BOOK BLURB: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)

SCARLET (The Lunar Chronicles #2)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Number of Pages: 452

Date Published: February 5, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction / Retelling

Goodreads:

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

My Thoughts:

BOOK BLURB: Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy #1)

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goodreads:

Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

***

Date Read: February 24, 2013
Rating: 4 Stars

Fallen angels? Bad boys? Where have we read that before? Aaahh… Everywhere!

Sweet Evil did not really capture my interest back when it was buzzing around goodreads. To read another angel book was not on my priority list, and the cover did not really tickle my tastebuds. Good reviews from friends and their adoration for Kaidan made me want to try and give it a chance. And I am thankful I did.

What I really like about Sweet Evil was the concept of what angels and the fallen ones do on earth. There are dukes powered by deadly sins and demons spreading havoc on earth, guardian angels who protect and watch over the human race, and the nephilims who are mostly sons or daughters of fallen angels. So nephilims are generally bad here because they all grew up with their fathers (or the duke of whatever sin that may be). Wendy Higgins created an interesting concept that sets the book apart from the other angel books I have read.

The flow of the story was also good. From beginning to end, it will really hold a reader’s interest if you’re into this kind of story. The ending surprised and disappointed me a bit, because I thought there would be more. Everything was just left hanging there without any explanation as to what, how or why. I was just a little bummed out by that.

Kaidan’s character is very interesting. Aside from the fact that he is extremely good-looking and talented, he is a good person considering that he was raised by the duke of lust. Anna, on the other hand, was a little annoying near the end of the book. She seemed too desperate, like she can’t hold back and be patient. But in general, she was okay. I actually admired her (and the book) for not being hypocritical when it came to matters related to the Almighty. It did not seem fake or forced.

All in all, a great read. I will definitely watch out for Sweet Peril this coming April.

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BOOK BLURB: Perfect Scoundrels (Heist Society #3)

PERFECT SCOUNDRELS (Heist Society #3)

Author: Ally Carter

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Number of Pages: 328

Date Published: February 5, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary / Mystery

Goodreads:

Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of loveable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it's that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting--or stealing--whatever they want. No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale's family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother's billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there's no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won't let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother's will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company's fortune. So instead of being the heir--this time, Hale might be the mark. Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she's willing to save her boyfriend's company if it means losing the boy.

*** 

My Thoughts:
(Date Read: February 19, 2013)

“I sincerely love that whenever anything is stolen anywhere in the world, YA readers think of me.”

That is one of the statuses Ally Carter posted on her Facebook page just a day or two after the Diamond Heist in Brussels. And I couldn't help but agree with it and say, “Yes, I do that too.” Why? Because Ally Carter has wrapped her readers around her finger. She has that ability to create a world where you want to be in.

BOOK BLURB: Showtime (Marvelle Circus #1)

Showtime by Chloe Kayne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Date Published: September 20th 2012
Length: 346 pages

Goodreads:

The grandeur of the traveling circus is at its peak in the early 1920s when sixteen-year-old Laila Vilonia is searching for an escape from her bleak future. Behind the gates of the legendary Marvelle Circus, she is thrust into a mysterious world she never knew existed—a paradise populated with outcasts. It’s in this glamorous new home that Laila sparks a controversial romance with notorious sideshow performer, "The Disappearing Man," and learns just how dangerous her new life can be.

Touring the picturesque eastern coast of America, Laila’s immersed in friendship, vaudeville, festivals, sequins, and serial killers. But behind the curtain, a sadistic plan is brewing that will crack the very foundation upon which she’s become so dependent.

***

Date Read: December 27, 2012
Rating: 3.5 Stars

Upon reading the summary of the book, interest immediately sparked in my brain. A teenage girl entangled in an eerie circus mystery and drama sounded like a page-turner, which I always like. And I am very thankful that the author provided me an ecopy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Showtime was a very descriptive book, which is great because it was able to give a vivid picture of what Marvelle Circus was like. Every detail of the scenery, of the set and of the performance was clearly depicted. It was as if you were watching the performance yourself. However, there were times that the lengthy descriptions weren't as pleasing as they ought to be. (Sorry, sometimes I just get tired with extremely long descriptions.)

The element of mystery was nicely built-up but didn't work for me as well as I thought it would be at first. Maybe because halfway through the book, it was still hard to tell which direction the plot is really going. It was confusing at times, whether the story was mainly about running away from her family, or the missing girl, or the mysterious guy, or the feature performance of the circus itself. I cannot figure it out. But in the end, the pieces were fitted together wonderfully. It wasn't predictable, and it will keep you guessing. But mostly, it will keep you in the dark and not reveal anything major.

The last few chapters to the end was beautiful and intense at the same time. Polarity was majestically showed through beautifully written words. The grandeur of the show was vividly showed. And the mystery and thrill heightened at the end. The book was wrapped up nicely leaving any reader, though a bit alarmed by the revelations, still satisfied.

The characters were well-developed too, each one different from another. My concern, character-wise, is Laila. She's very observant, but it would have been better if readers were able to feel her emotions, not just see what her mind thinks of. Thus, making the romance part of the book a bit bland. I do not know why, but Laila and Dex did not seem to have chemistry (from my perspective). I just didn't feel it throughout the book, except for the end. I did have doubts with their blooming relationship, but in the end it all played out well.

The downside of the book for me is that it was a bit hard get into it. I had a hard time finishing it, maybe because I wasn't anticipating anything. But all in all, it was a good book.

View all my reviews

COVER CRAZY: Time After Time (Time Between Us #2) + Giveaway

Was it just a coincidence or was it fate? That the moment I logged in on twitter, I immediately saw that  Time After Time's cover will be revealed in 30 minutes. This is the second book by Tamara Ireland Stone following the unusual "long distance" relationship of Bennett and Anna.

I have read Time Between Us (the first book) last year, and I did not know it came with a second book. This book has been one of my great reads of 2012. I loved it and I was satisfied with the ending. As much as I loved the ending of the first book, I still want to read more about Bennett and Anna. So, thank you Tamara for another story! :)

Here comes the second book...

Goodreads: 

Calling Anna and Bennett’s romance long distance is an understatement: she’s from 1995 Chicago and he’s a time traveler from 2012 San Francisco. The two of them never should have met, but they did. They fell in love, even though they knew they shouldn't. And they found a way to stay together, against all odds. 

It’s not a perfect arrangement, though, with Bennett unable to stay in the past for more than brief visits, skipping out on big chunks of his present in order to be with Anna in hers. They each are confident that they’ll find a way to make things work...until Bennett witnesses a single event he never should have seen (and certainly never expected to). Will the decisions he makes from that point on cement a future he doesn't want? 

Told from Bennett’s point of view, Time After Time will satisfy readers looking for a fresh, exciting, and beautifully-written love story, both those who are eager to find out what’s next for Time Between Us's Anna and Bennett and those discovering their story for the first time.

Now, the cover...

Both covers are very pretty. Simple yet pleasing to the eyes. At first glance, I think Time After Time will immediately catch someone's attention maybe because of the color. But to be honest, I prefer the subtle shades in Time Between Us. It just looks more elegant with its sky blue shades and horizon(?) landscape. Then, we have Time After Time. What I like with this one is that we can now see Bennett. He is bigger, closer, and clearer than the first book, which is very fitting with the plot. So, which is better? I think the crown goes to Time Between Us.

What do you think? :)

*****

Thank you to Young Adult Book Central (YABC) for the cover reveal.

GIVEAWAY:

Head on over to their site to win a copy of Time Between Us and a T-shirt! Click HERE.

CLOCKWORK PRINCESS Book Trailer

The long wait is over! EW.com has finally released the much-anticipated trailer of the third and final installment of the Infernal Devices trilogy, Clockwork Princess. This is Cassandra Clare’s other shadowhunters series set in the Victorian era; the prequel to the Mortal Instruments series which is, by the way, soon to be premiering on big screens this coming August 23, 2013.

I have been really waiting for this trailer to come out for quite a while now. Knowing that the girl on the cover of the book will also play Tessa in the trailer increased the level of anticipation and excitement. When I found out that the trailer was already released, I was immediately on “freak out” mode together with my sister. We were silently screaming in the middle of the night (different time zone from the US). But honestly, I was a little disappointed with the trailer. It wasn’t as grand as Clockwork Prince’s trailer. It didn’t have a lot of dramatization or teaser scenes that will make readers want to make time go faster and release the final book already. Also, it was a bit short. The nice thing about it, on the other hand, is that Tessa Gray (played by Kiersten Brada) narrates all throughout the clip. Yes, she speaks and she tells us bits about what might happen in Clockwork Princess.

It was good; somewhat intense due to the dramatic music and all that, but not as great as I expected it to be. But I did get creeped out with the Tessa's scene by the end of the trailer.

WATCH the trailer HERE!

Some screen caps from the trailer.

BOOK BLURB: Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story (Heist Society #2.5, Gallagher Girls #5.5)

DOUBLE CROSSED: A Spies and Thieves Story

Author: Ally Carter

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Number of Pages: 60

Date Published: January 22, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary / Mystery

Goodreads:

Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?

W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?

There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup.

Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour.

When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help?

The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new story. Get a behind the scenes glimpse as Ally delivers an irresistible thriller that is full of her signature style and savvy twists.

*** 

My Thoughts:
(Date Read: February 16, 2013)

What would happen if some of the well-loved characters from two of your favorite series meet? Well, Ally Carter’s Double Crossed would happen. A short yet satisfying novella about the high society lives of Macy McHenry and W. W. Hale V, plus a bit of Abby Cameron and Katarina Bishop.

BOOK HAUL: February 8, 2013 + Winner!

Another great book from Book Sale!

WILDEFIRE by KARSTEN KNIGHT

Cheap, looks brand new and the blurb at the back of the book sounds interesting.

Can't wait for shool to be over and start storming through my TBR pile :)

Goodreads:

Every flame begins with a spark.

Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her.

But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own.

With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time…

And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

**********

I just want to extend my warmest gratitude to Alishia from Treasured Tales for Young Adults for remembering the bookmark I have won from her blog. It has been more than a year since her contest and I really wasn't expecting to receive it at this point since months already passed. I figured maybe it got lost in the mail or she forgot that I won or something. But she messaged me and she still remembered. So yay! for Alishia.

It may not be a big deal for some but I really appreciated what she did. :) Thank you!!!

A signed Wander Dust bookmark

She even included a short message! (Sorry if the image quality is poor.)

THANK YOU!

Goodreads:

Ever since her sixteenth birthday, strange things keep happening to Seraphina Parrish.

The Lady in Black… burns Sera’s memories.

Unexplainable Premonitions… catapult her to other cities.

The Grungy Gang… wants to kill her.

And a beautiful, mysterious boy… stalks her.

But when Sera moves to Chicago, and her aunt reveals their family connection to a centuries old, secret society, she is immediately thrust into an unbelievable fantasy world, leading her on a quest to unravel the mysteries that plague her. In the end, their meanings crash into an epic struggle of loyalty and betrayal, and she’ll be forced to choose between the boy who has stolen her heart and the thing she desires most.

Wander Dust is the breathtaking fantasy that will catapult you through a story of time, adventure, and love.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

THIS IS A GREAT VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT! Enough said!

Thank you Cassandra Clare and Mortal Movie!

MAGNUS BANE

Spread the love on twitter:

#MagnusBane (currently trending worldwide) #ShareMortalLove #MagnusFeels

Character portrait for Magnus Bane from the upcoming movie The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. GODFREY GAO is just PERFECT for the role of MAGNUS BANE, don't you think? Aaaaash!!! I can't even think properly right now. This is just too much. (Sorry, fangirling over here.)

If you do not know Magnus Bane, it's okay. Just grab Cassandra Clare's City of Bones or Clockwork Angel, start reading and prepare to dazzled by this warlock.

COVER CRAZY: The Dream Thieves + Across A Star-Swept Sea

Just before Valentine's Day comes, two authors have given us a wonderful gift - cover reveal!!!

Earlier this day, Maggie Stiefvater, author of the Shiver trilogy, has unveiled the book cover of The Dream Thieves, sequel to her paranormal YA novel The Raven Boys. Then minutes before midnight, Diana Peterfreund also revealed the cover for the companion book of For Darkness Shows the Star, entitled Across A Star-Swept Sea. I really liked Maggie's The Raven Boys, and I fell in love with Diana's dystopian retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion through For Darkness Shows the Stars. One of my best reads of 2012.  So I was extremely elated when I saw that the sequel and the companion already had covers. eeeek!!!

To find out more about Across A Star-Swept Sea, the team from EpicReads has interviewed Diana Peterfreund. Click HERE.

So far, The Dream Thieves does not have it's blurb yet and I haven't scoured any vital information except that it will be out on September 17, 2013 

Book 1 (Left)          Book 2 (Right)

If I were to choose which book between the pair of books has the better cover, I would choose... THE RAVEN BOYS and FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS.

For The Raven Boys, I like how the first book only had one element on the cover. I still liked the cover for the second book. It is very suited for what might happen and the revelations in the second book. But I favor the "Raven without the Boy" cover better.

Okay! I'll admit it. I am in love with everything in For Darkness Shows the Stars. I think the first book's cover looks more magical (maybe because of the stars) than the second. The cover for the first book is just "breathless" beautiful, even though it is somewhat misleading relative to the story. The second book's cover is "sigh" beautiful. But I think this cover will be more fitting with the story.

So, what do you think? Comments?

MOVIE MADNESS: The Art of Getting By + Keith

I found time to watch two movies tonight. These were some of the movies my friends and I were planning to watch on Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, there had been change of plans due to unexpected classes. So I watched it myself. I'll begin with the one I least liked.

The Art of Getting By [2011]

Rotten Tomatoes:

The Art of Getting By stars Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) as George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who's made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work, who is befriended by Sally (Emma Roberts - Scream 4), a beautiful and complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit.

***

Date Watched: February 13, 2013
Rating: 2.5 Stars

Charlie [and the Chocolate Factory] meets Nancy Drew. That’s pretty much how I saw it in the beginning. Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts teaming up for a movie that I really did not quite internalize. Honestly  I felt like there’s a deeper meaning to what I actually saw but I just couldn't grasp it. I got bored a few times with the story. But I did enjoy watching Freddie and Emma on screen.

* Does anybody feel like Freddie still looks like that goody-goody little kid who won the 5th golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s factory? I guess I still see him like that. He has almost the same face as before, just a deeper voice and way way taller. It’s like little Freddie in a tall lanky body. Emma’s face hadn't changed much as well. Luckily, the adolescent stage was very nice to them.

** Yeah, not much comment on the movie. I did like George’s witty intelligence and his weirdness. Let’s stick with that.

*** Ooooh!!! By the way... EMMA ROBERTS will play LENA HALOWAY in the TV SERIES ADAPTATION of Lauren Oliver’s DELIRIUM.

Keith [2008]

Rotten Tomatoes:

Tiger Beat teen idol Jesse McCartney takes the title role in writer/director Todd Kessler's drama about a second-semester high-school senior named Natalie (Elisabeth Harnois), who believes she has life figured out until happening upon Keith, a troubled and unpredictable youth who begins to alter her perspective in ways she never thought possible. Keith is based on author Ron Carlson's short story of the same name.

***

Date Watched: February 13, 2013
Rating: 4 Stars

It was actually pretty good. Though if you try to think about the story, it kind of reminds you of the plot of another movie starring a Hollywood singer.

Anyway, back to Keith. Jesse McCartney plays Keith in the movie, a senior that acts like he does not care about anything in the world except his truck. He is suddenly paired up with Natalie in their chemistry class. She is smart, beautiful and quite popular. Their story starts there.

There are a lot of things I just like to comment on. First of all, Natalie. I don’t like her that much. She’s complicated and kind of annoying. She wasn't appealing in the beginning, but through the end, she eventually aligns herself. Next, the dialogues. Hmmmm... It does not have a lot of powerful lines that will make a mark on the people. And some of the lines delivered that should have made an impact to the viewers were a bit weak. Then, the trailer. PLEASE, if you do not want to spoil your watching experience, PLEASE DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILER. I watched it before I saw the movie and I kinda already know what’s going to happen in the end. Or maybe it’s just me. But still, I warn you.

Jesse McCartney was quite impressive in this movie. I’m not the best judge for acting skills, but I guess I can say that I liked how Jesse portrayed Keith’s character. He was actually great (based on my screwed up judgement biased by my teeny crush on Jesse).

So there!!! Keith everybody! A tear-jerker for some but not for me. It was touching and very emotional. Great!!!

Divergent 3 Update

A typical Divergent fan would definitely freak out (positively or negatively) with this announcement. Why? Because...

1. We partially know how the cover for the third book will look like. It's ORANGE!!! It's freaking Orange, which by the way, is my favorite color.

2. The cover is not complete. I don't know if you can even call it a book cover at the moment. But the point is that most fans (including me, sometimes) hate having to wait and being teased like this.

3. The third book will not go on sale (in the U.S.) until October 22, 2013. 

4. TITLE please. Fans are very eager to know what the title for the third book will be. Unfortunately, this teaser does not include the title. Is it really going to be Resurgent? Or will it be Detergent? What?

So, thoughts? Comments? Anything to say about this?

BOOK BLURB: Hopeless

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads:

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

***

Date Read: February 9, 2013
Rating: 4 Stars

Good… but I there were some low moments that I really did not enjoy reading.

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover is a story about finding the courage to face the past and embrace what you have become because of it. It is a story of love, of loss, of grief and of coping with everything in between. It is a story of bravery, sacrifice, selflessness and forgiveness. But most of all it is a story of finding “Hope.”

Colleen Hoover does not disappoint. She brought out great characters with interesting stories to tell. It’s the kind of story that wholly revolves around the two main characters. So it is understandable that readers only get to experience a few chapters with Six and Breckin. Sky and Holder’s relationship was also explained well.

The subtle mix of unexpectedness and predictability in the plot made Hopeless very satisfying to read. Once you start reading and it gets you thinking what’s wrong with them or what happened back in the past, there’s a sense of satisfaction when you know you guessed correctly. There is still also that element of surprise that most readers are looking for.

Though it was a nice book, there were moments while reading it that I felt like the story is a bit too much. There came a point when it was honestly too depressing to read more. It’s just too much sometimes. And since I already read quite a handful of books with the same line of plot as Hopeless has, I can't really find it affecting me that much. But thankfully, the story ended well.

View all my reviews

January Wrap Up!

One month down, eleven more to go!

Bye January! Hello February!

Let's take a look back to the things I have been up to on the first month of 2013.

FIRST:

My blog is now up and definitely running!!!

SECOND:

These are the books I have read in January. One of them actually is just a short story, but Goodreads still classifies it like a full-length book, so it is there. My goal this year: 75 or more books. so, 66 more books to read. :)

Although there were quite a few of books that received four stars in January (the highest I have given for the month), my best read for January, would have to be Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter. Most of the elements that I love in a story was present in the book. My disappointing read for January would have to be Annabel by Lauren Oliver. Why? Because I expected a lot from the novella and most of them were not met.

THIRD:

The books I have purchased!!! I bought five books in January, three of which are brand new (they are costly) and the other two were pre-loved books (bought them for less than half their original prices) Hopefully, I'll be able to buy/receive more books this year than last year.

I have already read An Abundance of Katherines by John Green last year. I bought it for the benefit of mys sister. :) The only book I have bought this January and read at the same month was Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. All the rest, I will get to them in a while (maybe a long while).

That's it! My first Wrap Up post! :)

(I'll try posting next Wrap Ups on the last day of the month.)