[STACKING THE SHELVES] MY FIRST SIGNED COPY! :D

Zodiac by Romina Russell | My Little Monster, vol4 by Robico | All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven | JUDGE, vol5 by Yoshiki Tonogai | We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Hello,

Things have been crazy for me. I have a stockpile of projects that need to be started ASAP. But I'm quite sure things will work out soon... I'm very glad to show my most recent and not so recent book buys. Over a week a go, I bought Zodiac and I can't wait to have the time to read it. The same goes for All the Bright Places! My last manga orders also arrived, I finished reading JUDGE, vol5 a couple of days ago. I'll post my review soon. AND just today, I was able to grab a signed copy of We Were Liars! YAY!!

{ FOR REVIEW }

The Witch of Napoli by Michael Schmiker | Silent Scream by Angela Marsons | My Day Light Monsters by Sarah Dalton | Mary Hades by Sarah Dalton | As Red as Blood by Salla Simukka | As White as Snow by Salla Simukka | The Merit Birds by Kelley Powell | Modern Rituals by J.S. Leonard

[REVIEW] Cinder

Series: The Lunar Chronicles #1
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: young adult, science fiction, fantasy, romance, retelling
Published: January 8, 2013 (first published January 1, 2012)
Publisher: Square Fish

Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time… 

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From the space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make a move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl… 

Sixteen-year-old Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past and is reviled by her stepmother. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. Because there is something unusual about Cinder, something that others would kill for.

[WAITING ON WEDNESDAY] Shutter

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

Series: N/A
Author: Courtney Alameda
Genre: young adult, horror, paranormal, ghost, thriller, romance, supernatural
Expected Publication: February 3, 2015

Horror has a new name: introducing Courtney Alameda. 

Micheline Helsing is a tetrachromat—a girl who sees the auras of the undead in a prismatic spectrum. As one of the last descendants of the Van Helsing lineage, she has trained since childhood to destroy monsters both corporeal and spiritual: the corporeal undead go down by the bullet, the spiritual undead by the lens. With an analog SLR camera as her best weapon, Micheline exorcises ghosts by capturing their spiritual energy on film. She's aided by her crew: Oliver, a techno-whiz and the boy who developed her camera's technology; Jude, who can predict death; and Ryder, the boy Micheline has known and loved forever. 

When a routine ghost hunt goes awry, Micheline and the boys are infected with a curse known as a soulchain. As the ghostly chains spread through their bodies, Micheline learns that if she doesn't exorcise her entity in seven days or less, she and her friends will die. Now pursued as a renegade agent by her monster-hunting father, Leonard Helsing, she must track and destroy an entity more powerful than anything she's faced before . . . or die trying.

Lock, stock, and lens, she’s in for one hell of a week.

[WAITING ON WEDNESDAY] City of Savages

Series: N/A
Author: Lee Kelly
Genre: young adult, science fiction, dystopia, thriller,
Expected Publication: February 3, 2015

It’s been nearly two decades since the Red Allies first attacked New York, and Manhattan is now a prisoner-of-war camp, ruled by Warden Rolladin and her brutal, impulsive warlords. For 17-year-old Skyler Miller, Manhattan is a cage that keeps her from the world beyond the city’s borders. But for Sky’s 16-year-old sister, Phee, the P.O.W. camp is a dangerous playground of possibility, and the only home she’d ever want. 

When Sky and Phee discover their mom’s hidden journal from the outbreak of the war, they both realize there’s more to Manhattan—and their mother—than either of them had ever imagined. And after a group of strangers arrives at the annual P.O.W. census, the girls begin to uncover the island’s long-kept secrets. The strangers hail from England, a country supposedly destroyed by the Red Allies, and Rolladin’s lies about Manhattan’s captivity begin to unravel. 

Hungry for the truth, the sisters set a series of events in motion that ends in the death of one of Rolladin’s guards. Now they’re outlaws, forced to join the strange Englishmen on an escape mission through Manhattan. Their flight takes them into subways haunted by cannibals, into the arms of a sadistic cult in the city’s Meatpacking District, and, through the pages of their mom’s old journal, into the island’s dark and shocking past. Sky and Phee are dependent on each other, and their ragged posse, for survival, but as their feelings grow toward the handsome English boy Ryder, love and jealousy threaten to break them apart. 

While primarily a thriller, City of Savages is also a story about the many meanings of sisterhood, told across two generations of New York women—those who survived a terrible tragedy, and those who were raised to live in its aftermath. 

[TOP TEN TUESDAY] Book Buying Habits

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

This Week's Topic: FREEBIE!

Dropping by the bookstore is like a hobby to me. Sometimes I just like being there, staring at the books I plan to get or eyeing on books I'll check out when I get home. But the best thing I like about going to the bookstore is buying books (like DUH!).

I sometimes tell myself that I'm picky about the books I buy but sometimes I doubt that that's true. Sometimes I just buy books on a whim. Sometimes reviews make me want books. Sometimes popularity makes me buy books. ANYWAY, I found myself thinking about what books do I really buy THEN my mind went to how do I choose the books I buy THEN to my book buying quirks.

SO here're ten things I do when I go to the bookstore! LOL.

[1] I instantly go to the YA section of the bookstore THEN scifi-mystery-thriller THEN classics THEN general fiction. That order. ALWAYS! Unless I'm looking for a particular book.
[2] I checkout EVERY SINGLE BOOK on the store before decided on what to buy. Again, this happens unless I already have something in mind. But sometimes I just checkout stuff anyway in case I there're new books.
[3] I don't always read book blurbs when I'm in the bookstore. It's just because they're annoyingly long! and there's a ton of books on the store! and I have so little time in my hands! If I've never read the book's blurb or a review at home, I just checkout the cover, the title, browse the blurb if it's so freaking long, or just quickly check it out on goodreads :P
[4] I unconsciously stay in the bookstore for at least 1hr. How else can I check every book if I'll stay less than an hour? (well unless I drop by that bookstore every single week or every other day or whatever).
[5] I only buy on local bookstores - physical stores and one online manga store. Other than those, just no. although I really want to buy on BookDepository or Amazon or somewhere (but my parents will definitely not approve of using my credit card for international book buys. PLUS there's the customs thing.. or whatever problems they encounter there. bleh! but I'll probably buy OL once I graduate from university).

[BOOK HIGHLIGHT] Final Life

Series: the Transhuman Chronicles #1
Author: Rose Garcia
Genre: young adult, fantasy, paranormal, romance

Publisher: FML Books
Published: January 8, 2014 (first published May 15, 2012)
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Nothing sucks more than being forced to move cross country during senior year. And Dominique Wells doesn't think things can get any worse until she's invited to a quirky neighbor's party. When pressured into playing a magical card game, Dominique's world goes from sucky to terrifying. She begins having visions of a red desert and an evil presence--a presence who hints at past lives and promises to kill her.  

Plagued by fear and suspicion, and unaware of a family secret kept hidden from her, Dominique is determined to live. Together with a mysterious and gorgeous guy who's moved in while his parents are away, and a hot, popular guy from school, Dominique must seek clues to her past if she's to survive. That, and keep her emotions in check for the two guys she suddenly can't stop thinking about because if she doesn't, she'll be dead. For real.

[REVIEW] The Body Electric

Series: N/A
Author: Beth Revis
Genre: young adult, science fiction, dystopia, romance
Published: October 6, 2014
Publisher: Scripturient Books

The future world is at peace. 

Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift--the ability to enter people's dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother--to help others relive their happy memories. 

But not all is at it seems. 

Ella starts seeing impossible things--images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience--and influence--the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love--even though Ella's never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing... 

Someone's altered her memory.

Ella's gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn't even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella's head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.
So who can she trust? 

SPECIAL EDITION WITH EXTRA CONTENT AVAILABLE FROM BN, KOBO, and IBOOKS

[REVIEW] The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Series: N/A
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Genre: young adult, contemporary, romance, realistic fiction
Published: January 2013 (first publish January 2012)
Publisher: Poppy Hachette Little Brown and Company

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything? 

TODAY SHOULD BE one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan’s life. Having missed her flight, she’s stuck at JFK airport and late to her father’s second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley’s never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport’s cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he’s British, and he’s sitting in her row. 

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more? 

Set over a twenty-four-hour period, this is a cinematic novel about family connections, second changes, and first loves.

[REVIEW] Meet Your Baker

full tour schedule can be found here

Series: A Bakeshop Mystery #1
Author: Ellie Alexander
Genre: adult, contemporary, mystery, cozy 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… 

"Sure to satisfy both dedicated foodies and ardent mystery lovers alike." –Jessie Crockett, author of Drizzled with Death 

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… 

"Alexander weaves a tasty tale of deceit, family ties, delicious pastries, and murder.” ―Edith Maxwell, author of A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die

[TOP TEN TUESDAY] 2014 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn't Get To

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

This Week's Topic: 2014 Releases I Meant to Read But Didn't Get To.

Every year there're A LOT of books I really want to get and read. But of course getting all of the is freaking impossible especially when you're in my country (unless I start ordering online which is quite impossible for now).

This list consists of 2014 releases I wanted to read but wasn't able to because I don't own them yet.

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall. cute romance told in multiple POV.
The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters. nothing but positive reviews. with my great enjoyment of Winter's In the Shadow of Blackbirds, I'm quite positive that I'll love this one as well.
SYMBIONT by Mira Grant. this is one of the 2014 sequels I'm itching to get and I can't find it in my local bookstore :(
UnDivided by Neal Shusterman. okay, I haven't actually read UnSouled but I'll just cross my fingers I'll be able to get them both at the same time because I really, REALLY need to know what happens after UnWholly.
Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang. I NEED TO GRAB THIS SOON. I've been seeing this in the bookstore a lot but my eyes randomly lands on another book which for some reasons I'd rather get. oh well.

[STACKING THE SHELVES] Back to Hassling

Hello,

One of my goals for 2015 is post reviews regularly and for some reasons, I just started my year on the wrong foot. I guess it'll take me a lot of work to consistently post... I'll be doing my best then especially with a very hectic class schedule ahead~

This past couple of week's new books are...

Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick. This book sounds like my name (Czarina)… lol. Anyway, it’s a Russian fantasy book.. the title literally just caught my attention :P
Tesla’s Attic by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman. I’ve been meaning to get my hands on this Shusterman book. I know it’s a middle grade books but who cares? If it’s written by Neal Shusterman then I’m reading it!
The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey. I haven’t read The 5th Wave which I bought a couple of months back. But still, I’m pretty sure I won’t regret getting this 2nd book without even reading the first one :P
The Manifesto of How to be Interesting by Holly Bourne. Kind of a last minute addition to this stack. I've been seeing this and thought it was kind of interesting. Checked it on goodreads before buying and something tells me it's going to be worth it :)

[WAITING ON WEDNESDAY] The Conspiracy of Us

Series: N/A
Author: Maggie Hall
Genre: young adult, mystery, contemporary, thriller, romance
Expected Publication: January 13, 2015

To fight her destiny as the missing heir to a powerful and dangerous secret society, sixteen-year-old Avery West must solve an ancient puzzle in a deadly race across Europe. Forbidden love and code-breaking, masked balls and explosions, destiny and dark secrets collide in this romantic thriller, in the vein of a YA DaVinci Code.

Avery West's newfound family can shut down Prada at the Champs-Elysees when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war. 

They are part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle of Twelve, and Avery is their missing heir. If they discover who she is, some of them will want to use her as a pawn. Some will want her dead.  

To thwart their plans, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the landmarks of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul and through a web of ancient legends and lies. And unless she can stay one step ahead of beautiful, volatile Stellan, who knows she’s more than she seems, and can decide whether to trust mysterious, magnetic Jack, she may be doomed after all.

[TOP TEN TUESDAY] Most Anticipated Debut Novels for 2015

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

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Most Anticipated Debut Novels for 2015

The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall. I've scheduled this for my WoW tomorrow just because I'm too excited for this! 

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. I saw mixed thoughts about this book but I'm still too excited to explore this new world.

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga. I've excited to read this ever since I saw this. Suicide-related story that gives off a hint of inspirational. I'm just in love with those kinds of stories.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. Not my usual read but I'm really pumped up to pick this one up.
Shutter by Courtney Alameda. Something tells me that this is just my type of horror. Heard it's comparable to Fatal Frame which is like one of the scariest game I've seen!

[BOOK BLITZ] Atlantis Rising

Series: N/A
Author: Gloria Craw
Genre: young adult, fantasy, paranormal, contemporary, new adult
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Published: January 6, 2015
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iBooks

I am different. I have always been different, but no one can know or my life will be in danger. So I hide in plain sight, wearing drab clothes and thick glasses and trying to be invisible. I’m so good at hiding, no one has ever noticed me. Until Ian…the mysterious and oh-so-cute boy I know I need to avoid.

Now I have been seen. And more terrifying still, I am wanted—by those who would protect me and those who would destroy everything and everyone I love. But if they’re all terrified about who I am, wait until they see what I can do…

czai's Winter 2015 Anime List!

Hello,

I’d like to start my 2015 fresh. 2014 was low on anime for me and big on books. This time around I’d like to balance both of them. Give them equal space on the blog. And just have fun exploring more of both.

I haven’t watched a single anime since the first week of October 2014. I have my personal 2015 Anime Backlog Challenge wherein I’ll watch series aired and completed during the previous years. With that in mind, I’d also like to pick up a few shows throughout 2015. While this season’s lineup isn’t really that interesting, I think that there are still some stuff worth checking out.

I’m so excited to watch the most awaited sequel of DURARARA!! I really have so much love for Narita Ryohgo’s works and seeing the whole of DURARARA!! is like a dream come true. In a glance, the line up doesn’t seem to really sparkle but taking a closer look, I’m definitely keeping my eyes out for Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata just because it sounds like the type of slice of life series I love watching. THE ROLLING GIRLS’s synopsis also makes me curious of it. It sounds pretty interesting in my opinion. And maybe Death Parade’s going to be one of my highlights for the season. It’s horror, thriller, psychological and hopefully a nice series to keep me thinking all night when I marathon it after the season.

Aside from the series I’m hoping to see, Junketsu no Maria’s and Binan Koukou Chikyuboueibu LOVE!’s synopses pretty much piqued my interest because of their uniqueness. They’re so unusual and in some ways ludicrous that I just want to see what’s up with them. I’m also glad to see that the third season of DOG DAYS is finally airing (after seeing the news for S3 years back). AND the third season of Kuroko no Basuke is certainly one that I don’t want to miss. It’s this part of the manga that I never read. With the manga’s pacing, I was so sure that it won’t just end but seriously? It ended. Guess the anime will be my way to see how it was concluded.

[REVIEW] JUDGE, vol4

Series: JUDGE #4 | Prequel: #1, #2, #3
Author: Yoshiki Tonogai
Genre: manga, mystery, thriller, horror
Published: June 24, 2014 (first published November 22, 2011)
Publisher: Yen Press
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | Eiwa Manga (PH)

YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES PLAYING THIS GAME. 

Do the clues discovered in a new room herald nothing more than a new despair? Soon, the brutal sentencing of the third judgment is visited upon the participants. Who here is the victim, and who the perpetrator? Until all is revealed, time is on no one’s side…

[REVIEW] The Vines

Series: N/A
Author: Christopher Rice
Genre: adult, horror, paranormal, thriller, fantasy, supernatural
Published: October 21, 2014
Publisher: 47north
Purchase: Amazon | B&N

From the mind of New York Times bestseller, Lambda Award Winning author, and Bram Stoker nominee Christopher Rice comes a harrowing new supernatural thriller that will hook readers to the final page. 

The dark history of Spring House, a beautifully restored plantation mansion on the outskirts of New Orleans, has long been forgotten. But something sinister lurks beneath the soil of the old estate. 

After heiress and current owner Caitlin Chaisson is witness to her husband’s stunning betrayal at her birthday party, she tries to take her own life in the mansion’s cherished gazebo. Instead, the blood she spills awakens dark forces in the ground below. Chaos ensues and by morning her husband has vanished without a trace and his mistress has gone mad. 

Nova, daughter to Spring House’s groundskeeper, has always suspected that something malevolent haunts the old place, and in the aftermath of the birthday party she enlists Caitlin’s estranged best friend, Blake, to help her get to the bottom of it. The pair soon realizes that the vengeance enacted by this sinister and otherworldly force comes at a terrible price.