not Sky. She cannot let her go. She clings to her even more. She refuses to believe she's gone and does everything to bring her back. So she drinks these pills to make her forget even just for some hours.

“They take away the sorrow, they take away the pain, and they leave the great gaping holes in my life. “You'll only remember the good times.”” - Sky (pg 55)

(I'd like to have some of the pills of my own sometime.) But her mind commits her to memory again, the things she wants to forget the most, are the ones that she really cannot forget no matter how many pills she take. Even if this book is a thriller, suspense, it has a slight touch of sweet romance. A different kind of love in the shortest of times.

“So, was it worth? What I mean is...Is it worth having something good when it's gonna be taken away? When it's only temporary and later you're left wondering if you imagined it anyway?” - Sky (pg 273)

If you have issues on memories that you couldn't let go or memories you would want to let go, this book might be seeking for you. You need to read this so that you'll know how important and essential our experiences and memories to our existence. They define us.

“Remember Me. But do it the right way. Remember it all. The good, the bad and the ugly. I'd rather be forgotten than remembered the right way.” - Piper (pg 281)

Sky is someone who I can compare myself to. I let go of the past that easily not really caring what had happened and what will happen tomorrow. All we do is believe to this: “It's okay, don't worry.” But little do we know that our past makes the most of us and our homes made us to what we really are to this day. Read this book, it's raw of emotion and feelings. It may not be the book you'd scream about, but it's the kind of book that will leave a mark in your mind and heart.

“Forgetting the past doesn't change it, and if we want a better ending we'll have to go out and create it for ourselves somewhere on the other side of the mountain” (pg 309)

Rate: 4/5 stars

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

ARC Review: Sleep No More

A Stand-Alone Review
Title: Sleep No More
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Release Date: May 14 , 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: HarperCollins (ARC)



I received a copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. No compensation of any kind have been received for this review and all of the opinions in this review are solely my own.

Synopsis:
Oracles see the future. But they are never supposed to interfere. Charlotte learned that the hard way. If she hadn't tried to change one of her childhood visions, her mother wouldn't be in a wheelchair—and her father would still be alive.

Since that fateful accident, Charlotte has tried to suppress her visions. But when she receives a premonition of a classmate's murder, she knows she can no longer sit idly by.

Then she meets Smith, a man who not only knows Charlotte's secret but who also claims to have a way for her to manipulate her visions to change the future. But doing this means Charlotte must put herself in the path of the murderer.


First sentence: I sit on the itchy couch and stare at Mommy's eyes, wishing for them to open.

My thoughts:
Okay, so it's my first time to receive Advance Review Copies and I just want to thank HarperCollins again for their generous hearts in providing this book. I just cannot thank them enough. This is my second official ARC Review so allow me to start again and try. I'll get better in this, I promise that.

At first, I really didn't know that this book is somewhat paranormal, suspense, thriller type.
I only realized it when I was almost halfway of the book. This book says that “Lisa McMann's wake trilogy meets the blockbuster film Inception”. I didn't really know what to make of this book since I haven't read the wake trilogy or watched Inception yet (since I'm not really a big fan of suspense and horror movies, so I had no idea.

This book is about seeing the future and what it's like to be an oracle. We've read through history that oracles were once real. Back in those grecian and roman times, Oracles used to help heroes in their quests by giving them an idea or glimpses of the future. This book now tells us how and what oracles do if they still exist these days. First thing I asked myself when I learned that Charlotte can do is “If I we're in her place would I want to see the future?” I said I'll answer this when I finish reading this book.

Forget the past. Change the Present. Fight the Future. A dark, exhilarating, blood-pumping read which will put you at the edge of your seats and will plant a lot of questions in your minds. This is what this book will do. Like what would you do if you really have premonitions or visions that does really happen? What if you see a bad premonition, would you dare to right it? Would you dare to go against fate against nature to change the future? Would you dare to trip the balance for the sake of making things right and face the consequences of it? Charlotte will help you answer this questions. It maybe a little disturbing for other people, this story but it will open your mind more to violence, revenge, trust and the truth.

Charlotte is someone who you would call a hero, in times of horror. She was brave enough to discover by herself her abilities and her responsibilities by her own though it led to danger and safety as well. She was reckless and to trustful which made her weak but she made herself strong enough to face the mistakes that had lead to other people's deaths and right everything. The past might not be changed but she knows she can do something about the future and does a huge leap of faith to do what she thinks is right. She may fight what she is, but finally she will understand that she cannot fight her nature and continue living her life.

Heartbreaking as it is, You will like this book because it will make you question all the characters's motives and guess who's involved in the evil ploys. I wasn't smart enough to figure out who really was the killer here. I wasn't shocked but I wasn't expecting it either. It was like I've always known who the killer is on my mind all along but I just refused to believe it. This book made “Trust No One” the understatement of the millenia. If you have trust issues I suggest you read this book, pun intended.

I may not love paranormal books but this made me finish it, even a little later than I expect but I've read it until the last page, didn't I? A page-turner, a remarkable book for those who are seeking for thrill and suspense. If you loved The Lovely Bones or Mara Dyer, you would want to read this. You would want to go to the bookstore now and grab a copy if you love paranormal books. You must read this if you are a Newtown survivor, this book is dedicated to you.

Rate: 4/5 stars

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