Feature & Follow Friday (7)

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly meme

hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read!

QUESTION:

 What blogger would you most like to meet in real life? Tell us about him or her.

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I haven't been around the blog universe that long, and I don't really have a particular blogger that I actually talk to all the time, or that I really (badly) want to meet in real life.

But to answer the question, I would like to meet some of the Filipino YA bloggers. It would be fun for us to meet up, and have like a Filipino Blogger Convention thingy. Some of the bloggers I would like to meet are the people behind The Soul Sisters, Amaterasu Reads, Book Whales, Bookshelf Confessions, The Twins Read and a lot more (check the sidebar).

Abby from Bookshelf Confessions has been very good to me. She's the one who encouraged me to blog again, and continue blogging. Thanks to her, Little Librocubicularist is alive.

Armchair BEA: Blogger Development

 

I have been running around the blogging community for more about 2 years now, joining giveaways, reading book reviews and whatnot. My sister knows about that because she has seen me sit for hours in front of the laptop scouring the blog universe for something interesting to read or win. So I told her, “Let’s blog together!” Unfortunately, my sister didn’t want to be part of my plan. She said she didn’t know how to write proper book reviews (As if I know how to write!), and it would take too much of her time blah blah blah. I didn’t want to do it alone. So there goes my plan to become a book blogger.

But I did not give up that easily. I tried to write reviews, and hopefully, my writing ability improved from the regular book reviews I have posted on Goodreads. I know writing isn’t my forte, but my eagerness to share what I thought about the books I have read pushed me to write. Sloppy, unorganized, some misspelled words, grammatically incorrect sentences, typographical errors – that’s what I often notice in my posts or reviews. Ways I tried to improve that? I just keep on writing. That’s it.

Armchair BEA Introduction

As the 2013 edition of Book Expo America gets underway in New York City today, the Armchair BEA team welcomes you to our fourth annual virtual conference! We're glad you're joining us to for the next few days, here and on Twitter, for networking, conversation about books and blogging, and opportunities to bring home some books--all without leaving your chair.
-- Armchair BEA Central.

This is my first time to join Armchair BEA. I'm a little bit nervous (I don't know why), but super excited for the upcoming activities/events. So, let's get this party started. :)

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? 

Hello! My name is teepee, a college student from a small city in the Philippines. I have had this blog since October of last year, but only started regular blogging January of this year. 

I have always wanted to own and manage a blog. But I never had the guts to start before because I doubted my ability to write articles, reviews or blog posts. Personally, I went into blogging because  like to get in touch with people who are of the same interest as I am. I also want to challenge myself with this “writing” thing.

Where in the world are you blogging from? Tell a random fact or something special about your current location. Feel free to share pictures. 

As I have mentioned, I am from the Philippines, particularly from the beautiful province of Albay. Random fact? Our house is about an hour away (by car) from the nearest bookstore. We live more or less 20 kilometers from Mayon Volcano. I wake up every day and see it through the window. It’s a beautiful scenery, and I love waking up to see it. 

Images from Google: See how small our province is. Don't be fooled by Mayon's beauty. It is an active volcano, and early this May we witnessed Mayon's phreatic explosion, spewing large amount of ashes and rocks all over areas near to it.

BOOK BLURB: The Book of Broken Hearts

The Book of Broken Hearts 

Author: Sarah Ockler 
Publisher: Simon Pulse
 Number of Pages: 352 
Date Published: May 21, 2013 
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Goodreads:

When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author of Bittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.

Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.

Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?

Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?

Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

***

My Thoughts:

I have been waiting for this book for months now. Why? Read the synopsis above. :) The moment I read that, I knew I had to read it as soon as it comes out. Basically, it’s about Jude and her older sisters making an oath to never get involved with another Vargas ever again due to the previous heart breaks her older sisters have suffered. Call it coincidence or fate, but it looks like Jude is being challenged, because she direly needs a mechanic that summer and she’s left with no other choice but to hire Emilio Vargas. Whoooopie! Sounds awesome doesn’t it? Yeah, it does. The perfect recipe for a cute summer romance.  And that’s what really drew me to the story. I’m dying to know how Jude will handle this situation. Will Jude choose Emilio Vargas over her three older sisters? Is she willing to break their oath, their blood pact, just so she could be with a notorious Vargas boy?

Now, if you’re looking for a fun, light, and carefree book filled with sweet summer romance, The Book of Broken Hearts is probably not the best choice. Because while it’s fun and has this cute teenage romance, it’s not carefree or light at all. It covers something that will touch some readers’ hearts deeply. In fact, Book of Broken Hearts is more than just the teenage love story, or the typical boy heart break. It's about family relationships as well, about making your own choices, letting go of what has been and moving on to what will be.

Jude and Emilio’s love story was a pleasure to read. They had their ups and downs. They had their fair share of good times and bad times, while constantly being watched by the sisters’ oath. But honestly, I was more interested in reading about Jude and her father’s relationship. What their future will become, how Jude will be able to cope, and all that. It was fun at times, often a little depressing and pitiful, but most of the time touching. The father-daughter moments are the ones I’m waiting for (not that I’m not waiting for Emilio and Jude’s lovey dovey moments). Also, it was pleasant to see how Jude grew in the story, how she was able to stand up for her choices and not become the girl overshadowed by her older sisters.

To sum up, a great read.  :)

View all my reviews

Feature & Follow Friday (6)

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly meme

hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read!

QUESTION:

The #FF is 150 weeks old! And we want to hear from you! What would you change about the hop? What do you like about it? Or just suggest a question to be used for next week!

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Congratulations for reaching 150 weeks!!! :)

I don't really have anything to complain about this blog hop. It's a great way to interact with other bloggers, read and discuss different opinions and gain new followers. 

Suggestion for next week's question: "If you weren't blogging about books, what would you blog about? Or would you blog at all?"

BOOK BLURB: Game. Set. Match. (Outerbanks Tennis Academy #1)

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Game. Set. Match Author: Jennifer Iacopelli Publisher: Coliloquy, LLC Number of Pages: -- Date Published: April 29, 2013 Genre: New Adult Romance   Goodreads:

Nestled along the North Carolina coast, the Outer Banks Tennis Academy is the world's most elite training facility. In this pressure-cooker environment, futures are forged in blood and sweat, and dreams are shattered in an instant.
Penny Harrison, a rising female star, is determined to win the French Open and beat her archrival, Zina Lutrova. But when her coach imports British bad boy Alex Russell as her new training partner, will Penny be able to keep her laser-like focus?
 
Tennis is all Jasmine Randazzo has ever known. The daughter of two Grand Slam champions, she's hell-bent on extending her family’s legacy and writing her own happily-ever-after...until her chosen Prince Charming gives her the just-friends speech, right before the biggest junior tournament of the year, the Outer Banks Classic.  
With a powerful serve and killer forehand, newcomer Indiana Gaffney is turning heads. She’s thrilled by all of the attention, especially from Jack Harrison, Penny’s agent and hot older brother, except he keeps backing off every time things start heating up.
With so much at stake, dreams—and hearts—are bound to break.

Stacking the Shelves (3)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! Hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

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It's been a slow week. I only have 2 books to add to my shelf. One is a newly-published novel, and the other has been around for quite some time.

Received/Won: 

Ctrl Z by Danika Stone

I received this book for review, with the help of Abby from Bookshelf Confessions.Thanks Abby and thank you to Miss Stone for providing a copy.

Bought:

Burning Up: On Tour with the Jonas Brothers
by Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas, Laura Morton

This is not a novel, I know. But it's a book, and it should count. :)

You don't know how much I freaked out when I saw this at Book Sale. I have been wanting to own a copy of the Burning Up book since it came out (BIG JONAS BROTHERS FAN HERE!!!). But it's so pricey and I really can't afford it. My mother would kill me if I spend more than a month's allowance just to buy a book about the Jonas Brothers. But after years of waiting, I finally found a good enough coprady at an affordable price. Yay me!!! hahahahah...

Feature & Follow Friday (5)

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly meme

hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read!

QUESTION:

School is out! What is your favorite Summer Reading book??

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I don't really have a "Summer Reading" book. I read whatever book I want to read for the day or for the week. It really depends on my mood. Sometimes I really like contemporaries, and other times I crave for some paranormal fantasy. So it depends...

By the way, classes will be starting again here in the Philippines 2 to 3 weeks from now. 

COVER CRAZY: United We Spy (Gallagher Girls #6)

Cammie Morgan and the gang from the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women are back for their final mind-boggling and nerve-racking mission before leaving their beloved boarding school and stepping out into the real world. The sixth and final installment of the Gallagher Girls series is scheduled to be released this coming September 17, 2013.

Guess what was revealed just a few days ago? THE TITLE AND THE COVER!!! And I can't even begin to describe how freaking excited I am for this book. So without further ado...

UNITED WE SPY

Here are the US (left) and UK (right) covers of United We Spy by Ally Carter.

Goodreads:

Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle’s elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie—and her country—forever.

BOOK BLURB: Requiem (Delirium #3)

Requiem

Author:  Lauren Oliver

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

Number of Pages: 391

Date Published: March 5, 2013

Goodreads:

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

***

Thoughts:

I was both excited and worried to read the third and final installment of Lauren Oliver’s Delirium Trilogy due to the mixed reviews I have been reading. Many have expressed their negative feelings toward the book. And though there are also a number of people who really liked Requiem, it cannot be denied that of the three books in the series, it has the lowest average rating on Goodreads.

What makes Requiem different from the first two books is that it was told in both Lena and Hana’s point of view. Lauren Oliver lets readers hear the voice of two very different people who are worlds apart: Lena, struggling and trying to survive in the Wilds; and Hana, trying to figure out life after being cured. Just like in Pandemonium, she wonderfully made both ends meet.

COVER CRAZY: Kinslayer (The Lotus War #2)

One of the books I have read last year that had a slightly different taste from the other books I have read was Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff. Though I admit that it took me a while to finish the book, I'm still glad to say that I liked it. It is refreshing -- something good and action-packed without vampires, werewolves or witches; something not set in America or in Europe; something that touches another culture and their beliefs. It was a very worthwhile read.

Now, what was really the first thing that made me pick up the book?

THE COVER! I love the US cover of Stormadancer. It is so awesome, so cool, so kick ass, so good  to look at. I swear, I just love that cover. I even set is as my mobile phone and desktop wallpaper for a few weeks. The UK cover was not that eye-catching, though.

You be the judge... Which is better? The US cover (left) or the UK cover (right)?
(Click the images to read the synopsis)

But now on to some more exciting news... KINSLAYER's cover, the second book from the series (not sure if this is a series or a trilogy or what), has now been revealed! And I love it! It looks like it came straight out of Japan, like some sort of Manga. Yukiko still looks as cool as ever with her tattoos while holding her katana (Is that correct? Sorry, I'm not sure).

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

I know I'm a bit late with my greetings. I just had a busy weekend and a busy Monday.
Happy Mothers Day to all Mothers, Mommies, Mamas, Nanays, Inays out there!!! We are all thankful to have such wonderful women in our lives.

Feature & Follow Friday (4)

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly meme

hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read!

QUESTION:

Happy Mother's Day! Who is your favorite mom from fiction?

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Mrs. Garrett from Huntley Fitzpatrick's My Life Next Door. If you haven't read it yet, and you like heart-warming family stories and you want a sweet dose of contemporary, you should definitely read this. Mrs. Garrett's family is funny and awesome, and they will surely put a smile on your face.

Also, Mrs. Weasley, but I feel like I'm cheating if I choose her because I haven't really read the Harry Potter series. My judgement is based from the movies. But she really is a bada** mom.

Kindly leave your #FF links in the comments below

so I can visit and follow your blog.

COVER CRAZY: Allegiant (Divergent #3)

Is Veronica Roth the best at revealing things or what? When she announced the title of Divergent's 3rd book, she (or maybe not her, maybe her publisher or whoever made her do it) made a video. Now, just to reveal the cover of Allegiant, she gets to be interviewed by Ryan Seacrest on Today. Wow! A cover reveal on television. Yeah, Veronica Roth is that awesome. But let's get to the best part, shall we? ALLEGIANT's cover!!

So, the third book is really orange. Is it really that orange? Or is this because of the quality of the image? It's a bit too bright when compared to the first two books, and that logo is not familiar. I can't wait to find out what this is all about. There's a few more months to go before Allegiant's release, so patience. 

If you have missed Veronica's interview, here is the video:

BOOK BLURB: This Is What Happy Looks Like

THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Publisher: Headline

Number of Pages: 416

Date Published: April 4, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Goodreads:

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

In This is What Happy Looks Like, Jennifer E. Smith’s new YA novel, perfect strangers Graham Larkin and Ellie O’Neill meet—albeit virtually—when Graham accidentally sends Ellie an email about his pet pig, Wilbur. In the tradition of romantic movies like “You’ve Got Mail” and “Sleepless in Seattle,” the two 17-year-olds strike up an email relationship, even though they live on opposite sides of the country and don’t even know each other’s first names.

Through a series of funny and poignant messages, Graham and Ellie make a true connection, sharing intimate details about their lives, hopes and fears. But they don’t tell each other everything; Graham doesn’t know the major secret hidden in Ellie’s family tree, and Ellie is innocently unaware that Graham is actually a world-famous teen actor living in Los Angeles.

When the location for the shoot of Graham’s new film falls through, he sees an opportunity to take their relationship from online to in-person, managing to get the production relocated to picturesque Henley, Maine, where Ellie lives. But can a star as famous as Graham have a real relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie’s mom want her to avoid the media’s spotlight at all costs?

Just as they did in The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, the hands of fate intervene in wondrous ways in this YA novel that delivers on high concept romance in lush and thoughtful prose.

*** 

My Thoughts:

From the very moment I read the synopsis of This Is What Happy Looks Like, I knew that I should have the book once it comes out. Who wouldn't want to read about a movie star exchanging e-mails with an ordinary girl? I fell in love with its plot in an instant and it went immediately to the upper part of my “To Be Read” list. Plus, I love the look of the bright sunny yellow cover with the silhouette of a couple in a small boat. And I also have a thing for long titles. Everything about this book screams “READ ME!” and luckily, I was able to snag a copy when it came out. So on to my thoughts…

MOVIE MADNESS: No Strings Attached

NO STRINGS ATTACHED (2011)

Lead Cast: Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher

Director: Ivan Reitman

Paramount Pictures

Romance-Comedy

Rotten Tomatoes:

In this comedy, Emma (Natalie Portman) and Adam (Ashton Kutcher) are life-long friends who almost ruin everything by having sex one morning. In order to protect their friendship, they make a pact to keep their relationship strictly "no strings attached." "No strings" means no jealousy, no expectations, no fighting, no flowers, no baby voices. It means they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, in whatever public place they want, as long as they don't fall in love. The questions become - Can you have sex without love getting in the way? And can their friendship survive?

*****

Movie Caution:
Contains mature scenes (sexual content) and language. 

While waiting for a large file to finish downloading last night, I entertained myself by watching a movie. I watched more or less the first ten minutes of several movies before finally deciding to watch a romance-comedy starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher.

This is a the story of an independent woman who is afraid to fall in love and get hurt and a man who is “annoyingly happy all the time.” They have met in a summer camp 15 years before, never really kept in touch but have bumped into each other on a few occasions. Now, an unexpected turn of events have caused both of them to get into a “friends with benefits” situation wherein deep feelings for one another is strictly prohibited, just a purel physical relationship. But we all know what’s going to happen… somebody eventually falls in love with the other and it messes up the friendship blah blah blah. As clichéd as it sounds, I still liked this film.

Stacking The Shelves (2)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! Hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

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Five more books to add to my nonexistent shelf.

Feature & Follow Friday (3)

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly meme

hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read!

QUESTION:

Give us a sneak! What are you reading? Tell us about a fun or fail scene in your current read.

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If you are my friend in goodreads, you will probably see that I am currently reading two books at the moment: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor and Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. I have been reading these books since mid-April (I think) and I just can't seem to finish them. I am halfway through Daughter of Smoke and Bone and on page 4 of Shatter Me.

I don't know why, but Akiva and Karou (Daughter of...) aren't really working for me. I feel no sparks or chemistry between them. So the sweet/romantic scenes are a bit of a failure. Maybe that would still change once I get to the great parts of the book.

Shatter Me is I don't know... A lot of people loved it, but in my third attempt to finish it, I still feel laz and bored. So, no comment on that. :)

As you have read, I am not reading anything fun, or I am not having fun with these books.

Kindly leave your #FF links in the comments below

so I can visit and follow your blog.