[WAITING ON WEDNESDAY] Golden Son

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming can't wait to read.

Series: Red Rising #2
Author: Pierce Brown
Genre: young adult, adult, dystopia, science fiction, fantasy, space
Expected Publication: January 6, 2015

With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown’s genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation.  

Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within. A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown’s continuing status as one of fiction’s most exciting new voices.

[TOP TEN TUESDAY] 2015 Goals and Resolutions.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and The Bookish.

I guess it's that time of the year when we write down things we'd like to accomplish for the upcoming year. I'm honestly excited for 2015 because I'm looking forward to personally accomplishing a good amount of things for myself :)

I'm crossing my fingers I'll be able to accomplish these things. These goals are a mixture of bookish, anime fan, frustrated artist, and blogging goals.

(1) Start my portfolio blog. This is more on my creative goals. Since I'm now starting with my majors, I want to show my works and progress. It's a way of both keeping track and showing what I can do for future purposes (you know, so I can freelance occasionally or for extra-credits when I'm applying for work).

(2) Read at least 70 books. I initially set 50 this year but I was able to get pass it after half the year so I extended it to 70 and somehow I think I'm sticking to that goal. I finished 83 books this year, bytheway.

(3) Consistently post at least 3 reviews a week. I won't be able to do it immediately but I'll do my best.

(4) Meet new bloggers and gain more followers. Whenever i get too preoccupied with my studies, I tend to neglect my blog so this upcoming year, I'd like to not just do some comment-to-comment stuff with other bloggers, I'd like to connect with them :)

(5) Attend book signing events. I was going to attend last October's Claudia Gray signing event but something very unfortunate came up. THEN I was going to attend Marie Lu's November book signing event but it falls on a Sunday which won't happen. Ever. But seriously, this year, I want it to happen. I want to attend and experience a book signing event (#PierceBrowninPH please?). If you're from the Philippines and wouldn't mind bringing me along when you go to a book signing event, just message me on my IG, facebook page, or twitter (all links can be found at the end of the blog post) :)

[RELEASE DAY EVENT] Meet Your Baker

Series: A Bakeshop Mystery #1
Author: Ellie Alexander
Genre: adult, mystery
Published: December 30, 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | IndieBound | Book Depository | Kobo

Welcome to Torte—a friendly, small-town family bake shop where the treats are so good that, sometimes, it’s criminal… 

After graduating from culinary school, Juliet Capshaw returns to her quaint hometown of Ashland, Oregon, to heal a broken heart and help her mom at the family bakery. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is bringing in lots of tourists looking for some crumpets to go with their heroic couplets. But when one of Torte’s customers turns up dead, there’s much ado about murder… 

The victim is Nancy Hudson, the festival’s newest board member. A modern-day Lady Macbeth, Nancy has given more than a few actors and artists enough reasons to kill her…but still. The silver lining? Jules’s high school sweetheart, Thomas, is the investigator on the case. His flirtations are as delicious as ever, and Jules can’t help but want to have her cake and eat it too. But will she have her just desserts? Murder might be bad for business, but love is the sweetest treat of all…

*             *             *

  Welcome to Ashland, Oregon, home of the world-famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the setting for Ellie Alexander’s debut mystery MEET YOUR BAKER.

MEET YOUR BAKER is a culinary mystery centered in the fictional bakeshop, Torte, with a mother/daughter pastry duo. It includes original handcrafted recipes. Meet Ashland!

[REVIEW] My Little Monster, vol1

Series: My Little Monster #1 (Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun)
Author: Robico
Translator: Joshua Weeks
Lettering: Kiyoko Shiromasa, Mugwump Design
Genre: manga, shoujo, romance, comedy
Published: March 11, 2014 (first published January 13, 2009)
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | Eiwa Manga (PH)

OPPOSITES ATTRACT… MAYBE? 

Haru Yoshida is feared as an unstable and violent “monster.” Shizuku Mizutani is a grade-obsessed student with no friends. Fate brings these two together to form the most unlikely pair. Haru firmly believes he’s in love with Shizuku and she firmly believes he’s insane.

[STACKING THE SHELVES] (Belated) Merry Christmas && (Advance) Happy New Year!

Hello,

First off, I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I spent mine with my family. It was simple and great. We exchanged gifts and for me, the gifts were just a bit unexpected (especially the gift from my parents).

Night Film. I’ve been keeping my eyes out for this book ever since I saw it nominated for best horror (or something like that) goodreads award. It sounds so intriguing. My friend also read it and she really, really loved it!
Life of Pi. Not my usual read. It’s actually a Christmas gift from a friend.
The Beach. Another Christmas gift from the same friend although this sounds more like what I’ll probably read.
The Catastrophic History of You and Me. Christmas gift from my sister. This sounds like a really pretty story :)

[REVIEW] MELT

Series: N/A
Author: Selene Castrovilla
Genre: contemporary, young adult, romance, abuse, realistic fiction
Published: November 6, 2014
Publisher: Last Syllable Books

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

In MELT by Selene Castrovilla, sixteen-year-old “good girl” Dorothy just blew into the small town of Highland Park, where the social headquarters is Munchkinland (Dunkin’ Donuts). Smart, perceptive and sensitive, she’s bored by her cliquey classmates. Then, she meets Joey, a “bad boy” who tells no one about the catastrophic domestic violence he witnesses at home. Joey numbs himself with a combination of drugs and alcohol, terrified of letting his secrets out or anyone else in. But everything changes when he meets Dorothy. For the first time, she makes him feel. Can their love survive peer pressure, Joey’s reputation, and his devastating family secret? 

MELT is written in dual first person, with Joey's words scattered on the page to reflect his broken state, and Dorothy’s orderly thoughts acting as the voice of reason – until something so shattering happens that she, too, may lose her grip. Set against the metaphorical backdrop of The Wizard of Oz (not a retelling), MELT is based on true events. A brutal love story, MELT is both a chilling tale of abuse and a timeless romance. It will hit you like a punch in the face, and seep into your soul. 

[REVIEW] Tin Lily

Series: N/A
Author: Joann Swanson
Genre: young adult, realistic fiction, contemporary
Published: July 14, 2014
Publisher: Cranky Owl Books

Just because you survive doesn’t mean you’re alive. 

One moment fifteen-year-old Lily Berkenshire is sitting in her bedroom, favorite song blaring through her earbuds, history book open on her lap. The next, her alcoholic father is shooting and killing her mother. Then he’s pointing the gun at Lily and pulling the trigger. Click. He’s out of bullets.  

For now.  

When she moves to Seattle to live with her aunt, Lily retreats into peaceful, dissociative trances to escape the shattered nightmare that is her life. Soon, though, she discovers a beautiful boy who wants to take her out, a therapist who wants to help her heal and new friends who believe she can find wholeness again.  

But her father wants something else entirely. He is hunting her and unless Lily confronts and heals the devastation inside her, she’ll forfeit her life to a father determined to end it.  

From the first shot to the final, terrifying showdown, Tin Lily is an edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller.

[REVIEW] JUDGE, vol3

Series: JUDGE #3 | Prequel: #1, #2
Author: Yoshiki Tonogai
Genre: manga, mystery, thriller, horror
Published: February 18, 2014 (first published January 1, 2010)
Publisher: Yen Press
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | Eiwa Manga (PH)

THE (COURT) HOUSE ALWAYS WINS. 

In the abandoned courthouse, to trust is folly. Is that the only strategy to staying alive in the twisted game underway within? When the time for the second judgment arrives, a ruthless decision is made to shocking effect. The sinners must accept reality… for idealistic notions have no place within these halls of cruel and swift justice… 

[STACKING THE SHELVES] this is my I'm-Not-Dead-Yet post

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted at Tynga’s Reviews.

Soooooo this is my I’m-Not-Dead-Yet and I’m-just-busy-with-school post.

Yes, yes, yes. Let me explain first. I’ve been busy with school. I’m studying quite hard. Sleeping a bit late than usual. Doing a lot of conceptualizing. My Graphic Design class is using up my non-existing creative mind. My Non-Linear Editing class is kind of inspiring me to do a lot of shooting and video editing. My Photography class is motivating me to pursue my life long interest. Since I’m having these great classes, I’m thinking of starting up my portfolio blog (hopefully you guys will follow it as well).

ANYWAY, let me now proceed to my new books and manga :) These are the only books I bought since my last Stacking the Shelves post.

Hand-Lettering Ledge: A Practical Guide to Creating Serif, Script, Illustrated, Ornate, and Other Totally Original Hand-Drawn Styles. Oops. Long title. It’s a guide book. It inspires me but I really hope there were a lot more details on how to do things.
Horrorstör. First time I saw this on instagram, I thought it was furniture catalog until more people started posting it then I saw it. That thing on the picture frames. I’m aiming to write my own take on this book. Hopefully soon :)
Fateful. This book my Claudia Gray had been one of the books I’ve been eyeing. Really glad to finally get my hands on it.
Attack on Titan vols 6-7. Where vol5 left of was at the middle of the 57th expedition outside the wall. I’ve watched it on the anime but the manga really feels different. I’m also aiming to write a review for this series soon (maybe after I read these two volumes).
JUDGE vols 3-4. I ordered up to vol5 but it still hasn’t arrived so yeah… I reviewed the first two and they were being somehow being slow. But these two? They just picked up the pace. Very thrilling! I’m going to post a review over the week.
My Little Monster vols1-3. I ordered up to vol4 but yeah… same as JUDGE. I don’t read shoujo manga but I decided to try this one. It’s rom-com anyway… I’m eyeing another shoujo manga and the English translation is completely published by Viz . Hopefully I’ll be able to get my hands on it soon (it’s around 16vols long, any guesses?).

[REVIEW] The Sham

Series: N/A
Author: Ellen Allen
Genre: young adult, contemporary, mystery, thriller, romance
Published: September 7, 2014
Publisher: Book Baby

When love leads to death, be careful who you trust… 

Eighteen-year-old Emily Heath would love to leave her dead-end town, known locally as "The Sham", with her boyfriend, Jack, but he's very, very sick; his body is failing and his brain is shutting down. He's also in hiding, under suspicion of murder. Six months' ago, strange signs were painted across town in a dialect no one has spoken for decades and one of Emily's classmates washed up in the local floods. 

Emily has never trusted her instincts and now they're pulling her towards Jack, who the police think is a sham himself, someone else entirely. As the town wakes to discover new signs plastered across its walls, Emily must decide who and what she trusts, and fast: local vigilantes are hunting Jack; the floods, the police, and her parents are blocking her path; and the town doesn’t need another dead body. 

WARNING: THIS BOOK IS UNSUITABLE FOR YOUNGER TEENAGE READERS. IT DEPICTS ADULT SITUATIONS, MURDER SCENES, CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SEX AND PROFANITY. 

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: The idea for this book came to me in a nightmare... It was so vivid that I imagined I was 17 again, at school, in the same group of 4 friends that I used to hang around with. We were involved in a murder and cover-up. I started writing partly as a way to get it out of my head and then the characters turned into real people... and Emily and Jack were born. 

As some of the early reviewers have stated, it is quite extreme in chapter one, and necessarily so. This is the incident that sets up the whole book; something awful happens that sets off a train of events for the characters. This book is a mystery in two ways in that we're: 1) trying to find out who killed Emily's classmate; and 2) trying to work out who Jack is. I hope you enjoy it!

[BOOK BLITZ] The Book of Ivy

Series: The Book of Ivy #1
Author: Amy Engel
Genre: young adult, science fiction, romance, dystopia
Publisher: Entanged: Teen
Published: November 11, 2014
Purchase: Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books│iTunes│Google Books

After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual. 

This year, it is my turn. 

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power. 

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy. 

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…

[STACKING THE SHELVES] Where did my vacation go?

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted at Tynga’s Reviews.

Hello,

I just bought these books the moment I went back to school (okay, I bought them last Saturday, my last school day for the week). AAND I’m really glad to finally get my hands on these two! Especially the 5th Wave!

The Perfectionists. This is my first Sara Shepard book. I never cared about her previous books because I thought that I won’t like them but really reading through their blurbs, maybe I just might like them. The Perfectionists is quite intriguing. I’m really excited to read this!

The 5th Wave. I HAVE BEEN MEANING TO GET MY HANDS ON THIS BOOK AND NOW I HAVE IT. I FINALLY HAVE THE 5TH WAVE. Enough with the allcaps. I don’t read alien books just because I’m not interested in them. At all. Of all sci-fi ideas, I think the idea of aliens is one of those I’ve been avoiding. And now because of all the people raving about this book, I just have to read this! (I’m definitely getting The Infinite Sea this coming week!).

{ FOR REVEW }

[REVIEW] Being Friends with Boys

Series: N/A
Author: Terra Elan McVoy
Genre: young adult, romance, contemporary, chick lit, realistic fiction, music
Published: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse

More than friends? 

Charlotte and Oliver have been friends forever. She knows that he, Abe, and Trip consider her to be one of the guys, and she likes it that way. She likes being the friend who keeps them all together. Likes offering a girl's perspective on their love lives. Likes being the behind-the-scenes wordsmith who writes all the lyrics for the boys' band. Char has a house full of stepsisters and a past full of back-stabbing (female) ex-best friends, so for her, being friends with boys is refreshingly drama-free… until it isn't anymore. 

When a new boy enters the scene and makes Char feel like, well, a total girl… and two of her other friends have a falling out that may or may not be related to one of them deciding he possibly wants to be more than friends with Char… being friends with all these boys suddenly becomes a lot more complicated.

[REVIEW] The Confidant

Series: Lost Locket of Lahari
Author: Janna Jennings
Genre: young adult, historical fiction, war
Published: October 7, 2014
Publisher: Patchwork Press

Purchase: Amazon

This book is also available in the LOST LOCKET OF LAHARI ANTHOLOGY. Save 50% versus buying the five books in the collection individually, plus receive an additional BONUS ORIGIN STORY! 

It began with a locket. Slipped to Emma as her mother is arrested by the Japanese police, the keepsake from her dead father contains much more than memories. In the final days of World War II, Emma is armed with stolen information vital to the liberation of Manila.  

Caught up in a confidant’s web of deception and lies, she finds herself suddenly a spy. The enemy hunts her as she makes her way to the American soldiers still hiding in the hills. Faced with the threat of capture and torture Emma wonders if she’ll ever see her mother again.

[TOP TEN TUESDAY] Books I Want to Reread

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and The Bookish.

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Books I Want To Reread (or if you don't reread...would reread in an ideal world)

I really want to reread books and I'll definitely reread a nice amount of them only if I had the time... sometimes I DO reread. I've reread Unwind a couple of times and I don't really mind rereading it again and again. I've also reread Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. But most of the times I just tell myself that I'll reread them and they don't happen (well not yet...).

[Waiting on Wednesday] The Book of Ivy

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming can't wait to read.

Series: the Book of Ivy #1
Author: Amy Engel
Genre: young adult, dystopia, romance, science fiction, post apocalyptic
Expected Publication: November 11, 2014

After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.  

This year, it is my turn.  

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power.  

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy. 

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…

[REVIEW] Dead Girl Walking

Series: Royal Reaper #1
Author: Ruth Silver
Genre: young adult, romance, paranormal, supernatural, fantasy
Published: April 24, 2014
Publisher: Patchwork Press

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Forget everything you know about grim reapers. 

Princess Ophelia Dacre sneaks out of the castle to visit her boyfriend in secret. A perfect night cut short when she's brutally murdered. 

Ophelia is given the rare chance to become a grim reaper. She must become Leila Bele, cut ties with her old life, and follow the rules of the reapers. Her greatest adventure begins with death.

[Waiting on Wednesday] Challenger Deep

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming can't wait to read.

Series: N/A
Author: Neal Shusterman
Genre: young adult
Expected Publication: April 21, 2015

Caden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench. 

Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior. 

Caden Bosch is designated the ship's artist in residence, to document the journey with images. 

Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head. 

Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.
Caden Bosch is torn. 

A captivating and powerful novel that lingers long beyond the last page, Challenger Deep is a heartfelt tour de force by one of today's most admired writers for teens.

[REVIEW] The Girl Who Came Back to Life

full tour schedule can be found at CBB Book Promotions

Series: N/A
Author: Craig Staufenberg
Genre: middle grade, fantasy, adventure
Published: April 16, 2014
Publisher: Createspace
Purchase: Amazon

A book about love and loss, and how to live in a world filled with both... 

When you die, your spirit wakes in the north, in the City of the Dead. There, you wander the cold until one of your living loved ones finds you, says "Goodbye," and Sends you to the next world.  

After her parents die, 12-year-old Sophie refuses to release their spirits. Instead, she resolves to travel to the City of the Dead to bring her mother and father's spirits back home with her.  

Taking the long pilgrimage north with her gruff & distant grandmother-by train, by foot, by boat; over ruined mountains and plains and oceans-Sophie struggles to return what death stole from her. Yet the journey offers her many hard, unexpected lessons-what to hold on to, when to let go, and who she must truly bring back to life.

[Book Blitz] Confessions of a Teenage Rape Survivor

full blitz schedule can be found at Itching for Books

Series: N/A

Author: Holly Dae
Genre: contemporary
Published: October 16, 2014
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Before she was raped, almost sixteen-year-old Allison Sommer knew exactly what she wanted and was in total control of her life. Get through high school, go to college to appease her dad, somehow stay fit, lithe, and athletic through all the stress and become a professional cheerleader. Normal teenage stuff. Simple. At least it was simple before she was raped.  

Now Allison's whole life is out of her control. She can't trust in her own choices, can't rationalize anything anymore, so she just goes through the motions, hoping that eventually she'll go back to normal, can stop pretending. That doesn't happen, especially when she's forced to reveal what happened to her family and closest friends. 

On the MTV commercials and reality shows that emphasize that she has nothing to be ashamed of and guide viewers to some website like don't-be-a-victim.comand a support hotline, no one warns her that the aftermath is more difficult than the rape itself, that her family's efforts to be supportive make her feel more alone and confused. 

And being raped has more devastating consequences than Allison ever imagined, forcing her to make one of the most difficult decisions she's ever had to make. It should be a no-brainer, everyone says, but being raped makes Allison question everything and everyone she thought she could trust. 

Either way, Allison won't let anyone force her to do anything again, not like her rapists did, even if it makes her already difficult enough circumstance more difficult. Uncensored and unflinchingly honest, these are the confessions of a teenage rape survivor.

[REVIEW] Following Zippy

full tour schedule can be found at Itching for Books

Series: N/A
Author: C.B.Burdette
Genre: young adult, realistic fiction
Published: July 2014
Publisher: Flower Child Publishing
Purchase: Amazon

At fifteen most kids only have to worry about their homework or the style of their shoes. Gabe Perkins isn't most kids. When diagnosed with a terminal illness, he begins to make friends with a girl so ethereal, he starts to question his own sanity.