currently reading + recommendations!

I finally picked up a copy of this from the library and I am really happy I finally get to read it. I've been wanting to ever since I've heard of its synopsis! I do like a good, romantic (well-told) love story every once in a while, and this just seems like the perfect pick. So far, so good.

And also, I wanted to write this post to ask you guys for another set of book recommendations! I've already told you before, how I have discovered so many great reads because of your suggestions, so if you have any additional book titles that you think I might enjoy, please do tell me about them! I am sort of craving for a good love story too (not from the Romance genre) or maybe a good historical fiction set in the WWII era. I always like contemporary YA too, and any mystery/thrillers are awesome as well. Basically, recommend any book, in any genre. Thanks! :)

Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

Genre: General Fiction - series

Rating: 2 stars

Review: I was an actual young adult when I first picked up The Sisterhood and the Traveling Pants. I've always been a fan of the characters - Lena, Carmen, Bridget, and Tibby. They all stand out to me, and the author, Ann Brashares, always seems to capture my attention every single time. So when I heard she just came out with the next (and final) book in this lovable series, I was ecstatic. After all, I wanted to know where the sisterhood went after all this years.

Well, I have to be honest; I feel many things - mostly conflicting thoughts. Do I like it, do I not, do I at least appreciate it, do I just wish it was never written... I am not so sure what I truly think of it entirely.

The pros - these characters are back. I love them, and was glad to hear more about them and their lives. I thought the plot development was great, and the author showcases her skill and talent once again. She really knows how to make the situations and events in her stories come alive. I like the pace, and I like the overall narration of the story.

The cons - this is not a 'Sisterhood' book to me. It didn't feel like one, and it didn't read like one. I also did not like how the characters turned out - for some reason I felt as if their once-realistic and believable personalities and characteristics are really gone. And I know people grow up and change as years go by, but I didn't truly believe that these specific changes would actually happen. There were also times when the book itself felt self-indulgent in a way, and a bit contrived.

Would I recommend it? Probably. I think others would probably like this more than I did - to each his own, right?

For me, the overall conclusion put me down a bit. So I guess, overall, I am disappointed by this book. As a long-time fan, I didn't really like the significant changes that were made. Perhaps that is the message behind it. But for me, personally, I actually sort of wish I didn't read it at all. Not because it was a bad book - not at all - but because I wish this was not how the lives of some of my favorite characters had to end.

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 2.5 stars

What I Liked: Great idea, interesting premise, fairly likable characters, promising story line. If you read its synopsis, it's extremely intriguing, and you're left wanting to find out what's truly going on behind the story.

What I Didn't Like: I thought the way the plot was executed was a bit weak for my liking. I felt like it was lacking, and it somehow felt incomplete to me. There were also a lot of parts that seemed rushed and choppy, which sort of ruined the experience for me. It seemed like I was never given enough time to like the story itself or get to know the characters. I also thought the 'horror/creepy' part of the plot wasn't as creepy as I feel it should have been.

Overall: While I love the idea behind this and its premise, unfortunately, the book didn't work for me. I wouldn't purchase it to add to my collection, and will probably never re-read it again. I would recommend this to younger YA readers.

me? getting a tattoo??

I haven't really told anyone about this, but for the past few years now, I've been thinking about getting a tattoo. Yup, a real one. The permanent kind. The one that grows old with you and never changes kind. The thing is, if you knew me personally, you could NEVER imagine me actually getting one!

But don't get excited; this is just an idea. I doubt I would actually go through with this plan, since I'm too much of a chicken to do it. But hey, if I still feel this way by this time next year, maybe I'll really go through it. For now, this is a tattoo idea stuck in my dreams.

They would be on my wrists. It will be small and subtle. It would be of a book on the left wrist, and a quill on the right. 

Just thinking about it makes me all giddy for some reason!! And I truly believe that that design idea screams my name.

Would you ever get a tattoo? A literary tattoo perhaps? Or maybe you already do have one. Tell me!!

if I should split my soul into 7 pieces.

So forgive me if I'm still in the whole Harry Potter zone until now, but I can't help it if I'm still completely hungover from the watching the final movie.

Anyway, earlier today, I had this interesting conversation with my bookish co-worker about Horcruxes - what would we do if we had the opportunity to split our soul into 7 pieces. I thought this was a fascinating idea so I decided I should make a post out of it.

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• This specific copy of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - You all know Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time, and you also know I have quite a lot of different copies of it. This one specifically is special. I found it when we just came from the Philippines about 6 years ago, when I was so homesick. We were staying at my great Aunt's house at that time. I was helping out with organizing her garage, and in one of the boxes, was this copy. I didn't read it until later on, but it meant a lot because it was nice to find a 'hidden treasure' that cured my homesickness at that time, even for a little bit!

• This pendant - Tim gave this to me last year for my birthday. I wear it almost every single day! My outfit would seriously sometimes feel incomplete without it. It's so simple and tasteful, yet elegant, meaningful, and timeless. Love it so much!

• Rent "bible" by Jonathan Larson - I love music, and I absolutely love Broadway. This is my favorite musical, ever. And this book, is genius. Must read and buy for any rent heads out there!

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - mini book 'collector's' item - given to me by my Aunt. I really just like this one! It's easy to hide, and nobody will think that I would consider putting my soul into such a tiny little thing. It's also my favorite book from the series so I'd have to pick that specific one.

• The Little Mermaid music box - It's just gorgeous to me, and the Little Mermaid was my favorite as a kid (imagine me at my 6th birthday party, singing Look at this stuff... isn't it neat...) And I just adore music boxes in general. I think they're simply lovely and sentimental.

• 

• My 'literature/words/typewriter' art - Another amazing handmade gift from Tim for Christmas. It sums up my love for literature! He drew a typewriter, and on the paper coming out from it is a copy of my favorite poem of all-time. On the sides are some of my favorite quotes and lines from books. The most thoughtful gift I've ever gotten.

And the 7th and the final horcrux, I would have to say.... Me!

Is this answer acceptable? Well, I'd like to think so. I'd want to have a 2nd life in my pocket, you know... just in case. Ha. What about you? I really want to know what your horcruxes would be! Leave a comment or do a post-response :D

EDIT: Check this Horcrux post by my cousin, Justine. clickclickclick

excitement!

over this.

Yeah, as much as I did not like Mockingjay, I can't deny the Hunger Games series is pretty darn epic. The concept of the entire series, the characters, the action, the interesting sub-plots... I can not wait!

I've also come to learn that I should just accept the cast - I believe they were picked for a reason! I can't be picky so I think I'll just wait until I see them in the actual films before I complain haha. So I'm hopeful. What do you think? Pretty cool teaser poster, right?

The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Rating: 4 stars

Review: I'm a huge follower and fan of Tess Gerritsen's work and have read all of her books. I was excited when I had the opportunity to meet her when she went to Northern California and especially when I got an autographed copy of her latest book, The Silent Girl! Let me go ahead and say that I enjoyed it.

I thought the story itself is great, and loved the fact that she used her Chinese-American background to write it. I liked the characters, as usual, and thought her writing is as good as ever. No cliches, no nonsense. It's also incredibly fast-paced, intriguing, and exciting, and has just the perfect amount of descriptions and details. The flow of the book and the overall development of the characters as well as the plot were executed very well, I thought.

While I don't think this is her best work necessarily - as I still can't get over The Surgeon and Body Double - I'm happy I can say that I still enjoyed it. It had me guessing, and kept me entertained all throughout. Tess Gerritsen definitely has the ability to capture her audience with her words, and I can't wait to read more from her hopefully soon.

does anybody know of your "secret identity?"

Random questions of the day - does anybody in real life know how much of a bookworm you are? And the second question is, does anybody know that you are a book blogger?

For me, generally, many know I love books and see it as a favorite hobby, but only certain people know that it's a huge and important part of my life. That it's something I'm passionate about. As for blogging, again, only very, very few. Even the people who know about it aren't really regular readers of the blog - they just know of it.

I tend to keep the blogging thing a bit more of a secret for some reason - I feel like it's something private; almost like a secret identity in a way.

Recently though, since making a Facebook page for the blog, a lot of my other friends have started to discover what I've been up to for the past year and a half. They're still not as interested with the whole blogging thing of course, and one of my friends laugh at me when I talk about blogging. But for most of the part, they say it's pretty.. um.. cool?

Now I'm curious to hear from you - what do the people around you think when they visit your blog? Do they even know you have a blog? Do share.