REMINESCENCE

Two weeks ago, you were the first to know about that new song and while you listened, you didn’t know the lyrics yet, but you sang along at the top of your lungs anyway. The next morning, you already had it on your player; you were listening to it nonstop, and had already persuaded your BFFs to listen to it, too.

Then the next day, it was playing on the radio. The day after that, it was everywhere. They played it at your favorite noodle restaurant; the guy in front of you at the queue to the cashier at the grocer’s listened to it; and your classmates sang along to it.

Last week, you music player was shuffled, and it came on. You listened, mostly, but you only sang along to your favorite parts.

Today, when it came on the radio again, you just switched stations.

But five, ten, forty years from now if you hear it, and if you’re alone, you’re going to turn it up loud, sing along, and remember. Remember the lyrics, as if it’s just yesterday that you were singing it; remember the radio you used to listen to, now just a   decoration; remember all of the memories that came with it.

I don’t know. I guess that’s sort of what love can be like sometimes.

For Shobe Pol :)

I have this… i don’t know, a special friend or best friend or best buddy? It’s kind of not in those terms because being a “best” friend isn’t really something you have to agree on, or something you have to propose to a person, like “Hey girl, can you be my bestfriend? because we’ve been hanging out a lot lately and we seem to agree about a lot of things…” and so on. That’s just weird. Hahaha.

I and Pol Johanna Celestino, agree that friendship isn’t a deal. It’s something you have to earn, bit by bit.

We first met at school. At first, we had our own cliques, her being with the “in” group, and I with my old friend in the higher years, content with or without company. Then I heard she’s from Quirino General High School – which is also my alma mater, and she was under the Special Science Curriculum – you guessed right! I was under that too!. hahahaha. So then we had something in common. We didn’t exactly hit it right off. We would pass each other in the hallways, nod at each other in the classroom, smile when the situation seems to call for it. Haha.

If it’s possible for life to turn out from reality into what seems like a montage from a movie, that’s what happened next. The cliques I’ve mentioned started to fall apart, and we just found ourselves together.

This picture was taken way back when we were making our project for Biology, a documentary film about Air Pollution. We still had no idea we’d be close. hahaha. I think this was when I filled her memory card with lots of ebooks because I’ve always known she’s a reader.

And then we started to gravitate more toward each other by countless youtube marathons and Taylor Swift sing-alongs. She was the one who converted me into a Mirfanda, if you know about that. Haha.

We were quirky together. We shared the same weird, dorky attitude towards everything.

….and we became moviejunkies together. We loved the same movies, reacted the same at the right moments, and shared our movie-critic angsts with each other.

Of course, here comes the vanity sessions. Hahahaha. We have the same tiny dimples on the sides of our mouth. We have the same opinion on beauty.

Being Ariana Grande Together. We’d mimic not only Ari’s singing style but also a lot of other artists.

And accents?? Huh. We’ve got that covered! Irish, English, American, French? Name it! 😀

As for communication… we’re very well oriented in different modes. We can understand each other just by facial expressions. Hahaha. We also have a habit of chatting, like we’ve been apart for hundreds of years.

We have our fair share of dates, every now and then. If you must ask about disagreements? We also have them. It’s inevitable. But we talk about them sometimes and apologize. There are always allowance for mistakes.

To you, shobe, I hope this is not too mushy for your taste. Hahaha. I’m sorry. I did my best, considering you do not celebrate your birthday due to religious reasons. I respect that, but I had to make something, at the least. I love you!!! Happy Birthday!

(I know your reaction to this will be, like, “eew, eew” hahahahaha)

*Just in case readers are wondering, “shobe” is the chinese term for ‘little sister’. Pol calls me “atchi”, the chinese word for ‘big sister’.

I’m Back (for good)! :)

Wow. it’s been more than 2 years since my last post. I have been meaning to write all this time, I swear. But a lot of things have happened – things I couldn’t even imagine. One day, I just happened to look back and I was really surprised that I haven’t really been in touch with myself lately. Blame it to life.

Sooo.. to make up for those months that I have been MIA, here’s what I’ve been up to. Brace yourselves. I have to warn you. This is long. Hahahaha

FIRST… I’VE BEEN BACK IN SCHOOL. 

For those who do not know, I am currently in college, taking up Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. So, let’s start with that.

Here’s a look at what I and my classmates look like. Yes, we wear white. Because in the hospital is where our course is most applicable. But we can also work in various food chains, nursing homes, and even offices. For the past year, we were still kind of adjusting to the course, which proved to be not so easy. Yes, the course sounds fancy, but it isn’t the kind of course where you can take studying for granted.

Also, personally, it has been tougher for me since I am a single mom. I have to tend to my daughter’s needs while studying. Frankly, it wasn’t a walk in the park, but nevertheless, I worked really hard and still managed to get high grades. I even became topnotcher in a lot of subjects – I don’t mean to sound braggy, but duh. Hahahaha.

Being back in school changed me in a lot of ways, and also brought out little bits of who I was before. I became this quirky, bubbly, talkative kind of person again – in a good way. I took this as a second chance, for the better.

This photo never fails to make me laugh everytime. I can’t help but notice that I have become resilient in what other people has to say. Notice those girls staring at me like I’m a mad woman – which I am, now that I think about it, Hahaha. But I really don’t mind what others say now. No more college dramas for me because I’m confident with who I am. 🙂

STUDENT PUBLICATION! 🙂

Of course, being back at school also meant I’m back at our student publication. Before I took a time off school mid-year last 2011, I was the Editor-in-Chief. It was one of those things that gives me a pang of regret whenever I reminisce. I was having a good governance, I was happy doing what I love most – writing. But things happened and I had to give it up. Nonetheless, after a few years, here I am again!

We call ourselves “The Originals”, because we were the only ones left from my term in 2011. Regina (the one in violet) was the editor-in-chief last year, while Christian and I were both Associate Editors.

Okay. The poster sums it all up. hahahaha. Last September 2014 we had a Campus Journalism Seminar-Workshop and I was on the flyer!! hahahahaha. 😀

By December last year, we published our paper for the year. We were actually aiming for two papers but we never had the time. This was my comeback column in there. Sorry, the photo was kind of disgusting but there was nothing I could do. It looked fine while we were editing it, but it came out like that during printing. Sigh. Anyway, It’s the column itself that counts.

LUNDUYAN 2014 AT ANGELES CITY, PAMPANGA

It was October last year when we received a memo from CHED, informing us about an activity called LUNDUYAN, spearheaded by the College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines, aiming to educate all campus journalists of press freedom and also of our National situation. It was a 5-day convention where we also get to meet other fellow campus-journalists from all over Luzon. We were amazed at the training they were offering, so we pushed it through. Another thing that attracted us was that the activity was planned to take place in Pampanga, one of the most historical places in our country. We’ve never been in there, so all the more reason we wanted to go.

Upon arrival at Angeles City, we planned to have a quick tour before the activity started. Luckily, we met another co-campus journalist from the Holy Angel University, and he offered to show us around. What you see in the picture is the Holy Rosary Church, a historical church there in Pampanga. It was named like that because at night, there’s this big rosary that lights up its front and it’s very beautiful.

In front of the Holy Rosary church, just across the street, there’s this heritage site. It’s an old house made of capiz and hard wood – the usual materials that ancient Philippine houses are made of. This house has been turned into a museum. I will look for better pictures and will post another blog entry for this next time, I promise! Anyway, I got this soft feeling in my chest when I entered the museum. I was hit by a wave of emotions, like amazement and awe. What struck me was that, the environment outside the house was already modern. The streets are all commercialized buildings, stalls, and various businesses, so when you look at the house, it really stands out because it’s the only structure that isn’t made in the 1990’s, yet it’s still very well-preserved. And when you go inside, the feeling is even more powerful upon seeing antique artifacts, furnitures, paintings, and a lot more. We even saw remnants of bombs used during the American colonization here in the Philippines. There were also letters from yes, actual people who lived way way way back. The word “amazing” would be a serious understatement to describe the experience.

Creaky stairs have a soft spot in my heart. it’s like a reminder that a lot of people have walked on it in lifetimes past.

We also passed by this miniature Eiffel Tower, in front of Gustav’s reataurant. It’s awesome 🙂

What I liked most about the entire activity was that they gave us a Basic Masses Integration, where all of us went into Porac, Pampanga, and got to take a look at what life for people in there looks like. It was during that activity that I got to meet Mirjan Hipolito, she’s so tall, right? hahaha. From what I know, she’s already the Mutya Ning Angeles in Pampanga. She won a beauty pageant in their city. 🙂

On the last day, we had a surprise lecturer for Feature Writing, the one and only Eros Atalia! He is one of the most famous authors here in the Philippines today, and being a bookworm, I never passed up the chance of taking a photo with him and requesting an autograph. 😀

On the last night, we had cultural night where we presented something that represents our regions. We got teamed up with region 1, and we presented something like a dance, while some of us sang. If you’re wondering what my cultural attire is, it’s the traditional mode of dressing for ifugaos.

For me, meeting new friends is still the best part of the ativity, It managed to bring different people from different places together to work towards one common goal : PRESS FREEDOM.

FASHION SHOW 2014

It is required in our course to create a culminating activity in the 3rd year. Last year, the third-years in our college made a fashion show for their culminating activity. And it so turned out that only a handful of people could make it, so they required our year level to attend.

Of course, every girl has those times when they feel pretty. For me, this night was one of those. Haha. No one ever passes up a good chance to feel confident about herself/himself.

REGIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION PRESS CONFERENCE AND BAGGAO ADVENTURE

Every December, the RHEPC is being held at Tuguegarao City, and last year, I was again given the chance to join. The RHEPC is a press conference in our region, and is mostly a contest of writing and photojournalism skills. I chose to join photojournalism english.

This is just us chillin’ at our hotel room. Gearing ourselves up for the upcoming contests.

I can proudly say that at the awarding ceremony, I got the chance to go up the stage and claim my certificate by being the eighth place in Photojournalism english. Not bad, since it’s my first time to join photojourn.

After the RHEPC, we decided not to go home yet, but to explore more of the beautiful places in Cagayan. Next destination? Baggao!

We arrived at our destination by 5 pm. But since it’s raining, we decided to spend the night at Regina’s house and proceed to Baggao the morning after.

We even got photobombed by the best photobombers ever! hahahaha.

That night, we couldn’t sleep early. HAHA. We were all hyped-up on coffee and even though we were sleep deprived for more than 24 hours already, sleep wasn’t an option. We even had th nerve to do an energetic groufie. Haha.

The next morning, we woke up really early to go to Baggao even though it was still raining and it was very very cold. We walked up to the beautiful part of it – and IT WAS ALL WORTH IT.

This is how it looked like there. Beautiful, right?? 🙂

And of course I cannot pass up taking selfies 🙂

After the trip at Baggao, we headed home. But of course, we had the pleasure of eating at Mang Inasal, courtesy of our adviser, Maam Bless.

By March I got my glasses…

And I don’t know how, but somewhere along the way, my appetite just flared up…

And I suddenly became THIS fat.

I’m not complaining, or anything. In fact, I’m loving how I look like now 🙂

NATIONAL STUDENT PRESS CONVENTION 

Okay!! This part deserves an entire blog entry!! But since I still don’t have all of the pictures, this is enough. FOR NOW.

Last May, we attended the National Student Press Convention at Benguet. I’m just giving you the gist, hahaha. No spoilers, I will be giving a DETAILED report soon!

🙂 Notice that almost all pictures I post are pretty much of myself. Ugh. Hahaha.

MORE TO COME SOON!

(I’m kind of tired from typing, i’ll update this again tomorrow)

AU revoir mon cheire! 🙂

Let It Snow

 

AUTHOR: Lauren Myracle, John Green, Maureen Johnson

NUMBER OF PAGES: 352

DURATION OF READING: 4 days

SOURCE: www.tuebl.com

QUOTES: 

“I always had this idea that you should never give up a happy middle in the hopes of a happy ending, because there is no such thing as a happy ending. Do you know what I mean? There is so much to lose.”

“There is always the risk: something is good and good and good and good, then all at once it gets awkward.”

“I stood under the awning for a moment, but finally I decided that being in a bad mood with your friends beats being in a bad mood without them.”

PLOT SUMMARY: 

Let it Snow is a series of three interconnected novellas, which center around theWaffle House of Gracetown, North Carolina, on the snowiest Christmas in 50 years. The story starts when a train carrying Jeb (a Gracetown local), Jubilee (on her way to spend Christmas with her grandparents in Florida, because her parents are in jail following a riot at the manufacturers of collectible ceramic Christmas villages), and fourteen cheerleaders (all named Amber or Madison) breaks down right across the interstate from the Waffle House.

In The Jubilee Express, by Maureen Johnson, Jubilee is the first one off the broken-down train, desperate to get away from the cheerleaders, and bemoaning the fact that her perfect Christmas with her boyfriend is ruined. When the cheerleaders follow her into the Waffle House, however, she takes off with a local named Stuart, who, despite the fact that he’s wearing plastic bags on his feet, is at least offering a warm and cheerleader-free place to spend the night.

In A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle, by John Green, the head cashier at the WaffleHouse calls his friends to inform them of the sudden influx of cheerleaders. Tobin and JP are excited by this news; Duke (real name: Angie) is rather less so, but is willing to tag along provided she gets hash browns at the end of it. Unfortunately, getting to the Waffle House through a raging blizzard turns out to be more of an adventure than any of them had bargained for.

The last story, The Patron Saint of Pigs, by Lauren Myracle concerns Jeb’s newly exed ex-girlfriend, Addie, as she deals with her breakup, her lost love, her crisis, and the absolutely crazy morning shift at Starbucks on the day after Christmas.

PICKING MY BRAIN:

I really really love how these three short stories were knitted to make a good YA fiction. Although I’m a nerdfighter and I tend to be a bit biased toward John Green’s books, I can honestly say that the stories are absolutely amazing. The Jubilee Express was my favorite, the story are completely relatable (if that word even exists) by most. It shows that people shouldn’t stay in a relationship with someone just because they’ve been together very long, or because they’ve met each other’s parents and friends and they feel that they are already accepted in each others’ social circles. It is the emotional aspect, rather, that one should look into. Jubilee, in this case, is often ignored by her boyfriend, and despite being through so many glitches in just a day, his jerk of a boyfriend just told her he’d call him back because HE’S BUSY. WTF! If you really love a person, you would MAKE time no matter how busy you are, right?? (Sorry, I tend to take things personally. Haha) So, anyway, Stuart here, comes to the rescue, much like a knight in shining armor. From the first moment they started up a conversation, I was hooked. It’s like I found my ideal man, with just one crucial flaw: HE’S IN A BOOK.

A Cheertastic Christmas, on the other hand, makes us realize that sometimes, you set out for something you think is just perfect, only to find out during that journey, that you don’t need that thing you are travelling for, because what you have by your side is enough to take your breath away. Yes, the one you love might just be around the corner, or even closer 😉

The Patron Saint of Pigs, also teaches valuable lifeslashlove lessons: That friends are not there to be biased about your attitude, but to help you in changing into a better person; that people need to change in order to be worthy for the love of others; and that love gives a lot of chances for someone who deserves them.

Highly Recommended!!

RATING: 5/5

 

Eleanor and Park

ELEANOR AND PARK

AUTHOR: Rainbow Rowell

NUMBER OF PAGES: 320

DURATION OF READING: 6 days

SOURCE: tuebl.com

QUOTES:

“Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn’t supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something”

“What are the chances you’d ever meet someone like that? he wondered. Someone you couldlove forever, someone who would forever love you back? And what did you do when that person was born half a world away? The math seemed impossible.”

PLOT SUMMARY:

Bono met his wife in high school, Park says.
So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers.
I’m not kidding, he says.
You should be, she says, we’re 16.
What about Romeo and Juliet? Shallow, confused, then dead.
I love you, Park says.
Wherefore art thou, Eleanor answers.
I’m not kidding, he says.
You should be.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.

PICKING MY BRAIN:

I saw this book on the list of a fellow bookworm. I liked the cover, so I decided to take a shot at it. I might admit the characters are a bit young for the kind of love the book is trying to imply, but since I think all is fair in love and war, then, it’s not so bad.

This is the kind of story that has, like a subtle beginning. And then as the story progresses you’ll get intrigued in bits and pieces, like the notes on Eleanor’s textbooks. As for the conflicts, it was kind of predictable for their Park’s mom to disagree with their relationship, but when she discovered that Eleanor came from a big family, she instantly liked Eleanor, because she came from a big family herself. Park’s dad, on the other hand liked Eleanor from the start, which is something that made me grip onto this novel.

The ending, though, is entirely a different story. It’s all about two young lovers, who already feels like they’ve got their hands full of problems because of Eleanor’s stepdad, yet they faced an even bigger problem – separation. This is the part where every readers might want to grab a box of tissue, for every word strikes through the heart, and will make you relive your first love.

I felt like Hazel Grace Lancaster at the end of this novel, wondering about what happened to Sisyphus the hamster. What, Rainbow Rowell, happened to Macy and the others?? What??

A book recommended for all young at hearts!

RATING: 3/5

 

Pain is Good

If there’s something I learned about people’s so-called “lovelife”, it’s this: PAIN IS GOOD.

Of course it’s always inevitable for a person to get hurt when it comes to love, since those two words are intertwined, and one can’t experience one without the other. Kind of a package deal.

Yes, I know. It’s never too easy to handle pain. Been there. It usually feels like you can’t take everything anymore, and the slightest prod at you might break you to pieces, like LITERALLY.

But, I can say that pain is what makes us grow. Pain makes us handle things things better. If you get hurt, you will have to deal with it for a span of time, but eventually, as you get over it, you will improve as a person and is bound to handle things that are much worse in the future.

ANOTHER THING I’VE LEARNED IS THAT:

Yes, you will get over the negative feelings. But it’s just that, the feelings. Once you start loving a person, you’ll never stop loving him/her. It might be less or more in the future, but it never stops. That’s why, even if you get over the pain and feelings, you will never get over the person. Sad truth.

But, as I have said, that is what makes us STRONGER.

The Heirs

For those who doesn’t know, THE HEIRS (also called THE INHERITORS)  is a South Korean television series starring Lee Min-ho and Park Shin-hye. A trendy drama set in a high school populated by the privileged and uber-rich, it aired on SBS on October 9, 2013.

My younger sister copied the episodes from one of her classmates who downloads the episodes online. No, scratch that, she bought it. hahahaha. She sacrificed the money she saved, for this. Addict. hahaha. 😀

“The Heirs” depicts the friendships, rivalries and love lives of young, rich heirs led by Kim Tan (Lee Min Ho) and a girl named Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye). The series follows a group of privileged, rich, elite high school students as they are groomed to take over their families’ business empires. These wealthy students seem to have everything under control, except their love lives. Kim Tan is a handsome and wealthy Korean heir to a large conglomeration who is sent to study abroad in the U.S. In reality, it’s a form of exile, as his elder half-brother back home, Kim Won (Choi Jin-hyuk) schemes to take over the family business. While in the States, Kim Tan bumps into Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye), who has arrived from Korea in search of her older sister. Slowly, he feels himself falling for her, never realizing that she’s the daughter of his family’s housekeeper. When Kim Tan’s fiancée, Rachel Yoo (Kim Ji Won), arrives to bring him back to Korea, his heart is torn between love and duty. Meanwhile, Rachel’s future stepbrother and Kim Tan’s former best friend, Choi Young Do (Kim Woo-bin) goes to the same school as Kim Tan and Eun Sang. The troubles arise as the heirs realize the differences between money and the real world.

This is the part where they are still establishing what is there between them Not just a mutual understanding, but an official relationship. This is the part where viewers will definitely fall in love over and over again, especially since the character of Kim Tan is soooo perfect.

Right. I forgot that this should come first. hahahahaha. Of course, their rapport started when Cha Eun Sang went to California, expecting to have a better life with her sister, Stella. Destiny brought Kim Tan and Eun Sang together, under the unexpected circumstances. Undeniably, they have a spark. But because of financial and personal issues, they have to part, since Eun Sang has to come back to Korea, a place where Kim Tan has to have rash boldness and courage in order to set foot in.

I just wanted to add this picture. haha. I can’t help but sigh at this. it’s sooooo surreal.

And i must admit it, Lee min ho is hot! 😀

These two are the cutest couple I have ever seen in Koreanovelas. Lee Bo Na and Chan Young. 🙂 They lighten the scenes, they bring laughter to the viewers, and you can’t hep but let them acquire a soft spot in your heart. ❤ I seriously ended up half-laughing and half-crying as I  watch them. haha.

HERE IS ONE OF THE SCENES THAT MADE ME LAUGH:

KIM TAN: Cha Eun Sang slept at your place? (relieved)

LEE BO NA: Yes, she did.

KIM TAN: Raise your hand.

LEE BO NA: (raises her hand) why?

KIM TAN: (slaps her hand) good job!

LEE BO NA: Why are you touching me?? Chan Young!! (runs away while calling for Chan Young)

hahahahaha. 😀

back to Kim Tan and Cha Eun Sang 🙂

This is the part where Kim Tan came to Eun Sang, crying. This is where they decide to work on their differences. *sigh* I feel so sorry for them. Star-crossed lovers. T_T

God. Makes me want to cry just by looking at the pictures. *sigh* *sob*

 

 

This is the last episode I watched. It broke my heart. I was soooo struck to the heart. What could be more worse than being separated to the one you love? What is more heartbreaking than knowing it’s nearly impossible for both of you to see each other again? I feel for them. I really do.

There are just some things that can’t be helped no matter how much you wanted to change it. Sometimes, even the bravest and toughest people in love cannot do anything against the forces of nature, of society.

And I really need to finish the series, I feel so stuck.. like them. 😦

No Book reviews for the Meantime :D

 

I have like 113 ebooks in my ebook management and I can’t quite figure out what to read next everytime I finish one, and so I came up with an idea. I cut a piece of paper into 113 tiy pieces with the corresponding numbers,and I get to pick one with my eyes closed. hahaha. 😀

So here’s the twist, it so happened that I picked The Hunger Games Trilogy (number 6 in my ebook manangement). I have read the trilogy lie last year, and I don’t really feel like making its book reviews, but since I need to read it (because my picking strategy said so), I need to stick with it for a while. 😦

But since it’s the blog’s 3rd month on December 6, I have a special post! Yay! (clap clap)

and… the Paskuhan (Christmas Village) in our province opens in December 4, so I’ll have interesting pictures to post 🙂

Au revoir mon cherie! til we meet again! 😀

What Happened to Goodbye

AUTHOR: Sarah Dessen

NUMBER OF PAGES: 402

DURATION OF READING: 8 days

SOURCE: http://www.epubbud.com

“You could just tell when a person belonged somewhere. That is something you can’t fake, no matter how hard you try.”

“All the love in the world won’t save a sinking ship. You have to either bail or jump overboard.”

“Odd how it was so easy for a stranger to assume such familiarity. Especially when those who were supposed to know you best often didn’t, not at all.”

PLOT SUMMARY:

Who is the real McLean? 

Since her parents’ bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother’s new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out.

Combining Sarah Dessen’s trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.

PICKING MY BRAIN:

You may call me biased but I really love Dessen’s books. haha.

This is probably the best YA fiction I have ever read YET (since there are a lot more on my to-read list). WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE? I feel like anyone who is in Mclean’s shoes will inevitably go through a time where he/she asks himself/herself this question. After moving to a lot of places in such a short time, she felt that it is better to keep creating different personalities. Which is totally understandable, being that separations are really hard, and you will feel less pain if you prevented others from being close to your true self, but the downside is that, as what Dave said, you will never have a TWO AM. 🙂

I love Dave! Really LOVE him. hahaha. I just felt the need of placing that in here. I mean who wouldn’t love him, right? Yeah, for a person who haven’t yet read the book, it’s pretty understandable, but if you have read it and you didn’t fall in love with DAVE, my frined, you might have a serious problem. 😀

The character of Deb, for me, is by far the most amazing in this book. She was portrayed as a weirdo in the first part, being that she creates clubs where she is the only member, but that’s so thoughtful right? And then here comes the part where Mclean decided that she wanted her to be a friend, and Deb started to come out in the open. The fact that she is supermega matured when in comes to facts abut life is just so mindblowing. Add that to the fact that she’s a drummer, she’s creative, and has a thing for organization, and voila! SHE’S MY FAVORITE!

As for Mclean, I like her twisted personality. And i love how all her problems got solved by a simple thing – COMMUNICATION.

There’s nothing negative I can say about this book. It’s just another one of Sarah Dessen’s genius. 🙂

The Truth About Forever

AUTHOR: Sarah Dessen

NUMBER OF PAGES: 374

DURATION OF READING: 1 week

SOURCE: http://www.epubbud.com

“If everything was always smooth and perfect, you’d get too used to that, you know? You have to have a little bit of disorganization now and then. Otherwise, you’ll never really enjoy it when things go right.”

“For any one of us our forever could end in an hour, or a hundred years from now. You can never know for sure, so you’d better make every second count.”

“No one could tell you: you just had to go through it on your own. If you were lucky, you came out on the other side and understood. If you didn’t, you kept getting thrust back, retracing those steps, until you finally got it right.”

PLOT SUMMARY: 

A long, hot summer…

That’s what Macy has to look forward to while her boyfriend, Jason, is away at Brain Camp. Days will be spent at a boring job in the library, evenings will be filled with vocabulary drills for the SATs, and spare time will be passed with her mother, the two of them sharing a silent grief at the traumatic loss of Macy’s father.

But sometimes unexpected things can happen—things such as the catering job at Wish, with its fun-loving, chaotic crew. Or her sister’s project of renovating the neglected beach house, awakening long-buried memories. Things such as meeting Wes, a boy with a past, a taste for Truth-telling, and an amazing artistic talent, the kind of boy who could turn any girl’s world upside down. As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to wonder, Is it really better to be safe than sorry?

PICKING MY BRAIN:

It is my first time to read a novel written by Sarah Dessen, but I think she’s really popular, given that her works gained a lot of feedback on Goodreads.

This book gained a soft spot in my heart. It is hugely realistic, hugely satisfying, hugely worth-reading, and hugely HUGE. 😀

One of my observations is that Sarah Dessen seemed to put unique personality in every character. Monotonous Monica, Scarry (is that even a word) Kristy, amazing Delia, Gotcha-ish Bert, artistic Wes, and the narrator of the story, Confused-and-striving-to-bt-perfect Macy who has jerky Jason for a boyfriend (well, it’s not really in THAT terms, since jerky Jason asked for a bit of “break” after Macy said she loves him) JERK. JERK! (Sorry, I’m too affected because I can relate) haha.

Actually, the plot is pretty much predictable. From the moment Wes materialized in the book, I was immediately pretty sure that he and Macy will end up together. But even though it was predictable, their love story happened in a slow motion, thereby making the reader reminisce falling in love again, and relate in every possible way. Plus, it makes the reader experience every bit of emotion.

I’m not giving spoilers for this book, I don’t want to give such injustice to it. 😀

“…the truth about forever is that it is happening right now…”

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Book 1 in the Mara Dyer Trilogy)

AUTHOR: Michelle Hodkin

NUMBER OF PAGES: 564

DURATION OF READING: 2 weeks

“Sometimes, the mind has a way of protecting us from things until we’re ready to deal with them.”

“There’s nothing I want. There’s nothing I can’t do. I don’t care about anything. No matter what, I’m an impostor. An actor in my own life.”

Noah placed a finger on my lips. “Don’t. Don’t ask me why. It’s annoying. I want to. That’s it. That’s all. So let me.” Noah’s face was so close. So close. I agreed with him, but didn’t want to. “Other people don’t think so,” I said instead. “Other people are usually wrong.”

“‘What is Real?’ asked the boy. ‘It is a thing that happens to you when a girl loves you for a long, long time. Not just to play with,’” Noah said. “‘But really loves you.’ ‘Does it hurt?’ asked the boy. ‘Sometimes. When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.’”

PLOT SUMMARY:

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.

PICKING MY BRAIN:

This book is the first in the Mara Dyer Trilogy. I know, I sound like an expert saying that, but the truth is, I haven’t known it was actually a trilogy until I got to the end. It was open-ended. That’s why I thought, there must have been something wrong with the ebook I happened to download. With that in mind, I browsed the net for some book reviews, and there. IT WAS A TRILOGY. The Second one being The Evolution of Mara Dyer, and the third, The Retribution of Mara Dyer. So far, I have downloaded the second one, but I still have no lead on where to get the third since it’s very hard to find. I do hope I’ll come across one. *crosses fingers*

Back to the book, I love it!!!

The cover: SOOO GORGEOUS.

The Story: Absolutely amazing.

My previous book reviews were just mere blah-blahs since I have pledged not to give spoilers, but it’s soooo dang hard so I give up. I’ll just have to state what’s on my mind, even if that means I have to give spoilers. If it’s not your type of review, DON’T SCROLL DOWN.

Okay, so you’re persistent. I’ll continue. MARA DYER. How do I start? Well, the topmost thing I appreciate about the character is that she has a bad side. We have gone accustomed to perfect characters, you know, the type where they’re beautiful and smart and funny and humorous. Just Perfect. But Mara, here, is not like that. She has a bad side, even though it was sort of hidden with her PTSD, you’ll really see it. As the story drones on, you will find yourself racking your brain if she really is a murderer.

NOAH SHAW. I’m not gonna elaborate his character since he’s the typical nice-guy-and-a-knight-in-shining-armor. 😀 (But I sooo liked his character, mind you, I want to fall in love with a guy like that.)

In the end, as Mara’s memory came back to her, you’ll know that she can kill people just by thinking that THEY DESERVE TO DIE. Creepy, but hugely unsatisfying for the most part. 😦

But hey, I really loved the story so, I’ll give Michelle Hodkin a chance to redeem herself in my POV. 😀

RATING: 4.5/5

Code Name Verity

AUTHOR: Elizabeth Wein

PAGES: 447

SOURCE: epubbud.com

“People are complicated. There is so much more to everybody than you realise. You see someone in school every day, or at work, in the canteen, and you share a cigarette or a coffee with them, and you talk about the weather or last night’s air raid. But you don’t talk so much about what was the nastiest thing you ever said to your mother, or how you pretended to be David Balfour, the hero ofKidnapped, for the whole of the year when you were 13, or what you imagine yourself doing with the pilot who looks like Leslie Howard if you were alone in his bunk after a dance.”

“It is much easier writing about me in the third person than it would be if I tried to tell the story from my own point of view. I can avoid all my old thoughts and feelings. It’s a superficial way to write about myself.”

“It’s like being in love, discovering your best friend.”

PLOT SUMMARY:

I have two weeks. You’ll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.

That’s what you do to enemy agents. It’s what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine — and I will do anything, anything, to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.

He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I’m going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France — an Allied Invasion of Two.

We are a sensational team.

PICKING MY BRAIN:

MADDIE: Adventurous, versatile, with a good sense of direction, exceptional female, and a REALLY GOOD pilot.

QUEENIE: Smart. Just that. SMART. Oh yes, and BEAUTIFUL (according to the descriptions, that is).

This book is divided into two parts. Verity and KIttyhawk. At first, I wasn’t sure if this book would be worth the effort of reading, since the stat was mostly about aeroplanes, motorcycles, and such, but there was something the way it was written that made me adhere to it. Humor, maybe, and suspense. The book began with I AM A COWARD, with Queenie (Julie) who was held prisoner by the Gestapo. She was forced to betray her own race (?) by writing confessions.

I was sure she was only blabbing useless details to prolong her life, and so she told stories from her bestfriend Maddie’s point of view. As you read, you will uncover Maddie and Queenie’s friendship, and it was in that part that I wondered if they’ll ever meet again.

KISS ME HARDY, QUICK!

That line broke my heart. They’ve mentioned it in the first part, and it was in the second part that it made the impact. Also, in the second part, you’ll know if or not everything Queenie wrote is the truth.

KISS ME HARDY, QUICK!

Read it and you’ll relate. One of my favorite novels, EVER.

The Casual Vacancy

AUTHOR: J.K. Rowling

PAGES: 967

DURATION OF READING: Almost a month

SOURCE: epubbud.com

“You must accept the reality of other people. You think that reality is up for negotiation, that we think it’s whatever you say it is. You must accept that we are as real as you are; you must accept that you are not God.”

 “You weren’t supposed to dislike your own child; you were supposed to like them no matter what, even if they were not what you wanted, even if they turned out to be the kind of person that you would have crossed the street to avoid had you not been related.”

“Choice was dangerous: you had to forgo all other possibilities when you chose.”

“After a row, you had to say certain things to secure a truce: those were the rules, everyone knew that.”

PLOT SUMMARY:

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils … Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

PICKING MY BRAIN:

I have dreamed of reading this book for a long time! After the Harry Potter Series, JK Rowling launched this new book, and after soooo many months, I finally managed to get a copy of it online (Thanks very much to the internet).

If I were to describe this novel in one word, that would be AWESOME! Well, you wouldn’t relate to that word until you’ve read past 300 pages. The first 300 are just gibberish, for the story kept changing its pace, setting, characters and plot. I almost got beaten by the desire to put the book down, but because I really have been wanting to read it for a long time, I persevered. As it turns out, the book is definitely something all people can relate to. For me, it’s a picture of a typical society. There are snobbish rich people who think they’re higher than everyone else, people who only care about themselves and how they look to other people. There are also the insecure ones, who think of themselves as very lowly individuals, but are good at heart. Most of all, it’s kind of about politics, more of it’s bad side, really. But since I hate politics, touche on that one. 😀

For Young Adults (YAs), it deals with almost all conflicts. Addiction, identity crisis, teenage rebellion, sexuality, bullying and rape. That’s why I say YAs, for this is definitely NOT for kids. All in all, the novel is really a good read. Really.

RATING: 5/5

Three Weeks with my Brother

AUTHOR: Nicholas and Micah Sparks

PAGES: 574

DURATION OF READING: 9 days

SOURCE: epubbud.com

“While there’s a lot that I don’t know about the world, I do know that kids have a funny way of helping you keep things in perspective.”

“Never forget that anticipation is an important part of life. Work’s important, family’s important, but without excitement, you have nothing. You’re cheating yourself if you refuse to enjoy what’s coming.”

“Dreams are always crushing when they don’t come true. But it’s the simple dreams that are often the most painful because they seem so personal, so reasonable, so attainable. You’re always close enough to touch, but never quite close enough to hold, and it’s enough to break your heart.”

PLOT SUMMARY:

The day the brochure came was a typical one. With a wife and five small children, a hectic schedule, and a new book due to his publishers, Nicholas Sparks was busy with his usual routine. The colorful mailer, however, described something very different: a tour to some of the most exotic places on Earth. Slowly, an idea took hold in Nicholas’s mind and heart. In January 2003, Nicholas Sparks and his brother, Micah, set off on a three-week trip around the globe. It was to mark a milestone in their lives, for at thirty-seven and thirty-eight respectively, they were now the only surviving members of their family. And as they voyaged to the lost city of Machu Picchu high in the Andes. . . to mysterious Easter Island. . . to Ayers Rock in the Australian outback. . . and across the vast Indian subcontinent, the ultimate story of their lives would unfold. Against the backdrop of the wonders of the world and often overtaken by their feelings, daredevil Micah and the more serious, introspective Nicholas recalled their rambunctious childhood adventures and the tragedies that tested their faith.

PICKING MY BRAIN:

Throughout the novel, I dealt with happiness, sadness, grief and sympathy. For the most part, I laughed, especially those parts where Nicholas was recalling their childhood. It was very remarkable. Their adventures when they were kids certainly do not get experienced by most, which makes it even more special. Their lives follow the inevitable ups and downs, but with more twists. Just like what I had stated earlier in my previous book review, the True Believer, I once had come to believe that all of Sparks’ novels deal with death and loss. Some might think it’s just his specialty. Well, read this novel and you’ll know the reason why his novels always touch our soft spots.

RATING: 5/5

Gone Girl

AUTHOR: Gillian Flynn

NUMBER OF PAGES: 897

DURATION OF READING: 3 weeks

SOURCE: epubbud.com

“If we are betrayed, we know the words to say; when a loved one dies, we know the words to say. If we want to play the stud or the smart-ass or the fool, we know the words to say. We are all working from the same dog-eared script.”

“I don’t feel like a person at all: I am something to be loaded and unloaded, like a sofa or a cuckoo clock. I am something to be tossed into a junkyard, thrown into the river, if necessary. I don’t feel real anymore. I feel like I could disappear.”

“Men believed she existed—she wasn’t just a dreamgirl one in a million. Every girl was supposed to be this girl, and if you weren’t, then there was something wrong with you.”

PLOT SUMMARY:

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media–as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents–the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter–but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

PICKING MY BRAIN:

Okay! This novel is supermegaultrafoxy full of suspense! I warn you not to read it at night, otherwise you won’t get any sleep because you CANT. STOP. READING. Wouldn’t like that, would you? Now, back to the book, they say you won’t get to know a novel until you reach page 50. But this novel is definitely an exception. It is like an ocean you are trying to reach the surface. That feeling when you have swam the usual distance, and you still doesn’t see corals and fishes. Hence, this novel will leave you clueless, and the twist will pop out of nowhere and hit you real hard right between the eyes. BUT THE ENDING!!!! Why?? it was such a good novel and the end doesn’t justify the means! No sense of justice there, dear. Read it yourself. 🙂

RATING: 5/5

Tue Believer

AUTHOR: Nicholas Sparks

NUMBER OF PAGES: 560

DURATION OF READING: 1 week

SOURCE: epubbud.com

“You never know what’ll happen next, and it might be a good idea to plan ahead.”

“One day, you’re going to learn something that can’t be explained with science. And when that happens, your life’s going to change in ways you can’t imagine.”

“Because women are a subjective mystery, not an objective one. You can’t measure anything about them scientifically, although, of course, there are genetic differences between the genders.”

“A man’s eyes give him away. The eyes always tell the truth.”

“maturity meant thinking about risk long before you pondered the reward, and that success and happiness in life were as much about avoiding mistakes as making your mark in the world.”

PLOT SUMMARY: 

Jeremy Marsh is a born skeptic and a science journalist who specializes in debunking the supernatural. When he hears about ghostly apparitions in a cemetery in Boone Creek, North Carolina, he leaves his beloved New York City for this small, rural town-and what his instincts tell him could make a great story. What he doesn’t plan on is meeting and falling hopelessly in love with Lexie Darnell, who is sure of one thing: her future is here in Boone Creek, close to the people she loves. Now, if the young lovers are to be together, Jeremy must make a difficult choice: return to the life he knows in New York, or do something he could never do before… take a giant leap of faith.

PICKING MY BRAIN: 

i have always perceived Spark’s novels as generally heartwarming and tragic – ones that will surely bring readers to tears. This is the first of Spark’s novels I have read that does not deal with death. I might say I’m slightly disappointed, but the whole novel isn’t really that bad, although some parts are predictable.

The concept of the cemetery lights aroused curiosity in me, add that to the fact that the cemetery is sinking, and the tale of the woman who cursed it, and my interest was instantly piqued. I looked forward to an unbelievable rationale behind it (like some gas emissions, maybe), something that was totally the opposite of the real one. I’m going to tell you the reason my those mysterious lights appear, but I’ll have to kill you first. So if you don’t want to die, Just read it. haha. 😀

It ended though, with a teeny bit of a surprise, I have quite a soft spot for that.. so, yes, it made reading it worthwhile.

RATING: 3/5

No, Not at all? Yes you do.

It’s inevitable to get hurt because pain, as much as love, is a part of life itself. We’re human. We pout at the smallest hint of sarcasm, we become sad at things that turn out to be the least we expected. We cry at the second someone tells us words that can’t be reversed.

The thing is, how do we react at pain? Do you, like me, tend to convince yourself that you don’t mind? Do you, like me, force yourself into believing it doesn’t affect you in the slightest? Do you, like me, wipe your face clean of any emotion that indicate pain and put on a brave face?

Humans tend to be like that. We fool ourselves into believing that nothing is wrong. We fool other people by showing and telling them that we’re fine, and when they expect us to be, well. We’re just so happy to play the part. We laugh and smile all day, and we don’t give others any hint that we’re feeling the exact opposite, that we’re in pain.

You know what the ironic thing is? Just by convincing yourself that you don’t mind and by forcing yourself to be happy when you’re not, the act itself shows that like me, YOU DO MIND AFTER ALL.