Book Review: What Things Mean by Sophia N. Lee

What Things Mean
by Sophia N. Lee
Published May 2016
Published by Scholastic
Purchase at National Book Store

Synopsis:

FOR OLIVE GUERRERO, DIFFERENT IS MORE THAN JUST A WORD.

What does it mean to be different? 14-year-old Olive is struggling to find out. Everything about her is so different from the rest of her family. She is big-haired, brown skinned, and clumsy in a family of cream-colored beauties who are all popular and Good At Sports. She closely resembles a father she has never known, and about whom her mother never speaks, and no one wants to tell her why. She turns to books and other things in her quest to find answers, and as a way to cope with her loneliness. When she learns the truth about her father, she must decide whether or not she will let the differences in her life define her forever.

A unique coming-of-age story unfolding through dictionary-style chapters, What Things Mean takes a closer look at the things that define a life, and the many ways in which we find meaning.

*Grand Prize Winner, Scholastic Asian Book Award 2014

Review

While I thoroughly loved What Things Mean, it’s really difficult for me to describe how I feel about it. I lent this to a friend and forced her to read it just so we could discuss it together and maybe get ideas from her on how I could review this, but like me she couldn’t form coherent English sentences to express her feelings about it aside from “different” and “good” and “somewhat like Perks of Being a Wallflower” which, to be honest, in my opinion, are all understatements. I was thinking “awesome” which could also work as a full review for this book provided that the word “awesome” be capitalized in bold letters and with three exclamation points because it’s that. What Things Mean is awesome. But it’s more than just awesome. What Things Mean, for all its worth, goes beyond awesome! Also, this is written by a Filipino author and the book is set in the Philippines so there are lots of reference to the Filipino culture. 

First off, how adorable is this book? Every chapter begins with a dictionary entry featuring random words that aren't really random because each word gives deeper meaning to every chapter. It never ceased to impress me how simple words with simple dictionary definition could be so intricate and could define the whole universe. I get excited every time I start a new chapter because I know that the connection between the featured word and the chapter would be surprising and like I said, it never ceased to impress me. And as for our protagonist, Olive, she's a lonely character who doesn't fit into her family and you'll literally feel that about her. I wanted to pluck her out of the book and give her a big hug and a pat to the head. It's just amazing how the author could capture those emotions perfectly and turn them into words that effectively gets to the reader. 

What Things Mean is told in a non-chronological order of events in Olive's life. You'd think it's random and inadequate but by the end of the book, you'd feel as if you've known Olive your entire life. And did I mention that this only has 133 pages? But my god, it has EVERYTHING! That's another thing that this book got me so amazed. What Things Mean managed to be so intricate, poignant, beautiful, and powerful in just 133 pages with no loose ends nor rushed scenes. It's basically perfect! 

Bonus! Quotes from the book because Sophia Lee's writing is simply breathtaking!

"I think that's the thing that most people miss about magic - how it relies on one's ability to make people believe."

"I am reminded of something Mama always tells me - how these are people's dream homes, the fruit of years of hard work and sacrifice. I try to be mindful of that when I go on my walks, to remember how nice it is that different dreams can stand together, side by side."

"Here is what I wanted to say, but didn't: I was always going to be somewhere, stepping over some line. We all were - even if we didn't want to admit it. There was only forward or backward, and an infinite line of changes either way."

"Light always remains. The world turns, and days pass, and the sun warms the places that need it. Maybe that is how it is with everything else. Things go where they are needed, and when they do, we simply learn how to live without them."

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from Scholastic PH and Sophia N. Lee for free in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5 stars!

About the Author

Sophia N. Lee wanted to be many things growing up: doctor, teacher, ballerina, ninja, crime-fighting international spy, wizard, time traveler, journalist, and lawyer. She likes to think she can be all these things through writing. She loves words and the meanings behind them. Her favorite word is 'chance'. What Things Mean is her first book. She lives in Manila, Philippines.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Book Review: The Winner's Curse & The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy, #1 & #2) by Marie Rutkoski + The Winner's Kiss Giveaway

The Winner's Curse & The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy, #1 & #2)

by Marie Rutkoski

Release date: March 4th 2014 | March 3rd 2015

Published by: Farrar Straus Giroux

Buy on Amazon: The Winner's Curse | The Winner's Crime

Synopsis:

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love...

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

---------

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement... if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

Review

I cannot even begin to describe just how good The Winner’s Curse and The Winner’s Crime are. Both were such fantastic reads and both left me completely speechless. The Winner’s Curse has been on my TBR list for so long now, but I’m so lucky to have only picked it up now when The Winner’s Crime has already been released and with The Winner’s Kiss being just around the corner, I don’t have to wait for a year to read it (but still, March 29th, please come sooner!!).

I clamored to get a copy of Crime after reading Curse because the ending broke me! Little did I know that Crime would’ve full-on destroyed me. The emotions I got from reading these two were all over the place intense—sorrow, joy, disgust, hope, distress, frustration, longing, anger. Sometimes either, sometimes mix, and sometimes all of them at the same time. It was maddening! And it felt so, so, so good to know that these events and characters could illicit such a number of emotions from me regardless whether it’s a positive or a negative emotion. I loved feeling all of it! And the fact I could connect so well with the characters thrilled me.

Kestrel was quite the interesting character. Actually, her trope is one of my most favourites. Kestrel may not be physically talented in a battle, but she is a genius schemer and that’s about as dangerous if not more. The book already had me transfixed to it from the beginning till end but I always find myself even more enthralled whenever Kestrel is in one of her mind games. Seeing the cogs turn in her head was a joy to read!

I find it interesting that Kestrel’s father would rather she join the army than to marry. The lack of discrimination against women was a breath of fresh air. I mean, in most stories the parents worry a lot about their daughters but in The Winner’s Curse, Kestrel’s father is willing to pitch his daughter in a war because he has so much conviction in her even though she’s not an exceptional fighter because he knows his daughter has a good head between her shoulders. I find it even more interesting though that Kestrel wants neither to join the army nor to marry. She loved playing the piano, but music is frowned upon in her society and is regarded as lowly—something only slaves do. It’s why she bought Arin, albeit on impulse, because he sings though he refuses to.

I really liked the master x slave relationship here. It’s another breath of fresh air that the master is a girl and the slave is a guy because mostly, in other books, the slave always tends to be a girl and the master, a guy with the slave being an impulsive sarc and the master, an overprotective rake. In The Winner’s Crime, Marie’s approach to the master x slave dynamic is different. Kestrel is brilliant and cautious, and Arin is quite and full of hatred. There were no funny banters involved. These books mean serious business. Kestrel and Arin genuinely didn’t want anything to do with each other and at first I was skeptic at the notion of these two being in a romantic relationship. But while I think Rutkoski handled this development quite well, I also think that the romance could have been reduced in some parts in Curse and maybe transferred to the second book because gods I craved it so much In The Winner’s Crime! That said, The Winner’s Trilogy doesn’t focus much on the romance. It’s more about war and politics and I love that it doesn’t shy away from character deaths.

The Winner’s Crime, though, was consistently a frustrating read from start to finish. There were moments when the frustration was too much to bear that I would just cry abruptly. It was torture but in the bestest way possible and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

It already goes without saying that I loved The Winner’s Curse but The Winner’s Crime is just WOW. Everything I loved about Curse all levelled up in Crime with the addition of some more awesome. The political mind games were set to an all-time high and the emotions, ohmyword, so genuine and so palpable. It was so difficult not to feel for these characters especially Kestrel because she suffers the most. And for Arin because he suffers too.

I know I’m lucky for just reading these two close to the final book’s release date but dang, if only I had a time machine!

Rating: 
The Winner's Curse: 4.5/5 stars!
The Winner's Crime: 5/5 stars!

Giveaway

My sister has just pointed out that March is my anniversary month. I keep forgetting that I have an anniversary so I've never done an anniversary giveaway but I'm doing one now so yay! 

Up for grabs is a copy of The Winner's Kiss, the third book in the The Winner's Trilogy, either from Amazon or Book Depository so yes, this is International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can also read a sneak peek of The Winner's Kiss here: https://t.co/gtJ28zdVqD

Book Review: These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

These Shallow Graves
by Jennifer Donnelly
Release date: October 27th 2015
Published by: Delacorte Press
Purchase link: Amazon

Synopsis:

Jo Montfort is beautiful and rich, and soon—like all the girls in her class—she’ll graduate from finishing school and be married off to a wealthy bachelor. Which is the last thing she wants. Jo secretly dreams of becoming a writer—a newspaper reporter like the trailblazing Nellie Bly.

Wild aspirations aside, Jo’s life seems perfect until tragedy strikes: her father is found dead. Charles Montfort accidentally shot himself while cleaning his revolver. One of New York City’s wealthiest men, he owned a newspaper and was partner in a massive shipping firm, and Jo knows he was far too smart to clean a loaded gun.

The more Jo uncovers about her father’s death, the more her suspicions grow. There are too many secrets. And they all seem to be buried in plain sight. Then she meets Eddie—a young, brash, infuriatingly handsome reporter at her father’s newspaper—and it becomes all too clear how much she stands to lose if she keeps searching for the truth. Only now it might be too late to stop.

The past never stays buried forever. Life is dirtier than Jo Montfort could ever have imagined, and the truth is the dirtiest part of all.

Review

I haven’t read mystery or historical for quite a while now so These Shallow Graves was definitely a welcome surprise for me especially since it’s both mystery and historical and also because Donnelly wrote this so magnificently that it was seriously hard for me to put it down. Yes, it was that good! The book is a little thicker and bigger compared to my recent reads and with my disappointment with Donnelly’s previous book, Revolution, I was partial about this but a friend told me it was really good, so why not.

The historical setting, 1890’s New York City, in These Shallow Graves was a breath of fresh air. And the mysterIES? I am head over heels in love despite one of them being utterly predictable. But even so, Jo and Eddie as amateur detectives was a fun sight indeed. My favourite part though would be the autopsies. Finding out the manner of death of a person based on the wounds, blood clots, the position of the body, etc. will forever be a source of awe for me.

As well, the romance in this book is breath-taking. There’s no insta-love here and the process of Jo and Eddie falling in love was so natural. I loved their banters—both playful and serious alike. I admit that at times my excitement for the mystery was overshadowed by my desire for them to just talk and be together, which says so much because I freaking love, love, love the mystery here, guys! The problem with their relationship though is that whereas Jo came from a wealthy family, Eddie is a mere newspaper reporter, so he’s basically poor.

On that note, wealth is one of the more prominent issues here, and so is sexism, which is why I hated Jo’s grandmother so much. She firmly believes that a woman’s essence in life is to produce a child and their ultimate goal should be to marry a wealthy gentleman. It wasn’t only she who thought that. Even the teenage girls seemed to have accepted that to be a fact as well. It was sickening how they sometimes compare women to expensive dogs that you can sell on the market, yet it was the reality of the 19th century. I mean even now, there are some people who still think that way.

It is why loving Jo as a character, to me, was inevitable because she’s a very headstrong person for doing the opposite of what the society expected from women like her, and more so because she’s only just a girl in a time when sexism was a real deal.

These Shallow Graves blends mystery and romance in the most spectacular way possible. There was literally no boring part in this book. I loved every pages of it and I love that it touches on issues that are still relevant today.

Rating: 5/5 stars!

Book Review: The Song of Achilles

YOU GUYS! This. Book. Is. PERFECTION! And it makes me cry because I put off this book from reading for two weeks and now I feel like I just did all the gods and goddesses a great disservice. But seriously, I only ever heard good things about this book and it’s sad because I never really gave it any second thoughts. I liked the movie, Troy, and Brad Pitt as Achilles is just too good and I remember enjoying Iliad and Aenid back in highschool, but as a reimagined fanfiction? Meh. UNTIL the recent Manila International Book Fair when I saw a copy of this particular version of the book (at 20% discount!) and I just fell in love with the cover. The other version is more expensive and looks plainer which is weird because this version looks more expensive but is actually half the price of the other one and it even has a gold cardboard page inside that reflects the backpage of the front cover so it looks like an eagle when you open it at a certain angle. It also doubles as a mirror so you can see how horrible and dorky your face looks like as your eyes bleed from both happiness and heartache.

The Song of Achilles
by Madeline Miller
Release date: September 20th 2011
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their difference, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess.

But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

The Song of Achilles is told from the perspective of Patroclus - Achilles’ most trusted companion. In the beginning, Patroclus was basically painted as a weakling. As a kid, he lacked the finesse and strength of other royals like him. His father never favoured him and even turned a blind eye on other royals that bullied him, so when Patroclus accidentally killed a bully, his father technically denounced him as his son and soon, he found himself as an orphan in another kingdom. And so here Achilles enters and the plot kicks off.

I’ve been reading reviews on Goodreads because that’s what happens to me when I can’t get enough of a book. I read every review and article there is. I may not have read all the reviews about this, but I noticed that majority of those who gave this a low rating complained about Patroclus’ gushiness when it comes to Achilles. They’re right. As a young boy, Patroclus gushed too much about Achilles. I, too, also questioned the authenticity of his impression of Achilles and then I realized that these people lived a different life at a different time and have different upbringing where boys are forced to become men at such a young age, so I decided to let it be and anyway, I actually, honest to goodness, enjoyed Patroclus’ every reaction to Achilles. Why? Because it mirrored my every reaction to Achilles too. Achilles. Is. Hot! I melt everytime Patroclus described his smiles and the way he moved in battles. Honestly, I don’t think Patroclus’ crush on Achilles was just because of how hot he is. Patroclus also admires AND envies Achilles’ strength as warrior because that’s something Patroclus will never be good at. But instead of being outright jealous of him, he chose to admire him instead. Good guy, that Patroclus.

The beginning started off really slow, thus my two weeks of break from this, but as soon as Achilles and Patroclus became brothers in arms, the reading got a lot faster. I just want to note that I already forgot all the essentials in the story of Iliad except Achilles and Hector and Paris and the Trojan Horse (which apparently happened in Aenid) and I knew what was going to happen to Achilles at the end of the story, but I didn’t know jack about Patroclus and Agammemnon and Thetis. It’s probably why I enjoyed this a lot more than others did. However, the thing that I really enjoyed exploring is… you guessed it, the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus which is also the focus of the book, according to the author herself.

Achilles and Patroclus are not only lovers but they are also the best of friends, brothers in arms and I love, love, love all their interactions. The trust and loyalty between them are solid. Of course, there are complications in their dynamic but I treasured every flaw in it because they are so good to each other they go out of their ways to fix their relationship. Them being the total opposite of each other also adds to their chemistry. Achilles wants fame he is very proud, and Patroclus is there to keep his feet on the ground but Patroclus also doesn’t stop Achilles from doing whatever he wants. Patroclus understands Achilles and Achilles understands him to a certain degree. Also, this quote:

Yes, I cried. I bawled my eyes out because this foreshadowing is just the most heartbreaking thing ever. Why can’t you just let these two be happy, Madeline Miller? And also that ending. That sweet, sweet, bittersweet ending left my heart confused - it's enraged and miserable, but also blissful all at the same time. I was already sobbing at last couple of chapters, but that very last paragraph? I don't think I've ever produced so much tears just because of a last paragraph.

This is book is gold figuratively and literally (see image above) and it has already taken a place in my favorites shelf! I’m sure I’ll be rereading this in a month or so. Also, I’ve just read Miller’s blog and she said that The Song of Achilles has been optioned by BBC for a mini-series. Bless you, Madeline and BBC. I pray to Thetis and Zeus that the mini-series would start filming soon!

Rating: 5/5 stars!

Book Review: End of Days (Penryn and the End of Days #3) by Susan Ee

End of Days (Penryn and the End of Days #3)
by Susan Ee
Kindle, 344 pages
Published on May 12th 2015 by Skyscape
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

When I first read Angelfall, it wasn’t the big hit that it was today. It was just an indie book and there were like less than a hundred ratings for it on goodreads. I only picked it up out on a whim. And back then, Susan said this was supposed to be a five-book series. I also thought it was so cute how Susan was so excited about rave reviews that she would put the review links or the bloggers' blurbs on her website, until the rave reviews got too many and by the time I visited her website again, that section had been removed already. I can’t believe that it has been four years since that time and Penryn and the End of Days has finally come to an end. Excuse me while I get emotional for a sec.

Okay. So for me, this series as a whole is…

THE. BEST. FALLEN. ANGEL. SERIES. EVER!

Seriously freaking Hell! I was close to raging and flipping all the tables in the vicinity when Raffe lost his wings again, but daaaang that Penryn x Raffe moment in the last chapter was too cute that all the rage evaporated immediately.

Had I known that End of Days was this good, I would’ve read this months ago. It would’ve cured my reading slump right after the first chapter. Oh, I missed the characters so much! Penryn is one heck of badass girl and Raffe is still such a bae. He gives you all these cute and fluffy romantic feels in the pit of your stomach. This is even magnified by the fact that he's not the type of guy to display such romantic acts. And Raffe's Watchers are love! Well, except one – Beliel. However, in this book, his character is finally given light. It’s finally revealed why he betrayed Raffe and although the reason is unfair for Raffe, Beliel’s bitterness toward him is still understandable, and I actually found myself sympathizing with him.

I fell in love with Raffe’s Watchers. They are all so witty and extremely loyal to him, which IMO, are the two most important traits a character has to have in this series. Penryn, also, didn’t lose her humor and I fell even more in love with the dynamic between her and Raffe! All their conversations are gold. And oh, Dee and Dum! I didn't know how much I missed them until they made their appearance here. However, if there’s one unrealistic thing (aside from the supernatural side) here, it would be that there are way too many exciting and fun characters to be co-existing in one story, but that’s also the one unrealistic thing I have no problem with. Because of them, there’s honestly no dull moment in the book. Speaking of the characters though, if there’s one whom I wanted to know better, it would've been Paige, especially after she changed. I felt like there's more story to be told about her, and I'd love to read a novella featuring her!

Weeks after reading and re-reading this, I still can't get over just how good End of Days is. This book really is such a super duper exciting read (excuse my lack of vocabulary) that you’ll probably be needing oxygen by the time you reach the epilogue. I almost thought that there was going to be a fourth book because the last 20 pages were too intense that I thought it was impossible to wrap the story up without seeming rushed or failing miserably, but Susan Ee managed just that, and it wasn’t just a well-written ending, but Susan ended the trilogy EPICALLY and MAGNIFICENTLY PERFECT!

I'll just try not to think about the fact that archangels don't age whereas humans do.

Great job, Susan Ee!!! I can’t wait to read her next series because I know it’s going to be another fantastic one!

Rating: 5/5 stars!

Book Review: Another Little Piece of My Heart

Another Little Piece of My Heart
by Tracey Martin
ebook, 304 pages
Published December 1st 2013 by Harlequin Teen
Source: NetGalley
Purchase Links: Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis:

What if your devastating break-up became this summer’s hit single? In this rock-and-roll retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, music can either bring you together or tear you apart.

At her dying mother’s request, Claire dumps Jared, the only boy she’s ever loved. Left with a broken family and a broken heart, Claire is furious when she discovers that her biggest regret became Jared’s big break. While Jared is catapulted into rock-star status, another piece of Claire’s heart crumbles every time his song plays on the radio.

The summer after her senior year, it’s been months since the big break-up, and Claire is just trying to keep her head down and make it through a tense trip to the beach with her family. But when Jared shows up, and old feelings reignite, can Claire and Jared let go of the past? Or will they be stuck singing the same old refrain?

Review:

I am a huge fan of books about music especially if there are guitars in it. But what makes Another Little Piece of My Heart extra special for me is that it is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. I haven’t actually read Persuasion yet but so far, I have enjoyed all its retellings that I have read and Tracey Martin’s take on Persuasion is not an exemption.

Claire and Jared’s relationship before was perfect - save for the fact that Claire’s parents are against Jared’s family’s economic status. They were kindred spirits and both truly loved each other. They had lots of fun and made music together and planned about their future together. I rooted for them the moment they met and so even though I knew where the plot would lead their relationship, I still shed tears when they broke up. What Claire did to Jared was probably wrong but at the same time, it was also understandable.

Fast forward to the present. I thought that Jared would turn into an asshole like what the summary makes him sound like but he didn’t. He has his own reasons for why he wrote the song about Claire even though it is full of lies. I was actually surprised that he was kind of ashamed of the song and other than being indifferent (but still privately hating on Claire), he still seemed like the same perfect boyfriend he once was. Claire on the other hand is more eager to make it big in the music industry. She practices much harder now with her bandmates. She doesn’t show it but Jared’s song has totally affected her. But still, I love that instead of letting it be a weakness, Claire somehow shaped it into strength and she uses it to propel her forward.

Claire also is a very likable character. Gods, I LOVE her. She’s independent, strong-willed, and sarcastic and her narration is such a delight to read. Her family is a very difficult one with a father that’s self-centered and conceited and a suck-up annoying little sister, April. But among the two, I enjoyed April more especially when they started getting along together and bonding over hating a common enemy. Honestly, you need to meet April. She’s incredibly annoying and I love her!

Claire and Jared are both genuine characters. They are not ones without flaws and they make mistakes that take them way too long to fix, but at the end of the day, they still managed to set everything back in their rightful places. The character development in this book is superb. I wanted the story to go on and on and on. But sadly, everything has to end and there was nothing I can do when I reached the final page. Tracey has created this beautiful piece and I cannot wait to read more of her works. Please, Tracey, write some more awesome books!

>>Click here to read the ALPoMH Bonus Scene!<<

Rating: 5/5 stars!

Disclosure: An e-galley was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen via NetGalley) in exhange for an honest review. No compensation of any form was received for this post.

Manga Mondays (4): Shaman King, Volume 20 [Mt. Osore Le Voile arc Part 2]

Manga Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Alison @ Alison Can Read 

Shaman King (Shaman King, Vol. 20)
by Hiroyuki Takei
Original Title: シャーマンキング (Shaman King)
Demographic: Shonen
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural
English, Paperback, 210 pages
Published January 6th 2009 by VIZ Media LLC (first published January 6th 2004)
Purchase link: VIZ Media 

Volume Summary:

We continue to look back to the past, when Yoh and Anna were bound together and Matamune sacrificed himself to save them. But in the present, Yoh seems to have sacrificed his chance to become Shaman King, and Ren still lies unconscious. Will Lady Jeanne keep her end of the bargain and save Ren's life?

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

You can read my review of volume 19 here.

This is the second time I'm writing this review. I first wrote it on notepad but my laptop suddenly died on me so it all got lost. :( Anyway, volume 20 picks up right after volume 19, when Anna finally decides to go with Yoh to the temple to pray, though she was extremely reluctant, scared that she will accidentally summon an oni (ogre-like demon) most especially since it was New Years and there will be thousands of people praying in the temple, thus it will be inevitable to sense their emotions such as worries, hope and fear.

In volume 20, the readers finally understand the true reason why Matamune was sent to accompany Yoh to meet Anna. It’s because Anna’s situation greatly resembles that of Hao’s. Hao is the major villain in the series who was first born 1000 years ago and is reincarnated every 500 years in time for the Shaman fight. Hao was Matamune’s master, the one who gave him the abilities he currently possesses, and the one Matamune killed due to his evil intentions to humanity. This has never stopped plaguing Matamune’s thoughts and though Hao became evil in the long run, he was still the first person to show compassion to Matamune. It’s revealed that the reason why Matamune travelled and read a lot is because he is looking for a way to forgive himself from everything he had done to the master he loved so greatly.

I love that this arc also establishes the connection between Anna and Hao and why it is only Yoh who holds the key to defeat him. Both Anna and Hao have the reishi and the only difference is that Hao can control the onis while Anna can’t. It was mentioned in one of the chapters in SK that the reishi is born from loneliness. Everyone becomes lonely at some point in their lives, but how much loneliness does it take for that power to form? Anna was abandoned by her parents in Mt. Osore because they were scared of her powerful shamanic abilities. How does it feel like to be resented by everyone including your own family? To know exactly what they’re thinking and feeling about you? The reishi also has the power to absorb other people’s feelings so it’s not only Anna’s feelings that she’s handling. Every hate, fear, worry, greed… she knew all of these because she felt all of them.

This is where Yoh comes into the picture. Even though he knew that Anna will call forth an oni, he still took her to the temple. In another perspective, this can only look as idiocy; waiting for a tragedy to happen. But in Anna’s perspective, this is a big deal. For the first time in her life, she found someone who’s not scared of her abilities, someone who’s willing to believe in her, trust her. Yoh showed her love.

This is read from RIGHT to LEFT

I don’t know if Yoh realized it but he’s definitely bluffing there. He hardly escaped the small oni Anna summoned before and the other one before that. And I think she also knows that there's so way Yoh can defend her from her oni. But like I said, bluff or not, this is huge for Anna. The thought that someone, for the first time in her life, is willing to be by her side and help her go through her curse finally broke the walls she carefully surrounded herself with.

Even when the oo-oni (giant oni) materialized, Yoh didn’t leave her side. He fought it no matter if it’s a lost cause. Even if saving her means sacrificing an important friend to Yoh. This is also what Matamune wished he should’ve done to Hao a long time ago. He thinks that if he only believed in Hao and stayed by him as a friend, he would’ve been saved. Instead, Matamune killed him and until now, he’s still drowning in regrets. But by sacrificing himself to save Anna, maybe he can finally let go of all those regrets and move on.

In this volume, we find out that the bear claws necklace that Yoh is wearing in the whole course of the series originally came from Hao who then gave it to Matamune so that he can retain his spirit form. When his spirit died, the necklace remained and Yoh promised that when he becomes powerful enough, he would use it as a medium to call his spirit back again. Thinking this and looking back at the events in SK, I can’t help but feel sad; only knowing now that the necklace holds such important memories and promise.

Also, something I noticed about this backstory is that it’s narrated by Yoh. I initially thought this was narrated by Anna because it looked like she started the flashback, but it’s really Yoh who’s narrating it. It’s so rare that he shows affection for Anna so just by knowing that he’s thinking of his feelings for Anna and Matamune makes my heart so damn happy.

I keep telling myself that volume 19 is my favourite volume in the series, but whenever I read volume 20, I can’t help but cry. It has so much feels! Those two images are actually from volume 19 but it wouldn’t have made sense if I included them in the review of previous volume because this is where everything comes into place.

Rating:  5/5 stars

Manga Mondays (3): Shaman King, Volume 19 [Mt. Osore Le Voile arc Part 1]

Manga Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Alison @ Alison Can Read

Hello my babies 

Hey all! I was doing a major clean-up of my shelves and book boxes last week and came across some of my volumes of Shaman King (and other manga). Shaman King is one of my most favorite manga series and 19 & 20 are my most favorite SK volumes so I thought to reread it since it's New Years and the volumes take place during the season. I used to be a major shipper of Anna and Yoh as well and this is my favorite arc in the series, so why not revisit some old friends?

Warning: Spoilers ahead! 

Shaman King (Shaman King, Vol. 19)
by Hiroyuki Takei
Original Title: シャーマンキング (Shaman King)
Demographic: Shonen
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural
English, Paperback, 210 pages
Published November 4th 2008 by VIZ Media LLC (first published May 13th 2004 by Shueisha)
Purchase link: VIZ Media

Volume Summary:

The unthinkable has happened--Yoh has withdrawn from the Shaman Fight! What happens now? To understand Yoh's future we must revisit his past, back to when he and Anna first met. How did their acquaintance shape Yoh's fate, and what terrible secret still burns between them?

The volume begins with a prologue that picks up after Yoh Asakura decided to quit the Shaman fight in order to revive Ren Tao. I don't remember exactly what happened prior to this, but it has always been Yoh's dream to become the Shaman King but Yoh being Yoh, he easily sacrificed this dream to save a friend. However, the person really affected the most by his decision is Anna Kyoyama, Yoh's fiancee who has made it a point to make him the Shaman King. In the last few pages of the prologue, we see her piling stones on Yoh's oracle bell symbolizing that she's accepting the death of Yoh's dreams whilst remembering the time they first met, which then leads us to the proper start of the arc.

The Mt. Osore Le Voile arc tells the story of how Anna and Yoh met, but more than that, it introduces us to Matamune, a spirit cat that has been serving the Asakura clan for a thousand years. When I first met Matamune, I thought that he was only a passing character which will later be buried in the growing list of SK characters, but no, I was astounded by how huge his role is in this series. He is practically the character that every reader doesn't know is missing from the start till the end of the manga. Matamune is appointed by Kino Asakura, Yoh's grandmother, to accompany Yoh to Mt. Osore to meet his fiance, Anna, which surprised Yoh because, well, he's an awkward 10 year old who doesn't have friends in school and has never even talked to a girl so it really made him nervous. This is an arranged marriage orchestrated by Kino. The Asakura clan is well-known in the Shaman world and as the Shaman fight is fast approaching, Kino wanted Yoh to be married to a powerful shaman in the hopes that she could help Yoh win the Shaman fight.

Alhough I initially thought that Matamune was only a passing character, I came to like Matamune very easily. Not only is he a cat (because kitties are way cute,) but he's also very perceptive, intelligent, likes to read books, and he wears traditional Japanese clothes too. A single glance at him will also tell you that he's old, has depth and has so much story to tell. But more of him in the next volume. Let's get back to Anna and Yoh first because their first meeting is the highlight of the volume for me. :P

If you're looking for a shonen manga with romance in it, Shaman King is not for you. The series has almost no romance in it. We have the YohxAnna couple but these two have the most bizarre relationship in the world of fiction. The readers know that Anna loves Yoh as she openly admits it a couple of times in the series, but she doesn't display her feelings for him in a way normal people do. I don't believe her physical abuse of Yoh is a way of affection because she practically beats up everyone whom she regards as being an idiot or everyone who goes against her orders. But Yoh is much harder to decipher. He's always way too scared of getting beaten up by Anna as is shown by him always shaking like a scared kitten at the thought of Anna's wrath. He never openly admitted that he loves her as well so it made me think that this love is a one-sided thing on Anna's part UNTIL this arc. Um, excuse me while I fangirl, because volume 19 chapter 164 is where Anna and Yoh met for the very first time and you know what happened? Yoh totally fell in love at first sight with Anna while Anna glared daggers at him and told him to "die" just because he was blocking Anna's way. And in a total Yoh fashion, he cries (comically) and flees in fright. Okay, still fangirling here.

This is even funnier because there's a poem that's constantly showed in the previous chapters:

The one who awaits you
Will never let you feel lonely
Know this at least
Know this at least

And the one who's waiting Yoh is Anna who's already making Yoh feel lonely AND terrified.

But really, who knew that the only person who could actually beat Anna in the mean scale is her past self? But as this arc is supposed to shed a better light to Anna, her past is revealed later on. And once
again, I was surprised by the revelations in this volume. I still have a lot of questions about her
origin since the volume only mentions her state when Grandma Kino found her in Mt. Osore and not
where she actually came from, though we did learn that Anna is a very powerful itako who has the ability to read minds and summon oni (demons) uncontrollably. After the meeting with Yoh, she accidentally conjured an oni which was easily defeated by Matamune, and later another one. After the encounter with the second oni and Yoh has proved himself a decent person, they are seen watching music specials on TV awkwardly together since their favorite musicians are both performing. This chapter is another favorite because it shows the start of Anna opening up to someone and also because the moments are fangirl-worthy. Yoh says mushy things innocently to Anna and there's a lot of blushing and perverted thoughts. Anna slaps him in return and Yoh ends up asking her out on a date. Really, not only does this volume captures Anna in a better light but it also does the same to Yoh's feelings for her. I honestly cried out of happiness when I read this again. I remember now why I loved these two so much. Anyway this chapter marks the end of the volume. Next week on Manga Mondays, I'll post my thoughts for the second part of the Mt. Osore Le Voile arc where I'm hoping to cover Yoh's character and Matamune and Anna's connection to Hao. :)

Rating: 5/5 stars

I just realized that I talked about this volume as if you knew this title, lol. I forgot you might not even know what shamans are. I honestly don't know if shamans portrayed in this series are what shamans truly are, but anyhow, here's to hoping that you have at least watched the anime because aside from the crappy ending (the manga has much better and real ending), the anime is actually really good and very funny too!

Book Review: Through the Ever Night (Re-read)

Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2)
by Veronica Rossi

Hardcover, 352 pages
Published January 8th 2013 by HarperCollins
Source: Bought

Book Description:

It's been months since Aria learned of her mother's death.

Months since Perry became Blood Lord of the Tides, and months since Aria last saw him.

Now Aria and Perry are about to be reunited. It's a moment they've been longing for with countless expectations. And it's a moment that lives up to all of them. At least, at first. Then it slips away. The Tides don't take kindly to former Dwellers like Aria. And the tribe is swirling out of Perry's control. With the Aether storms worsening every day, the only remaining hope for peace and safety is the Still Blue. But does this haven truly exist?

Threatened by false friends and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night? In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and sci-fi elements to create a captivating adventure-and a love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

Review:

This series is one of the many reasons why I have a love-hate relationship with ARC's. I first read Under the Never Sky on November of 2011, two months before its official release. I fell in love with Aria and Perry so hard and it was on my top10 reads of 2011, so you can just imagine the agony of having to wait one year and two months just to read this book. I remember constantly refreshing its Amazon page on the day of its release so I could download it to my cloudreader immediately because I'm paranoid about pre-ordering things online. I loved Through the Ever Night on the first read, almost as much as I loved the first book. I didn't think I could've loved it even more and had I not reread this after all those months ago, I wouldn't have been able to prove myself wrong. This book, Through the Ever Night, is immaculate! The last middlebook I went ballistic over was Catching Fire so it really made me teary-eyed to find another book to add to that list.

Through the Ever Night actually started out slow for me but it was just as well because I wanted to savor every moment and every scene of the book. Picking up from where the first book left off, Aria and Perry are reunited together in book two. Really, this should be a dream come true for me but with Perry struggling as the new Blood Lord of the Tides and the Tides hating Aria for being a Dweller, their relationship wouldn't be taken kindly by his people so both kept their relationship hidden. These two are a favorite couple so it was really frustrating to see them not acknowledging their feelings for each other. However, the very few times they shared together made things even more extra special. But still, they might be together but they might as well be separated. And separated, they were. Aria and Roar set off to rescue Liv, leaving Perry (and the readers) miserable and brokenhearted.

Through the Ever Night is really about how Perry and Aria develop as individual characters. We saw them work together in book one so book two delves deeper into their own distinct characters. We see how Perry copes up with being a Blood Lord. His motives and decisions are constantly questioned by his people. He's trying his best not to be like his late brother who sacrifices his own people for the betterment of the majority however, the results are not always as good as the motives. The saddest thing about this is that he has no Aria or Roar to go to. The longing he felt for Aria was almost palpable. This is where his loyalty to Aria is tested too what with the new characters clouding over his judgment and one even trying to seduce him.

Aria, too, has grown so much. The time she spent with Roar made they their friendship so much stronger, rivaling that of Perry and Roar. But also, it made her character stronger and independent as well. She was Roar's rock through all the tragedy that happened to him. Plenty of times, my heart broke for the characters; for Aria, Perry and most especially Roar and Liv. Seriously, Roar and Liv. We all loved Roar's easy character in the first book but here, we see him at his very worst.

You better prepare your kleenex, hot choco with marshmallows on top and your most huggable stuffed toys because you'll need a lot of serious cuddling after reading this book. This is a very exhausting read but tb the end of this book,I was teary-eyed, both satisfied and disheartened by the events that transpired but also both dreading and anticipating the last book in the series.

Rating: 5/5/ stars!

Manga Mondays (2): Attack on Titan, Volume 1

Manga Mondays

Manga Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Alison @ Alison Can Read

Attack on Titan (Attack on Titan, Vol. 1)
by Isayama Hajime
Original Title: 進撃の巨人 (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Demographic: Shonen
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Drama, Mystery, Post-Apocalyptic
English, Paperback, 208 pages
Published June 19th 2012 by Kodansha Comics (first published March 17th 2010

Description:

What's left of humanity survives in fear for their lives in this exciting, terrifying new manga that's a number one bestseller in Japan. Humankind is down to just a few thousand people who live in a city surrounded by three concentric walls. The walls protect them from their enemies, the ravenous giants known as the Titans. The Titans appear to have only one purpose: to consume humanity.

For one hundred years, what's left of mankind has lived in the city on earth, protected by walls that tower over even the Titans. Untouched by the Titans for a century, humanity has become complacent. But Eren Jaeger has had enough. While his fellow citizens are content to hide, Jaeger has the passion to take action to not only protect the city, but to learn what the Titans actually are. But on his first mission he comes face to face with horrors beyond his imagination... and secrets from his own past that could shift the tides of war.

Jaeger and his friends are determined to survive. But everything about their situation is a mystery that only becomes more complicated the more they learn. Attack on Titan is a breathtaking debut from a young talent, and a phenomenon that is sweeping Japan! (Source: Midtown Comics).

Review:

The description doesn't lie, my dear reader-friends, Attack on Titan is indeed a breathtaking manga. You might not think that action-packed still images can render you speechless, unable to to work your jaw from too much awe much like an action-packed motion picture does, but do me a favor and try reading this manga because. It. Will. Blow. You. Hard. Period.

It's not specified whether Attack on Titan is set in past, future or present. The world during the story is devastated by Titans, gigantic human-like beings ranging from 5m to 15m tall. But though they look like humans, they are genderless and have no human intelligence. They are incredibly strong and they eat humans even though they have no digestive systems, as if the essence of their existence is to predate on human beings alone.

For a hundred years, humankind has been protected from the Titans by 50-meter high walls. In the first chapter, we see our male MC, Eren Jaeger, aspiring to become a member of the Scouting Legion, those who are actively fighting Titans outside the walls. Most people have given up the hopes that Titans will someday be eradicated, more so because the Scouting Legion, the only troop that they trust to save them from the Titans has never had a positive result moreover, their numbers continue to dwindle by more than half whenever they scout the outside. It was a lost cause, some would say. However, Eren is different. He is ambitious. Young and weak as he is, he is very courageous to the point of stupidity. Even though most people are contented with their life inside the walls, Eren wanted to brave the Titans outside and bring freedom to the human race.

It has been exactly 107 years since the walls were built. Since people started living peacefully again. But on that day, a Titan (Colossal type) that's taller than the walls broke through and disrupted the peace inside. This led to more Titans invading. Lots of people were devoured, including Eren's mother. The rest who survived were evacuated to Wall Rose, the second line of defense against the Titans.

I have never read a manga that's as action-packed as Attack on Titan. The first volume literally left me jaw-slacked and speechless. I couldn't get over the intensity of the scenes, most especially during the invasion! You can just feel the tragedy and drama AND Eren's angst coming off the pages. The author is ruthless. If you're looking for rainbows and butterflies, this is NOT the book for you. He doesn't care who dies and how they die. I was giddy from all that's transpiring but I couldn't help chanting "more!" in my mind. Fortunately, that's what exactly Hajime-san gave his readers. One after the other, he'd bomb you with push-me-on-the-edge scenes. Really, even writing this review makes me breathless.

For a first volume, Isayama Hajime really did a wonderful job with world building. He strategically left out some details on the world of the story for readers to wonder but in such a way where readers are also well-informed about the setting. The intensity in the first volume is very palpable. Truly, this is a terrifyingly beautiful story. I just hope this job well done would continue on with the rest of the volumes.

On Art: I love the artwork. None of the boys could be considered a bishie but regardless, I am in love with the detailed drawings!

On Cover: The first time I saw this cover,I was immediately turned off. That Colossal Titan didn't look very pretty to me, lol. Anyway, the guy mid-air is Eren sporting the 3D maneuver gear exclusive to the military which they use to jump from wall to wall which also doubles as scabbard for swords.

Rating: 5/5 stars!

Book Review: Tricked

Tricked (Iron Druid Chronicles #4)
by Kevin Hearne
Paperback, 338 pages
Published April 24th 2012 by Random House Publishing Group
Source: Bought
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

Summary:

Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert.

But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he’s been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he’s got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won’t be fooled again. Famous last words.

This is a spoilery review. Read at your own risk!

Review:

Tricked picks up a little while after Hammered. In Hammered, when Atticus helped Leif and the rest of the gang to go to Asgard to kill Thor, they also managed to injure other gods and wreak havoc to all of Asgard. This caused thunder gods from different pantheons to hunt Atticus and silence him permanently. But with the help of Coyote and the Morrigan, Atticus managed to fake his own death, hoping to get them off his back, if  temporarily, to have enough time to train his apprentice, Granuaile.

For me, the fourth book in the Iron Druid Chronicles, Tricked, has been the best installment in the series so far! In a way, this was the most different as well. Atticus, Granuaile and Oberon left Arizona for Colorado for two reasons: one, because Atticus was supposed to be dead; and two, to keep the end of his bargain to Coyote. Coyote was a character I liked in book 2, and even though he managed to stage a cruel trick to Atticus again in this book, I couldn't bring myself to dislike him. If anything, I was more amused by him in this book. Coyote was a trickster god and it was second nature for him to trick people. It was also something Atticus had prepared himself for. What he didn't prepare himself for, though, was the betrayal of someone he considered as friend. I felt really bad for Atticus because it was only in this book that I realized how he was always used by the people whom he cared for.

In Tricked, we also find out what really happened to the widow, Ms. MacDonagh, in the end of Hammered. I have to say that whatever it was, it totally spooked me. We also meet a new character, Hel, the daughter of Loki, who was the creepiest being I've encountered in this series. I'm pretty sure she's going to be a major villain in the upcoming books. We also get to learn more about Tahirah, Atticus' wife of 200 years, and what happened to the children he fathered. It was one of the saddest scenes in all the books for me; another one was when both Oberon and Atticus got injured close to death, and still, Atticus could only think about Oberon's safety. I might have shed some tears on that scene.

Like all the books in the Iron Druid Chronicles, Tricked was full of action-packed scenes, gore, hilarious dialogues and character deaths. Although Tricked wasn't as fast-paced as the other Iron Druid books, I found it strangely refreshing. Atticus and Oberon were as hilarious and badass as ever, and Granuaile became even more amusing. There's also a teaser of Trapped, the fifth book, on the back of Tricked and oh my god, what a tease it was! I absolutely cannot wait for Trapped!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Book Review: The King of Attolia

The King of Attolia (The Queen's Thief #3)
by Megan Whalen Turner
Hardcover, 387 pages
Published January 24th 2006 by Greenwillow Books
Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

By scheming and theft, the Thief of Eddis has become King of Attolia. Eugenides (yoo-JEN-ə-deez) wanted the queen, not the crown, but he finds himself trapped in a web of his own making.

Then he drags a naive young guard into the center of the political maelstrom. Poor Costis knows he is the victim of the king's caprice, but his contempt for Eugenides slowly turns to grudging respect. Though struggling against his fate, the newly crowned king is much more than he appears. Soon the corrupt Attolian court will learn that its subtle and dangerous intrigue is no match for Eugenides.

This is a spoilery review. Read at your own risk!

Review:

Some time ago, I read Jennifer Nielsen's The False Prince. If you've read my review of that, then you'd know that my love for thieves started with this series. After reading The False Prince, I was suddenly overwhelmed by a strong feeling of longing for my favorite thief, Eugenides, so I immediately grabbed my copy of Queen of Attolia and King of Attolia and read them to my heart's content. And, oh lords, I loved these two when I first read them last year, but after the second read, I was madly, deeply and very, very much in love with them. And no, it didn't stop at the second read. I've read both four times now and I'm still rereading my favorite scenes from both books. I was surprised to discover things that I didn't notice on the first read, and on the second read, and on the third. The more I read, the more I understood and the more I enjoyed it.

In The Thief and Queen of Attolia, we witnessed Gen's superb ability to deceive and manipulate his opponents without them realizing it, so it shouldn't be that much of a surprise that his intelligence is in abundance in this book too, but oh Gen, you just never cease to amaze me. The King of Attolia is told in third person from the point of view mostly of one of the Queen's guards, Costis. The book starts a little while after Queen of Attolia, after Gen and Irene's wedding. I admit I was against Turner's choice of character POV the first time I read this. But as the story progressed, we get to see the transformation of Costis's perception toward Eugenides from disgust to utmost respect and trust. As the story progressed, I also learned to like Costis. In fact, it's actually hard not to like the guy. Those who've read the previous books know how deceiving and dangerous Gen can be, but almost all of the palace people, including Costis, don't know this and only know Gen as the goatfoot foreigner who stole their Queen. Gen is not also the type of person to prove other's ideas of him as wrong. Instead of acting like a decent King, he indulges people's perception of him. So it was only natural that people would think of him as the worthless person he'd always pretended to be. And whatever preconceived notions Costis had for Eugenides was pretty much justified.

This lacks a great deal of romance, but I can tell you that what little romance this has is as sweet as the sweetest romance you can think of. I am totally in love with Gen and Irene's relationship and the subtlety made it so frustrating (in a good way) for me. In spite that, The King of Attolia is a genuine work of art or a work of literature whichever your prefer to call it. The plot is solid, exhilarating, cleverly inventive and very much surprising, the writing is enthralling and the characters are the incarnation of awesome. After reading this, all other books suddenly paled in comparison. I actually got stuck for a week in this series because I kept rereading the books because after this, no other book had held my attention for more than a minute as I kept thinking back to the events in Queen of Attolia and King of Attolia. I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again: I looooooove thieves! (the fictional ones). And if I admired The False Prince, this book, I worship it. The moment I finished The King of Attolia, I wanted to build Gen a statue or a temple and then start a religion called Eugenidism. Who wants to join?

Rating: 

5/5 stars!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

(with gabajillions of exclamation points !!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Book Review: The False Prince

The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy #1)
by Jennifer Nielsen
Hardcover, 342 pages
Published April 1st 2012 by Scholastic
Buy the book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

THE FALSE PRINCE is the thrilling first book in a brand-new trilogy filled with danger and deceit and hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end.

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.

As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.

An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.

Review:

I gave this book a standing ovation as soon as I finished reading it. It was that gooooood! Ever since I read Megan Whalen Turner's The Queen's Thief series, I've developed a soft spot for books with a historical setting and a sneaky thief for a protagonist - a genius sneaky thief.

In The False Prince, our protagonist, Sage, is an orphan who is seen as a disrespectful petulant kid with a brash attitude and a sharp mind. Although stealing is almost second nature to him, and most of the time uses this skill for his own amusement, sometimes he also uses this to help bring food to the orphanage. But don't get the wrong ideas. Sage is not necessarily the type of character with an aggressive front but with a very kind heart. It's one of the reasons why I love him so much.

Along with three other orphans, Sage was bought by a man called Conner. At first, it was a mystery as to why a noble man would buy orphans who seemed to have the same features as each other. But as the story progressed, the secrets started to be unveiled one by one. I wasn't totally surprised by these secrets, to be honest, though I can say that these weren't totally predictable either. What I found the most surprising was the twist - the very-most-ultimate-secret twist - that came after those secrets. It was one of those rare "WTH moments" where you are WTH-ing because it was sooo awesome. But I admit that at first I was WTH-ing because it was confusing and I felt so lost, but after a couple more pages and more revelations were unfolded, - when the things that didn't make sense started to make sense and when those events I took for granted proved to be of great importance to the plot - I was left exhausted by all the cleverness in this book.

The characters, minor and major alike, are all very complex and well-rounded. Those characters you liked at first, you'd hate them toward the end. Those you trusted at first, you'd end up wanting to kill the traitors out of them. This book has a knack in fooling its readers into believing ideas that pertain to the mystery of the plot. I mean, just look at the title. It gives us an idea what this book is about, but don't be fooled. There's more to it than just a spoilery title. The fact that this is told from Sage's point of view makes it difficult for the readers to decide who or what to believe since we only see things from his perception, but do we? If we see what Sage sees, does that mean he's not capable of lying to the readers? Needless to say, The False Prince is truly a cleverly written book with a solid plot that's perfectly executed. If you loved Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief, you have to read The False Prince. And if you loved Eugenides's character, you will love Sage too.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Book Review: Stormdancer

Stormdancer (The Lotus War #1)
by Jay Kristoff
ARC, USA Edition 316 pages
Expected publication: September 18th 2012 by Thomas Dunne Books
Source: Given
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

Summary:

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima's imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A HIDDEN GIFT
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

Review:

One of the many things I loved about Stormdancer was the protagonist herself, Yukiko. She struck me as a girl who was both fragile and fierce at the same time. She was exactly what I was looking for in my female protags. Mostly in YA, the female protags are either the smartass-kickass with one best friend or the non-smartass girls who can't fight and have only one friend, so Kristoff's take on his protag was definitely a breath of fresh air.

Yukiko was a solid and a well-rounded character who had deep compassion. Her bond with Buruu was the most heart-warming. If you've been reading my reviews for some time now, you'd know that I have a soft spot for protagonists with adorable animal companions. While Buruu wasn't exactly a pet, but rather, a huge beast capable of killing humans with a single strike of his talons, the effect was the same. Or more so because their bond was extremely tight, they didn't treat the each other as master and pet, instead they viewed each other as siblings. You could also see the development of their relationship from indifference on Buruu's part until they formed a solid unbreakable bond. The way they protected each other tugged on my heartstrings. It was one of the most beautiful things I've read about, the type that can beat the best of romances.

Stormdancer was told from third person point of view, so being the first book with the said POV I've read all year, it took me a little while to get used to it. But once I did, the book suddenly became unputdownable. The addition of Japanese mythology was a uniquely wonderful treat. Apart from adorable pets, I also have a thing for stories about deception and politics. The type where you have to guess who're the good guys and bad guys. Stormdancer has both of that and it was one of the things that made this book even more brilliant.  And the gore? Oh, I love! <3 br="br">
Stormdancer is set in a wildly imaginative world of feudal Japan, filled with complex characters who have interesting backstories. The plot was unpredictable; it oozed with pleasant surprises. At first, I thought that the description of the author about this book was overkill, but upon reading it I found that it was hardly that. The book had lots of complicated elements that gave this the tendency to become messy, but the author handled all of that really well and instead, turned this into a book of pure awesomeness.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Book Review: The Golden Lily

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2)
by Richelle Mead
Paperback, 418 pages
Published June 12th 2012 by Razorbill
Source: Bought
Buy the book: Amazon| Book Depository

Summary:

The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series.

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.

Review:

You guys. This book was a dream come true! It was everything I expected it to be and so much more. You have no idea just how many feels are wanting to burst out of my system right now and start gushing about the amazingness that is The Golden Lily. This book makes me want to puke rainbows and doodle hearts for all the world to see. Gosh, it’s amazing how one book can make me feel as good as this. I don't do drugs, but this one is probably so much better than all of them combined!

Moving on. The Golden Lily starts a while after Bloodlines. I wasn’t impressed with the plot development as it was very predictable. But I can say that my love for the characters overshadowed my impression for the plot. I swooned when Adrian’s name first came up. The guy is so cute and so hilarious! Whenever he says or does something, I always find myself melting. Same with Sydney! I never gushed about female characters but I have a very huge girl-crush on Sydney. I like that she’s so oblivious to Adrian’s attempts at flirting with her. She doesn’t even know she’s flirting back! But what's good is that her naiveté toward romance isn’t contrived at all which just makes her all the more hilariously adorable. But with this ignorance came the urge to slap some sense to her. She sees Adrian everywhere! She always thinks about what could make Adrian happy! If that isn't love, I don't what is. She could be so very frustrating sometimes but I still love her.

There’s also the issue of her being ultra-weight conscious. I'm happy that this issue was addressed in the book and by no other than Adrian himself. It goes to show how their relationship had grown from nothing to something. Even more than something. I'm so excited to see how Sydney would react once she realizes her feelings for Adrian. Oh, and there's also Jill, Eddie and Angeline. Angeline and Eddie cracked me up so many times! It was hilarious how Eddie always looked horrified whenever Angeline took advances on him. Though I have to say that I wasn't happy with how things turned out for them. It felt like rushed to me or maybe it was just that I was more focused on Sydrian that I didn't notice that triangle the three were forming.

As for Dimitri and Sonya, it was definitely nice to see the two again. Adrian still doesn't feel friendly toward Dimitri, but Dimitri seems to think otherwise. For Dimitri, it was almost as if nothing ever happened between them. Which was also frustrating. I felt bad whenever Adrian gave him the evil eye.

If you liked Bloodlines, you will DEFINITELY, ABSOLUTELY love The Golden lily too! This is even better than the first book! And oh, that ending! You will love it and you will hate it, but ultimately, it will make you want to read the next book!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Book Review: Legend

Legend (Legend #1)
by Marie Lu
Hardcover, 305 pages
Published November 29th 2011 by Putnam Juvenile
ISBN 039925675X (ISBN13: 9780399256752)
Challenge: Dystopia Reading Challenge
Source: Bought

Summary:

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Review:

Marie Lu's Legend was like a dream come true. Okay, that sounds a bit exaggerated, but still. I've always wanted to read a book about enemies that turned into lovers. Although the enemies part was one-sided, it still had (albeit) the same effect on me. I never really paid attention to the book's description before I picked it up, or before I added it onto my wishlist. So I was surprised when I finally started reading this.

The first surprise came in the form of a thief called Day. After reading Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series, I developed a soft spot for smart thieves. There's just something so amusing about how they outwit other smart people. Especially if they have a good heart. The second surprise came in the form of the Republic's child prodigy called June. June oozed with mischief. I thought she and Day would become really good friends if given the chance. However, the tragedy that struck next, made it somehow impossible.

I like how observant June is. She can deduce something about every move you make. I don't know if there's really like that in real life, but still, she awed me. She was like a Sherlock Holmes. Day is perceptive too, not so much as June but in his own way. He steals only because of his family who doesn't even know that he's still alive, except for his brother, John. And then, there's Tess. Day took her under his wing after seeing her scavenging garbage. She's very adorable and loyal to Day.

The only thing I didn't like about Legend is Day and June's age. I'd make them older by a couple of years if I had the chance, which apparently I don't. But other than that, Legend was like an early Christmas present. I didn't think expect it to be great, but somehow, it was just that. Great, I mean. It is compelling and enthralling, the plot is fast-paced and the characters are lovable. I was literally bouncing with joy as I read the book. Legend is definitely recommended to both dystopian lovers and non-lovers alike.

Rating: 5/5 stars!