BOOK BLURB: Annabel (Delirium #0.5)

Annabel by Lauren Oliver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Goodreads:

Lena's mother, Annabel, has always been a mystery—a ghost in Lena's past. Until now.

Discover her secrets in Lauren Oliver's brilliant original digital story set in the world of New York Times bestsellers Delirium and Pandemonium.

Lena Halloway's mother, Annabel, supposedly committed suicide when Lena was only six years old. That's the lie that Lena grew up believing, but the truth is very different. As a rebellious teenager, Annabel ran away from home and straight into the man she knew she was destined to marry. The world was different then—the regulations not as stringent, the cure only a decade old. Fast forward to the present, and Annabel is consigned to a dirty prison cell, where she nurtures her hope of escape and scratches one word over and over into the walls: Love.

But Annabel, like Lena, is a fighter. Through chapters that alternate between her past and present, Annabel reveals the story behind her failed cures, her marriage, the births of her children, her imprisonment, and, ultimately, her daring escape.

***

Date Read: January 8, 2013
Rating: 3 stars

Who is Annabel apart from being Lena's mother? What really happened to her? And why did the cure not work?

I was hoping all those questions would be answered upon reading this short story, if not clearly, then atleast give readers a hint, because is all about Annabel Haloway. Sadly, my questions weren't completely answered.

Here, Annabel was portrayed with many different faces - a rebellious and reckless teenager (I love her like this!), a strong and passionate woman, and a very loving mother (So sweet and kind, like a mother should love). It was all there. A brief story about her past and how she met Conrad Haloway, which was disappointing by the way. Nothing really much happened to them. But there were still some parts I found cute, though lacking in some ways.

Included also were the days of being imprisoned in the Crypts and the escape of Anabel, which weren't really that exciting at all.

Now, why wasn't she really cured? I still don't know. I'm still hoping this will be answered in the 3rd book.

That's it, I guess. 3 stars :) A bit disappointed because I expected more.

The "Then" and "Now" chapters are back! :D

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BOOK BLURB: Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2)

UNCOMMON CRIMINALS (Heist Society #2)

Author: Ally Carter

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Number of Pages: 298

Date Published: June 21, 2011

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary / Mystery

Goodreads:

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. 

There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

*** 

My Thoughts:
(Date Read: January 3, 2013)

Even though I still like the Gallagher Girls series better than Heist Society, I think the latter series has great potential to reach GG's level on my list. What can I say? Ally Carter has a way of making readers love her stories and her characters. I know I'm really starting to like the Heist series, and I definitely enjoyed reading Uncommon Criminals.

Ally Carter, as usual, was able to put in a bit of action, a pinch of humor, a subtle yet very satisfying romance, friendship and family drama into one helluva-book about thieves! *clap clap* I don't know how she does it. Maybe she's a really a Gallagher Girl, or she's secretly stealing paintings from Henley. But seriously, her books are awesome!

So... Uncommon Criminals. Here, Kat struggles with a lot of things - her own issues, her family, the heist-gone-wrong, and HALE! Kat and Hale's relationship is really interesting, even though there aren't sooo much sweet talks and smooching. It was subtle, but very satisfying. Aside from that, one of the great things I love about Ally's books is there is always something about families.

February 2016 Update: This 2012 review has been somewhat updated to suit the format and the layout of the blog. No major change has been made with my review. The thought, and most of the words I used back when I wrote this review is still the same. Only some minor editing, like deleting unnecessary words, phrases, expressions and emoticons.

BOOK HAUL: January 1, 2013

Happy New Year everyone!!!
So the on the first day of 2013, I visited National Bookstore. And look what I found...

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassndra Clare

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by Joh Green and David Levithan

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

BOOK BLURB: Every Day

Every Day by David Levithan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

In his New York Times bestselling novel, David Levithan introduces readers to what Entertainment Weekly calls a "wise, wildly unique" love story about A, a teen who wakes up every morning in a different body, living a different life.

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl. 

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan, bestselling co-author of Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

***

Date Read: September 29, 2012

Can I just say that I am extremely distraught after reading Every Day? Not in a bad way, of course. Wow! I cannot express clearly how I feel about A after that ending, which was beautiful but was heart-breaking at the same time.

I'll start with the ending... I find the ending very satisfying and beautiful, relationship-wise. I didn't know how their relationship would play out eventually. I didn't know how they would resolve their issues, but the ending David Levithan gave was enough for me to feel content with the story. Even though I still had some questions about A, I guess I the book made me believe that some questions are better off unanswered. :) Some people might not like the ending that much, but I really did. If I you're the kind of person who easily tears up, you'll probably be crying after reading this. And to the very admirable A, I salute you!

What I also like about the book was how insightful it was. It gave me glimpses of the lives of different people with different personal issues. That's one of the things that kept me going. I was curious who's the next person to be inhabited by A.

Now, as much as I want to say I love every moment of the book, I can't. Because I didn't. At first, I had issues with A's feelings and personality. But that went away after a few chapters. I was also struggling a bit with the first few chapters because I can't seem to get into my reading mode (I guess that's just me, not the book. Hahahaha...)

Amazing book! Recommended to everyone. :D

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teepee J

BOOK BLURB: Before I Fall

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

***

Date Read: September 10, 2012

Sam Kingston and her friends are the popular girls in school and they get away with most of the things they do. They skip classes, make fun of people, etc... the usual bitchy stuff. Yes, they are definitely annoying and frustrating to the point that you'd want to hit each one of them on their heads. But when Sam dies one night and wakes up on the same day for the next seven days, she eventually gets a better look of everything around her.

Simple words cannot describe how I feel about this book. If you have ever read any of my rants about books, I usually say that a great book makes you feel a lot of things. And yes, I felt so many different emotions while reading Before I Fall. I felt annoyed, a little disgusted, pity, sorrow, and a bit of thrill. It made me furious at some point, but eventually, it touched my heart and I know it will leave a mark there. But most of all, I felt the love - the love for family, the love for friends and finding the love from someone who's really worth it.

The story, I think, is realistic (or atleast close to reality). I really find the idea of waking up for seven days on the last day of your life intriguing (not really the word I'm aiming for). Somehow, it makes you think of the possibility of that idea. What if that's how death or dying really works out? You repeat your last day over and over again until realization and acceptance hits you. Generally, it's not a depressing story about life and death (which I thought it was before). For me, I guess it's about  how you come to see yourself through others. It's hard to explain, but I guess that's how a great book leaves you - at a loss for words. :)

Before I end this simple pseudo-review, I just need to say that I love Kent! *I don't know if the succeeding sentences will count as a spoiler. Please just read with caution. Hahahaha...* He is such a wonderful guy and I kinda hate Sam for ignoring him all those years. But atleast her real senses came back and she finally sees Kent for the first time in years. I always get those tingles in my stomach when Kent and Sam have their moments. Awww...:)

There! So much love for Before I Fall. I felt satified with everything. It started and ended just right. FIVE MAGNIFICENT STARS! :)

*By the way, I love the seventh day! :)

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teepee J

BOOK BLURB: Wanderlove

WANDERLOVE 

Author: Kirsten Hubbard 

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Number of Pages: 338

Date Published: March 13, 2012

First Published: March 8, 2011

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Goodreads:

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry to this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

*** 

My Thoughts:
(Date Read: September 6, 2012)

A few of the reasons why I really enjoyed and loved Wanderlove:

1. The Setting. That's number one for me. The way the story was told, it's like you've been transported instantly to Central America, feeling like a backpacker yourself.

BOOK BLURB: My Life Next Door

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

***

Date Read: September 1, 2012

I decided to be bold and give My Life Next Door FIVE STARS!! :D This is probably just because of the reading hangover, but the who cares? We all experience that sometimes.

Let me get back to my point: I LOVE every word and every moment of this book. Yes, I may be overreacting which might be another effect of the book/reading hangover. My feelings might change after a few weeks. But right now, I'm totally overwhelmed by my admiration for this book.

My Life Next Door is basically about family, friends, love and life. It started out light and funny, progressed and got a little rough, which really makes you hold on to it and continue reading. I've felt so many different emotions while reading this and I know that's a good thing. :)

There are a lot of things to love about this book. Aside from the plot, some the characters are hard to get off your head. Some of the ones that I really like are:

(1) George and Patsy are one of my favorites - the walking encyclopedia boy, or in George's case, the walking Discovery Channel and the baby who has a breast preference and who's first word is boob. They are like little disasters waiting to happen, but because they are cute little toddlers, they get away with it.
(2) Andy and bada** Alice!!
(3) Tim!!!
(4) Jase and Sam (of course!)

The Garretts, in general, are the ones I really love. Although they are quite noisy chaotic because of their number, they are a family. And there's nothing better than a family that stays together and loves each other. Awwwww!

Now, Jase and Sam! How perfect!? Their relationship wasn't hurried or forced at all. It went slow and steady. There were a lot of make-out sessions, but please don't blame them. They are normal hormonal teenagers. Hahahahaha! It was cute and simple but you can feel the tingles all over. It just makes you wanna sigh and think about them. Individually, they are both wonderful people. But Jase is just too good to be true. He is just too nice, and extremely loving to his family, and he's handsome, and he can fix things and... Oh I remember! He is a fictional character. hahahaha!

The ending was cute, but I wasn't really satisfied with it. I thought there were some things that still needs to be told or elaborated. But yeah, it was more than okay, but not to the best I've read.

I would type more things about the book, but I'm afraid I might spoil those who haven't read it yet. So I guess it will end here. :)

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