Book Review: The Iron Traitor

The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2)
by Julie Kagawa
ARC, 304 pages
Expected publication: October 29th 2013 by Harlequin Teen
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Review:

I am not a big fan of this book, is what you should know before you continue on with reading this review. But also, you should know that I love The Iron Fey series, and it is the primary reason why I cannot bring myself to let go of this series even though The Iron Prince left me beyond disappointed.

The story picks up from where The Iron Prince left off. Ethan and Kenzie have just gotten back from the faery world and the "tough guy" that Ethan is, he gets all the blame for bringing Kenzie with him inspite knowing about her illness. In the first book, the greatest problem Ethan and Kenzie had to face were the fae but in this book, they get to face the wrath of her dad too. I thought it was the beginning of their normalcy but when Ethan finds out that Keirran is missing, he is suddenly thrown back into the world of fae to search for his missing nephew.

I was reeling with anger and frustration toward the characters as I read the book, but wait! Before I go on with the rant, let me start first with the things I like in The Iron Traitor. Like in the first book, I was filled with shortlived joy when Grim, Puck and Ash appeared. Ash joined the band later in the book but Grim and Puck were able to join the fun. I liked the times when Puck was all-too nostalgic during the journey, always associating Keirran and Ethan's encounters to those that he and Ash once had. These were the few moments that I truly enjoyed in the book. I also like that despite their differences, Keirran and Ethan still have some grave similarities. They are basically living in the same situation - with both Annwyl and Kenzie's lives on the line. They are offered the same options but each chose differently. It has a dramatic feel to it, but too bad the characters essentially killed it. It goes to show that not everything is either black or white; Not because Keirran chose to bargain for Annwyl's safety in exchange of his everything doesn't automatically make him a saint and the fact that Ethan didn't make a bargain for Kenzie's doesn't make him a bad person. The Iron Traitor delves into the various consequences those two choices present; but regardless, the result is ugly.

So here I go with the rant:

Majority of the things I disliked in the first book, sadly, are still present here. I'm grateful that Julie finally lessened the overly-romantic moments between the couples and I could finally read them without cringing but in place of this, Julie has gone over the board with reminding her readers of how tough Ethan looks like to the unsuspecting eyes. Kenzie already nicknamed him "tough guy" so I don't need Ethan himself to constantly remind me how parents, highschoolers and strangers probably see him as a "brooding thug" or a "dangerous hooligan". Don't flatter yourself too much, Ethan! Kenzie, as well, still did not impress me in this book. Her supposed strong points as a character such as courage and cheerfulness in the lieu of her illness fell far too short for my liking or for my sympathy, for that matter. There's also the matter of Annwyl. I didn't even like the girl in the first book but she still managed to disappoint me in this book. Annwyl is such a weak character. She could've done so many things to prevent Keirran from all the insanity he's doing but oh, she looks so beautiful and delicate and she's useless and oh, sometimes I want to strangle her! Julie spent more time shaping her not as her own character but as Keirran's love interest. But speaking of strangle, the person I really want to hurt the most here is Keirran. They said love can make people do stupid things and if there's a competition for whomever does the stupidest thing because of love, I bet my two cents Keirran would win it. I understand that he is truly, madly and deeply in love with Annwyl and the fact that he's willing to do anything to save her is very chivalrous and romantic but for the price of what? The dude still keeps throwing his promises away (like in the first book) and killing ancient faeries to uphold something that's not even a sure bargain.

The Iron Traitor presents answers to the questions that stemmed from the first book and even from its parent series. The readers will learn a lot more about the Forgottens like where they came from, as well as the real reason why Meghan cut-off all her ties to her family since all those years ago. I know I didn't like this book and the book before this but ohhh I still want an ARC of the third book! (Even though I'll probably end up ranting about it again. My heart is confused! T_T)

Rating: 2/5 stars

Disclosure: This book was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Waiting on Wednesday (35): Champion

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

My WoW:

Champion (Legend #3)
by Marie Lu

Hardcover, 384 pages
Expected publication: November 5th 2013 by Putnam Juvenile

Synopsis:

The explosive finale to Marie Lu’s New York Times bestselling LEGEND trilogy—perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT!

He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

And another awesome series is ending this year. Legend is one of the better dystopian series out there and it both pains me and excites me that final book will be released next week! The ending of Prodigy left me devastated and I can only hope that this finishes with a HEA.

Happy Book Birthday! GREED by Fisher Amelie + Excerpt + Giveaway (Kindle Fire, 5 Copies of Vain and swag!)

Hey guys! Today is the release day of GREED, the second book in The Seven Deadly series. 

GREED is the story of Spencer Blackwell (who basically got friendzoned by Sophie in Vain). I loved Spencer in book one. He is a gentleman. Even though he's in love with Sophie, he never took advantage of her. I don't know why and how he is GREEDy but that's something I'd love to read more about.

Scroll down below to get to the super awesome giveaway.

Excerpt

Prologue

Greed is a strange, strange sin.

All you want to do is acquire. Acquire money, acquire material, acquire time, acquire energy, acquire attention. The running mantra is “I want, I want, I want” but that quickly turns to “I need, I need, I need.”
Suddenly there just isn’t enough time for friends, for family, for anyone. Your goal is to acquire and to make sure what you acquire stays acquired. Your life depends on it. You don’t see truth because the truth is shadowed by enormous homes, incredibly fast cars, in lavish spending. Your life no longer belongs to you, but you are blind to it all because those around you are seeking the same.

So you shuffle along at an impossible rate, and you pass the real world around you.
But what you’ll come to realize, altogether too late, is that it’s never enough. It’s simply never enough.

Chapter One

“It’s confirmed. Peter Knight of Evergreen won’t approve the acquisition. You know what to do,” my snake of a father told me, not two steps into his front door.

“I just got off a seven-hour flight. You can’t let me settle in? Possibly say hello?”
He stood, watching me, a slight tick in his square jaw. He tucked his hands into his Italian silk pants. His six-foot frame followed the steps up to the foyer and stopped a few inches away from my own. We were face to face. Although I fell an inch shorter, he no longer intimidated me. I knew if I had to, I could kick his ass.

“Hello, Spencer,” he said, a serpent’s smile spread wide across his mouth before falling flat. “Get to work. I don’t pay you to sit around. I don’t care if it is your Christmas break.”


We stayed where we were, each waiting on the other to back down. The tension was palpable. In the end, his face relaxed and he began to chuckle, stepping aside and making way for me. I picked up my bags and headed for my room, giving myself plenty of space to pass him without touching him.
When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I changed my mind and threw my bags on the second to last step, intending to pick them up later. I stretched my muscles, loving the feel of my back popping, and started for the kitchen.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” he asked, still standing in the foyer, watching my every move.

“If I don’t say hi to Mom and Bridge, they’ll think something’s up,” I told him and continued on.

He didn’t respond, but I felt his stare burning into the back of my head.

About the Book

Greed (The Seven Deadly #2)

by Fisher Amelie

Gather ‘round, love, because I want you. I want what you have, I want what you don’t have, I want more of what I already have. I want. But if you so much as ask for something in return, go ahead and walk away. Know if you want to play in my world, it’s every man for themselves and the weak become mine. Leeches will be obliterated because I make it my job to destroy them. I protect what’s mine and I take what’s yours…because that’s what I do. I want.

My story will not endear me to you and, frankly, I could care less if it does because I’m in this for the money and nothing else. There’s nothing redeeming about me. I’m a corrupt, money hungry, immoral asshole from Los Angeles. I’m every man’s worst nightmare and every girl’s fantasy.

I’m Spencer Blackwell…And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most coveted guy to the guy no one wanted around and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

About the Author

Fisher Amelie is the author of The Leaving Series, Callum & Harper and Thomas & January. She began her writing career as a copywriter for an internet marketing company wherein one of their client's said, 'Hey! You're funny. You should write books'. Which in turn she said, 'Hey, get out of here! This is the lady's restroom.' While washing her hands and the embarrassment from her face, she thought they may have had a valid point. So, she took the thousands of hours of writing stories growing up, tucked them into her pocket and began writing and writing and writing.

Goodreads | Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Youtube

Giveaway

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Stacking the Shelves (13)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover

For Real by Chelsea Cameron (Expected Pub: Nov. 14th 2013)

I finally got Finding Cinderella for free in kindle, woot! I also got For Real for review! I'd been wanting to get my hands on For Real ever since I read the synopsis, so thank you very much to Inkslinger, Jessica and Chelsea!

Book Review: Wild Cards

Wild Cards (Wild Cards #1)
by Simone Elkeles
Hardcover, 342 pages
Expected publication: January 2nd 2014 by Walker UK (first published October 1st 2013)
Source: Publisher

Synopsis:

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

Review:

I should hate this book. I have already established a long time ago that I dislike books that are romance-centered. I like subtlety in my romance and I tend to dislike those books with romance and sexual tension in every page, just like what happened in all the books in the Perfect Chemistry series. But unlike Perfect Chemistry, I actually liked Wild Cards a lot.

Wild Cards has about the same elements as Perfect Chemistry, but thank goodness it's only in the milder sense. I don't think I can handle anymore of those "mamacita's" and "chica's" and unnecessary gangster dramas. Like in PC, Wild Cards is told in alternating POV's of the main characters, Ashtyn and Derek. Ashtyn is the only female member of her school's football team and is also the captain. She's quite snarky and very motivated. She knows what she wants and she works hard to get it. Derek, on the other hand, is the prankster from the South who got kicked out of school and transferred to Ashtyn's school. His snark rivals that of Ashtyn's which made all their banters so amusing and enjoyable to read. But unlike the bad boy facade that he usually wears, there is more to Derek than meets the eye. He has his own secrets that's keeping him from moving forward.

There is an insta-attraction between our two protagonists here but if you're used to Simone's writing, you'll find this hardly surprising. From the moment they met until about the end of the book, Ashtyn and Derek kept on ignoring their feelings toward each other. This leaves the readers to deal with the overwhelming sexual tension. Like I said, I'm not used to sexual tension in every page, but what made this tolerable is that our protagonists started off as real enemies. Their first meeting is one that I truly enjoyed reading.

Apart from our main characters, the side characters are also very enjoyable to read about. The readers will get to know a bit about Derek's past in the beginning; like what happened to his mother and what his grandmother did to them. We only get to meet Derek's grandmother about 3/4 through the book but oh, she is such an entertaining character. She is a snob in the most hilarious way possible. Derek's stepmom and stepbrother are both an enjoyable characters also. His stepmom is described as clueless and who probably hadn't finished highschool but regardless, my heart tugged for both of them multiple times.

Although I liked the plot, there are some loose ends that need to be tied together. The ending is my least favorite. It was Simone's last attempt at a cringe-worthy romance and she succeeded at that. It was also abrupt. I was looking forward to Ashtyn and Derek's senior football, but Simone didn't deliver that. But nonetheless, those negative aspects didn't really shake my love for this book. In fact, I'm already looking forward to the next book in this series.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Disclosure: This ARC was received from the publisher (Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Waiting on Wednesday (34): The Fiery Heart

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine

My WoW:

The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4)

by Richelle Mead

Hardcover, 438 pages
Expected publication: November 19th 2013 by Razorbill

Book Description:

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this thrilling fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

Not a huge fan of of this cover, but the content, heck yes I am! I cannot wait to read from Adrian's POV. But I'm also a bit worried that he might disappoint. Hopefully not.

Stacking the Shelves (12)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly bookish meme hosted at Tynga's Reviews.

Purchased:

The Candidates (Delcroix Academy #1) by Inara Scott

The Devil's Kiss (Devil's Kiss #1) by Sarwat Chadda

ARC's/For Review:

Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott (Expected publication: January 28th 2014 by Harlequin Teen)

Avalon by Mindee Scott (Expected publication: January 21st 2014 by Balzer & Bray)
Salvage by Alexandra Duncan (Expected publication: April 1st 2014 by Greenwillow)
Panic by Lauren Oliver (Expected publication: March 4th 2014 by HarperCollins)

For Blog Tour:

Snowed Over by Angie Stanton

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Edelweiss, The Awesome Publishers, Angie Stanton and AToMR!

Also, don't forget to check out my post for the Grab Your Pole series blog tour for a chance to win a Kindle Paperwhite and Grab Your Pole books!

[Blog Tour] Grab Your Pole Series: Favorite Quotes + Kindle Paperwhite Giveaway!

Hey there! Today is my stop in the Grab Your Pole series blog tour and I will be sharing with you a favorite quote from one of the favorite characters in the series.

Favorite Quotes - Jeff

5) “Because every single moment I’m with Katy is the happiest I’ve ever been and to pick just one would be like saying the others don’t mean as much.” ~ The Other Fish in the Sea, Chapter 10 – Things Heat Up In Hell’s Kitchen

Some of the things that readers seem to really love about Jeff are his sense of humor, but I think if readers were polled, I bet most would say what they love most about Jeff is his unabashed love for Kate and his utter devotion to her. This tender line from book 2 in the GYP series is just one example that shows us that while Jeff is no doubt a clown, there’s more to him and every now and then he shows his softer side through his feelings for Kate and touching our hearts at the very same time.

About the Books

Shark Bait on Amazon

The Other Fish in the Sea on Amazon

Shark Out of Water on Amazon

Shark Bait: Previously homeschooled Camie Ramsey is being shoved into the shark-infested waters of public high school, where even helium filled, penguin bespeckled arm floaties likely won’t help keep her inexperienced, fifteen-year old head above water in that rip current of hormones and emotions.

Camie’s worldly wisdom might be severely lacking (i.e., the closest she’s come to being kissed was sitting too close to the TV whilst Jake Ryan leaned in to give Samantha that fateful 16th birthday kiss), but she does understand her only hope for survival is if she’s thrown some kind of “social” life preserver before she sinks like a freaking rock. However, what will her fate be when she endeavors to flag down the only lifeguard on duty, the enormously popular and ridiculously beautiful Tristan Daniels? The most sought after and virtually most unattainable guy in school who not only makes Camie’s heart flatline on a recurring basis, he’s also the one guy who seemingly doesn’t know she exists.

Feeling like an inept piece of chum that could ultimately be swallowed by Jaws, can Camie get Tristan to rescue her from floundering in the treacherous deep, or is she destined to be Shark Bait?
_____

The Other Fish in the Sea: In Shark Bait, readers everywhere met and fell in love with the new girl, Camie Ramsey, and swooned over her sure to be future husband, Tristan Daniels. Now, in the long awaited second installment of the Grab Your Pole series by Jenn Cooksey, The Other Fish in the Sea, Camie and Tristan are back, but so are their friends!

So, find a breathing apparatus and shimmy into your scuba gear, because it’s finally time to dive deeper into the lives of the GYP gang, but be warned, it’s a big world out there and an even bigger ocean where danger might be lurking around the
next corner and realistically, anything could happen.
_____

Shark Out of Water: With the Amazon Bestseller Shark Bait, the first novel in the Grab Your Pole series, debut author Jenn Cooksey delivered a fun, snarky, and realistic beginning to a larger story that has found its way into the hearts of readers everywhere. Thus, many were unprepared for what was coming in the second installment of the GYP series, The Other Fish in the Sea, when Cooksey took us on a runaway roller coaster ride of emotion and solidly landed hit after hit, including a brutal sucker punch that left readers around the globe reeling.

In Shark Out of Water, the highly anticipated third installment in this humorous yet honest and real coming of age story, we delve even further into the lives of the GYP gang and many questions are sure to be answered, however, are you really ready for what lies ahead in the continuation of their adventure? Well, grab your pole and let’s find out.

About the Author

Jenn Cooksey is a Southern California girl born and bred, however she's no longer a resident of heaven on earth, but instead she currently resides in the 7th Ring of Hell with her husband, their three daughters, and a goodly number of pets. Aside from her husband, one cat, and three out of five fish, everyone living under the Cooksey's roof is female. She's sure her husband will not only be awarded sainthood when he kicks the bucket, but that Jesus will welcome him into heaven with a beer and a congratulatory high-five. Jenn is also of the belief that Bacon should be capitalized and that just being yourself is the best way to go. That is, unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest

Giveaway

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To see other stops on the tour for reviews, guest posts, and excerpts click here

Waiting on Wednesday (33): Side Effects May Vary

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

My WoW:

Side Effects May Vary
by Julie Murphy
Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: March 18th 2014 by Balzer + Bray

Book Description:

What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?

Julie Murphy’s SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY is a fearless and moving tour de force about love, life, and facing your own mortality.

Harvey laughed to himself in a sad way and rubbed his eyes. “You want me to help you with a list of things you won’t disclose to me.” He leaned forward and bit the skin around his thumb. “Classic.”
“You won’t regret it.”
“But—”
“Harvey,” I said, my voice low. “Trust me.”
I knew what this looked like. It looked like I was using Harvey. But here was the reality of the situation: the minute my life went from semi-permanent to most likely temporary, I decided to latch on to everything in my world that had always been permanent, and for me, Harvey was so permanent he was concrete.

Cancer is a no-no topic for me with my books. I almost did not finish reading the summary when I first read the word "leukemia" but good thing I found it in my heart to finish the whole thing because I basically laughed out lout when I read the entire synopsis. My word, I don't know if I should pity the girl or be happy for her, lol.

Book Review: Fangirl

Fangirl
by Rainbow Rowell
Kindle Edition, 433 pages
Published September 10th 2013 by St. Martin's Press
Source: Purchased

Book Description:

From the author the New York Times bestseller Eleanor & Park

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Review:

This fictional novel features a fictional character writing fanfictions about fictional fictional characters. That's fic-ception for you.

Haha sorry, I needed to get that out of my system. Okay moving on, so, you guys! This book. Ohmygush! There are no words that can describe my happiness for finding this book. Think of baby panda bears, fluffy clouds and rainbow-puking ponies. I. Love. This. Book. To. Bits. And. Pieces.

I have never read a book by Rowell before and I only discovered this book a week after its release but the first time I read the synopsis, I fell in love with it right away. Then there came the stunning reviews and just seeing it on other blogs made me hurt physically. I just wanted this book so very badly and then now, oh *faints (slightly)* I might just go Anne Shirley on you and speak nonstop about how this is like what I imagined it to be and more but I'm afraid I'd take things too far and make an accidental fanfiction of that which you probably don't want to read anyway.

Fangirl follows the story of the socially awkward Cather who's a hardcore fan of Simon Snow - which sounds suspiciously like Harry Potter, by the way. She and her twin, Wren, have always been together and both have been huge fans since they were a lot younger but as they entered college, Wren has grown up from her obsession of Simon Snow which left Cath in the fandom as well as college life alone.

Cath is such a relatable character. I connected to her in more ways than one. Actually, I think every fangirl out there will relate to her even if they're not into fanfictions. I've never written a fanfiction myself but I read them - oh, how I love fanfictions! They are my go-to whenever a book has left me giddy for more. I read Bloodlines and Lunar Chronicles and so many anime fanfictions and everytime, I'm grateful for all the Cathers out there who make every hungry fangirl's fantasies come true. Cath is also a loving sister and a very caring daughter to her father. I enjoyed her and her dad's phone conversations. There's an underlying melancholy in almost all their phone conversations but how it always ends up is just hilarious.

The only thing that made Cath's life more exciting than mine is that she has this all-too likable guy for a boyfriend. Believe me when I tell you that he'll make you S-W-O-O-N. He's not as hot as your Will Herondale or Adrian Ivashkov but nonetheless, he'll fill your stomach with butterflies and will make your heart pound everytime he flashes you with his thousand megawatt smile. He's also very patient, caring and so very understanding too. I loved that their romance stemmed from friendship and that it wasn't any sort of insta-love. Even though they essentially have no similarities, they understand each other and they make one hell of a make-out session!

Although I'm not a fan of slash fics, I admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the excerpts of Magicath's fanfictions and to be honest, I started rooting for Simon and Baz toward the middle of the book. I even liked it more than the actual excerpts of the Simon Snow series.

Apart from the fanfictions though, Fangirl also tackles some other elements like plagiarism and alcoholism but with an emphasis on family and though I appreciate this addition, it's also my least favorite part of the book. The conflict with Cath's mother which is supposed to be a major part of the book was a loose end that was left hanging. The ending of the book also left an impression of suddenness which confused me for a moment as I read this in ebook format and didn't realize that I have reached the final page.

But as I'm in for the happiness in this book, I'm willing to forgive Rowell for those shortcomings because happy and giddy is exactly what she delivered. Fangirl is an amazing read. It's superb and it's unputdownable. This maybe my first book by Rowell but it's not definitely going to be the last. I mean, have you heard what people are saying about Eleanor & Park? I am so excite!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Stacking the Shelves (11)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly bookish meme hosted at Tynga's Reviews

Purchased: (for Kindle)

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

For Review: (from Edelweiss/NetGalley)

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (Expected Pub Date: 28 Jan 2014

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi (Expected Pub Date: 28 Jan 2014)

The Disappearance of Lizzy Ross by Jessica Schein (Expected Pub Date: 29 Oct 2014)

So I finally succumbed to the temptation and bought Fangirl and Steelheart for kindle. Also, I FINALLY GOT Into the Still Blue!! Ahhhh!! *Tries to still pounding heart* I just can't believe I'm about to read the end of the series! My heart is both happy and sad. 

Filipino Fridays 2013: Introductions/What Species of Book Reader Are You?

Filipino Friday is a one-month only meme that also serves as the countdown leading to the much anticipated 3rd Filipino ReaderCon that will be held at the Rizal Library in Ateneo de Manila University on November 9th 2013. Every Friday starting October 11th to November 8th, a topic will be posted and all Filipino readers are encouraged to make a post about it.

This week's topic is:

Introductions/What Species of Book Reader Are You?

by Laura E. Kelly

This is such a fun way to introduce yourself although I'm also having a hard time choosing my own classification since I fall under a few of them. Anyway, I just chose all that describes me.

As a Compulsive Book Cherisher:

• The Book Preserver - I used to be an extreme Book Buster. I didn't care about books because they were only meant for reading but now, I consider them my treasure and I always want them in their most pristine condition. However, I haven't reached the level where I buy new copies in place of the damaged ones. 
• The Book Worshipper - I always feel an overwhelming sense of self-satisfaction whenever I look at my bookshelf. In fact, most of the time when I'm alone in the house, I'll just gaze at it lovingly and ponder on the beauty of the universe brought upon by books. And since our bookshelf is placed at the living room, I keep a stack of books beside my bed for me to stare at. :)
• The Hoarder - I think this is very closely-related to Compulsive Book Buyer since the outcome of the latter is usually the former.  
• Compulsive Book Buyer - This is me when visiting used/bargained bookstores. Whenever I find a familiar title, I buy it immediately even though I know that I probably won't read any time soon or forever, for that matter.

As A Compulsive Book Abuser:

• The Underliner and Scribbler - I used to be a heavy underliner and highlighter of physical books until  I became a Book Preserver but this is still true when it comes to ebooks. You should see my annotations especially on my favorite books. Practically every page has notes, highlights or bookmarks! 
• The Re-Reader - I only have a few ultimate favorite books that I can read over and over again without getting tired of like Queen of Attolia, King of Attolia, Bloodlines and Lunar Chronicles. I discovered the first two two years ago and I still get the same fascination whenever I reread them nowadays.
• The Promiscuous Reader - Ugh, I hate being a promiscuous reader but I can't help it! I always feel like there are so many books to read and the slow reader that I am, I get too excited with the newly released that I tend to read them all simultaneously until my currently-reading list is too long and I end up putting the others in the abandoned shelf. Those poor books. :(

As Situational:

• The Comfort Reader - I get bored way too easily especially with slow-paced books and my go-to books are my ultimate favorite ones. (See The Re-Reader)
• The Kindle Convert - I used to hate ebooks! I was an ebook snob, that much is true but because of NetGalley and Edelweiss, I learned to love them gradually and oh, the annotations! Those are a work of gods. Sometimes when I buy physical books and they turn out to be favorites, I buy the ebook version just so I could bookmark and highlight and add notes.

Even if you're not part of the meme, I'd still love to see what species of book reader you are! :)

Waiting on Wednesday (32): Split Second

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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine

My WoW:

Split Second (Pivot Point #2)

by Kasie West

Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication: February 11th 2014 by HarperTeen

Book Description:

Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.

Pivot Point is one of the most surprising reads for me this year. The ending is as frustrating as ever though so I'm so excited to read this and see Addie and Trevor together again. Also, that cover = fierce!

Book Review: Just One Year (ARC)

Just One Year (Just One Day #2)

by Gayle Forman

ARC, 336 pages
Expected publication: October 10th 2013 by Dutton Children's

Source: Publisher

Blurb:

The heartrending conclusion—from Willem’s POV—to the romantic duet of novels that began with Allyson’s story in Just One Day

After spending an amazing day and night together in Paris, Just One Year is Willem’s story, picking up where Just One Day ended. His story of their year of quiet longing and near misses is a perfect counterpoint to Allyson’s own as Willem undergoes a transformative journey, questioning his path, finding love, and ultimately, redefining himself.

Review:

This book is one of the reasons why we should always see things from the perspective of the other person. We've seen a chunk of Willem's life from the point of view of Lulu but in Just One Year, we get front seat to its entirety.

The story is told from Willem's point of view and picks up from where Allyson and Willem separated in Paris (not from where Just One Day ended as per the blurb above). In this book, the readers are enlightened as to what truly happened to Willem after his night with Allyson. Did he really leave her? Has he already forgotten about her? I'm not in the position to answer those questions for you but all I can hint for the fans is that the answers are pretty obvious. *wink wink*

I love this book to pieces but dang. You have no idea (unless you've already read this) just how frustrating this is. Seriously, this book has taken the word frustrating to a whole new level. I was constantly shouting WHAT?! and WHY???? and HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? and AFTER ALL THIS TIME?? @*#&(*@&!! But why, you ask? Because remember those places Allyson went to during the year? Let's just say they are connected to Willem. Yes, they are and I'll leave it at that.

In Just One Day, we saw how Allyson coped up with losing Willem after their night in Paris. We saw how she grew into an independent and strong-willed character. In Just One Year, I'm glad to report that Willem's also doing a job well done making amends with his troubled past. If Willem was the catalyst to Allyson's journey to self-discovery in the first book, Allyson is also Willem's trigger to his own. Most of the aspects that I loved in Just One Day are still present in Just One Year like the travels and the meeting of new people. I'm a little bitter though, because Willem is meeting new people and having intimate moments with some of them while knowing that Allyson is broken miles away.

Forman's writing is as brilliant and hypnotizing as with the first book. I devoured her words and the pages flew by quickly until there was only a few pages left and I was both yearning and dreading the ending. However, like in Just One Day, I didn't like its ending that much. Though that's just me wanting to see them all cuddly and sweet together but on the other hand, I loved how both book's ending finally merged together down into one story.

Also, I just want to note that Willem mentioned Adam Wilde here which means that Just One Day and If I Stay are set in the same universe and timeline! Now I want to see them all together. I wonder if they'll become bestfriends? Forman should really write about those four, lol.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Disclosure: This ARC was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Stacking the Shelves (10)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews

Purchased:

The Amanda Project by Amanda Valentino and Melissa Kantor - Bought this because it sounds like Pretty Little Liars.

Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready -  I thought this was the first book in the series, it's only today that I realized that it's the third. :/

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock - Loved Murdock's Dairy Queen series so I'm so excited to read this too!

Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck - I got the first book for a bargained price last week so I'm very lucky to get this one for almost the same price (on a different bookstore) this week! ETA: ...And I only realized today that it's an ARC? O_o

What new books did you get this week? Post your links in the comments below so I can visit you back. :)

Book Review: Just One Day

Just One Day (Just One Day #1)
by Gayle Forman
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published January 8th 2013 by Dutton Juvenile

Blurb:

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!

Review:

I knew I was living under a rock all those months of my blogging break but a month after that? I can't believe I only found out about this baby this week! I adored Forman's If I Stay and Where She Went so much so I downloaded Just One Day immediately to my cloudreader and read it to my heart's content. In. One. Seat. I didn't even know what this was about prior to devouring it. I just knew it was Forman so I had to download it. I rarely read books without ever checking out the blurb for fear due some traumatic experience but, a disappointment this was not *insert successful kid meme here* Though I think that If I Stay is still superior to this, Just One Day also delivers a good storyline with a likable narrator and a hot male MC.

Just One Day reminds me so much of another book that I thoroughly enjoyed, Kristen Hubbard's Wanderlove. Though the similarity ends with traveling, the love I felt for it was about the same as with Just One Day. In this book, we are introduced to Allyson (Lulu) and Willem. Two unlikely people teaming up for a journey of a lifetime (or in this case, a day). Where Allyson is self-contained and afraid of stepping out of her comfort zone, Willem is the guy who just goes with the flow, or accident as how he puts it.

Allyson and her best friend, Melanie, are on a post-highschool trip to Europe. It was almost perfect, except their Paris tour got cancelled. Enter Willem, the amateur Dutch actor, who randomly invites Allyson for a day trip to Paris. Allyson is not the type to break the rules but for some reason, the urge to go with this stranger was too strong and so on a whim, Allyson embarks on a one day (and one night) of adventure with Willem on Paris that started out great but ended way too abruptly and disastrously, leaving Allyson broken and full of unanswered questions.

Just One Day focuses on the aftermath of Allyson and Willem's day trip to Paris. It was only one day, but it changed Allyson so much and not for the better. She thinks she has found herself on Paris but when Willem left her, it was like she was lost again and worse, she couldn't go back to her old self. But with much courage and with the help of her friends (and Shakespeare) she sets off on another journey back to Paris to find the Dutch actor she knew nothing about except his name.

This book tugged at my heartstrings in the most delicious way possible. Forman's writing is so fluid and mesmerizing. Her words are hypnotizing. It was practically impossible to put this book down. I cannot emphasize how much I love the character development. Allyson started out as a weak character who's scared of taking risks but as the story progressed (with much thanks to Shakespeare) she finally started getting the balls and went against her parents's decision that she take up medicine and instead really going for the course she's happy with. It was the biggest risk she has taken next to her one day with Willem which also marked the start of both of her individuality and the plans search for Willem.

Though Allyson's main reason for going back to Paris is to find Willem, the entirety of the book isn't really about finding her almost-true-love rather, it's more about finding who she truly is and what she truly wants. And what a beautiful journey it was! Meeting Willem was merely the catalyst to her self-discovery and it is emphasized toward the end when she finally came to terms with her truth and accept it for how she sees it and being happy about it. I didn't really like the ending that much but the fact that Allyson was happy made me happy and contented too.

Just One Day is such an inspiring read. I was so envious with Willem and Allyson's random journeys that I was suddenly struck by an overwhelming urge to catch a random bus and get off on a random place and meet random people. The urge hasn't completely left my system, to be honest, and I swear that one these days, I'll do those things and find my very own accident too (hopefully not the deadly type).

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday (31): Into the Still Blue

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

My WoW:

Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3)
by Veronica Rossi
Hardcover, 400 pages
Expected publication: January 28th 2014 by HarperCollins

Description:

The earth-shattering conclusion to Veronica Rossi's "masterpiece" Under the Never Sky trilogy and sequel to the New York Times bestselling Through the Ever Night (Examiner.com).

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

I am so in love with this series. Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night are two of my most favorite books evar and though I don't want this series to end, I also can't wait to read more of Aria, Perry and Roar!