Oct 23, 2015

Cover Remake {1}: This Song Will Save Your Life

I think the title speaks for itself, no? Anyway, I was initially planning to do a storyboard for this book but I couldn't find enough photos so here we go.

Click photos to enlarge

I read and reviewed this two years ago but I've been seeing it again because of the recent release of the author's new book (which I just ordered and can't wait to read!). The original cover for this is downright amazing and I just had to replicate the letter design, as you can see in the second cover. What do you guys think?

(I really should be reading. Sigh.)

Oct 10, 2015

Book Review: Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo

Title: Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Release Date: September 29th 2015
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Age Group: Young Adult
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...
A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

First, let me just say this: Six of Crows is even better than the Grisha trilogy. This baby didn't just blow those books out of the water, it stringed them up, took a bite out of each of them, and shot them in the chest before hacking them into pieces. Yeah, this baby's somewhat violent. Apologies.

Set in the same world as the original trilogy, the similarities between this book and the first three really does quite end there. Six of Crows is more mature in tone and, despite the multiple perspectives, it actually tugged more of my heartstrings than the original trilogy. And I personally find it more fun to read about juvenile bastards than heroes, so just read this book and judge it yourself.
A gambler, a convict, a wayward son, a lost Grisha, a Suli girl who had become a killer, a boy from the Barrel who had become something worse.
We see underdogs in almost every single story we follow, be it in books or movies, but these particular six are just so damn special and unforgettable. They each have their vulnerabilities and weaknesses, each with their own demon chasing after them, but when used against them, it cripples them only for a second before empowering them to make the hard choices, and it is in these moments that they shine brightest. But perhaps what I enjoyed more was seeing them work and putting their talents together, because that is when we see that they truly will give their enemies a run for their money.
"Sure of yourself, aren't you, Brekker?"
"Myself and nothing else."
But I think most would agree with me when I say that Kaz Brekker is the star of the show. Not even fifty pages in and already we are sampled the delight that his character is. Merciless, greedy, and unforgiving, he's the one most enshadowed in mystery, and for the most part we are kept guessing at just what motivates this monster of a boy, what skeletons he has in his closet, why he does what he does and why he is what he is. This role is usually reserved for the villain, but Leigh Bardugo has tastefully given that treatment to this main character, and I just enjoyed every single moment that we see deeper into him.

They say nothing is perfect, but Six of Crows comes pretty damn close to it. Complete with boys who like boys and girls who like to kick ass, it had me hooked from start to finish, no matter if I was reading it in the middle of a busy hallway or in bed after almost twenty-four hours without sleep. Now that I think about it, I have absolutely nothing to complain about with regard to this book - oh, maybe except that ending, because it has me craving for the sequel like a Grisha on parem, ergo Leigh Bardugo is cruel.

MY FAVORITE PART was 
"I will have you without armor, Kaz Brekker. Or I will not have you at all."
#FEELS #DEAD

RATING:

Sep 27, 2015

Bookish Haul {2}

While dusting off my bookshelves and trying to figure out how to rearrange my babies, I realized that I should probably do a book haul post before mixing them all up with one another and forgetting which ones I have and haven't hauled. So here you go.

Who better to guard my books than the Vision himself?
Emancipated by M.G. Reyes
Until the Beginning by Amy Plum
The Cost of All Things by Maggie Lehrman
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
How to Love / 99 Days by Katie Cotugno
Better Than Perfect / Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor

The first three are of course from the lovely peeps from HarperCollins International who still send me books even though I fail at reading and reviewing them. I promise I'll get to them one day *huggles* P.S. I Still Love You was just as, if not better, than the first book, which I just reviewed btw. And the rest of the pile was for the triple-author signing I went to a few months back.

I am kind of - scratch that, superbly appalled that I've only read three of these books. Like, if hitting myself on the head with these would solve the problem, I'd have done it a long time ago. Anyway, off to read!

Sep 22, 2015

Book Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before - Jenny Han

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1)
Author: Jenny Han
Release Date: April 15th 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Age Group: Young Adult
Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her.
They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her, these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.
My personal measure of a great book is when I have to read it twice before I'm able to form a half-coherent review for it. But when I have to wait a year before picking it up again because I'm still reeling from the awesome? That's something else. 
If love is like a possession, maybe my letters are like my exorcisms.
Lara Jean is an all-around good girl with a secret: she has five love letters stashed in a teal hatbox, one for each boy she's ever loved. She writes the letter when she gets tired of being consumed by her love for a boy, and when she's done, she buries it in the box along with her feelings and moves on, easy as pie. But when someone mails her letters to each boy she's written about, her peaceful existence is jarred to life. 
When someone's been gone a long time, at first you save up all the things you want to tell them. You try to keep track of everything in your head. But it's like trying to hold on to a fistful of sand: all the little bits slip out of your hands, and then you're just clutching air and grit.
Aside from the chaos that her letters unleash, Lara Jean also has to deal with her sister moving to Scotland for college. Almost her entire life, she has looked up to and relied on Margot like a mother, but now carefree and innocent Lara Jean has to learn to take over that role for their youngest sister Kitty - which would be hard enough even without all the trouble her letters bring.

Let's talk about the boys. Now, I get Josh's appeal. Really, I do. Minus the fact that he's Margot's ex-boyfriend, he's the nice boy next door who Lara Jean's known since childhood and has practically grown up with. He's the guy who gives her rides because she's scared of driving, who knows what she's going to order before they even sit down, but I just couldn't root for him as a love interest because I couldn't help but put myself in Lara Jean's shoes and think he's nothing short of a brother.
You're the vainest boy I've ever met.
Peter freaking Kavinsky, though. Sigh. He's such the classic stupid jock cliche it's amusing, but the deeper we get to know what makes him who he is, the more his character struck me - so much more than Josh did. Peter is the kind of guy every girl has met at least once in her life, the guy you try so hard but utterly fail to dislike, even when he's being a total jerk because, man, that face can start and end wars. What sold me more was how Peter's friends treated Lara Jean. So adorbs, like a bunch of monkeys that's been handed a porcelain doll lol.
To belong to someone - I didn't know it, but now that I think about it, it seems like that's all I've ever wanted. To really be somebody's, and to have them be mine.
To sum this up, I know To All the Boys is one of the most relatable books I'll ever read. Some will no doubt find Lara Jean's character overly child-like and naive, but I know it's possible to be like that at her age - I was like her at that age, and to be able to read this and look back on those years is probably the biggest reason why I love this book so much. And I just know that if I'd read this back in grade school, I would have my own set of hidden letters.

MY FAVORITE PART was the hot tub scene, of course.

RATING:

Jul 26, 2015

Mini-Reviews: Camp Kiss; Unwrapping Liam; Hollow City

Title: Camp Kiss (Camp Boyfriend #0.5)
Author: J.K. Rock
Release Date: March 26th 2013
Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Free for a time period
The Camp Kiss That Started It All...
Lauren Carlson, a fourteen-year-old expert on the cosmos, superheroes, and science fiction trivia has a crush on her longtime camp friend, Seth. Last summer she’d dreamed about upgrading their relationship to BF/GF status and this year she has a plan... if only her well-meaning cabin mates wouldn’t interfere before she’s ready. She hasn’t even adjusted to her new braces yet, let alone imagined kissing Seth with them. When a dare pushes her out of her comfort zone, will she and Seth rocket out of the friendzone at last? There’s only one way to find out...
If I remember correctly, I got Camp Kiss when the publisher offered it for free to promote the release of Camp Boyfriend, but I only had the chance to read it a few months ago (yeah, that's how long this review is overdue) when I actually picked up the series. If you're new to the series, I really recommend starting it off with this novella because it sure provides a lot of insight that you'll need for the first book.

Lauren Carlson is back at summer camp, but this year she's excited to be there for a different reason. When before she only wanted to spend time with her closest friends, this time she's also looking forward to seeing Seth, her long-time friend and recently-developed crush. She's unsure whether to act on her feelings or not, afraid it will ruin their friendship, but when her cabinmates dare her to kiss him, she doesn't have much of a choice.

A cute, light, and fun read, I love how the writing in Camp Kiss reminded me of the butterflies and giddiness I felt whenever I saw a crush back in high school. It's that nostalgic.

MY FAVORITE PART was the kiss. Sigh :3

RATING:

Title: Unwrapping Liam (Good Girls Don't #1.5)
Author: Gennifer Albin
Release Date: April 22nd 2014
Publisher: Self-published
Age Group: New Adult
Source: Free for a time period
Goodreads
Jillian Nichols and Liam McAvoy finally got their happily ever after, but Christmas with Jillian's parents strains their new relationship. Will they ever get a minute alone?
Will Tara ever accept her daughter isn't broken?
And what will happen when Jillian finally unwraps Liam's Christmas present?
The holidays have never been so steamy.
This novella came out almost a year after the first book in the series, so by the time I read it I was practically jumping up and down in my seat with excitement. In Unwrapping Liam we see more of Jillian and Liam together, but made hilarious and tense because they are to spend the Christmas holidays with Jillian's parents.

Under the constant scrutiny of Tara, Jillian's easy-to-hate mother, her relationship with Liam is put to the test. Their interactions are more heated with desire because they need to sneak around like teenagers or risk being judged and reprimanded by Tara, but of course they get caught and of course it's amusing, haha. But as expected, Jillian grew tired of playing by her mom's rules soon enough, and let's just say I wasn't able to look at Christmas trees the same way for quite some time after reading this.

Overall, Unwrapping Liam did a swell job of getting me pumped up for Teaching Roman (which, spoiler alert, I also loved) and making me wish I had my own Liam. Now, where the heck is the third book in this series?!

MY FAVORITE PART was Liam making pies. Sweet Jesus.

RATING:

Title: Hollow City (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children #2)
Author: Ransom Riggs
Release Date: January 17th 2014
Publisher: Quirk Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Bought
September 3, 1940.
Ten peculiar children flee an army of deadly monsters.
And only one person can help them - but she's trapped in the body of a bird.
The extraordinary journey that began in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound friends journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. There, they hope to find a cure for their beloved headmistress, Miss Peregrine. But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. And before Jacob can deliver the peculiar children to safety, he must make an important decision about his love for Emma Bloom.
Hollow City draws readers into a richly imagined world of telepathy and time loops, of sideshows and shapeshifters - a world populated with adult "peculiars", murderous wights, and a bizarre menagerie of uncanny animals. Like its predecessor, this second novel in the Peculiar Children series blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience.
I was more disappointed than anyone when I read Miss Peregrine's and found it somehow... underwhelming, which is why cracking this sequel open came with a certain amount of hesitance. I think I finally picked it up when the book practically flew off my shelf and thumped me on the head (spoiler alert: it didn't, but wouldn't that be awesome.)

Anyway, reading Hollow City was definitely easier and more fun than the first book. Right off the bat, I could tell that it would be more exciting, with less dragging and more of what I love most about this series: action and adventure with a magical group of, uh, kids. We also learn that there is just so much more to the peculiarity of the world that Riggs has created, and I can't wait to see all of these in a Tim Burton film. Man, it's going to be awesome.

Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time.

Another thing I liked about Hollow City is how it's more on the historical fiction side than the first book, and how there was just so much more going on in it. I don't know if you can tell by how many times I've used the word in this review but in a nutshell, this sequel is just that: more.

MY FAVORITE PART was that shocking, twisty ending. Definitely didn't see that one coming.

RATING:

Jul 6, 2015

A Bookish Day: #KMRinPH

In case you don't know, #KMRinPH is the official hashtag for Katie Cotugno, Melissa Kantor, and Robyn Schneider's visit here in the Philippines, and yes, I did have an awesome time meeting them just this morning!

Jun 29, 2015

Bookish Haul {1}

Since I'm too busy to follow a posting schedule, I figured I'll start doing book hauls whenever I feel like it instead of doing it every Saturday for Stacking the Shelves (which is mainly the reason why I seem to able to do them only once in a blue moon). And here's the first one up!

(From L-R)
Ruin and Rising / Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (signed!)
The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas
End of Days by Susan Ee
21 Proms (signed!)

I got the Leigh Bardugo and E. Lockhart books for their book signings, so they're all signed! Sadly though, I've only read Frankie and We Were Liars, and I'm currently reading Ruin and Rising. I got the Six of Crows ARC from the bloggers' forum during Leigh's visit, and I'll be reading that probably next week. As for the other books, I've only read Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I'll be finishing that series first before re-reading the first two books in the Penryn and the End of Days trilogy and getting on to the last book, and then after that I'll re-read Throne of Glass and continue the rest of the series.

God. For someone who has very little time to read, I sure have a lot of guts to re-read :))

Jun 22, 2015

A Bookish Day: Leigh Bardugo in Manila!

Just yesterday, I met another author in my long list of favorite authors, but this lady's special because the books she's written are some of the titles I've been reading more thoroughly than usual as part of "learning" how to get my high fantasy WIP just right, so in a way, she's also kind of like a teacher to me. And yes, there were starry eyes involved in my part the entire time we were in the same room. I think I'm starstruck even as I type this recap. Jesus.

Apr 22, 2015

Another "I'm still alive" post. Sigh.

I've been chillin' the past few weeks - or as much as I can, anyway, because man, you haven't experienced summer if you've never felt the Philippine summer heat.


Let's start this catch-up post with cover reveals! I signed up for two in particular but I wasn't able to post on the assigned days because I was too lazy to fire up my laptop. I seriously need to replace this piece of crap.

Bounce is the third book in the Boomerang series by Noelle August. I've only read the first book, Boomerang, but I certainly plan on reading the rest.

 

Imagine my surprise when I got the email packet for the Every Last Breath cover reveal. Not only did it have the cover for said book, but new covers for the first three books in the series as well! I admit I'm not a huge fan of the original covers, but I sure prefer those over these new ones. Ugh.


Aside from work being stressful as always and trying to read as much as I can, I've also begun writing again. I do it on my phone with the ever-handy Inkpad Notepad app to save time and also so I can write whenever and wherever I want to. And this time I'm working on a YA contemporary that's been floating on my mind for ages. Let's just say it's every bookworm's dream on Valentine's Day ;)

Lastly, I am ending this post with an announcement. I have finally picked the winner for my giveaway! Check the rafflecopter widget to see who the lucky duck is. She's already replied to my email, so no chance of the prize going to another person, heh.

Apr 4, 2015

Mini-Reviews: We Were Liars; The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Title: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart
Release Date: May 13th 2014
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Age Group: Young Adult
A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
I knew only one thing about We Were Liars before I read it: it wouldn't disappoint, and it truly did not. One is better off going into this book without knowledge of anything that happens in it, because it is a book meant to be experienced with an untainted mind. All you need to know is that it involves four brilliant kids who have their entire lives ahead of them, and they also happen to spend their summers in a private island.

We Were Liars is, quite frankly, a slow book. It is lyrical and confusing, and the easily-bored may even have a hard time finishing it. It's not for everyone, and even the author herself knew that readers would either love it or hate it; there is no middle ground. But if you do start reading it, I highly suggest just going with the flow, because you are in for a shock, I promise you that. 

I honestly have no idea what more to say about this book, so I'll end this by sharing that I finished reading this in the employee's lounge of my office, and that wasn't one of my best ideas because there were tears involved.

MY FAVORITE PART is that chapter. If you've read this, you know what I mean.

P.S. I'm giving away a signed copy of this book here! ;D

RATING:


Title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Author: E. Lockhart
Release Date: March 25th 2008
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Age Group: Young Adult
Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14:
Debate Club.
Her father’s “bunny rabbit.”
A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.
Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15:
A knockout figure.
A sharp tongue.
A chip on her shoulder.
And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.
Frankie Laundau-Banks.
No longer the kind of girl to take “no” for an answer.
Especially when “no” means she’s excluded from her boyfriend’s all-male secret society.
Not when her ex boyfriend shows up in the strangest of places.
Not when she knows she’s smarter than any of them.
When she knows Matthew’s lying to her.
And when there are so many, many pranks to be done.
Frankie Landau-Banks, at age 16:
Possibly a criminal mastermind.
This is the story of how she got that way.
Disreputable History was in my TBR list for a long time, but I only got around to reading it when #ELockhartinPH was announced. Having read We Were Liars first, I thought this one sounded lighter than my first Lockhart read, and it sure was, but it actually has its own dark tone - it's very subtle, but it's there. 

But if you don't want to get too critical, then it's enough to know that this book is another brilliant contemporary from E. Lockhart. The lady sure knows how to go deep into her characters' heads, and reading this as easy as sharing stories with a friend. This is the story of a bright girl blossoming into one hell of a woman, but it also shows that just because someone's whip smart doesn't mean she has it easy. An over-active brain can just as easily be a crowded prison, and Frankie, model student and, for the most part, a good daughter though she may be, isn't quite satisfied with how her friends and family treat her. She thinks they see her as fragile and predictable, and this book is basically her going to great lengths to prove to them that she's not.

Overall, Frankie's story is entertaining and imaginative, and aside from the protagonist, we get to know a lot of delightful characters through her eyes. The ending isn't what I'd imagined it would be at all, but it wouldn't be a Lockhart book if it were.

MY FAVORITE PART is
"It is better to be alone, she figures, than to be with someone who can't see who you are."

RATING:

Mar 30, 2015

A Bookish Day: The Disreputable History of Liars

It's the first bookish event of the year - well, for me, that is! XD I was absent for the past couple of events and I missed a whole lot of incredible authors, but I'm trying to change that this year and I sure as hell wasn't going to miss E. Lockhart! She wrote two of the most intelligently-written books I've ever read (and I read them one after the other, which was double awesome) so I really looked forward to meeting her, even though I had to rush from the office for a quick shower and then leave again after twenty-four hours of no sleep. Plenty of time for sleep when I'm dead lol.

Mar 28, 2015

Stacking the Shelves {28}

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where bloggers share recently bought, borrowed, won, and gifted books (print or ebooks)!
 
It's time for my second catch-up-on-book-hauls post! God I need to read faster -_-

The Gathering Dark (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo (signed!)
World War Z by Max Brooks
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Ashes to Ashes (Burn for Burn #3) by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian (signed ARC!)
Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen
Lies I Told by Michelle Zink
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu (signed!)
 
- I knew I had to have Q&A A Day the moment I read about it, and so I went hunting for it in my local bookstores as soon as I could; unfortunately, the last entry I got to answer was back in January lol. I should find time to catch up soon. The Edge of Never, on the other hand, is probably my best bargain buy to date. I wandered into the bookstore near my office one day and I had to stop myself from jumping up and down in glee when I spotted this for, like, 60% off.

- The Grisha books are a product of my rare luck when I won a contest ran by the UK publisher. I had to get them sent to my sister so I got them months after, but good lord are they worth the wait. I'm currently reading Shadow and Bone (again, because when I first picked it up, I got so overwhelmed by how good it was that I put it down and never read it again until now), and I plan to read the trilogy alternatingly with the Throne of Glass series.

- World War Z is very different from the movie, as I found out when I read the first fifty pages in the bookstore before I actually bought it. I haven't finished it yet, as you can tell from the bookmark hanging out of it, but it's something I've decided to read only when I feel like it. 

- Along for the Ride was something I bought on a whim, because I had a very long wait time and I was stupid enough to not bring a book with me. It kept me occupied for hours and I sure felt like I had a friend with me <3 I got this Ashes to Ashes ARC during Jenny Han's signing here in Manila, but until now I haven't read it. Because I suck.

- Keeping the Moon was another brilliant bargain buy, but I haven't read it yet, just like the ARCs of Lies I Told and Empire of Shadows (which I've decided to give away since I don't have the first book anyway). Messenger of Fear, though, I have tried to read. Let's just say I was bored out of my mind and never got around to finishing it.

- I swear I'll read this gorgeous copy of Fangirl soon. As in very soon. It's ridiculous how long it's been in my shelf, neglected and gathering dust. I'll also be getting a boxset of the Legend trilogy even though I already own the first and third books because I need that damn novella.
 
- And also from the contest I mentioned earlier, I got these gorgeous Grisha posters that I'll surely be hanging up one day! I specifically told my sister not to fold them because folded posters are the death of me.

Next week's catch-up haul will be the last, I think, although my friend did just tell me about a book sale happening right now until tomorrow, so who knows~

Mar 25, 2015

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Signs of Life - Selene Castrovilla

For the first cover reveal here on the blog this year, I'm beyond glad to be sharing the cover to a sequel that I only just learned is actually happening - which is good because I need to prepare my heart for this book.

Mar 21, 2015

Stacking the Shelves {27}

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where bloggers share recently bought, borrowed, won, and gifted books (print or ebooks)!

Early this morning as I was having breakfast, I thought I'd be productive and do some blog work. And then I remembered it's a Saturday which means it's time for a book haul! I'd been meaning to catch up on hauls - the last one was posted on July of last year so even I have lost track of how many books I've yet to share. I've decided to post fifteen books (although I kind of cheated this week lol) every Saturday until I catch up, so here's a start!

The Book of Tomorrow by Cecilia Ahern
The Summer Trilogy by Jenny Han
Royally Lost by Angie Stanton
Wings (Black City #3) by Elizabeth Richards (Review)
Twinmaker (Twinmaker #1) by Sean Williams (Review)
Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff
Vivian Divine Is Dead by Lauren Sabel
The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson

- I remember buying The Book of Tomorrow because I failed to find a copy of Love, Rosie (the movie of which was totes romantic <3), and then I got The Iron Traitor since it was there sitting pretty and I figured I'd need it anyway when I finally decide to start the spin-off series to The Iron Fey. Book-buying is something I don't procrastinate on.

- The Jenny Han books I got for her signing so they're all, well, signed. I've only read To All the Boys and holy cheeseballs was it amazing. I'll surely be picking up the sequel as soon as it's available!

- Royally Lost was an impulse buy because I can't be not broke and not leave the bookstore without a book. It's just impossible. Wings, on the other hand, I got from the lovely author for the blog tour we did last year. It's signed, which is perfect because it's the last book in one of my most favorite series ever. And then there's Twinmaker which is also signed because I got it from The Book Depository's book review program. 

- All the other books in that stack are from HarperCollins. Aren't they kind? I've only picked up Wicked Games and I'm still disappointed that I didn't like it enough to even finish it. And since I hate being buried under unread ARCs and review copies, I've resolved to not request them anymore. Now to get to reading the ones I have here...

That's it for this week! Have you read any of these books? Tell me about it in the comments below ;D

Mar 2, 2015

Book Review: Legend - Marie Lu

Title: Legend (Legend #1)
Author: Marie Lu
Release Date: November 29th 2011
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Age Group: Young Adult
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors.
Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles.
Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect.
Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
Legend had long been in my TBR list, what with all the confessions of love I kept seeing online, but I put it off because who needed another ongoing series to crush their heart with the wait times? Definitely not me. But last year, Marie Lu visited my country for a book signing, and although I missed it, my good friend got me a signed copy, and I knew the waiting was over.

This story is basically a battle between two bests. June is the country's number one military prodigy; Day is the country's number one criminal. One can imagine that their paths should have crossed later rather than sooner, but the opposite happens when Day is suspected of killing June's older brother. Now armed not just with in-born talent but charged with the desire for revenge, June is assigned to go on a hunt for the infamous outlaw, but instead she finds reasons to doubt the side she's fighting for.

One thing I love most about Legend is how we get to be inside June's and Day's heads. We see just how different yet similar they are, not just in actions but also in thoughts, and we know exactly why they are worthy opponents and partners. And I especially love how they were pitted against one another - it's like WWE SmackDown.

I will hunt you down. I will scour the streets of Los Angeles for you. Search every street in the Republic if I have to. I will trick you and deceive you, lie, cheat and steal to find you, tempt you out of your hiding place, and chase you until you have nowhere else to run. I make you this promise: your life is mine.
But of course, we all know how this goes: girl falls for boy, boy falls for girl, and then they go on to do badass things and fight the bad guys together. Quite predictable as that part may be, I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't beat faster as I watched the romance between them grow. And that development is actually another on the long list of things that the author did well in this book; it wasn't too fast that it would've made me roll my eyes, but it wasn't too slow that I'd have been bored out of my mind, either.

In the end, Legend is nothing if not gripping, fast-paced, and exhilarating. It exceeded all of the expectations I'd had about it for years - although it did kind of lack a special something that I can't quite put my finger on - and now I actually kind of regret waiting so long before finally picking it up (and adding Daniel to my overflowing list of book boyfriends). Also, why the heck did I finish reading this without having a copy of the sequel at the ready?! Regrets, regrets.

MY FAVORITE PART was
"What a joke! Poor little rich girl's fallen in love with the Republic's most famous criminal."
They could've put that part alone on the back of the book and I would've still read it.

RATING: