e & m

eloisa and maxine; two girls sharing lots of book stuff including hauls, reviews, wrap ups, signing recaps, photography and edits

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when you’re doing an essay past midnight

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me rn

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Mara Dyer // Destroyer

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The mood and artistry of this graphic is perfect. 

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Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Title: Illuminae

Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Edition: Hardcover, 599 pages

Publication: Published October 20th 2015 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Synopsis:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded. The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit. But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again. Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Review: 

Illuminae is by far one of the most unique and phenomenal books I have ever read. It's so richly dark and imaginative, I salute Kaufman and Kristoff for their beautiful masterpiece.

I have no doubts over how I feel about everything in this book. The two main characters, Kady and Ezra, are both endearing. I've grown to love them both, their unique personalities and even their imperfections which make them human. The plot and concept are equally stunning. I think I will always be at awe over Kaufman and Kristoff's intelligently crafted work. Each detail had its own place, you shouldn't miss a single word as you flip through the so-called files. The plot twists were extremely mind-blowing and unexpected. Illuminae is undoubtedly a combined effort of two evil geniuses.

Everything in this book just works. And of course the flawless design of the physical book itself is a huge plus. I imagine that whilst the two astounding authors  were working on their collaboration, they laid every single detail out on a table of awesomeness before weaving them together to form the best sci-fi book in the 'verse. I can not wait for the next one!

Overall, this book is just simply breathtaking. If sci-fi is your thing then trust me, once you start reading the parts where it gets interesting, you'll never be able to put Illuminae down.

Favorite Quotes:

you deserve every star in the galaxy laid out at your feet and a thousand diamonds in your hair. You deserve someone who'll run with you as far and as fast as you want to. Holding your hand, not holding you back.

All he thinks of amid this loveless dance, all he cares about here on the edge of forever, is her. He does not want to die. Not because he is afraid. Simply because he cannot bear the thought of leaving her behind.

I would rather be numb than stand here in the light of a sun that can never chase the chill away.

Final Rating: 

five out of five outta this world crowns!

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The Firesteel by Ash Huang

Title: The Firesteel Author: Ash Huang Edition: Kindle Edition, 328 pages Publication: Published September 16th 2015 Synopsis:

After losing the love of a powerful oracle, Natt Raymer travels back in time to figure out where they went wrong. To appease his niece and face his past, Natt spins a fable that stretches his and Kit's decade into an amended world history. Between the columns of Ancient Greece, under the canopy of the Amazon, dodging fire in war-torn Britain, he searches her predictions for truth. He searches for glimmers of a future. This is a book about the meandering nature of our twenties, the nostalgia of warm love, however brief the experience, the sting of remembering foolish impulses. Review: 

This book is so unique, it tells a story of love and heartbreak through time travel. Ash Huang has poetically weaved a beautiful modern-day story through the remarkable years of the past through future. I love the characters, each of them has a distinct personality. I love the character development of Natt's personae throughout the story he tells in this book. I also adore the fact that Kitami stayed as Kitami or Kit in the story. It tells us, beyond the written words, that Natt has never looked at her differently. The plot is breathtaking as well as the writing style. The author writes with such a style that adds more life to the story and makes it even more interesting than it already is. I also came to appreciate the pauses between the make-believe, it gives enough time to build up suspense and longing for the next bit of the tale and at the same time explains the meaning behind the fantasy Natt has woven. I absolutely love everything about this book, from the one of a kind concept to the beautiful and realistic relationship of Natt and Kit though there were parts that were hard to process or seemed to drag on. I still highly recommend it though, if you're looking for a love story but without the common sparkles and fireworks. Favorite Quotes: "How did you know it was for real?" He swallows and takes a gulp of his coffee, now lukewarm. "It burns you up. It chases you and doesn't let go." Sometimes pain is just pain. But maybe sometimes it's more. Maybe sometimes it tells us what's really important. "So loves's not enough," she says. "Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. But that's what makes the stories stories. We don't know how they're going to end." Final Rating: 

four out of five crowns!

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The Shaw Confessions

So, the news is out! I’m writing more books. Specifically, more books about the characters in the Mara Dyer trilogy, from the point of view of Noah Shaw. You can read the announcement about the new series here: http://www.ew.com/article/2015/11/02/michelle-hodkin-mara-dwyer-trilogy-exclusive

I am so, so excited to be writing this series, I can’t even tell you. But I can tell you this: my hope, always, was that the Mara Dyer trilogy would be satisfying for readers on its own, but from the very, very first words of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, I knew that what I was writing was an origin story. Which meant that by the end of her story, told from her point of view, there had to be quite a bit of ambiguity by necessity–what happened to certain characters, what would happen to them going forward, what some of them may or may not know about themselves by the end of her books, etc. But as Mara and Noah and Jamie and Daniel discovered at the end, the story doesn’t stop with them. There’s a much wider world of Carriers out there, and I badly wanted the chance to explore it. And thanks to you, I’m getting that chance. Not a day has gone by without being asked by a reader whether I’d consider writing books from Noah’s point of view, and it’s your enthusiasm for the series, four years after it debuted, that allowed me to get the chance to tell Noah’s story. His mind, his voice, his experience–it’s so different from Mara’s, it’s been strange and a bit unsettling getting into it. Expect the unexpected, is what I’m saying, but also know that I care, deeply, about these characters and about your attachment to them. I don’t take that responsibility lightly.

To give you a bit more of an accurate picture of the series, here’s a little summary that didn’t quite make it into the EW piece: 

What happens after happily ever after? By the end of the Mara Dyer Trilogy, Noah Shaw and Mara Dyer discovered their world-changing abilities along with their love for each other. In the first book of The Shaw Confessions, Noah’s father is murdered, and Noah inherits unimaginable riches, terrible knowledge, and the chance to find other people like himself. But as Noah and Mara begin their global search, they’ll discover that they have very different goals: Noah wants peace. Mara wants power. When the girl of your dreams turns the world into a nightmare, what do you choose? The girl or the world?

It’s going to be dark. It’s going to be twisted. It’s going to be sexy. I think you’re going to love it. I really, really hope you do. 

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Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass

Title: Happily Ever After Author: Kiera Cass Edition: Paperback, 320 pages Publication: Published October 8th 2015 by HarperCollins Children's Books Synopsis:

Meet Prince Maxon before he fell in love with America, and a girl named Amberly before she became queen. See the Selection through the eyes of a guard who watched his first love drift away and a girl who fell for a boy who wasn't the prince. This gorgeous collection features four novellas from the captivating world of Kiera Cass's #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series, as well as exclusive, never-before-seen bonus content. This series companion is a must-have for any Selection fan, and includes: The Prince The Guard The Queen The Favorite Exclusive new scenes from The Selection, The Elite, and The One Introductions to each novella from Kiera Cass A map of Illéa and other illustrations And more! Review: 

Before I formally start my review, here’s a list of the titles included and their order in the Selection series:

The Queen (The Selection #0.4)

The Prince (The Selection #0.5)

The Guard (The Selection #2.5)

The Favorite (The Selection #2.6)

Scenes from Celeste - there is a scene from every book of the original trilogy

The Maid - this isn’t listed formally under the Selection series but this occurs some time before the end of The One

After the One - (The Selection #3.1)

Where are They Now? - this occurs after the original trilogy and perhaps throughout The Heir too

This has got to be one of the best collections of short stories in the history of YA fiction. Each story beautifully tells a different one and gives more life to the characters we've grown to love or even hate as the Selection series unfolded.

The Queen is surprisingly cute. It shows Clarkson and Amberly's relationship through a whole new perspective. It also clears Clarkson's actions out, such as his way of running everything, through the dark background story of the late and former King. The Prince was a reread for me as I have read it before as an ebook along with The Guard. When Kiera said in her introduction that Maxon was the easiest to write, I agreed as I read his story. It was evident in the smooth flow of Maxon's story. He seemed a bit feminine though but I guess it's a (not too bad) consequence of being written out by an amazing woman. The Guard shows a whole lot more about Aspen and makes him lovable. He's one of the best images of an ideal and perfect man, he's such a gentleman in every sense of the word! On the other hand, I was a bit annoyed at his mooning over America since I'm Team Maxon all the way. I get that your first love is hard to forget though. The Favorite shows Marlee in a whole new light. Her relationship with Carter is so beautiful, it'll make most readers (well, it has with me) ache for their own "person" to love. The back-and-forth between past and present style Kiera used made it more interesting too. Through the few pages of Scenes from Celeste, Kiera has managed to show Celeste's amazing and well-approved character development. It's heart-warming to see how the worst can reconcile with herself and others to bring out the best in herself. The Maid expressed Lucy and Aspen's relationship through such beautiful and emotional words. This short story was the most intense for me, even more so than The Favorite. It was just so full of emotions, they were screaming at me from the pages. It was so surprising to feel so much from Lucy. I've been dying for a peak at Maxon and America's married life and THANK YOU KIERA CASS FOR AFTER THE ONE. I've missed them so much as we've seen little from them in The Heir. Though this has not completely doused the ever-burning fire of feels I have for the beautiful royal couple, it will have to do. For now. I'm happy to know that the other two girls from the top four Elite found their happiness outside the Selection, as narrated in Where are They Now? It was strange to know that they were vastly affected but it also made me feel sheepishly guilty for not considering their feelings as much as America's. Which is one of the reasons Kiera wrote their stories, I guess. All in all, this collection is amazingly exquisite! Hands down to Kiera Cass, the master storyteller of happily ever afters. Happily Ever After is full of happy endings told through heartfelt words. Favorite Quotes: His world looked like a storm. I was going to be its center. He was control to her chaos; she was levity to his seriousness. Love only yourself a little bit longer, until you can't stand not to love someone else. Final Verdict: 

four and a half out of five royal crowns!

Review on other books by Kiera Cass:

The Heir (The Selection #4)

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October 2015

It’s been quite a while since my last reading wrap up! School has kept me extremely busy. 

Anyway, I read a total of five books last October, four physical books and one ebook.

The Fate of Ten by Pittacus Lore - 5/5 crowns; This was as good as every book in the series, it didn’t disappoint. And guess what? It ends with another cliffhanger! James freaking Frey!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - 4/5 crowns; Hollow City by Ransom Riggs - 5/5 crowns; Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs - 5/5 crowns; the Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children trilogy was a reread for me except for Library of Souls. The first and second book was as every bit as amazing as I remember them to be. The equally peculiar conclusion was also fantastic, I’m still sad to see this trilogy end. 

Dream Things True by Marie Marquardt - 3/5 crowns; This was such an emotional and serious read. It expresses the realistic hardships of illegal immigration through the fictional story of two characters.

I’ve linked my reviews to the titles so you can check them out if you want to know more about what I thought about these beautiful books. What books did you read last month? What books are on your November TBR?

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Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl

Title: Black Widow: Forever Red Author: Margaret Stohl Edition: Kindle Edition, 416 pages (eARC) Publication: Published October 13th 2015 by Marvel Press Synopsis:

Enter the world of the Avengers' iconic master spy. Natasha Romanoff is one of the world's most lethal assassins. Trained from a young age in the arts of death and deception, Natasha was given the title of Black Widow by Ivan Somodorov, her brutal teacher at the Red Room, Moscow's infamous academy for operatives. Ava Orlova is just trying to fit in as an average Brooklyn teenager, but her life has been anything but average.The daughter of a missing Russian quantum physicist, Ava was once subjected to a series of ruthless military experiments-until she was rescued by Black Widow and placed under S.H.I.E.L.D. protection. Ava has always longed to reconnect with her mysterious savior, but Black Widow isn't really the big sister type. Until now. When children all over Eastern Europe begin to go missing, and rumors of smuggled Red Room tech light up the dark net, Natasha suspects her old teacher has returned-and that Ava Orlova might be the only one who can stop him. To defeat the madman who threatens their future, Natasha and Ava must unravel their pasts. Only then will they discover the truth about the dark-eyed boy with an hourglass tattoo who haunts Ava's dreams. . . . Black Widow:Forever Red features all the heart-pounding adventure readers expect from Marvel, written by #1 New York Times best-selling author Margaret Stohl. Uncover a new side of the Marvel Universe that will thrill loyal fans and newcomers alike, as Stohl reveals the untold story of Black Widow for the very first time. Review: 

Thanks to NetGalley, Disney Book Group and Marvel Press for my eARC of this phenomenal book.

This book is not only badass but also emotional. It shows the emotional side of Natasha Romanoff and how Ava Orlova and Alexei Manorovsky affected her. I absolutely love the ever-badass Natasha Romanoff in this book, her sassiness was also a constant. I'm so glad Maragaret Stohl did justice to Black Widow. This book showed more than that though, it also exhibited Natasha's humane side which hasn't been as publicized as Black Widow's heroic and badass stunts, I'd like to think that Natasha Romanoff is different from Black Widow. I also love the touch of humor brought by the charming Alexei with a little help from Natasha and Tony Stark. The plot is amazing but I feel like it could have been better if everything was understandable and the points of view more distinguishable. I got confused while reading most parts due to the hazy writing style. This book has everything, diverse and some already well-known characters and an interesting concept. Everything but the writing that will draw you in. I had a hard time getting into the book and I honestly think I wouldn't push myself to finish it if the concept wasn't already familiar to me. Although I hate the events before the ending, I love the peacefulnss of the conclusion itself and Ava's character development. It makes me grieve with Natasha and Ava's loss and yearn for more. The transcripts at the end of most chapters was a great way of foreshadowing and the last transcript, which was at the very end of the book, gave me the chills. It was a great touch to the book and made it unique from other books but did not distinguish itself from the Marvel Universe. Overall, this book was a thrilling read but it would have been more captivating if the flow of the writing was smoothed down. Favorite Quote: We aren't saints. When we die, nobody mourns. That's the only way this ends, for all of us. Final Verdict:

three out of five badass Black Widow crowns!

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Dream Things True by Marie Marquardt

Title: Dream Things True Author: Marie Marquardt Edition: Kindle Edition, 336 pages (eARC) Publication: Published September 1st 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin Synopsis:

Evan, a soccer star and the nephew of a conservative Southern Senator, has never wanted for much -- except a functional family. Alma has lived in Georgia since she was two-years-old, excels in school, and has a large, warm Mexican family. Never mind their differences, the two fall in love, and they fall hard. But when ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) begins raids on their town, Alma knows that she needs to tell Evan her secret. There's too much at stake. But how to tell her country-club boyfriend that she's an undocumented immigrant? That her whole family and most of her friends live in the country without permission. What follows is a beautiful, nuanced, well-paced exploration of the complications of immigration, young love, defying one's family, and facing a tangled bureaucracy that threatens to completely upend two young lives. Review: 

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a highly intense and emotional read. It sheds light on a serious issue that was greatly unknown to the likes of me. Dream Things True shows different perspectives, how people from different races can sympathize and understand each other but also the reality that not everyone is kind-hearted as we hope them to be. The plot is pretty interesting but some parts confused me as they weren't detailed enough or seemed to happen either too fast or slow, a few explanations and pacing adjustment wouldn't hurt. The opening chapters fell a little too flat but it gets better as you go on through the book. Although the big revelation about some supporting and minor characters did surprise me, I feel like it would have been better if something as explosive happened to the main characters instead. I do love the character development it caused to the characters involved, though. I love the Romeo and Juliet feel of the story. Easy love has never been that appealing to readers after all, right? I also love Evan, he's a good guy and true gentleman which this excerpt on his take on consent can account for:

"You shouldn't thank me for that, Alma," Evan said. He bit down on his lip. "It wasn't a favor. It was just the right thing to do."

Swoon, indeed! Fill the world with Evan Rolands and this planet will be a brighter and safer place. Overall, this book is pretty good. There are a lot of intensely emotional scenes and the open ending is making me do grabby hands for a peak at what happens next. I recommend it if you're in the mood for a tragic (but not the someone-died type of tragic) and eye-opening read. Favorite Quotes: She had been trying to do the right thing for so long, to act as expected, that she had ignored how she actually felt. She wanted to let it go. All of it. They didn't have to say anything more. They both sensed how broken and battered the other felt and how desperately each needed to take refuge in the other. I'll always think you're beautiful, even if these bruises never go away. I think maybe the broken bits are good, too, you know? Because they're part of us. Final Verdict: 

three out of five beautiful crowns!

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Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs

Title: Library of Souls Author: Ransom Riggs Edition: Paperback, 463 pages Publication: Published September 22nd 2015 by Quirk Books Synopsis:

The adventures that began with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and continued with Hollow City comes to a thrilling conclusion with Library of Souls. As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children. They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all. Like its predecessors, Library of Souls blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography. Review: 

Library of Souls is such a beautiful conclusion to one of the best trilogies I have read in my bookish lifetime. I'm so sad to see it end but I'm thankful it ended beautifully. The ending has done well to the trilogy, Ransom Riggs didn't let me down.

I absolutely love the storyline for this book especially the little surprises Ransom had waiting at each turn of the page. New characters were introduced and they added even more color to the already breathtaking landscape of the story. I love the characters' development, Jacob's the most. I was all "HELL YEAH I'M SO PROUD OF YOU" while he was developing his peculiar ability, radiating badass vibes everytime he controls a hollow. I also love the fact that Ransom humanized the monsters that haunted every peculiar child's dreams, the hollowgast. He gave them a human touch through Jacob's point of view. It's like saying every monster has a story. I can't believe I haven't said this yet so I'm going to say it now. I love the incorporation of the photographs to the story which helped me make the words come alive in my head. As the trilogy went on, Ransom's writing style got better and better. His writing style in Library of Souls is divine. I think Tahereh rubbed off a little poetic suave on her husband as seen in the lilting lullaby of Ransom's choice of words in this book. I also love the fact that every single detail mentioned in this book was used accordingly. They weren't written just for the sake of filling a book, each detail had it's rightful role in the grand scheme of not just the last book, but the whole trilogy. All in all, this book is AHHHH-MAZING! It had me screaming, laughing, smiling, almost crying and feeling sad. This book is indeed an emotionally thrilling ride. Hands down to the real man, Ransom Riggs. Thank you for this wonderful adventure. Favorite Quotes: We've all got demons to slay. No one can hurt you as badly as the people you love. Just a story. It had become one of the most defining truths of my life, that no matter how I tried to keep them flattened, two-dimensional, jailed in paper and ink, there would always be stories that refused to stay bound inside books. It was never just a story. Final Verdict:

five out of five crowns for this ahhhh-mazing book! 

Reviews on other books by Ransom Riggs:

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children  (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #1)

Hollow City (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #2)

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Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Title: Hollow City Author: Ransom Riggs Edition: Paperback, 416 pages Publication: Published February 24th 2015 by Quirk Books Synopsis:

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children was the surprise best seller of 2011—an unprecedented mix of YA fantasy and vintage photography that enthralled readers and critics alike. Publishers Weekly called it “an enjoyable, eccentric read, distinguished by well-developed characters, a believable Welsh setting, and some very creepy monsters.” This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine’s island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises. Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages. Review:

It's still as action-packed and thrilling as I remember. There weren't any dull moments, just as I was about to relax, trouble comes finding my favorite band of peculiars again. The introduction of new characters through the loop-hopping Miss Peregrine's wards did made peculiardom more realistic in the eyes of readers. I absolutely love the newfound humor in the writing style, it added a touch of comedy to the dire situation of the peculiars. I loved the foreshadowing Ransom Riggs used and the ending which made me feel nostalgic for the first time I read Hollow City and almost cried because of the cliffhanger. I'm so thankful Library of Souls has arrived. Overall, this book is peculiarly awesome! I find it even better than the first one which gives me hope that the conclusion to this strangely beautiful trilogy won't let me down. (And it hasn’t.) Favorite Quotes: Tomorrow's not likely to be any easier than today was. And one day-soon, perhaps-I will die and return to dust. There was romance in the unknown, but once a place had been discovered and cataloged and mapped, it was diminished, just another dusty fact in a book, sapped of mystery. Maybe it was better, now and then, to wonder. We looked at each other, not quite ready to let go, not sure what else to do. Final Verdict:

five out of five syndrigasti crowns!

Reviews on other books by Ransom Riggs:

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children  (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #1) 

Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #3)

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There have been several announcements/reveals these past few days that has worked up my extremely excited fangirl heart.

First it was this:

It’s The Crown, the last Selection book! This has got me jumping for joy so I can only imagine what the cover reveal AND the actual book will do to me.

AND THEN THIS. The first Shadowhunters teaser which was so amazing and badass. Watch it here.

And lastly, the Lady Midnight cover! I repeat, Lady Midnight cover! It’s so gorgeous but what happened to Emma?

I’m so excited for the Shadowhunters TV show, The Crown by Kiera Cass and Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare! 

Are you?

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Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Title: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Author: Ransom Riggs Edition: Paperback, 356 pages Publication: Published June 4th 2013 by Quirk Books Synopsis:

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs. A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography. Review: 

This book is the best kind of peculiar. This is my second time reading it and it's still as strangely magical as ever. Ransom Riggs is indeed a spectacular writer. I loved the peculiar children and each of their distinct personalities which gave the story just the right colors. The story in itself is interesting and the characters added more thrill. Although it wasn't as fast-paced as I like a good ol' book to be, the latter parts of the book made up for the missing action from the start. But of course, I understand that the author was building the background up first. To be honest, I first read this book during my "I will give everything I read five stars" reading phase but I don't think I'm giving it five stars again. Admittedly, I wasn't surprised like before when major plot twists occurred as I have recalled them from the first time I read the book. I think that's partly why I wasn't as thrilled as I expected to be. I still enjoyed reading this though, it's still as fantastic as I remember it to be. Funny thing is this book made me miss The Book Thief by Markus Zusak through the 1940-WWII-Nazi feel of it and all. I'll definitely be rereading The Book Thief too. Final Verdict: 

four out of five peculiar crowns!

Reviews on other books by Ransom Riggs:

Hollow City (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #2)

Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #3)

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The Fate of Ten by Pittacus Lore

Title: The Fate of Ten Author: Pittacus Lore Edition: Paperback, International Edition, 416 pages Publication: Published September 1st 2015 by HarperCollins Synopsis:

For years the Garde have fought the Mogadorians in secret, but now the invasion has begun. If the Garde can't find a way to stop the Mogs, humanity will suffer the same fate as the Lorien: annihilation. When the Elders sent the Garde to Earth, they had a plan-one which the Garde are finally starting to understand. A group of the Garde travelled to an ancient pyramid in Mexico where they awoke a power that had been hidden for generations. Now this power can save the world or destroy it. It will all depend on who wields it.

Review: 

Pittacus Lore aka James Frey has done it again. ANOTHER FREAKING CLIFFHANGER. 

I think every single book in this series ended with a cliffhanger and I'm betting the last one will too, in some WHAT-THE-HECK, soul-crushing way. Cliffhangers make the wait for the next book more agonizing than normal so damn you, James Frey.

The Garde and their usual companions are the same old, most of them still sassy as hell. I love the new character, Daniela. She's this tough chick that radiates badass vibes. I don't know if I'm the only one who has a problem with them but John and Sarah's relationship annoyed the hell out of me. I found myself just skimming through their cheesy-lovey-dovey conversations but the ending kind of softened me towards them. That emotional ending moved me to almost tears. POTENTIAL SPOILER AHEAD But again, I don't know about you guys but I was chanting "Six and John" in my head while reading the ending. END OF SPOILER Am I going to bookish hell? I loved the plot for this one although I felt like some parts were just being prolonged. Some parts had that "just get it over with" feel instead of "OMG WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN". The endings of each chapter were some serious page-turners, though. This book had me like:

Overall, The Fate of Ten is simply fantastic. Frey's magic with action-packed and thrilling words did well again. I cannot, CANNOT (literally cannot) wait for the next and sadly the last book of the glorious Lorien Legacies series to come out. Final Verdict: 

I give five out of five outta this world crowns for the Loric!

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July - September 2015

It’s been a while since my last book haul post so this will be my haul for July until September! I’ve accumulated quite a number of books for the past three months.

I only got two books from July to August since I knew I had to save up for some book signings, the Manila International Book Fair and book sales. I won Love Fortunes and Other Disasters from a giveaway on Instagram. I bought The Song of Achilles from the Book Depository because we studied Homer’s works in school and I wanted to read a retelling.

I finally got my own copy of The Fault in Our Stars from Fully Booked and it was 40% off, yay! I got The Selection boxed set at regular price because I was rushing for the book signing when I bought it. I got The One and The Heir signed, check out my Kiera Cass Manila signing recap.

I got these four books from Powerbooks’ PowerSale 2015 where everything was 20% off.

My huge Manila International Book Fair haul! I got these all for 20% off too and I’m excited to read (reread in the case of Every Day and The Book Thief) them. I bought everything from Fully Booked because I didn’t find books I wanted from National Bookstore when I went on the last day. I guess all the good books were gone.

Finally, here’s my NBS Cut Price 2015 haul. I got Rooms for Php. 75, about less than two USD, Unbreakable and Steelheart for 50% off and the rest for 20% off.

BOOKSBOOKSBOOKSBOOKSBOOKS! There were lots of book sales plus the country’s largest book fair happened this month so the number of books I got last September is totally normal right? That’s 25 paperbacks in total for my September haul and 2 for my July to August haul. What books did you get last month?

[booksfortwo]

#KCinPH: Kiera Cass in Manila

Last Sunday, September 19th, I was blessed with the opportunity to attend Kiera Cass's Manila book signing. I arrived early at the venue and waited for hours.

When registration started, people started murmuring and when I got to the table to get registered, I saw a sign that said Kiera Cass will only sign two books for each fan. And guess what? My heart broke. I brought all of my books written by her, six in total, and only two got signed! Okay, sorry for the mini rant there.

I understand that with over a thousand people, Kiera could only sign so much. I was having an argument with myself in my head on what I should do to have my other books signed, I registered again but got the 1,344th spot, hundreds of numbers away from my first number, 59. I ended up not waiting for my second number to be called and went home with two out of six books signed and a heavy heart.

Around 2:30 PM, Kiera finally arrived with her husband, Callaway and the crowd went wild.

Aww, look at them holding hands!

The question and answer part of the signing was also cut short, only the host asked questions and here are some key points from the Q&A:

Kiera wants to write the original ending of The One she first thought of which includes POSSIBLE THE ONE SPOILERS AHEAD King Clarkson and Maxon's deaths and where Queen Amberly lives and adopts America (aww) and America ends up with Aspen. END OF SPOILERS She said maybe she'll write it in the future for fun so let's keep our eyes out for that epic alternate ending!

Her self-published book, The Siren, which will be republished by HarperCollins is a modern spin on a part of Greek mythology that involves sirens, obviously. The characters, plot and setting are the same but the flow will be different according to Kiera.

The Selection movie news: The movie already has a producer, screenwriter and other production staff but it has no cast and definite release date yet. Kiera assured us that she will be informing us about updates through her social media.

Kiera said the shift from America's, the Selected's, to Eadlyn's, the Selector's, point of view was hard. She also mentioned that she was rooting for someone in Eadlyn's Selection but he won't be the winner. I'm crossing my fingers that it's not Kile then!

So the signing started and when it was my turn, Kiera made my day by greeting me with a really cheerful hi and bright smile. I was so speechless though I only got to say hi back to her and nothing else. We had our photo together taken:

and I hugged her after, we almost even bumped heads. *laughs at how awkward I am*

After meeting Kiera, I tried to approach her husband Callaway to get my copy of The One signed but the girl before me who asked him to sign her book was politely denied so I just retreated (LMAO) and went home.

Here are my signed books and bookmark I got from the signing:

I only got The One and The Heir signed. I got The One signed because it was my favorite out of all the books and The Heir because it was a special edition that had exclusive content for Filipino readers only.

Even though I waited so long to only get two books signed, seeing Kiera be bubbly and being able to meet her made it worth it. 

If you haven’t read The Selection yet then you better run to the nearest bookstore and buy a copy now! Trust me, you’ll be doing yourself a favor if you read it. Check the book out here.

[booksfortwo]

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, Everything Author: Nicola Yoon Edition: Kindle Edition, 320 pages (eARC) Publication: Expected publication - September 1st 2015 by Delacorte Synopsis:

This innovative, heartfelt debut novel tells the story of a girl who’s literally allergic to the outside world. When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. The narrative unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations, and more. My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla. But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. Review: 

To NetGalley and Delacorte Press: I am forever thankful to you guys for giving me an eARC of this book I have mooned over for so long. This is by far the strangest, most unique and cutest book I have ever read. It's an incredibly light read although I found myself crying for no reason. For real. I just felt the main character's, Maddy's, emotions strongly. I felt like I was Maddy herself, her desire to live became mine in someway. Everything about this book is perfectly cute. From the story to the impossibly adorable characters and beautiful illustrations. (drawn by Nicola's husband which makes Everything, Everything 1000000x cuter)

The characters are all just so lovable. The similarities between Maddy and Olly make them the perfect couple. Their sad backstories, almost innocent outlook in life and never failing sense of humor added up to one glorious ship, triumphantly sailing on the sea of my feels.

I hated what Maddy's mother did but I understood why she did all of those. A grieving wife and mother, through and through. Olly's Chaos Theory is another thing I definitely love about this book. It states that every single thing, big or small, matters. Like if you change one tiny thing, it could lead to a big difference. I think it's even the basis of the whole story and the title. One thing could have gone differently and everything, everything (AHA!) could have changed. The Chaos Theory is so simple yet complex. It makes sense in every aspect. The huge plot twist just blew me away. I was literally pulling at my hair, my mouth wide open in disbelief. And the ending just tore my heart apart with feels and its cuteness. 

Nicola Yoon knows how to spur you emotionally. I highly recommend this book, it's a perfectly light read. You'll definitely love this if you're a huge fan of cutesy-heartbreak-romance contemporary. Favorite Quotes: 

Everything's a risk. Not doing anything is a risk. Being in love with you is better than the first time. It feels like the first time and the last time and the only time all at once. Final Verdict:

five out of five crowns, definitely.