Books, Bad Boys & Tattoos

Colleen Hoover books for three straight days. I don't know why I love torturing myself with all these Colleen Hoover books. I guess I've proven myself yet again that I am definitely a masochist.

At first I thought it was somehow paranormal or something like that...but then I read the synopsis and holy schmuck! A YA dystopian with zombies?! Even if I'm badly in want of something light to cover up my book hangover from Maybe Someday, I'm giving this a try. 

Two of my favorite things in one book. IT'S GOING TO BE AN AWESOME NIGHT!!!

No, no, no! I can't. I just can't. It's a DNF, yes, but I'm already giving it a 1.

First off, EVERYTHING IS JUST SO WRONG. SO WRONG.

The story follows a girl who is SUPPOSED TO BE MOURNING HER MOTHER'S DEATH and is forced to live with her mooch of a father. Unfortunately, her father has left for Paris together with his new wife who happens to be the mom of the male protagonist so she now has to live with her supposedly step-brother. Here are the things that made me groan and almost pull my hairs out in frustration:

1. The story begins with her pointing a gun at the first guy she sees. With that being said I expected for some ass-kicking female protagonist. But towards the end of the second chapter where the male protagonist shoos her off, she just cries like some weak-hearted kid. WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO THE GUN CRAP EARLIER?! She mentioned at the beginning of the chapter that she needed to be tough, now that she's alone, hence the gun. And a mere rejection from a guy, not to mention whose unusually-colored eyes she instantly admires, just abruptly softened her heart?! That fast and simple?! What the fudge!!! 

2. WHAT KIND OF VIRGIN FANTASIZES ABOUT A GUY'S SEXINESS, SCREWING HIM AND ALL THAT SHIT?! If she weren't a conservative virgin, I would have understood. BUT THE FACT THAT JUST SOME MINIMAL VERBAL FLIRTATION ALREADY HAD HER CRINGING...WHAT IS SHE, A TWO-FACED VIRGIN?!

3. Her mom died only thirty-six days ago and she's already fantasizing about being in this guy's bed?! ISN'T SHE SUPPOSED TO BE MOURNING?! I doubt even the hottest guy on earth will keep you from grieving over the death of your parent/s, and to think that she mentioned more than once that she spent the last three years only with her mom, just imagine how close they would have been perhaps even her love for her mom, and then JUST ONE GUY WITH A RIPPLED ABDOMEN WILL MAKE HER FORGET ABOUT THAT?! SCREW YOU AND YOUR FREAKING HORMONES!!!

4. Three days. She's only been in that guy's house for three days and then the guy's already talking about her staying away from him BECAUSE HE CAN'T SEEM TO CONTAIN HIS RAGING HORMONES?! Okay, so there are people who have one-night stands or simply do it with people they just met, it's somehow the nature of the New Adult genre. BUT THEY BARELY EVEN SEE LET ALONE TALK TO EACH OTHER! AND THAT ONE TIME HE'D BEEN WITH HER FOR JUST TWO MINUTES OR SO, SHE EVEN GOT UNDER HIS SKIN!! Oh, so is that the modern aphrodisiac now?! 

5. SHE TALKS ABOUT HIS EYES AND SEXINESS AND THE NEXT SECOND, SHE CLAIMS THAT SHE HATES HIM. The moment I saw this, all I wanted to do was grab a dictionary and slap the hell out of her with it before I tell her to read WHAT HATE REALLY MEANS. 

6. THE GUY HAS SOME ANGER MANAGEMENT ISSUES. One wrong sentence, he walks out on her, the next, he's already screwing her with his eyes!

Like f*** it, I just can't take it anymore!!! I've read so much better fanfictions on Wattpad, written by amateur writers, and right now, what I'd trade to have those published instead of this crap. It seems as if a horny teenager wrote this, who, apparently, if she were a guy, she would have been thinking with her head "down there" and not the one perched above her neck!

I'm sorry for being rude, I don't normally do this but, ugh! Some stories are just worthy of such rants.

• Uh, well...here we go with hormone-ridden people again. It's a New Adult novel, I'm trying to give it that, but so far, the two characters' hormonal imbalance is getting under my skin. I'm hoping this might turn out okay, just like the other NA novels I've read. Hopefully, hopefully.

Book description: At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…

5 out of 5 stars.

Beautiful, bizarre.

If you're already sick and tired of reading YA Contemporary Fiction or New Adult for that matter with girls falling for bad boys and shit like that, well, this is just the book that will keep you from throwing up with all these cheesy romance books. I'm telling you, this book is nothing but different. The first thing you'll love about this book is the humor. Yes, the humor starts at the second page of the first chapter. It's very unpretentious. There are no trying hard crap, it all comes out naturally. And you guys should anticipate for Warren. Oh yes, once that guy shows up, you'll never stop laughing you asses out.

The next one is the romance. I love how Hoover establishes the romance between the two, Sydney and Ridge. It doesn't start off with good looks like most YA or NA books nowadays. No, no shit like that. That one thing that cracks the perfect and planned world of the two is music...and talent. It's amazing how Hoover is able to tell her readers that love doesn't begin with tantalizing eyes or a mesmerizing voice but with things that our other senses can, well, sense too. And it's not slow-paced, no. The two don't hate each other like the typical "the more you hate, the more you love" shit. The guy isn't a bad boy as well! A a matter of fact, he has a good and loyal heart in his chest which sort of ruins everything. The romance of these two unlikely people does not revolve on cheesy, childish romance. Their love story is a mature and real one.

And the thing I love the most about this book is the dialogues. Yes, the dialogues. It may seem shallow to some but holy brocomoli, their dialogues are very much relatable, I practically underlined the entire book because the lines, oh the lines, they're so beautiful, even sort of an eye-opener. The advice Ridge gives out is totally applicable to real life, most especially when my best friend is currently suffering from the "cheated on with my best friend" thing (I'm not the best friend being referred here, mind you). And the dialogues between Sydney and Ridge, YOU CAN DEFINITELY FEEL THE EMOTIONS BEING INCITED FROM THEIR WORDS, THEIR LINES, THEIR PARAGRAPHS, EVERYTHING! This is also a reason why I had a hard time containing my emotions when I finally reached the greatest climax of this story.

Imagine a girl, crying her heart out in the middle of the night, totally depressing over the fact that no one would understand her because none of her friends has read this book yet...yup, that's me.

I don't know how I shifted from a laughing hyena to a wailing blue whale. The transition is so fast you end up mourning only a second after you rolled in the aisles while clutching your stomach. Goodness! The last time I cried because of a book was over a year ago thus the shock is so great, most especially because I was unprepared for an emotional roller coaster! Someone should've warned me that I was in for another tearjerking, heart-wrenching story!

I had to stop reading because the emotions are just too much to bear, it was a good thing my best friend (that one above) was online last night that I was able to vent out everything to her. I've been planning to let her read the book since she could relate more to this than I did and by no intention, she instantly asked for a copy! I told her about the premise and she said she'd love to read it, maybe Ridge's advice could help.

THIS BOOK=PERFECTION. EVERYTHING IS SO MAGICAL, THE TWO CHARACTERS' STORY, THEIR SELF-DEVELOPMENT, THEIR WORDS, THEIR LOVE STORY, TOTALLY BREATHTAKING. 

YOU GUYS SHOULD READ THIS NOW, LIKE RIGHT NOW!!!

Figured I wanted something cheesy and not gory. lol

Throne of Glass and this? Ooh! It's a "violent and gruesome" kind of day for me. Hahaha!

Book description: After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. 

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

5 out of 5 stars.

Brilliant and incomparable.

Brilliant. The writing style is so much more than the definition of brilliant. It's not light but not tense either. I love the omniscience of the third-person narration, how it doesn't focus only on the main character but on the minor ones as well and of course, its flawlessness. Maas is able to describe and explain things in a rich and colorful manner...way to go, Maas!

Incomparable. Aside from the fact that this book falls on a unique storyline, (and characters) the world where everything takes place is just so magical. I wasn't expecting for the fantasy aspect of this book. What with the competition to become the King's Champion, I thought it'd fall more on dystopian or something close to that. Turns out there are still more to come, something one will not ever expect in a book.

And of course, the characters...damn do they have depths. 

Celaena Sardothien is the epitome of a female badass, not only because she's a female assassin but because the violence in her veins is clearly perceptible in every chapter. You can hear it in her thoughts, her speech...her badass personality is what makes up every fiber of her being and that's one thing I love about this book--the mere fact that Calaena is able to carry out her "criminal mind" until the last sentence of the book. It's not everyday that you come across a female badass let alone an assassin and I am more than appreciative that Sarah J. Maas was able to give justice to that.

Dorian Havilliard and Chaol Westfall. I love how Maas was able to portray the lives and personalities of these two (hot) guys, how Dorian possesses the mind and heart of a true royal, how Chaol emits the bravery and self-control of a royal guard.

The one thing every reader will love about this book is how it doesn't focus only on the "competition" but on the story enclosed in it as well. The book isn't just about the violence but self-discovery as well. And the plot development, it's excellently laid out. Every twist and turn in this book is breathtaking and definitely mind-blowing, especially the romance? Definitely enthralling. Maas made it difficult to choose between Dorian and Chaol most especially when both men had a fair share of proving themselves not only to Celaena but also to the readers. I can't wait to read the second book and find out which man wins my heart, I mean Calaena's.

Indeed, no other story can ever compare to what this book has in store for its readers.

I would have finished this the other night or yesterday but I "accidentally" went to a shotgun all-night party last Saturday. 

I can already see a 5-star rating and I'm only halfway through. I really love how this book starts, there are no unnecessary scenes, everything is thoroughly explained, plus the main character's badass personality is already oozing off right in the first chapter...so cool! And the setting of the story, ooh! I love it! The romance is quite enthralling as well.

I love the writing style, it makes everything easily comprehensible. 

Book description: Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don't kill him first, that is.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Meh.

This book is okay, it's a fun read, I was laughing half the time...but I feel like it could have been at least 50 pages shorter.

The story begins with Daemon and Katy's verbal cat-fights since Daemon is indeed an arrogant, sarcastic asshat...well, thumbs up for sticking to his characterization. But then there's the issue of raging hormones once again. Ugh, what's up with these young adult novels about girls who ramble about these loathsome guys and then describe how good-looking the latter are in just a nanosecond? And the reason why I said it could have been at least 50 pages shorter is because the first one hundred pages are just about Katy and Daemon's love and hate relationship. Like what the heck, they fight and almost kiss and then fight again...it gets somehow annoying before you get to the best part.

Also, it is mentioned right away in the synopsis that Daemon is an alien, so I was expecting that his true identity will be revealed shortly after. No, it will be revealed only midway the book. It would have been okay to reveal his identity this way if Armentrout hadn't mentioned beforehand that Daemon is an alien. If it were that way, then it'd be more thrilling as the readers greatly anticipate for Daemon's "big" revelation.

I wish Jennifer Armentrout had written Katy's "infatuation" for Daemon after Daemon's identity has been revealed, and not before. 

I still love the book though. I mean, a hot alien guy? Hell yes! What I love most about this is Daemon's personality. Oh yes, I have this sort of weakness for sarcastic and somehow conceited guys (Jace Wayland, anyone?). He starts off as an arrogant jerk, trying hard to throw Katy out of their lives, especially his sister's who has now gone close with the former. You'll want to hate him for that, but heck, he's just so witty and at times he could be really nice to Katy, so we readers just end up loving him more! Although the reason for him being overprotective towards his sister is already predictable all because of that freaking synopsis, ugh! 

And then the action. This is solely the reason why I quickly read the book right after I saw the synopsis. Since Daemon is actually an alien, I really looked forward to a unique storyline and maybe even an action-packed story. Well, Jennifer Armentrout gave justice to that. Also, I was with Katy when she thought aliens looked like those from the film E.T. Turns out aliens need not necessarily be massive green blobs and the sort. I'd have to give Armentrout that.

So far that rant above is the only one I have.

Over all I'd give Jennifer Armentrout a two-thumbs up for the unique storyline, for the romance that frustrated me but made me giggle all in the same heartbeat nonetheless, for the action that held my breath for a minute or two (it's just a hyperbole, guys) and for the lightly-written book. I finished this in just six hours tops and it's a four hundred plus-paged book. 

A HOT ALIEN GUY? Who could say no to one? 

I can already see it. It'll be another sleepless night but who cares? I'm not saying anything first since nothing much has happened yet but I love Jennifer Armentrout (especially her Covenant series) and I'm more than willing to read her every work, from YA Fantasy even New Adult. 

Book description: So wrong for each other …and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. 

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible. 

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

5 out 5 stars.

ACHINGLY BEAUTIFUL = This is the perfect description for this.

Holy. Schmuck. Everything I thought about this book is so wrong, just wrong.

Just when I thought I was in for another despicable book, here I am, rocking my body back and forth because this book is just so amazing I don't know what to do with my life now.

This book is the closest to reality that I've ever read. Everything is so surreal! The characters are real, the emotions are raw, the scenes and sequence of events are very well thought of...

It's amazing how the story tackles issues of troubled or, to be accurate,damaged teenagers because at some point thereon, it informs the reader that things like those in the book actually happen in real life, that there are actually teenagers (probably even those you just happen to pass by, God forbid someone you know even) out there who suffer neglect from their own families, longing for their lost parents and/or siblings, torments of past traumas, judgments of fake best friends, prying eyes of jerks at school...stuff like that.

Surprisingly, I instantly feel as if the characters and I are one. As the reader, I could feel Echo and Noah's trepidation, heartaches, longing, happiness...practically every emotion they feel. It's as if I'm actually there, with them!

What amazes me more about this is how a lot of things could happen in just three hundred and sixty two pages (e-book), how it sums up pretty much every emotion and happenings in one's life, how it talks about not just the romance between the two characters but their lives as well. It doesn't start slow, but not fast even, it's on a just right pace. It gives the reader time to feel her way in. There is a time when I think Echo and Noah are just like any other teenager nowadays, feeding off of hormonal triggers but then Mcgarry makes me realize that that's the point, she makes her characters flawed, just like any other human, because she wants to make her reader live the characters' lives and just be the character.

And the best part? Mcgarry sure knows when and how to make her readers feel as if there's an invisible hand reaching out to their hearts and twisting it as the characters deal with what real people face everyday.

Another thing every reader will surely love about this book is the mystery.The story begins with Echo's slated mind and Noah's loss. It's cool that Mcgarry's able to explain very well what really is behind these two teenagers' stories and how they get through it.

Right now I'm torn between taking back my rants last night and letting it stay there. *shrugs* Whatever. It still made me realize that every once in awhile, I actually need a dose of reality. 

From now on I'll call this book "The All-nighter" because it definitely is. It made me stay up all night because it's utterly unputdownable (if such word even exists). I tried telling myself to call it a night already but each chapter and page is just a page-turner, no chapter will bore you out, so I ended up awake and disoriented until 6 in the morning. 

I don't regret being sleep-deprived. This book makes the blurry vision and narrowed eyes worth it. The only thing I hate now? Is the fact that the book contains 362 pages but the story ends at 343. That companion novel's preview sucks because I was expecting for more and accidentally rushed to the ending. 

I'm normally a sucker for Sci-Fi or Dystopian but four months of summer vacation (if you could call it that since it's raining so damn hard all the time now) has opened up an opportunity to try other genres. This book is a contemporary fiction and I've been (or I am) close to considering it New Adult since the second chapter. 

It's essentially about two "damaged" teenagers whose lives stumble upon the other through their shrink. Echo, the female protagonist, is supposedto be somehow amnesiac because she doesn't remember how she had acquired the scars on her arms except that her own mother had tried to kill her one day and this is what she's seeing a therapist for. Noah, on the other hand, is supposed to be a depiction of a bad boy. He's a foster child and has been seeing a therapist after he had allegedly beaten up his first adoptive father.

Notice how I use the word "suppose" as I describe the characters. Because so far they haven't lived up to those descriptions yet. There are times when they actually do but half the time I find them going astray from what they're supposed to be.

Right now I'm in a love and hate relationship with this book. So far the only things I'm not liking about this is that one above and the fact that one second, Echo's describing her dislike towards Noah's personality, and then onto the next paragraph, she's already describing how beautiful his eyes are, how she seems drawn to him. Oh, goodness. *sigh* Echo, you're confusing me. Is it love? Nope. I think it's all about calming down your freaking teenage hormones since this is practically what the first one hundred pages is  all about. 

I'm not judging it yet. Anyway I'm only a hundred and twenty eight pages in and in all honesty, disregarding my rants above, I actually think this is quite worth a read. I don't know, the story's just so close to reality it's like a black hole pulling me in despite the dangers I'm foreseeing. I'll surely finish this up maybe until tomorrow night (big sister duties, got to attend to that) and who knows? Maybe Mcgarry's hiding something up her sleeves in the succeeding chapters.

I always look at the book's last page first and check how many pages it has before I start reading. I've been training myself with quick-reading and the book's number of pages is somehow an incentive for me to finish within the estimated number of days or hours I ought to consume for reading.

No, reading books isn't a job for me. It's still for pleasure and escape from reality, only, with a goal.

Book description: Six teens struggle to discover the source of their strange and horrific abilities in this first book of The Star Shards Chronicles.

Dillon has the terrifying power to create massive amounts of destruction with the slightest tweak of his will. Deanna is so consumed by fear, it has become like a black hole, drawing to her the very things that terrify her. Then, when the glare of a supernova sixteen light-years away illuminates the night sky, they have a vision: There are six of them out there, all teenagers, and all suffering from supernatural afflictions that disfigure their bodies and souls. Only by finding one another will the six ever be strong enough to defeat these mysterious forces that, bit by bit, are devouring their souls from the inside out.

4 out of 5 stars.

Could I just hug Mr. Shusterman right now? The urge to hug and thank him for this skillfully-written book is as hard to resist as Dillon's wrecking-hunger. I swear I couldn't think of any more appraisal for this book. The writing style is utterly savvy and the characters are just so superb!

The book's divided into several parts, each part carefully designed not to overwhelm the reader especially with an intricate storyline like this. 

One thing I love about this book is that every sentence and dialogue are interrelated, it's as if Shusterman couldn't afford wasting a statement. He clearly explains each scene and event through his characters, which makes it definitely comprehensible to the reader. He doesn't recklessly inject scenes just to make each picture colorful. The scenes he throws in are very much relevant, no matter how trivial it may be. No such things as beating around the bush, or skimming on the surface, crazy stuff like that.

Most people will find scientific explanations in a fiction book a tad bit too much to take in. But Shusterman is just the person who makes science talks enjoyable.

There is also a reason behind his characters' complexity. Most authors nowadays create characters with specific backgrounds because they have to, for the sake of having a plot. But Shusterman's characterization is the plot itself. Skimming through the pages I pondered why Dillon and Deanna seem to be of much importance in the story and why the four others are somehow just minor characters when the story's supposed to be about them all, all six. And then Shusterman once again plays with me when I discover the answer midway through...Dillon and Deanna are the plot twist, the missing pieces not only to these shards of the Scorpion star's tail (otherwise these beyond normal juveniles) but to the story as well. 

And of course, the thing that I always look for in books: genius characters, okay, maybe not as brilliant as Einstein but brainy enough to figure out the solutions to their obstacles. Dillon and Tory, goodness gracious, I love their impressive intellect. Tory's is for getting them through these extreme challenges as they weave through the unveiling of their mysterious lives while Dillon's is exactly what a criminal mind is. I love smartass characters, making me love this book all the more.

Over all the book is quite impressive and worth-reading. It's a short read but I wouldn't say this is a fun and light one. I recommend this to sci-fi fanatics like me, especially those who are into astrophysics. I've a lot to say about this book but I rather you read the book instead. 

Why I didn't give it a perfect rating is somehow personal. I am deeply offended by Shusterman's portrayal of God in the story. I know, I know, books of today practically question God's existence. But hey, I'm a believer in God, and as one, I don't like it when people almost insist that God is unjust let alone nonexistent. There are also minimal errors in spelling and grammar but I don't think there's any other writer who can ever be at par with Shusterman's writing style in terms of organization of thoughts and most importantly, efficiency.

I hate reading on my iPad because my eyes easily get itchy every time I read e-books. But I have tons of e-books in my tablet. I have to. In my city/country, physical books are almost a luxury already and everyone would just have to bear with eyestrain and the like if they want to read books other than those that are available at the local bookstores (and these books are often, if not always, outdated books because it takes ages for the local bookstores to update their shelves) and these books are quite exorbitant, mark you.