I'm A Guest Blogger at Little Miss Honey ... and some Polecats Manila stuff!

As intermittent as my blog posts are, I was still able to guest blog for someone else. Lol. I check very few blogs on a regular basis but this is one of them. Come visit Little Miss Honey's blog for books, food, travel, cosmetics and ... pretty much anything a Filipina blogger in Singapore might think of. If you want to be a guest blogger too, check out this page.

Also, since I blogged about pole dancing, here is a link to Polecats Manila's website. If you're ever thinking of taking up classes, they have schedules and tips for first timers there. Hmm ... I should do more pole blogs ... maybe.

Also, also, ALSO! They're going to have an anniversary show on the 3rd of November at the Meralco Theater and everyone is super excited about it. Here's a video teaser that super gives me goosebumps but that I keep watching anyway. 

And here are some awesome awesome posters.

It is going to be so so so so amaaaaazingly awesome so do come, hey?

(Should be) Good Reads

Latest Loot

Today was book hunting day. A pretty successful one, too. I got eleven books for Php597 (more or less US$13). Here's a list of books I will be posting reviews of in the future ... although I can't promise exactly when.

Most interesting among the loot is Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie (English translation by Ina Rilke). This is a historical fiction set in China. I had to choose between this and a historical fiction set in Chicago, USA. This one won because 1) it's a book about bibliophiles and 2) it has doodles on it. Actually, no, not doodles. Notes about the book and specific lines. I guess the previous owner made a book report. That or s/he really does that. Whatever the reason, I thought it gives the book more value ... in a way. That and it's cute. I got this for Php115.

Doodle

Doodle

Nood- erm ... doodle

A Thin Dark Line  by Tami Hoag. I've been looking for a copy for forever. Or at least until I realized the person who borrowed will never return it. I kinda squealed inside the store when I saw it under a pile of random paperbacks. It was embarrassing but it was worth it lol. This cost me Php60.

Already read this twice before(once borrowed and the other one on ebook) without realizing (until recently) I did. Such a dork. So yeah, it's one of my favorites so I wanted it on print. Here's a review of The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Another book for Php60.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon Another one I already read and absolutely loved! But it's another one I also borrowed so I need to have it on print. Click on the book title to read my review, why doncha?! Got this for Php75 so double YAY!

Moab is my Washpot by Stephen Fry ... because I think he's funny and it's only Php25.

Blame by Michelle Huneven ... because it says on the blurb that it's "morally complex" ... and it's Php25.

Tiger, Tiger by Margaux Fragoso. I thought this would be interesting although, admittedly, I'm not big on memoirs. But we'll see. This was Php115.

Rachel's Secret by Susan Sallis ... it cost me Php10. Need I say more?

The Seventh Commandment by Lawrence Sanders. One of the authors I read in high school and one of those books I'd take from my dad's bookshelves. Yes I was a minor and this was kind of adult-ish but I thought there was pretty cool detective stuff going on in there. :p Got this for Php37.

Black Lands by Belinda Bauer ... serial murders. Gotta love 'em. Lol. Php25.

Firegirl by Tony Abbott  ... because I'm a kid-at-heart. (Haha!) And because this was a Golden Kite awardee. This was Php50.

Underdog (Wolfe Brothers #1) by Markus Zusak

This book is so ... RAW. But first, if I might say, this, for me, is Markus Zusak's first attempt to I Am The Messenger. I can see a lot of similarities, not just in the writing style, but also in the message he wanted to pass on. Granted, they have a very different story line, but the main character's struggle with himself and the inner dialogues are pulled out of the same material. Or the same cause ... or something.

The one huge difference between the two is what I already pointed out. In I Am The Messenger, the writing style and flow of the story had a bit more finesse (?) to it. I wouldn't say that that was an advantage because I also loved this story. Maybe Underdog just came off so raw because it was his first book. Or it could be that he intended to deliver the story that way. (He's the only one who could answer that. Maybe he already did but I try not to read anything that authors say about their book before I read it.) Also, as with his other books, this was an easy read.

Lastly, before I read this book I was already hoping that I'm going to like it (lol) because by the time I learned about this trilogy I'm already a Markus Zusak fan. Good thing it did not disappoint.

NOTE: This is of the Young Adult category. No matter how much the title looks like it, this is not a romance novel. LOL.

Read: August 15 - 20, 2013

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor (and the third book's cover *gasp*)

I don't really have a lot to say about this book except I liked it a lot! I thought it was much better than Daughter of Smoke and Bone, too, which was a pleasant surprise. Too often, we'd be thrilled about the first book of a trilogy only to be let down by its second installment. That wasn't the case for this one.

The main characters can be pretty annoying because they seem to not know what they want and how to deal with the situation they're in (isn't it always like that?) but I guess I'd be the same lol. For a moment there I thought there'd be a love triangle here and I was so ready to chuck the book out the window but, alas, I was proven wrong and I'm glad. I loved the other characters, though, and although this is very dark compared to the first book, Zuzana and Mik's character sort of brings it a brighter angle. Winning the chimaeras' hearts are kind of corny but it was cute too. Other than their story everything was very serious. I thought the deception chapter could've been better, though. Loved the concept but I didn't feel like the story was told with justice. For that I took off one star. 

Some things that I'm really looking forward to in the next book, I guess, is Akira's origin and what Brimstone said about how the angels could win the war if they hadn't burned their library during the war. I'm hoping the story won't be disappointing. I don't wanna go holding my breath and end up saying "that's it?!" Oh and I like that there's more to the war than just Angels and Chimaeras hating each other. This should make it easier to accept that two races are at war and will just stop because a member of each decided they'd fall in love with each other.

So yeah, really looking forward to the last installment and Days of Blood and Starlight officially made me a Laini Taylor fan. :)

Read: November 13 - 19, 2012

Still broken-hearted about the final installment being pushed to April 2014. Loving the cover, though! *fangirling*

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Surprisingly ... I found this book good. Great, even. I thought it was just going to be one of those angel-devil kind of book (and technically it really is that) but it turned out a lot better than I expected. There's too many fantasy novels now about angels but this one? Wow ... just ... wow! I have the Kindle version and the Audible version and I still want to have this one in print. That's how much I liked loved it!

Granted, the book Daughter of Smoke and Bone has the usual Romeo-and-Juliet plot. Angels and "monsters" at war, a character from each side falling in love with each other, fighting for that love against all odds, a bit of twist and turns here and there but it's the story telling that did it for me. Laini Taylor has some wild, vivid and amaaaaaazing imagination. I mean, souls and ... teeth? Teeth!!! Of all parts of the body! Who knew?! Kinda makes one think that eyes are overrated now, eh? Lol!

I loved how she gave each character ... well ... character. I loved them for their strengths and their flaws. Their weaknesses and their talents. I loved Brimstone, Issa, Yasri, Twiga, Zuzana, Izil and even Razgut, Chiro and Thiago and that hunter guy with the disgusting beard! Maybe it's just me but it's so ... balanced. The only thing I didn't like was Karou (I love her name) being a rebel towards Brimstone. The adopted, teenage drama gets old. I loved how she wished for petty things, though. That was amusing. Ironically, it's the angels that I found less interesting but I imagine they get more featured(?) in the next books? I also don't get why the ex Kaz was mentioned too much at the beginning unless he plays a big role in the later part of the story. I guess I'll find out soon enough ... the second book is out! :D

I thought this one actually lived up to the hype.

Read: November 5-11 of 2012.

Girl of Nightmares (Anna #2) by Kendare Blake

This is like my Supernatural fix. The new season won't come out until months from now so this was a good distraction. Did I like it as much as the first book? Yes. Will I read it again when I'm bored? Not sure. Is there going to be a third book? I don't mind but that's probably not going to be an Anna series anymore is it? Actually, I think I'd like a third book. Or a stand-alone of maybe the voodoists side? Anyway, overall I think this is a good ending to the series.

On another note, is it me or does Carmel sound a bit like Hermione? Erm, never mind

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Turns out you don't have to be ... highly versed in the mythologies to be able to appreciate this book fully. There's a lot of reference to it and other classic literature though, and some of it, although not unheard of, I had to Google to make sure I follow the exchange of dialogue but that wasn't so bad. 

What's disappointing is the experience of reading the book. I'm not sure if it's because a) I have read a lot of positive reviews about The Secret History; b) the book is in a lot of to-read lists (to-read-before-you-leave-your-20s, top-100-books-to-read-before-you-die, etc); or c) it was referred to me by someone I hold in high regard when it comes to literature and the arts that made me expect a lot from this book. I guess all of it and that made it bad because from the very beginning I kept thinking "okay, this book will blow my brains out ... any  minute now ... just a bit more ..." You get the drift.

That's not saying I didn't enjoy reading the book. I did. See the four stars? The story is full of intrigue and drama and the prose is simple. It didn't seem pretentious or snobbish which is how I find some mythology/psychology/philosophy-based fiction. I find some writers (and readers!) are so into the genre that they think in the following manner: i-so-love-[insert genre here]-so-im-so-going-to-love-this-book-and-anyone-who-doesn't-is-below-my-intelligence-level. I think at times a book can make a reader think "I'm not worthy of this book". That's not the case with this one. It did not make my tiny brain inferior. Lol. That's a plus for me. 

As for the story, there is so much to talk about but the thing that stuck out for me is the relationship between the main characters. If anyone is worthy of the status "it's complicated" on Facebook, it's these people. I mean, what do you think of the relationship between Henry and Camilla? Between Camilla and Charles? Between Charles and Francis? I think it's disturbing and almost taboo yet it seems perfectly natural. It wasn't shocking. Maybe I was looking for shock value but then again I can't expect to be shocked because the writer pegged the main characters to be obscure from the very beginning. 

I will have to get back to this book to re-read. Sometime in the future. It's one of those stories one needs to re-analyze and see if you still feel the same.
===
UPDATE: Apparently I already read this book back in 2004 and I just didn't know the title. It was an old old copy with no covers or anything and apparently, I REALLY liked this book back then hahaha! I guess that was why I only gave it four stars, it sounded like I've read it somewhere before. Derp!

Well Hello Cheap Lodgings

 The House

So here's a (sort of) disclaimer, I am not a snob, but I am picky. If you are VERY picky, you might want to look some place else for accommodations. The group being on a budget relieves me of that privilege. I was in Coron two years ago and I had ideas of where I'm going to stay when I come back. I have to admit that Patrik&Tezz Guesthouse wasn't my first choice but, overall, I'm glad the group decided on this place. I was happy and impressed enough that I would recommend the guesthouse to friends (or anyone who is traveling on a budget).

The first thing you need to know is that the whole place is built on stilts (thus, my initial ... inhibitions). It rests above salt water but the structure is actually pretty solid. The house is made of native materials and if we're going on the specifics there are 5 rooms all-in-all but only 4 are available for guests (one is used by the family), shared toilet and bath but separate ones for male and female, shared living area with TV and fridge, and a sort of terrace in front where the guests also eat their breakfasts. They also have an adorable cat and a huge and scary but actually very friendly pitbull (another disclaimer: dogs are scary in general for yours truly, no matter what size or breed).

Now, other than affordable, the guest house was quaint, warm, and homey. I think it's the fact that they hardly have any staff, that makes a guest feel welcome. The owners and their family runs the whole place so you get to talk to them and they actually take care of your needs themselves. They are nice people and very easy to talk to about what you need or just about anything else. We particularly enjoyed our little breakfast chat on our last day with Tezz and her mom. I love that they have small signs all over the place with rules and reminders. It was very cute, to say the least, but mostly, it keeps people in check. Being a small place there will be little room to gallivant about so you just have to be sensitive about other guests. I think the signs (and the fact that Tezz lays down the rules when you get there :p) help a lot.

The signs

Booking through Patrik and Tezz gets you more bang for your buck. The package we got included the same places I went to the last time, save for a couple more I wasn't able to go to before, but this actually cost me less by a couple thousand pesos. It's not a lot but this is a 4day-3night trip compared to the 3day-2night trip I did before. Getting a package tour also relieves you of the other things like shopping for your own food for the lunch picnic, hiring a tour guide, haggling for boat rent etc. The package included accommodations, breakfast and lunch, airport transfers and the tour itself. Most of the places in Coron have some sort of environmental fee that you have to pay separately so getting a package takes care of that. The only thing we had to worry about was dinner and there are a ton of places to eat there so it was pretty convenient.

 It might be worth mentioning that they won this :D

So there, it's not 5-star quality but the thing I liked most about the stay is the experience. Again, I would recommend this to travelers and friends ... although, since the place is made of native materials and the walls are thin and the house is built on stilts, do not be surprised if you wake up at 4am with the whole house rocking that consistent kind of rock accompanied by funny noises from the other room ;-)

The Orphan Master's Son

When writing a review for an award winning book, one must be careful not to get carried away by the hype. To make things easier I asked myself one simple question: Did I actually enjoy the story? And the answer is yes (and not because Tim Kang **gushes** narrated it). But even then, when expressing your own opinion in a very controversial issue, you have to be sure you don't cross any lines and be politically correct. This is a hard review to write so work with me here, okay?

The book has been on my to-read list since 2012 but there are so many books out I just read them depending on what was available (or fits my mood). Honestly, I didn't think I would enjoy reading the book. I didn't know anything about N.Korea. But that was also how the book appealed to me (and it's timely since they've been threatening to nuke the world again). But, I did enjoy reading the book because it was a well-written one. I found the characters' stories and how they were brought together by some weird, twisted fate interesting. I think the first thing to do to appreciate the book is to appreciate the main character. The whole story revolves around him, after all. If you can't make yourself like him or relate to him or feel for him (at the very least), then it will be hard to enjoy the story. I felt detached from the story (as with most historical fiction stories) and didn't relate to Jun Do but I felt for him. 

Reading about Jun Do's life I felt like my problems (combined with everyone else's problems that I know of) are so petty and trivial. Hey at least I can vote for whoever I want to take advantage of me and then tell everyone I was wrong to vote for him/her whereas they have to stay devoted to their one Dear Leader; either that or die ... and I'm not even exaggerating. Now, I find it hard to digest that there are people so brainwashed (or hopeless) that they would just take whatever is thrown their way. It's so ... dystopian. Granted, it has been that way for decades but one would think that's long enough. Diving into the issue some more, I came up with a few theories: 1) that these people are completely and absolutely brainwashed (because they were fed propagandist information from birth and don't know anything of the world outside so whatever they see and whatever they are told is the truth); 2) that the military and officials outnumber the rest of the citizens (so they can't do anything to stop the injustice happening); 3) that they are actually spineless and are indeed hopeless; and 4) that they are just plain crazy to agree that they are the greatest nation in the world.

Back to the book, I liked the first part of it. The second part dragged a bit but the treatment was consistent. I think the story lacked a bit of suspense. Things were so complicated from the very beginning that you don't expect anything worse to happen. Or that everything Jun Do planned would surely fail. I also found the character of Sun Moon confusing especially the part when she kissed Commander Ga. That Ga would describe it as the same way it was in the movie when she kissed a S.Korean guard to distract him implicates she was distracting him too (?) but from what? From thinking of the bad things that could happen? Or was it for her to get things to work her way? I know the second part was supposed to be a story of great love but that seemed like a very one-sided love story. And a very fickle one. Did the author intend to make it look that way? Or have I been reading too much romance? In parts of the book, Sun Moon was described as a good wife, but she -as well as the first, lady interest of Jun Do (Second Mate's wife)- also acted as if they make the rules (and they did). I do this, you do that. I want this, you give it to me. Does that mean the author is saying N.Korean women are that way? Or that most women are that way? Lol! It could be me reading in between the lines too much.

Overall, I'd give it 4 stars because, again, I liked how the character's lives were connected by some weird, twisted fate and I thought it was a well-written story. I actually liked this better than the last Pulitzer I read (2008) which I think I also gave a 4.

The Shadow of the Wind

 
This book is the mother of beating around the bush. It really is. It's not enough that the main characters were sent on a wild goose chase, there's also a back story in every back story. They have to find out things about every person they come across with. Whether or not it's related to the story, you decide. Well, actually, most of it is but that's not the point. Lol. I now understand why Stephen King said on his review of The Shadow of the Wind that "even the subplots have subplots". It's a good thing the prose was beautiful because if it wasn't I'd be lost following the twist and turns of the story. And there's A LOT of twist and turns in this book.

Having said all that, no, I do not hate this book. I actually loved it. In another lifetime I might have found it dragging. But I don't. I think the formula of the book is pretty simple. Good prose, which I already mentioned, AND intrigue. Ripe, juicy, pure, unadulterated series of complications. People love hearing about other people's tragedies. We talk about it and it grows from that. Now this book is a combination of gossip and horror stories and superstitions that was all rolled into an elaborate story. We all love hearing how people died a horrific death in a house or how the last owner of an item suffered a tragic loss and cursed anyone who will own it to suffer the same fate as his. Heck, people even love rumors spreading around about their neighbor having an affair with the other neighbor's wife. A tragic story is a good story as long as it happens to someone else. I loved this book because it reminds me of that old movie Red Violin. It was so tragic but also intriguing you couldn't just let go.

But you know the best part of this is? It actually has a happy ending. Err, that was a spoiler right there. :p

Alex

 
I don't know how to put it. Saying this book was a pleasant surprise doesn't seem to fit. It's so dark and so negative that saying it's a good story makes me kinda feel awkward. But it IS actually pretty good. Especially since this is supposed to be the author's first book.

Some reviews pointed out how it was bad that 75% of the book only talked about the main character seeing his dead son over and over and over; and although that was apparent I didn't feel like it dragged too much. I actually read and was able to endure the supposedly "dragging" part. It was complicated and heavy (emotionally) but it was an easy read because of the words. The flow of the storytelling felt natural. I read it in less than 12 hours (with lots of breaks).

There is no explanation how the guy can be seeing his son, whether it's paranormal or a psychological thing I guess is up for us to decide. I wanted to know but not knowing doesn't really make it less of a good story. I liked the inner dialogue/argument he was having with himself. I guess the story is a blunt way of showing how parents grieve? I did cry in some parts when they describe how Alex was. That's a plus for my review.

I got this free from Amazon too so yay for me, eh? Lol.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

There are a few reasons why "nerds" and "geeks" are now considered cool (or hot); this book is one of them.
I love how this book is a story about other books that tell different stories. It talks of the book's smell, even! And don't get me started with that! Lol! It puts books, words and letters in a pedestal and states the obvious and still makes me say wow! It's the kind of book that makes me feel good about everything for no reason at all. I was on the edge of my seat when I was almost halfway through the book and smiling when I finished.

I had so much fun reading it and although the climax may actually be anti-climactic (and also a bit predictable towards the end?) it's still so worth it. Are you a bibliophile? Then this book is definitely for you. But this is also for techie people who spends most of their lives in front of a computer trying to figure out how to make our lives easier. There's a connection there somehow. This is way more fun than Da Vinci's Code haha!

I've been seeing this book on the shelves and on Goodreads a lot but didn't add it to my pile of "un-reads" until a couple days ago. I was browsing Audible for a birthday present for a workaholic. I wanted something that's light and fun and one that might be an easy read after a long day of, well, being a workaholic. I found Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore under the gift suggestion pages of Amazon's audiobook store. Naturally, I wanted to know if it's worth giving a very particular person so I had to read it and I'm glad I did.

Will I buy the Audible version as a birthday present? Yes. And then I'll cross my fingers and hope that this time, the workaholic actually has the time to enjoy it.

James Potter and the Curse of the Gate Keeper

Excuse my fangirling but G. Norman Lippert totally changed my view on fanfic. As much as I love getting this book for free I hope he'd be legally allowed to publish this series and get profit from it (and yes I will buy them and re-read them like I did HP lol). 

It would be hard to come up with an original story that would captivate readers of all ages (and from all over the world) as much as the Harry Potter series did but if you think the author got off pretty easy with a world that was already created for him and that he didn't have to make up on his own, then I have to disagree. It's harder because he already have a fan base to target and try to please. That is if he's making any profit of this. As it turns out, he doesn't get any. Now, he may have written the story for his own benefit because he said he wanted to make a "what if" story after HP and what fan wouldn't? Or doesn't. I'm just glad I ran across this.

What of the story? First off, I HATED the fact that (spoiler) that character we've all learned to love so much had to be the one to die but it was essential for the story. If it was someone else then it wouldn't have made that much of an impact. Bits of it may have also been predictable but even the original was like that in some ways wasn't it? Also, yes I find the older Hermione, Ron and Harry characters cheesy but it's also amusing. 

I think the best thing that I loved about this book is that it actually gave me not one, but two climaxes. And even then, it still left me craving for more. 

James Potter and The Hall of Elder's Crossing by G. Norman Lippert

First off, I'm a huge fan of the Harry Potter series. I was one of those students (yes I was still a student at that time), who patiently waited for each book to come out ever since I read the first one. Having said that, people may think, "Of course she'll love a Harry Potter sequel!" Actually, no. I think, as a fan, I'd be skeptical about a fanfic of any book that I like. Why? Because I don't want the memory of something that I thought was so good be "tainted" by something trying to be like it in case the "copycat" turns out to be a bad one. But THIS! THIS made me G. Normal Lippert fan.

At first, I was doubtful even if the reviews were good since each reader is different. I always thought that the original is always better then a fan fiction. I'm not saying James Potter exceeded Harry Potter but I would boldly say it's on the same level. Maybe the writer actually studied how J.K. Rowling wrote, I think he did because he used some of the characters too and he needed to use them the way Ms. Rowling did before. But in an older version of them, of course.

The difference, other than the characters and the "era" is that James Potter is also part SciFi whereas Harry Potter is purely of the fantasy genre. Mr. Lippert's version is also more political (the story is) so, unlike HP1, JP1 isn't very much a children's book. It's about the level of HP5, HP6 and HP7 where things got darker and the characters are grown up. I think the more "children's book" genre of JP1 is mostly at the end whereas HP1 has children's section written all over it. Not that I mind.

Speaking of characters. 1) Zane reminds me of the Weasley twins. 2) Ralph was a surprise waiting to happen. 3) Ted Lupin is also like the twins which is far from how I imagined him from the epilogue of HP7 but it was a pleasant difference, nonetheless. 4) McGonagall is still awesome! 5) Neville is still cute. 6) Hermione, I loved how Mr. Lippert immortalized her blowing-her-bangs gesture but that was actually part of the movies I think, not the book. 7) Ron ... I don't know what he does. He works for Weasley's Wizard Weezes? Maybe I'll confirm in the next books? 8) Harry (how can I forget) is just how I imagine he would be. Cheesy. Haha! and of course 9) James is much like his dad except more hot tempered. I guess that was what Dumbledore meant when he told McGonagall Harry was far better off growing up away from all the fame when he left him at the Dursley's. Speaking of which, I hope there's a Dursley story somewhere in the next books. :D 

So ... the things that I loved, pretty much all of it. Haha! Hard to pinpoint without spoiling it really. Some parts may be cheesy and I have noticed some inconsistencies as any fan might do but it doesn't matter right now. I'm a huge fan of HP not rabidly fanatic about it. :)

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

This was such an easy read but it has the depth an award winning book should have. Most historical fiction I've read with immigrants and refugees are related to the Russians and Jews so I wanted to read something set in Asia for a change. It's my first Vietnam war related book. 

When I read the blurb, I didn't know it was written in free verse poetry. When I saw that it was written that way I became even more interested. I can't say I'm big on poetry, free verse or not. But this one was okay. The journal-type presentation made it easier to read because it only had the more important details. I love that it doesn't drag.

For me, this falls under the children's category more than young adult. That's not to say other age range shouldn't read it. I did and I'm not a kid anymore. I just think it can inspire kids and teach them a lot about coping and waiting for the right time etc. I think this can even be a good bedtime story. I understand it's filled with doom and gloom but it's not something that could be misinterpreted.

I loved this and I think it's award-worthy but it didn't exactly make me go wow so ... four stars from me.

Balkan Yugoslavian Home Cooking

 I've been to this place three times already. Jesus, they weren't exaggerating on the blog reviews, Balkan's stuffed pljeskavica is to die for! The pattie itself is good (it's chewy with a sausage-ish texture), stuffed with mozzarella and served with a LOT of fries (you can opt for rice). Huge serving so I couldn't order any other so I'll just had to go back for the goulash. I did come back for the goulash and they werent kidding too when  they said it's good for up to 3 people. I had to ask for a doggie bag and ate the left over a couple more times at home lol.  

Last time I was there I had goulash and dzigerica (pork liver steak topped with garlic, served with mashed potatos) ... if you havent tried this place you're missing half of your carnivorous existence.

The Fire Chronicle

I actually enjoyed this book more than the first one. Probably because, of the siblings, my favorite is Michael and this is his story. I was about to give this 5 stars ... until I read the ending. Yes, I know it's not a bad ending but knowing the third book won't come out until next year (please let it be next year!) was kind of a downer. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!! lol.

When I said on my Emerald Atlas review that Emma was the least I liked ... I take it back lol. She really grew on me and I thought she was cute. I also liked that there is more to the story now than just finding the three books.

Anyhoo, the book is a bit predictable in some areas (like Rafe's destiny) but that wasn't so bad either because you only realize it as you read on. For die hard Harry Potter fans, yes, you will notice maybe a couple of similarities but please stop b**ching and just enjoy the story. It's not so much as the original concept but the story telling itself that I loved. I read on a novelist/screenwriter's blog that people usually come out with the same ideas but the plot develops as you write the story and I have to agree.

The Emerald Atlas

This is a children's book. With no pretenses of being deep or possessing hidden messages. Just a story that teaches how strong family bond can be in difficult situations, how friendship can overlook age or race, and how a person has the ability to shape their own future ... okay maybe there's one hidden message there. Heh.

Of the three kids, Emma comes off as the least to like. I mean, you wouldn't want your kids picking fight and justifying it, eh? But she grows on ya. Lol. I guess she's the stereo type of a kid who grew up from one orphanage to another. Trying to hide pain and emotion by pretending to be tough. Michael would be my favorite. There's something cute about his annoyingly academic character. And I can actually imagine him ogling at the dwarfs (dwarves? lol).

Overall, it makes you laugh enough, cry enough and it's light enough. I think the best part is that it actually has a happy ending. <s>SPOILER: No one died lol.</s> A lot of children's books now are sad and filled with death (oh wait, fairy tales are filled with deaths and evil magic too, pft), like a person can only know happiness if they know sadness. I get the point but <b>children should be children. Present them with the ugly truth at an early stage in their lives and they grow up too fast.</b>

This isn't C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien or JK Rowling but it's good. Books about wizards and witches and other magical creatures have been under close watch since Harry Potter which isn't fair. Don't get me wrong, I loved Harry Potter. But people, especially adults, should open their hearts and minds to new blood ... err books.

I am the Messenger

You know how some authors can be self-righteous when trying to come up with something that they want to use as a tool to restore a person's faith in mankind? This is not one of those books. This book has "awwwww" written all over it. I was smiling 95% of the time but also shedding tears of joy half of the time. Like i said: awwwww.

I finished this in less than 24 hours. Yes, it's mostly because I have a lot of time on my hands at the moment but there's no denying the book is very readable ... if you know what I mean. It's very light and simple. There are no elaborate plots, or complex dialogues, or poetical phrases to muse over. The book just spells it out for you and the author had fun doing so (All of his characters are a bunch of smart asses. Even down to the boy who patted down the Doorman and only had a brief role).

But having said that, I am the Messenger is also very thought-provoking. If this was a campaign (and it actually is, I tells ya!!!), then I'd say it's very effective. I wasn't expecting the book would turn out the way it did. Somehow I had different expectations when I read the cover summary. But I was immensely impressed when I realize what it's all about.

And the ending? ... at that time when it hits you and realize who it is behind Ed's mission like it asked on the cover? ... That's the best part you have to watch out for. My reaction? "Wow ... just ... wow"

Hands down ... one of the best books I've read this year. :) Kudos to Markus Zusak! You are officially one of my favorite writers ever!

The Book Thief: The book that taught me how to properly swear ... in German

A lot of books, whether it be fiction or a documentary, were written about the holocaust. This is one of them, although that wasn't the reason why I picked it up. There are three reasons.

One is the Book Thief herself. I thought at first this is a story of an exceptionally gifted and intelligent girl who would somehow save her neighborhood if not the world. This is usually the case in young adult books, isn't it? Markus Zusak, however, made an even more interesting protagonist. A very plain girl whose love for books (and stealing books) was actually quite accidental. What was more interesting for me was that, at the age of 10, she didn't even know how to read. Clearly this wasn't a book about some sort of prodigy but an ordinary girl raised in an era of fascISM and antisemitISM. She's not without flaws (she's a thief, after all), she is impulsive and proud but she does have qualities that makes her worthy of a reader's respect.

The second thing that made me seal my decision on reading the book is the last sentence of the book description on Audible (I have both audio and eBook). The description read: "This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul." I fell in love with that. I think anyone who loves books and reading books will be able to relate to that phrase. Books are a way to forget about reality and experience a totally different world. Words, when written a certain way can work it's magic on anyone.

Last? The story was narrated by DEATH himself. That kinda reminded me of Terry Pratchett's Discworld Series, although, of course The Book Thief is a lot more serious than Discworld. Death in both books have a sarcastic humor, though. It's as if it comes with the job but that makes it fun to read too.

Some things to watch out for in the book?

1) The childlike sketches of Max Vanderburg and the stories accompanying it.

2) Death's small notes. They are everywhere in the book. I love that in a way, it gives a fresh look to the pages. Yes, I meant "look". It makes a page more alive, somehow. Not monotonous and ordinary to the eyes.

3) German terms and their English equivalent. This is most important for non German speakers, as myself. I would actually suggest to read the book/eBook while listening to the audiobook to learn how to pronounce the words and sentences too. Hey, I learned how to swear properly in German. Kee-hee.

One of the best things about the book (in my opinion) is how Markus Zusak presented the characters. In most books there are good character and bad characters. All of the main characters here are merely victims of the situation. The setting is Nazi Germany and although the people who lived in this small town are "law abiding citizens" of the Nazi ruler, each and everyone of the characters have their own sob stories that pushed them to be where they are.

To summarize, I felt amusement from Death's way of looking at things (when he's not feeling sentimental), love for characters like Rosa who has a bad mouth but a good heart, anger towards Nazi Germany for reasons I don't have to spell out and sadness for the children who are the most helpless and suffered so much during the war. This book is a sad story all in all. But it stirs so many feelings in a person.

And yes. I cried too.