Wednesday, November 28, 2012

[eBookWorm Diaries] November Reading List 1



11-23

Wicked

17:47. Oh my god, I'm having a crush with this Isaac too. I felt electricity too, though I think on a lower voltage than Emily's.

And speaking of Andrew, I do like him for Spencer Hastings. They'd be the perfect pair.

Ok. That was weird. Why do I like all of their boyfies. Lucas, Xavier, Andrew and Isaac. Oh girls. You are so lucky. Please don't screw this time.

11-26

Mark of Athena

12:00. I'm starting to hate reading series. I become so attached with the characters it's getting hard to separate reality from fiction.

Chapter XX. Octavian is such a PAIN in the ASS. Percy, you will always be my love...and Anabeth, my favorite demigod.

I bet Heracles may have gotten well with Percy and Anabeth.

Percy and Anabeth, you made me love you two so much. I swear on the River Styx, you'd forever be my OTP.

Oh please. Can we please stop the Percy-Jason rivalry?! It isn't exactly fun to read, you know?!

'I am not going to die here, she told herself. I'm going to see Percy again'

Stop! Stop! Stop! All the suspense and following the Mark of Athena thingy is killing me. Wait. Need a rest. Be back. xx

16:22. My oh my. I have a nagging feeling that Anabeth isn't part of the prophecy. That it IS Nico who is supposed to be the seventh. Oh Zeus, I am so dreadfully afraid. Should I read the ending ahead? Such a spoiler.

Oh, for the love of Gods. They are at Raphael's tomb. Reminds me of Angels and Demons. Harhar.

Chapter XLIV. I'm inching closer to the end. Damn it. I am literally squirming on my seat.

Why do giants give out some sort of aura that screams 'We are idiots'. Though I have to admit, it adds to the entertainment value.

AAAH! Mr. D, I've never been more thankful of your surprise appearance. Lol. Okay, I think I have to take that back. Puh-leez! Hopefully you'd change your mind.

That. Was. Heartbreaking. Mindboggling. Tearjerking. Ending. Not to mention a cliffhanger. Percy and Anabeth, that was so endearing, and beautiful, and courageous, and stunningly stupid, but very very very touching. I AM REALLY CRYING IN HERE.

19:29

Wicked

Hanna, you really had to screw your relationship with Lucas? Gahd. You never learn your lesson.

Oh finally! Someone learned how to deal with things, and finally, learned that it is better to tell the truth. And another finally...Spencer and Andrew. What a relief.

11-27

21:33. Ian's dead. Good luck Pretty Little Liars. Looks like A is on a killing spree.

P.S. Undecided whether to read the next book...or NOT!

High Five

Stephanie Plum, we meet again. But this time, I am NOT really looking forward to it. I just don't like the Stephanie-Ranger angle, I'm betting my bottom dollar on Joe Morelli for Stephanie...and Ranger, is all mine, or maybe Lula's. That would be epic.

Gradma Mazur. Entertaining as always.

Okay, so she KISSED Ranger in this book? And what? Possibly hooked up with him in the end? NO WAY! I am abandoning this book. And maybe the whole series. Drat! Maybe I'd get back to it when Janet Evanovich finally decides to end the series, with Stephanie and Joe forever and ever. I know, I know, a lot wants Ranger for Stephanie. But seriously? No way, Jose! I want Ranger for myself. NOT for Stephanie. Besides, I have this weird sentiments for first love, and some cracky things like that.

I guess this is it. The end of my November Reading List Part 2. All in all, it was a good list even though I had to abandon one.

December Reading List, you're NEXT.
Need to wait another 2 days. But I might be dead tired for the next few days so I guess it wouldn't matter.

Ciao!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

[ListVerse] The Year-End Reading List

5 Days and December comes. I've decided to pick one book published per month to constitute my Year-End Reading List. It's a mix of YA Contemporary and some series which I really wanted to start reading. Here we go:

JANUARY 

Ditched: A Love Story


Published: January 10, 2012


High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her. 

Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat handle first. 
Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice. 
Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom. 
And then ditched her. 

Now, as the sun rises over her small town, and with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven, Justina must piece together – stain by stain on her thrift-store dress – exactly how she ended up dateless. A three-legged Chihuahua was involved. Along with a demolition derby-ready Cadillac. And there was that incident at the tattoo parlor. Plus the flying leap from Brian Sontag’s moving car… 

But to get the whole story, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. And discover if losing out at prom can ultimately lead to true love.

FEBRUARY


Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles, #1)



Published: February 07, 2012


Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other

MARCH

Going Under

Published: March 01, 2012


Jessie Boone is a self proclaimed bad boy and doesn’t march to the beat of anyone’s drum, but his own. Growing up in less than desirable circumstances has made him no stranger to the hard knock life and his determination to leave it behind is fierce. When he finds himself transferred to East Franklin High School, he sees his opportunity to use his athletic ability to snag a college football scholarship, but Forbes Henderson, the player Jessie means to replace isn’t giving up his spot willingly. In fact, Forbes is willing to go to extreme measures to retain his place as first string quarterback. When Forbes’ malicious plan to injure his replacement fails, Jessie is furious and determined to show him he messed with the wrong person; not only is he going to take the position of first string quarterback, he’s going to take his girl, too.

Claire Deveraux is perfection at it’s best. She is beautiful, intelligent and unaware she just became Jessie Boone’s conquest as revenge against her boyfriend, Forbes Henderson. Like her flawless performance as the perfect daughter and student, Claire’s production of being the perfect girlfriend has everyone fooled, except Jessie Boone, and she fears this tattooed bad boy will see her secret desire to explore his crude threats and promises to rock her perfect world. If she decides to give in to one uninhibited moment with Jessie, will she learn too late that it was all an act of vengeance or will Jessie learn the taste of first love is sweeter than that of revenge?


APRIL

The Selection (The Selection, #1)

Published: April 24, 2012


 For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.


MAY

Easy

Published: May 24, 2012


A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.


JUNE

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)

Published: June 05, 2012


Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.


JULY

Such a Rush

Published: July 10, 2012


A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers. When I was fourteen, I made a decision. If I was doomed to live in a trailer park next to an airport, I could complain about the smell of the jet fuel like my mom, I could drink myself to death over the noise like everybody else, or I could learn to fly.

Heaven Beach, South Carolina, is anything but, if you live at the low-rent end of town. All her life, Leah Jones has been the grown-up in her family, while her mother moves from boyfriend to boyfriend, letting any available money slip out of her hands. At school, they may diss Leah as trash, but she’s the one who negotiates with the landlord when the rent’s not paid. At fourteen, she’s the one who gets a job at the nearby airstrip.

But there’s one way Leah can escape reality. Saving every penny she can, she begs quiet Mr. Hall, who runs an aerial banner-advertising business at the airstrip and also offers flight lessons, to take her up just once. Leaving the trailer park far beneath her and swooping out over the sea is a rush greater than anything she’s ever experienced, and when Mr. Hall offers to give her cut-rate flight lessons, she feels ready to touch the sky.

By the time she’s a high school senior, Leah has become a good enough pilot that Mr. Hall offers her a job flying a banner plane. It seems like a dream come true . . . but turns out to be just as fleeting as any dream. Mr. Hall dies suddenly, leaving everything he owned in the hands of his teenage sons: golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson. And they're determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business—until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers—and the consequences could be deadly.


AUGUST

The Boy Recession

Published: August 07, 2012


It's all about supply and demand when a high school deals with the sudden exodus of male students.
The boy recession has hit Julius P. Heil High, and the remaining boys find that their stock is on the rise: With little competition, even the most unlikely guys have a good chance at making the team and getting the girl. Guitar-strumming, class-skipping Hunter Fahrenbach never wanted to be a hot commodity, but the popular girls can't help but notice his unconventional good looks. With a little work, he might even by boyfriend material.
But for down-to-earth Kelly Robbins, the boy recession is causing all sorts of problems. She has secretly liked her good friend Hunter for a while now, but how can she stand out in a crowd of overzealous Spandexers?

As if dating wasn't hard enough without a four-to-one ratio


SEPTEMBER

What's Left of Me (The Hybrid Chronicles, #1)

Published: September 18, 2012


I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.


OCTOBER

Stealing Parker

Published: October 01, 2012


Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

After a scandal rocks their conservative small town, 17-year-old Parker Shelton goes overboard trying to prove that she won't turn out like her mother: a lesbian. The all-star third-baseman quits the softball team, drops 20 pounds and starts making out with guys--a lot. But hitting on the hot new assistant baseball coach might be taking it a step too far...especially when he starts flirting back.


NOVEMBER

Meant to Be

Published: November 13, 2012


It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for - gasp - the wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's the queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her ... well, pocket. Julia also believes in fate, and that Mark, her childhood crush, is her MTB - her meant-to-be.

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts ... from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to live a little along the way. And thus begins a wild-good chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.


A list full of variety. I'll try reading this in chronological order...and I truly hope that I'd be able to finish all of them and NOT abandon even one of 'em. Harhar.

PHOTO & Description: Goodreads

Saturday, November 17, 2012

[Book Rave] The Casual Vacancy - JK Rowling

The Casual Vacancy




Considered as one of the most anticipated and sought after book of the year, the first adult novel of JK Rowling revolves around a casual vacancy brought about by the death of Parish councilor Barry Fairbrother. The conflicts caused by his demise. To the council. To the community. To the families. To the people. To their selves.

Characters: 5/5

The best part of this novel (for me) is the characters. I have always been amazed by how JK Rowling come up with her characters. Especially in this book. The characters are very--human--there is just no other word to describe them. The characters are the type of people whom you meet on a regular basis. I don't know why, but it was the characters that made me love the book. I enjoyed putting my feet into their shoes...and trying to think the way they do.

Almost all of the characters left a mark on my head. Which doesn't usually happen. I tend to forget most of a book's character the moment I finish reading. But this one, is different. Even Pat, who only made what seemed to me a cameo, was very...uhm, remarkable.

But my most favorite character of them all was Parminder. Maybe because I find her lucky because she was Vikram's wife. No, seriously, I really did admire her...along with Samantha. Samantha may be a bit...I dunno...off, maybe. I like her because I thought she was smart even at the early part of the book.

Story/Plot: 4/5

When JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter series, she brought us AWAY from reality. It was a get away for all of us. But when she wrote The Casual Vacancy, she brought REALITY in our door step and slapped us with it.

Truth is, what I liked about the story was that IT was something that could happen to anybody, or it might be even happening to yourself. While reading it, I didn't think that JK Rowling was trying to make a statement, she was simply telling us a story in that detached tone of her. And afterwards, I just realized that she talked about a lot of social, moral, and personal issues we all have.

Another thing I liked about it is the unobvious distinction between the protagonists and the villains. In fact, I don't think there were any good or evil sides at all. Only humans. Humans who are capable of doing good or evil depending on their principle, their belief, their situations. It's up to us, readers, to decide on who's side are we on. I like it that we are given that choice.

Entertainment: 3/5

Wondering why I gave it a 3 when I'm obviously smitten by it? Simply because it's an adult novel and it IS given that in every adult novel there are at least a few parts in it where you find it dragging...quite boring, actually--to read. It's one of those things. Rule of the universe or something. But aside from that, I'm happy with the book. The time spent reading it was definitely worth it.

[eBookWorm Diaries] Novemberrific Reading List 4


11-08

20:54 - I'm supposed to go through my Novemberrific Reading List slowly. But how can I? When I know that every book included in it is part of my Uber-fave shelf in Goodreads? I don't really care about the Sleepless nights, I'm used to that. The problem lies with the fact that November has 30 days. It's still 8, there's 22 days left and I only have 4 books remaining for my NovRL. Goodluck with that. It might not even reach Nov. 15.

Flipped - Wendelin Van Draanen

'She barged and shoved and wedged her way into my life' [Juli, you go girl]

23:37. Done with 'Flipped'. Bookmarked a lot...and I still cried over some of the scenes. Gotta love Juli and Bryce. And Chet. XD

11-09

06:00. I know I'm doing this fast. But I can't help it. I can't.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

18:54. 'If I'm just The Guy With Norah, that's cool. Right now, that's all I want to be.' Oh Nick, that was so sweet. I'm swooning over here.

'We are making it through. Thank you, music. Damn you, memories. Thank you, present.'

11-10

11:50. Done with Nick and Norah's. I fvcking love it. Lotsa bookmarked pages. Nick and Norah are really good in words when they are not fvckin' cussing.

11-12 (happyKRUNGYday)

15:42. About to start Graffiti Moon. Eggcited much. xD
Oh wait. Pause. Let me listen first to Big Bang's EGO for inspiration.

Graffiti Moon - Cath Crowley

Still feels as good as the first time. I am so inspired by the words I am actually thinking of jotting down notes.

I need to find a place where I can read alone. Dang. It isn't a heartbreaking or emotional scene but I really feel like crying. Words, good and heartfelt words, do this all the time to me.

20:50. No doubt why it was a favorite.
Done with Graffiti Moon. Cath Crowley, you are one of the best.

21:52. The last book for my Novemberrific Reading List. This one lighter. And funnier. I want to end this birthday tribute celebration on a light mood, and romance.

Manhunting

Objective. Find Man. Must be Rich, Handsome, and Successful. [I can relate, except mine is something like: Objective. Find Man. Must be Funny, Smart, and Kind]

11-14

18:00. Last night I've finished reading Jen Crusie's Manhunting. And oh boy, oh boy. I love everything about it (of course! It wouldn't be included in this reading list if I didn't). Watched 'Sweet Home Alabama' earlier this afternoon and I can't help but feel that there is a bit of similarity between the two. The small town, both guys have more than what meets the eye, the ladies both realizing something important. Wow. Just wow. And the book inspired me to write a blog. Something about what girls need to find. XD

And THAT's it! The end of my Novemberrific Reading List! Ciao.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

[eBookWorm Diaries] Novemberrific Reading List 3


11-06

06:22 - The Da Vinci Code

Collet, you should've been le capitaine. You're obviously more reasonable than Fache.

Good to know that Langdon thinks that 'Sophie was clearly a hell of a lot smarter than he was.'

I wonder if I chose right when I included the Da Vinci Code on my Novemberrific Reading List. Yes, it's definitely one of my favorites...but I still plan to live long and the suspense it gives me probably lessen a few years of my life.

And here comes one of my favorite scenes. The Harvard classroom experience. I am always always looking forward to Langdon's recollections everytime I read one of his books.

Oh yes, the Divine Proportion. PHI. 1.618. It's nice to see you again.

I wish I had a grandfather like Jacques Sauniere. An art connoisseur, a lover of word play and a code afficionado.

"Life is filled with secrets. You can't learn them all at once." Jacques Sauniere

Note to self: look for Saint Sulpice and the Rose Line.

09:13 - a change of heart. I feel the need for some romance.

The Night Circus [2]

Fire and Light. The competition begins.

Oh Celia. How I wish to meet you.

Next thing to look forward to, the revelation! That umbrella scene is one of my favorites! Frankly, all the scenes where Marco and Celia personally interact with each other are favorites. They are so few they became precious to me.

'He wants to know everything about her. How she spends her time when not performing. How she interacts with her audiences. How she takes her tea. He cannot bring himself to ask Isobel these things.' - Oh Marco, that is so close to obsession.

Gosh! The suspense is killing me. Come on, let them meet again for goodness' sake!

Atmosphere. Celia and Marco in one room. *dies*

"May I make additions to it?" a different way of lovemaking.

The Magician's Umbrella. My favorite! One of! Hahaha.

"It's as if there is love and loss at the same time, together in a kind of beautiful pain" - Isobel [i wish I could write as good as Erin Morgenstern]

Finally! I fancy the UMBRELLA scene would have been enchanting if there was a movie adaptation for the book.

The house tour was perfectly written. Subtle. Teasing. Romantic. Full of unexpressed emotions. They merely touched hands but to me, the effect was very intimate. T___T

13:27 - The Da Vinci Code

Langdon, your humor in the time of crisis is astonishing.

Travel. Lodging. Cash. The Holy Trinity. What every fugitive needs. [a little knowledge won't hurt]

Oh Dan Brown, your casual mention of The Harry Potter. Thanks Jason Kaufman for thinking about it as the ultimate bestseller of all time.

11-08

13:53
Done with The Da Vinci code early this morning. Going back to reading The Night Circus and hopefully finish it today, then move on to Flipped.

The Night Circus [3]

"She is bending yourself into knots in your precious circus" - Hector Bowen

"The scars last longer than the games, you see" - Tsukiko

"Love is fickle and fleeting" - Tsukiko

"To win would be worse than losing" - Marco [the death of someone you love is worse than anything]

18:45
Done with The Night Circus. Still as beautiful as the first time. 

[eBookWorm Diaries] Novemberrific Reading List 2


11-05

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

By re-reading a book by Dan Brown, one that is part of the Robert Langdon series...I can't help but feel like I'm revisiting old friends. Friends who has been with me when I needed the diversion. Friends who has kept me awake at most part of the night. I wouldn't mind revisiting The Louvre, Westminster Abbey and all those other places in the story. A journey that would bring me closer to one of the most revered artist, Leonardo da Vinci.

Since I obviously know the outcome of this book, I can't help but pity Silas. I know, I know... He was..bad. But he can't help it, can he? All those things he did because he thought he was serving God...yes, some of the things he did were undoubtedly vile, but sometimes, religion...too much religion does this things to people. [better be spiritual]

Intermission: How I'd love to work for the Interpol. Hehe

The Louvre...how I wish I can visit you.

Note to self: look for a Salvador Dali painting

Ishtar...Astarte...Venus, good names.

Ok, another one I feel bad for. Sister Sandrine. Why must she die?

Da Vinci. I love you for your brilliance, but I love you more for your slyness.

I couldn't help but admire Sophie's courage. Girl power. Yay!

21:11- Need to read another book. One that wouldn't give me such a high adrenaline rush. I need to sleep and a Dan Brown book is certainly not the best sleeping draught in town.

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

21:18 - Isn't it great to sleep while thinking about a good and tragic thing as love?

Haf, please, do take note of the dates this time. You've left me utterly confused the last time. Yours, Twinkle.

'The circus arrives without warning.' and now, be amazed. [side note: Adele's Someone Like You on the BG. How appropriate]

Clever Celia.

Right, Marco [ryt? I've forgotten his name] first met Isobel. Doesn't suit me. Take me for a hopeless romantic but I think it would've been better if he met Celia first.

Marco and Isobel's first kiss. It broke my heart. [i'm loyal to Celia]

'A show without an audience is nothing, after all'

Truth Or Dare. And the confusion starts with this chapter.

FEARSOME BEASTS & STRANGE CREATURES. The tent sounded like something out of a Harry Potter book.

I think The Night Circus would've made a great movie, the problem is...how would the producer and director give justice to such magnificent and intricate story. Good luck with that.

Time check. 22:25. Please please. A little bit more. I can't sleep 'til Marco and Celia have met.

"I am already married" - Celia [this, without even knowing Marco]

Horology. Now I'm back to Germany. Pleased to meet you Herr Thiessen. And how I want to see the clock you made for the circus. I wonder how dreamlike it is...

Auditory. Is it what I think it is? The chapter where the two of them meet? Please let it be. Though I think I wouldn't be able to sleep even if I wanted to.

'For a moment, while they look at each other, he cannot remember what he is meant to be doing, or why she is handing him a piece of paper with the number twenty-three written on it in his own handwriting' It is! And Marco is dumbstrucked. Hahaha. One more thing for Marco, no need to stutter my dear boy.

Time check. 22:51. Now I can sleep with a smile on my face. I'll revisit the circus tomorrow night, maybe. x

  

Monday, November 12, 2012

[eBookWorm Diaries] Novemberrific Reading List 1



11-03

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

After reading about Rudy Steiner's death and Liesel Meminger's kiss, there was a part of me who died along with Rudy and a part of me who felt as useless as Liesel Meminger's kiss.

"As many mistakes as you want" - Probably one of the best things Max Vandenburg ever said. Or anyone for that matter.

'In truth I think he was afraid. Rudy Steiner was scared of the book thief's kiss. He must have longed for it so much. He must have loved her so incredibly hard. So hard that he would never ask for her lips again and would go to his grave without them' - Beautiful words. Sad sad words.

11-04 [Tabi's day]

'It kills me sometimes, how people die' - Death [I just need to write this. Words of wisdom, eh?]

'Three languages interwove. The Russian, the bullets, the German'

The bombing at Himmel Street. It isn't my first time to read this book, but damn if I didn't cried a river for these heartbreaking scenes. Rudy's last kiss, Liesel telling her Mama that she was goddamn beautiful in the moonlight, and Papa...Papa Hans and his accordion.

Whom did Liesel end up with? Max?

-

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife, - and so my Jane Austen journey began.

11-05 [izz my bday]

'She was at least free from the offense of Mr. Darcy's further notice; though often standing within a very short distance of her, quite disengaged, he never came near enough to speak' - Oh Mr. Darcy, you were quite obvious at this point. I pity you and I fancy I couldn't hate Mr. Wickham more at this point. The scoundrel! [ok, frustrated much.]

"Your mother will never see you again if you do NOT marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do." - Mr. Bennet to Lizzy [You did the right thing Mr. Bennet]

'...when the door opened, and, to her very great surprise, Mr. Darcy and, Mr. Darcy only, entered the room.' I swear I totally had to compose myself after reading this. Mr. Darcy and Lizzy, you make me so happy. [Ms. Austen really knows how to tease me]

"My dear, Eliza, he must have been in love with you, or he would never have called us in this familiar way" - Charlotte to Elizabeth [You couldn't have phrased it more truthfully dear Mrs. Lucas]

"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." - Mr. Darcy [I may have read this particular scene over and over and over again, but the feeling of giddyness that it gives me still feels like the first time I ever read Mr. Darcy's proposal to Ms. Lizzie Bennet]

"Far be it from me, my dear sister, to depreciate such pleasure! They would doubtless be congenial with the generality of female minds. But I confess they would have no charms for me--I should infinitely prefer a book" - Mary [Couldn't help but agree with her on this one. Mary is definitely a sensible girl.]

And now I'm spacing out. I can't believe I can read the words without even comprehending their meaning. Focus Haf!

"Yes...but that was only when I first saw her, for it is may months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance" - Mr. Darcy in reply to Ms. Bingley pertaining to her comment to Lizzie [Ah! I feel alive again]

'She was convinced that she could have been happy with him, when it was no longer likely they should meet' - sounds very much like regret Lizzy

Lydia is probably the stupid-est girl I've ever encountered. Imagine eloping with 'dear Mr. Wickham' aack!

"Why, if he came only to be silent, grave, and indifferent" said she, "did he come at all?" - Lizzie [Why, indeed, Mr. Darcy?]

The returning of the coffee cup scene. Oh my heart, it's so happy it could burst.

Ohmaygahd! I feel like a teenager. Haha. How good it is to be loved by you..you.. Lmao [I'm turning nuts!]

"You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever." - Mr. Darcy to Lizzy [love is definitely sweeter and lovelier the second time around]

Oh dear Mr. Darcy, you're like a boy when you are in love.

How hard it is to supress one's feelings in front of the person you love most? When you can't act the way lovers should. [Eek Haf, you saying that?]

Dear lovers, I'm almost choking due to your extreme sweetness for each other. I fancy I must be jealous.

A big big thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner then. 

[ListVerse] The Second Part of My Novemberrific Reading List

I am down to my last book (Manhunting) for my Novemberrific Reading List. Unfortunately, there are still 17 days left for the month of November, so, ta-dah! I've decided to make another reading list for this month. Consisting maybe of at least 5 (Might add some in the next days) books. (Need to give time for my guilty pleasures cough*chicklits*cough*contempo-romance*cough). And here it is.... (Books that I can't wait to read. December is such a long way ahead. These books are supposed to be part of my December 2012 reading list, but since I am dying of anticipation...might as well read them ahead of time. Who knows, what if the world really ends on December 21, I might not finish reading all of 'em. That would be b*tch.)


1. The Mark of Athena - Rick Riordan

The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus, #3)       

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare...


2. Wicked (Pretty Little Liars #5) - Sara Shepard

Wicked (Pretty Little Liars, #5)

In idyllic Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four very pretty girls just can't help but be bad. . . .

Hanna will do anything to be Rosewood's queen bee. Spencer's digging up her family's secrets. Emily can't stop thinking about her new boyfriend. And Aria approves a little too strongly of her mom's taste in men.

Now that Ali's killer is finally behind bars, the girls think they're safe. But those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. And they should know by now that I'm always watching. . . .

3. The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling 

The Casual Vacancy

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils...Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

4. Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2) - Laini Taylor

Days of Blood & Starlight

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war. 
This is not that world. 
Ar student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is--and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.
In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.
While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.
But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

5. High Five (Stephanie Plum #5) - Janet Evanovich 

High Five (Stephanie Plum, #5)

What’s Stephanie up to now?

Her Uncle Fred has disappeared. A body turns up in a garbage bag. She’s got a nasty bookie following her around town. Grandma Mazur has her hands on the stun gun. Stephanie can’t keep a car for more than forty-eight hours. Two men are trying to get her into bed. She has nothing to wear to the Mafia wedding. And there’s an angry little man (don’t call him a dwarf!) who won’t leave her apartment.

Bail jumping in Trenton is down to small potatoes. Stephanie’s only open case is a small bond for a small violation, committed by a small person who raises Stephanie’s frustration level in big ways. So short of money and long on bills, Stephanie comes up with a plan-–diversify! Signing on as an intern with entrepreneurial Super Bounty Hunter Ranger, Stephanie ventures into Ranger’s mostly morally correct and marginally legal operations.

None of this makes vice cop Joe Morelli a happy man. The cop in him can’t help but wonder as to the source of Stephanie’s expensive new cars. And the rest of him, the man who’s been friend and lover to Stephanie, can’t help but wonder if there’s more to the partnership than meets the eye.

The internship is downgraded to second priority when Uncle Fred goes missing. Even though Grandma Mazur is sure he was abducted by aliens, Stephanie sets out to look for Fred. He’s a perfectly average senior citizen, and he’s disappeared without a trace while running errands. He’s left his ten-year-old Pontiac station wagon locked up nice and neat in the Grand Union parking lot, the cleaning is carefully arranged on the back seat, and his wife is at home, waiting for him to return with the bread and the milk and the olive loaf bologna. Locked in the top drawer of his desk are photos of a body, dismembered and stuffed into a garbage bag. And locked away in the computer files of a another average citizen are the clues that will lead Stephanie to Fred.

Photos and Description: GOODREADS




Thursday, November 1, 2012

[Random] Nom de Plume


The sudden interest in pseudonyms came up because of 'The Marriage Plot'. I was reading the synopsis and George Eliot was mentioned, then I started wondering about his (i thought she was a guy at first and you couldn't blame me) works. So, I googled it and found out that George Eliot was a woman named Mary Ann Evans who used the said pseudonym to make people take her works seriously and to avoid possible discrimination. Then...I got curious as to the other pseudonyms used by different authors, good thing the ever-reliable Wikipedia has a list. Here are some 'interesting' pseudonyms used by famous and some not-so-famous people.

Anne, Charlotte, and Emily, popularly known as the Brontë sisters became the Bell sisters when they chose Acton Bell, Currer Bell, and Ellis Bell to be their respective pseudonyms.

Some authors are widely known by their pseudonyms rather than their real names, here are some of them;

Pseudonym  (Real Name)
Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel)
George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair)
Lewis Caroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson)
Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens)
Pablo Neruda (Ricardo Eliecer Neftali Reyes Basoalto)
Voltaire (Francois Marie Arouet)

On the other hand, some famous authors known by their real names adapt pseudonyms as well for different reasons. Some of these are;

Charles Dickens - Boz
Washington Irving - Diedrich Knickerbrocker
C.S. Lewis - Clive Hamilton
Agatha Christie - Mary Westmacott
Stephen King - Richard Bachman

I've also noticed some authors who used Letters as their nom de pleums like the famous J.K. Rowling (Joanne Kathleen Rowling), H.D. (Hilda Doolittle), Q. (Arthur Quiller Couch), N.W. Clerk (C.S. Lewis), and Professor X (unknown).

Of all the pseudonyms listed in Wiki, the one who caught my attention was this guy named William Connor. He was a left-wing journalist and used 'Cassandra' as his nom de pleum. The name came from the Greek legend. Cassandra was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo but was also cursed so that no one would believe her. A very ironic pseudonym for a journalist. In fact, I find it very clever.

If I would be given a chance to write in the future and choose my very own pseudonym, I'd want something that involves Letters or an Initial. 'T. C.' maybe, short for Twinkle Choi. Or 'T. Wink', argh sounds weird to me. Humor Har. Or better yet, why not my real initials... 'H. T. A.' sounds good to me.
Watcha think? Ü


P.S. It's good to be back!