Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts

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

Sunday, September 30, 2012

[Book Rave] Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles 1) – Marissa Meyer




 Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1)
The first book in the Lunar Chronicles series is a spin-off from my most favorite fairy tale in the world that goes by the title, Cinderella. It's all about this girl Cinder who lives in New Beijing with her evil step mother and of course the ever present stepsisters (though only one of them is mean). But Cinder is not an ordinary girl, she's a cyborg living in a world where Androids and Humans coexist and where cyborgs are, well, pretty much discriminated. And then there's Prince Kai, the oh-so-charming prince and future emperor of Eastern Commonwealth which Cinder had somehow gotten involved to.

When I first read about the book in Goodreads, I thought that the story has so much promise. You can still see glimpses of the original Cinderella stuff but Meyer twisted some and made the story her own. And let me tell you how much I love the way she wrote her characters.

Cinder; I love every bit of this fantastic girl. Of course I totally adore Cinderella and it's a given that I'd totally like Cinder. As Prince Kai said, she's the best mechanic in New Beijing, isn't that awesome? And then she's kind, brilliant, loving, and even funny. I like it that she's strong and knows when to fight and when to shut up. No doubt Kai totally fell for her (since there were no formal announcement, I’m just assuming here)

Prince Kai; Kai's character reminds me of that Prince Leonard character in one of those Japanese Cinderella anime, especially when he dressed up like a commoner and went to find Cinder and asked her fix his android. That was cute. I like the guy's sense of humor as well, and oh boy, he is the perfect gentleman. He's so noble I swear the Eastern Commonwealth should build him a monument or something. Lol

One of the things I liked about the book is how the attraction between the two unfolds. Really. The chemistry is so obvious I was squirming on my seat when they first met in the market and every other scene involving the two of them gave me maximum level of giddiness. Their interactions were just so cute and light, never overly dramatic...even the ball and stairs scene was just perfect for young readers like me who doesn't really want them heavy dramas.

Oh, and the supporting characters were just great. There's Ike the android, which you can't help but adore, faulty personality and all. Peony, the kind stepsister...I grieved and cried when she died in Cinder's arms. Dr. Erland who was, in a way, became Cinder's godfather. The story wouldn't be the same without these people.

And lastly, the antagonists; I know Adri was supposed to be the evil stepmother, but I can't help it if Queen Levana fitted the bill more perfectly that Adri.  Truth is, I dunno which between the two of them I should hate more since both of them want Cinder dead. But Queen Levana is definitely a scheming, lying, and mind controlling bitch. SHE is THE perfect epitome of the word EVIL. At least Adri is somehow capable of loving.

The ending was a cliff hanger and I honestly can't wait for the next book, and the next, and the next. Seriously, can't 2015 just come in the blink of an eye?

Monday, September 17, 2012

Birthday Month Reading List : Revisiting the Past

My Birthday month is fast approaching. Since I've decided to make my September reading list into a joint month reading list by making it my September-October reading list due to uber-busy-ness this month...I'm planning early for my reading list for my BIRTHDAY month which is on November.

My November-rific reading list will include books which I totally loved.
Nine books. Nine UBER-FAVORITE books for my Birthday month.
A treat to myself. Booyah!
I seriously can't wait for November to come.
My Reading List will serve as some kind of a consolation. LOL. You know, me, getting a year older. Naaah!

PS: One book per author only. Let's be fair, Hafsa, xD

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes #3)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Complete in nine handsome volumes, each with an introduction by a Doyle scholar, a chronology, a selected bibliography, and explanatory notes, the Oxford Sherlock Holmes series offers a definitive collection of the famous detective's adventures. No home library is complete without it.

Comprising the series of short stories that made the fortunes of the Strand, the magazine in which they were first published, this volume won even more popularity for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Holmes is at the height of his powers in many of his most famous cases, including "The Red-Headed League," "The Speckled Band," and "The Blue Carbuncle."


Graffiti Moon
Graffiti Moon

Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.



Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice
  "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."
So begins Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's witty comedy of manners--one of the most popular novels of all time--that features splendidly civilized sparring between the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet as they play out their spirited courtship in a series of eighteenth-century drawing-room intrigues. Renowned literary critic and historian George Saintsbury in 1894 declared it the "most perfect, the most characteristic, the most eminently quintessential of its author's works," and Eudora Welty in the twntieth century described it as "irresistible and as nearly flawless as any fiction could be."



The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2)
The Da Vinci Code
  An ingenious code hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci. A desperate race through the cathedrals and castles of Europe. An astonishing truth concealed for centuries . . . unveiled at last.

While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Even more startling, the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion—a secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci—and he guarded a breathtaking historical secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle—while avoiding the faceless adversary who shadows their every move—the explosive, ancient truth will be lost forever.


Manhunting   
Manhunting
The Night Circus                
Kate Svenson may be a dynamite businesswoman—but after three failed engagements, she’s decided she’s hopeless at romance. What she needs is a Business Plan to help her find Mr. Right. The Cabins resort is ripe with eligible bachelors, all rich and ambitious—just her type. But they’re dropping like flies, and after fishing Kate’s latest reject out of the swimming pool Jake Templeton is convinced that Kate is nothing but trouble. Especially for him. A man who’s sworn off ambition and a woman hanging from the top of the corporate ladder don’t have much in common. But in that unpredictable territory known as the heart, anything can happen 
                                     

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. 

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. 

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. 

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart
                                                                                               
                                                                                    
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
  It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who’s just walked in to his band’s show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City—and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.

This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be—and where the next great band is playing.

Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you’ll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go.

The Book Thief
The Book Thief
  It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.


Flipped
Flipped
  

Flipped is a romance told in two voices. The first time Juli Baker saw Bryce Loski, she flipped. The first time Bryce saw Juli, he ran. That’s pretty much the pattern for these two neighbors until the eighth grade, when, just as Juli is realizing Bryce isn’t as wonderful as she thought, Bryce is starting to see that Juli is pretty amazing. How these two teens manage to see beyond the surface of things and come together makes for a comic and poignant romance.






PS: Series are not included. And NO Agatha Christie's too. LOL

Photos and Descriptions: Goodreads




Sunday, September 2, 2012

30 Days Book Challenge - Day 29

Day 29 - An Author that you completely hate/avoid/won't read

DANIELLE STEEL and NICHOLAS SPARKS.

Don't get me wrong. I don't hate them. Actually, I love their books. So much!
I just stopped reading them because their books usually give me headaches. Hahaha.

#APrettyLameAnswer

Sunday, August 19, 2012

30 Days Book Challenge - Day 28

Day 28 - A book you wish you never read

By answering this, I'm confessing a sin. LOL

Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1)

Yes. Yes. Yes.
I've read it...but I haven't been able to finish it.
I feel so corrupted.
LOL

Sunday, August 12, 2012

30 Days Book Challenge - Day 27

Day 27 - Favorite Book in Young Adult Fiction

I am NOT going to say it's Graffiti Moon. I'd choose something different this time. Haha. It's actually part of my August 2012 reading list so I just read it recently. One of the best books I've read with VERY memorable characters.

Wonder

Auggie is just so LOVABLE.
The book showed me how there is still good in every one of us.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

30 Days Book Challenge - Day 26

Day 26 - Favorite book of your favorite writer.

Okay! Favorites! Goodness, I'm running out of answers in here. Yeap. I've read lots of books (not that I'm bragging) but I'm so sick of repeating myself since most of my favorite books came from my favorite authors. So. I dunno. Lemme think...think...think...

Aww yeah. I know. I'm collecting this series called "The Alphabet Series" written by Sue Grafton. And I do like Ms. Grafton. I just don't know if she's like...my favorite. Its just that I love Kinsey Millhone (that's the female heroine), I sometimes think that somewhere out there there's a real Kinsey Millhone living in some Santa Teresa town. So, since Ms. Millhone is a favorite, and she's a product of Ms. Grafton's great imagination, therefore it would be acceptable if Ms. Grafton will be a favorite too, right? Whatever!

So, I'd choose my favorite from the series:

Dodoong~~~

M Is for Malice (Kinsey Millhone, #13)

There. Question answered!




Thursday, August 2, 2012

Please Ignore Vera Dietz - A.S. King (The Quote Book 6)

Please Ignore Vera Dietz   

Gave this book 4-stars on Goodreads, but the truth is I'm itching to give this one a 5. Now why? I'm a sucker for happy endings, and the end wasn't really bad or something. Vera was fine with her Dad, Charlie's name was cleared...but somehow, for me that wasn't enough. I just felt really bad that Charlie had to die (Of course he must, that's what the whole story is all about) without even telling Vera that he loved her (so much it scared him). Yes, Vera eventually found out because of a stupid note. BUT a NOTE isn't really enough for me (Gawd! I can't believe how demanding I am).

Okay, the characters.

Charlie...This guy confused me. A lot. I think I actually went in the same emotions as Vera. I fell in love with the guy, seriously, who wouldn't?! His eccentricity only adds to the attraction. (Even though napkin-eating is sort of, gross). I hated him too. For a lot of things. For being a coward. The guy should've just told Vera that he loved her. He should've just dealt with his feelings for his best friend and not ran away from it and seek some comfort with that Jenny Flick (UGH. Major UGH!).

Vera...I like the girl. And her guts. And her ability to use "big words" as Charlie puts it so wisely. lol

James...I dunno why, but I wasn't really into James. Just like Charlie, I also didn't want Vera to end up with him even though that guy was kind of, nice, actually. I just don't. Period.

Jenny Flick...Really. Just three words for this girl. I HATE HER.

I've been raving about this book a lot on Twitter. And there's a lot of good quotes in the book which I've posted in there...and I'm posting in here (again!)

"I'd rather feel something for real than pretend it's not what it is."

'i want to tell her that the only thing you get from walling yourself is empty'

'i missed him long before he was dead, and that's the bitch of it all. I missed him long before he was dead'

'but you're still my best friend, Veer. You'll always be' - Charlie Kahn to Vera Dietz

'i felt a mix of wanting to kill him and wanting to kiss him at the same time'

...but somehow it was that not-like-us that made me love Charlie more.'

'even in death, Charlie is frustrating as hell'

'loving Vera Dietz was the scariest thing that ever happened to me'

“Is it okay to hate a dead kid? Even if you loved him once? Even if he was my best friend? Is it okay to hate him for being dead?” 

“The thing you don't see while you're still there on Earth is how easy it is to change your mind. When you're in it and you're mixed up with feelings, assumptions, influences, and misconceptions, things seem completely impossible to change. From here, you see that change is as easy as flicking a light switch in your brain.” 





30 Days Book Challenge - Day 25

Day 25 - Favorite Title

I'm the type of reader who judges the book based on its title, so for me, a great title is really an attraction. I don't really have a favorite among all the books I've read, but maybe I'd select some which amused me.

And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie: The title definitely summed up the whole book.

Why Didn't They Ask Evans? - Agatha Christie: The question which started it all. (In all fairness to Dame Christie, she really knows how to pick a good title)

Graffiti Moon - Cath Crowley: I simply love the title, it sounds so young and mysterious. Just like the book.

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak: Very catchy. Intriguing.

Para Kay B (o kung paano dinevastate ng pag-ibig ang 4 out of 5 sa atin) - Ricky Lee: Subtitle pa lang, sobrang benta na sa'kin. Plus, the title itself..Para Kay B...Hmmm (Let's just say that during the time this book was released, there is something special connected with the letter "B". Lmao. That's why me and my friends were definitely amused with this one)


Monday, July 23, 2012

30 Days Book Challenge - Day 23

Day 23 - Favorite Romance Novel

I love romance novels. They're my guilty pleasure. So I'd choose three books for this, one per romance sub-genre.

Historical Romance/Classic

Pride and Prejudice

Contemporary/Humorous Romance

Manhunting

Young Adult Romance

Graffiti Moon

I guess I have declared to the world how much I love these novels. No need to further explain myself here. Haha


Monday, July 9, 2012

30 Days Book Challenge - Day 22

Day 22 - Best Series

The HARRY POTTER Series. Hands down.

Harry Potter Boxset

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)  Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4) 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)


Photos from Goodreads



Monday, July 2, 2012

30 Days Book Challenge - Day 21

Day 21 - Best Contemporary

YA Contemporary

Graffiti Moon

YES! One of the BEST!

Contemporary Romance

Manhunting

My favorite Crusie. <3

Photos from Goodreads




Saturday, June 30, 2012

100 Things About Me


1. My full name is Hafsa Taha Arab
2. Born on November 05, 1991
3. You can call me Tha, Hafsa, Wholsa, Cita
4. I was once called “Twinkle” in dialect by my grandfather
5. I have four siblings: one brother and three sisters.
6. I am the oldest child.
7. My hometown is Cotabato City.
8. During my kindergarten years, my name used to start with “BAI” (princess), thus the origin of my "former princess" bio on Twitter.
9.I am A.W.K.W.A.R.D.
10. I love surfing the net.
11. I used to be a couch potato.
12. music-lover.
13. my favorite colors are pink, green and black.
14. My hair is black.
15. I love my skin even though I’m not fair.
16. Cooking makes me feel relaxed.
17. I started schooling at the age of two.
18. I finished BS Biology at MSU-GSC (Batch 2011).
19. I love swimming.
20. I wanna learn how to play any music instrument.
21. trying hard to learn the Korean language.
22. a K-POP fan.
23. a blackjack, hottest, VIP and elf.
24. I love Britney Spears.
25. I’m a little monster.
26. My father was from Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat.
27. My mother was from DOS, Maguindanao.
28. I never learned how to ride a bike.
29. I wanna drive my own car (in the future).
30. My childhood dream was to be a doctor.
31. I also dreamed of being a lawyer, journalist, and an astronaut.
32. i’m a frustrated singer.
33. I CAN’T dance.
34. Reading is my obsession (I know, I’m exaggerating)
35. I spend too much time in the bathroom.
36. I love flip flops.
37. The first (and only) manga I’ve finished reading was Daa!Daa!Daa! a.k.a. UFO Baby.
38. I love animes!
39. cheesy romance novels are my guilty pleasures.
40. I used to be really-really-really studious when I was young. (I guess I grew tired)
41. I love CHEESE!
42. I love fastfoods. Hot Fudge Sundae, Jolly Spaghetti and KFC Fries.
43. I’m afraid of being alone.
44. I love travelling.
45. Never been to Luzon and Visayas.
46. My dream destination is Korea.
47. I cried over Toby’s death in HP 7 p1
48. My most favorite local movie was One More Chance.
49. I super-LOVE Spongebob Squarepants.
50. I am NOT a Belieber, but I like his songs.
51. I heart Swiftie.
52. I dream to be Mrs. Choi Seung Hyun (that’s Bigbang’s TOP)
53. The first KPOP song I was able to sing along with was No Other by Super Junior.
54. I’m on Team Jacob (though I’m not a fan of the Twilight series)
55. My Kpop Bias: Bigbang’s TOP, SuJu’s Wookie, Sungmin and Eeteuk, 2PM’s Wooyoung, Shinee’s Key and 2AM’s Jo Kwon.
56. Other K-girl groups I like aside from 2NE1: BEG, f(x), Miss A
57. I DON’T watch horror movies.
58. I’m not really afraid of the dark, more of what’s in it.
59. I have a mild-PMS. (specially during my red days)
60. Chocolate is my HAPPINESS!
61. I’m a fan of David Cook, Jason Mraz and Bruno Mars
62. I usually make spontaneous decisions.
63. I love romantic-comedy films.
64. I admit, I STILL watch Barbie movies.
65. My most favorite Disney movie is Cinderella, I know the songs at heart.
66. My favorite OPM artist is NINA.
67. I love Spongecola, PNE and Calla Lily.
68. My favorite local love team is Bea and Lloyd.
69. I love all of Dara’s fanboys.
70. I cry over movies.
71. I love books which involves detective works and private investigation.
72. My favorite Bob Ong book is Kapitan Sino.
73. My wildest dream is to be an assassin. (duh, nangarap!)
74. I have my tantrums (usually at home).
75. As described by my Twitter username, i’m MEAN!
76. I have a Facebook, Twitter, Multiply, (now extinct) Friendster, Tumblr, Youtube, 2 Blogger accounts, and another WordPress account. (so yeah, i’m NOT addicted to the internet)
77. I used to be the smallest in the class (until Grade 6).
78. My favorite Lady Gaga song is Speechless and my favorite Britney Spears song is Quicksand.
79. I love taking pictures (of myself.)
80. I don’t “watch” my words sometimes.
81. I’m anything but REFINED.
82. never played street games when I was young (told you, I was more of a geek)
83. I used to act when I was in grade school.
84. I hate RATS.
85. i’m the only one in the family who is not a Pet-Lover. (but i have a cat named Zetsu)
86. My anime crushes: Touya (cardcaptor sakura), Kanata (UFO Baby), Fujima (Slam Dunk), Luffy (One Piece) Itachi, Gaara and Sasori (Naruto).
87. I LOVE DETECTIVE CONAN. (I want him to be paired with Ai Haibara)
88. My most favorite K-drama was Full House.
89. I cried when I first missed an episode of Meteor Garden (I was that obsessed)
90. I almost got drowned when I was 9 or 10 years old.
91. I wanna try Bungee Jumping.
92. I hate MATH. (because I’m not good at it)
93. I’m a LOUD person.
94. I love NOODLES! (YUM!YUM!YUM!)
95. When I’m watching Dora The Explorer, I usually follow her instructions. (WEAK!)
96. I cried over a “one-peso” before. (Yikes!)
97. the best theme song for me is: THE LAZY SONG – Bruno Mars
98. I know I can be STUPID sometimes.
99. My favorite fruit is APPLE!
100. I have read the COMPLETE Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and all of Agatha Christie's novels written under her name (Westmacott's not included).

30 Days Book Challenge - Day 20

Day 20 - Best Twist

And Then There Were None    Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot #10)

All Christie's. Read it and you'll love both.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

30 Days Book Challenge - Day 19

Day 19 - Best Thriller/Mystery

MYSTERY:

The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. My ultimate favorite!

The Complete Sherlock Holmes: All 4 Novels & 56 Short Stories

THRILLER:

The ROBERT LANGDON SERIES by Dan Brown.


Angels and Demons  (Robert Langdon, #1)  The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2) The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3)

The MILLENNIUM Trilogy, Stieg Larsson

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1)  The Girl Who Played With Fire (Millennium, #2)  The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millennium, #3)






Wednesday, June 13, 2012

30 Days Book Challenge - Day 17

Day 17 - The nerdiest book you've ever read.

Ready Player One

I'm a noob when it comes to video games and the 80's culture.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

30 Days Book Challenge - Day 16

Day 16 - A book you want to like, but can't get into for whatever reason. Why can't you get into it?

Divergent (Divergent, #1)

Veronica Roth's DIVERGENT

I didn't finished reading this one. I really wanted to like it since, well, almost everyone seems to like it except me. So, I promised myself to read this again...and maybe, just maybe, I'd like it this time. The first time I read this, it was immediately after reading the Hunger Games, so I guess I was kinda hung-over from that and I couldn't help comparing the two. This time, I'd read it again and I'll try to keep an open mind while reading it. Pffft! 

note: Ang gulo. Promise. Di ko naintindihan yung sinulat ko. Sakit ng ulo ko. Sakit sa bangs. 

Photo credits: Goodreads.com