Know the number of your days!

Intermission!

Yeah, just reminding everyone.

Have a great day ahead! :D

BOOKS TO READ FOR THE NEXT 3 MO.S

I have been despicably busy with school recently (with my capping ceremony just around the corner) and found no time to read, write and to read some more. I have three titles on my wait list and am feeling a little too drained to produce something worth the time of the day. So my schedule pretty much consists of school, church, sleep on my way home, homework and more sleeping. Hardly have the freedom to jog early in the morning as I always had back in the summer. But albeit the always assiduous lifestyle I'm currently living, I have no doubts I'll still be able to enjoy my hobby in the weeks to come. So just in case, I'm filling up my notebook with a list of must reads for the next three months. So in no particular order...

1. Anna and The French Kiss

Stephanie Perkins

December 2, 2010

I'm not too thrilled because of the title but someone told me that it's a nice read and because I trust the person's taste, I'm gonna give it a go.

Genre: YA Contemporary, Romance, Culture, School, Hormonal

2. The Fine Art of Truth and Dare

Melissa Jensen

February 16, 2012

Plotline not that unusual but I'm willing to give it a try to see if the goodreads list is trustworthy. Yes, it involves French and YA again. Gosh, the hormones.

Genre: YA Contemporary, Romance, Culture, School, Hormonal

 

3. Graffiti Moon

Cath Crowley

February 14, 2012

 I'm gonna take a chance with this book. It has A+ reviews and everybody's saying the book synopsis is nothing compared to the beauty of this read. So that got me interested and now I'm really looking forward to reading this book.

Genre: Art, Romance, YA Contemporary

4. The Catastrophic History of You and Me

Jess Rohtenberg

February 21, 2012

I am now ready for a tear jerker. The plotline seems worth my time and I'm raising my expectations on this one. I'm not merely signing up for a fun read but for drama--the hardcore type. Bring it!

Genre: Drama, Romance, YA Contemporary, Death, Fantasy

5. Protecting Truth

Michelle Warren

Unreleased, 2012

Anticipating. Hopefully the 2nd installment of the Seraphina Parrish trilogy would be available in the next three months. I adored the first book. I'm a bit disappointed with the cover though >_<

Genre: Romance, YA Contemporary, Fantasy, Action

6. The Selection

Kiera Cass

April 24, 2012

Interesting plot. Yay, royalty :D

Genre: Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy

7. The Storyteller

Antonia Michaelis

January 1, 2012

They had me at "a dark, haunting, contemporary story that is part mystery, part romance, and part melodrama." Seems interesting.

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary

Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight by Jennifer Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Series: N/A
Author: Jennifer Smith
Genre: YA Fiction, Romance, Contemporary
My Rate: 1/5 a disappointment
Published: January 2, 2012

"Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?" 

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row. 

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?
Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. (Goodreads.com)

CHARACTERS || Disappointed. They promised me an assumed ultra hot British boy named Oliver for goodness' sake! He failed to deliver Ever heard of a charming, sarcastic roll of an amputee (insert Augustus)?! Yeah people should quit with the Gary Stus and multiply the Augustus / Jace / Logan types! So fine, he wasn't that dull and boring but I EXPECTED SO MUCH MORE! As for the female, she seems okay (the typical female I guess) again not ooohsome as I imagined her to be.

WRITING || Prose. I'm not a big fan of prose and this made me even less of a not-a-big-fan.

OVERALL || Disappointed. That's what I am with the entirety of this book. I mean ANYONE would expect a promising (John Green style) tale with a title as intriguing as this. It sadly, did not even come close to meeting my expectations. For a supposedly very eventful 24-hr story, it was otherwise. It's not even about love at first sight anymore. The title "Secretly Bitter Teen with divorced parents (and a little airport love)" would be a much more suitable title for this. TSK TSK TSK. Some call it a plain ol' romance story, it really is. PLAIN. OLD. ROMANCE.

Book Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society
Series: The Mysterious Benedict Society Series
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Genre: Children's, Mystery, Adventure
My Rate: 4.3/5  exceeded expectations
Published: September 1, 2010

Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children—two boys and two girls—succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help.  (Goodreads.com)

CHARACTERS ||The characters are awesome, albeit young, and well-crafted. Grand commendations to the author for such well-thought of young geniuses! They're peculiar and I was inspired to learn the Morse Code after reading this book.

WRITING || Can't remember much of the writing style but I know I enjoyed it so it must be pretty good.

OVERALL ||The best children's book ever! (and according to Julia Roberts in Mirror, Mirror, ever is a very long time) I generally don't like reading books with such childish covers, if it weren't for my friends' very PERSUASIVE persuasion, I wouldn't have bothered. But woe if I hadn't given in! The predicaments were exorbitantly stressful. I was jumping up and down literally! There were moments, especially during the long but equally exciting climax, where I felt hopeless. But then BOOM BAM! This read is for adults too! One of the few books I am still able to remember (as I read this nearly two years ago). READ IT!

Book Review: Silver Frost by Kailin Gow

Title: Silver Frost
Series: Frost Series (#3)
Author: Kailin Gow
Genre: YA Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Humor
My Rate: 3/5 so, so
Published: December 22, 2010

Breena, the beautiful half fairy, half human princess from Oregon, has ascended to her rightful place in Feyland, as Queen of the Summer Kingdom. Secretly in love with her intended Winter Prince Kian, now Breena is faced with the realization of war, and the possibility of Kian as her greatest enemy.

CHARACTERS || Slowly losing interest. Breena is torn between kingdom and love. If I were her I'd choose the former, but it's up to you to find out what really happened.

WRITING || Again with the cliff-hangers, will they ever stop? Oh yeah, I might be late in saying this but if you're not a fan of Wicked Lovely and the likes, then this isn't the book for you. It's similarity is alarming but in my opinion, I like the writing better here. And that is from a non-biased perspective. If it were otherwise, I'd say I like Wicked Lovely better because I read it first. Muahaha!

OVERALL || Again, skipped the whole intro. It's just a retelling of the story and I get bored with it (since I read it as soon as I finish reading the sequel).

Book Review: Forever Frost by Kailin Gow

Title: Forever Frost
Series: Frost Series
Author: Kailin Gow
Genre: YA Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Faerie,
My Rate: 3/5  good enough
Published: September 1, 2010

Breena's entry into Feyland is marred by danger and beauty. A prisoner in her own palace, she longs to see and touch her forbidden prince Kian. Yet her heart is also still with her friend Logan. In a stunning turn of events, Breena suddenly finds herself faced with the most heartbreaking decision in her entire life.  (Goodreads.com)

CHARACTERS ||Breena's character developed and my love for the non-typical Ice Prince Kian grew. The other monarchs were also put in the picture which is great. Still feeling sorry for poor Logan though. I am convinced of him being a dead cause.

WRITING ||  Dialogues are still as sophisticated and highfalutin as ever.

OVERALL || I skipped the whole intro because it's all just ramblings about what had happened prior to this book. It picks up exactly where Bitter Frost left. And I guess Breena is kind of decided on who she wants now. Conflicts are presented and resolved too fast. The ending is still a cliff-hanger.

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Series: N/A
Author: John Green
Genre: YA Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Humor
My Rate: 4.7/5  a book I'd read over and over again
Published: January 10, 2012

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind  (Goodreads.com)

CHARACTERS || Very wonderfully crafted characters. They certainly don't talk their age, Augustus and Hazel are VERY VERY exotic teenagers. They being the way they are is what exactly made me like this book. And I can't help but feeling if I should be wishing for more Augustus Waters in this world. These three-dimensional characters are flawed beautifully and I would have them no other way. I am so in love with everyone in this book! And digging deeper you'll find that books generally have antagonists, but in this case, it's the disease itself (it's not even Van Houten!)

WRITING ||  Very beautiful. Nicholas Sparks is a cow next to this masterpiece. Dialogues are witty, punny and creative. The questioning-their-existence soliloquies are realistic with possibly every figure of speech in the world. I am certainly looking forward to reading more of Green's works (despite everybody saying his characters are low quality versions of himself). In all honesty, I enjoyed every walking moment in this book. Not a single boring moment here, and trust me, it doesn't take alot to bore me. Wit wit wit, that's what TFIOS is full of.

OVERALL || Greatly paced, indulging and provoking. So realistic and illustrative, just enough descriptions. I got so much reality of life from this book and so many amazing things to quote. I have found myself severely perplexed at times because I am unable to decide whether to cry or laugh. Humor is perfectly woven in every situation. Great great read! Recommending it to my reading friends and everyone who's interested.