Daughter of Smoke & Bone blew us away; Days of Blood & Starlight didn't disappoint; and now we're anxiously awaiting Laini Taylor's third and final installment of her celestial epic, which we've learned is called Dreams of Gods & Monsters (out Spring 2014).
Dreams starts where Days left off, with Karou and Akiva discovering each other alive -- although Karou is still not ready to forgive Akiva for killing the only family she's ever known.
I'm super excited for anything Laini Taylor publishes, but I'm very much invested in the "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" series. Spring 2014 seems so far away!
Many younger readers (and a number of older ones, too!) know Peter Lerangis through “The 39 Clues”, for which he wrote 3 and a quarter stories. Recently, he started his own fantasy/adventure series, “The Seven Wonders”. He came to the Philippines for a book signing event last May 4th at National Book Store to promote the first book, “The Colossus Rises”.
When I interviewed him, I had an extra copy of “The Colossus Rises” signed, and that’s what I’m giving away this month!
MECHANICS:
If you are a WordPress user, all you have to do is follow this blog and leave a comment on this post with the answer to the question “Which of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World would you most want to visit if you had a time machine?” If you already follow this blog, then simply comment with your answer to the contest question. Please share the link to the giveaway in any of your social networking accounts.
If you are not a WordPress user, you can either subscribe to this blog by clicking on the link at the bottom of the right sidebar or you can just follow me on Twitter (@almeldiel). Leave a comment on this post with the answer to the question “Which of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World would you most want to visit if you had a time machine?” If you’re already a subscriber or if you already follow me on Twitter, then simply comment with your answer to the contest question. Please share the link to the giveaway in any of your social networking accounts.
Once I have validated your entry, your comment will appear on this post.
The winning entry will be chosen by a random draw and will receive a signed trade paperback copy of “The Colossus Rises” by Peter Lerangis.
ONE BOY
Jack McKinley is an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem.
In a few months, he’s going to die.
ONE MISSION
Jack needs to find seven magic Loculi that, when combined,
have the power to cure him.
ONE PROBLEM
The Loculi are the relics of a lost civilization and
haven’t been seen in thousands of years…
SEVEN WONDERS
…because they’re hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
You have until 31 May 2013 (11:59pm) to send in your entries.
Barring any unfortunate interventions by Yoda-talking, Viking-looking red bearded men, I should be able to announce the winner within the 1st week of June.
This contest is open only to residents of the Philippines. (Sorry, foreign friends!) If you live outside the Philippines but you have a friend or relative with a Philippine mailing address who will be willing to receive the prize for you, then you’re welcome to join the contest.
The winner must reply to the notification e-mail within 3 days from receipt of the notice, otherwise, the prize will be forfeited in favor of the second person on the random list generated to determine the winner.
Spread the word, and May the Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!
✻ ✻ ✻ Disclaimer (To satisfy the WordPress.com Terms of Service): This giveaway is not sponsored and is not being posted in lieu of paid advertising on this blog. I bought the book and paid for it out of my own pocket and had it signed at an event that I attended. ☺
…also sub-titled “In Which I Squee Deep Inside Because I Did Not Freeze Like A Starstruck Fangirl”.
Authors are my rock stars.
Or maybe I’m only saying that because I’ve never met a real rock star or haven’t really fangirled over one. We’ll see. But right now, that is my truth: Authors are my rock stars.
And so whenever I meet one, even those who I’ve already conversed with a lot online (Mina V. Esguerra, Kate Evangelista), I get starstruck. I get nervous before the interview and always forget to ask or say something even when I’ve written all my questions and comments down.
My worst starstruck experience remains to be meeting Neil Gaiman, during which I was shaking the whole time as he signed my book, I shook his hand, and we posed for a photo. It’s a good thing I already wrote my name down on a Post-It and did not have to spell it out for him because I’m pretty sure I would’ve misspelled my own name. And I have no memory of what I said to him or what he said to me. I might have said something weird and unintelligible, so maybe not remembering is a good thing.
I got to interview Peter Lerangis last May 4th. He’s one of my favorite authors in “The 39 Clues” series, and I have a lot of feels for his particular installment, “The Sword Thief”, so I dreaded having another starstruck episode.
I got to the venue later than I should have because of the traffic due to a random rain shower (it happens; it’s more fun in the Philippines!), so my interview was moved to after the signing event. I was a bit panicky throughout the entire program because many of the questions on my list were already asked by either the fans or Ms. Xandra of National Book Store. In the end, I was left with about 4 or 5 questions, which should have added to my starstruck anxiety.
Peter Lerangis with Ms. Xandra Ramos Padilla of National Book Store
When I finally met him, though, I responded very well to his friendly and welcoming demeanor, and he immediately put me at ease. And I think I lost most of my nervousness during the program because he’s just so jolly and witty and hilarious.
Our short chat went well. We got to talk a little more about “Seven Wonders” and ghostwriting. I got my books signed–all 3.25 of his “The 39 Clues”, and “Seven Wonders”. I think my panda sticky tabs (you can see their ears peeking out the side of the book) amused him because he actually wrote a message for them. I had to reassure him that the reason there were only a couple of pandas in the latter half of the book is because I got caught up in the action, and not because I fell asleep and found it too boring to merit some more pandas.
My copies of The 39 Clues, signed by Peter Lerangis
Because he’s such a chocoholic (like me!), I gave him one of my favorite chocolate bars: Alfie’s Bacon Bar. He was so surprised, and I could only smile because that was my exact same reaction when my friend Leia told me that such a thing exists.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
✻ ✻ ✻
I’m reading 4 books right now, it’s crazy.
Here’s what my dance card looks like: “The Mango Bride”, which is for a review assignment for GMA News Online; “Dying of the Light” for our book club; “Icon of the Indecisive” for Mina V. Esguerra’s secret project; and this book, for which I also have a review request.
“It always felt like this here during Lent,” Ben said. Notes of pasyon drifted into the jeepney, the old woman’s voice rising and falling like a wave. Pagdaka’y ibubulalas parusang kasindak-sindak sa harap ng taong lahat. “Like the town’s hallucinating.”
✻ page 39 (review copy), excerpt from The Ghosts of Sinagtala from “Unseen Moon” by Eliza Victoria
*chills* This excerpt is so effective at setting the tone of the story, and even more so if you understand the Filipino language. I can’t help but fear for the characters, and nothing’s even happened yet!
Confession: I’m a scaredy-cat. I hope I survive this book.
“Unseen Moon” is a collection of five suspenseful stories by award-winning Filipino author Eliza Victoria. If you’re interested in purchasing the book, click HERE.
Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
Even though I haven’t ventured beyond “Beautiful Creatures”—and I do mean beyond the first book—I’ve read enough to be excited by the prospect of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl publishing books separately.
Unbreakable
By: Kami Garcia
When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.
Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.
Publication Date: 1 October 2013
This one appeals to me more than “Icons”. The premise of a secret group of people whose members are being killed off one by one, making it necessary for their offspring to take their place is nothing new, for sure; I most recently encountered it in Michelle Zink’s “A Temptation of Angels”. But if Garcia can put a different and exciting spin to this, then I’m on board.
Icons
By: Margaret Stohl
Your heart beats only with their permission.
Everything changed on The Day. The day the windows shattered. The day the power stopped. The day Dol’s family dropped dead. The day Earth lost a war it didn’t know it was fighting. Since then, Dol has lived a simple life in the countryside — safe from the shadow of the Icon and its terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can’t avoid. She’s different. She survived. Why?
When Dol and her best friend, Ro, are captured and taken to the Embassy, off the coast of the sprawling metropolis once known as the City of Angels, they find only more questions. While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the Ambassador’s privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they might think, and the timing of their meeting isn’t a coincidence. It’s a conspiracy. Within the Icon’s reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas discover that their uncontrollable emotions — which they’ve always thought to be their greatest weaknesses — may actually be their greatest strengths
Publication Date: 7 May 2013
Just please don’t let this turn into another YA X-men.
And I just noticed that both books have characters named Lukas/Lucas. (Oh noes. Can’t break the mindmeld? Must hail Mr. Spock!)
One of the reasons why I am very curious about both these books is I want to see more of Garcia and Stohl’s individual styles. They admitted that while working on the “Beautiful Creatures” series, they couldn’t tell who wrote what anymore once they’re finished, suggesting that their writing styles are similar enough or at least that they can adapt to each other’s style to produce stories that don’t sound schizophrenic. But I really want to get to know both authors better based on their own merits.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
I paused to look at the black treads and the big white Swoosh, grass poking through the rubber, and thought that if I were a basketball shoe, this is how I’d want to live and die—on the feet of someone who treasured me so much that he wore me until I fell to pieces, then spending eternity with front row seats to the game that was my raison d’être. Standing there marveling at the rubber scraps, I felt like those people who claimed to see Jesus in their Cheetos.
This contest is closed. Winner announcement: click!
✿ ✿ ✿
Another giveaway! Hurray!
So the awesome and totally random Ransom Riggs was in the Philippines recently. If you missed having your book signed, then here’s your chance to own a signed copy of “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”!
MECHANICS:
If you are a WordPress user, all you have to do is follow this blog and leave a comment on this post to let me know that you want to join the giveaway, and that’s your contest entry right there! If you already follow this blog, just share the link to this giveaway on your blog or Twitter or Facebook or Tumblr or whatever social networking service, then leave a comment with a link to your post/tweet.
If you are not a WordPress user, you can either subscribe to this blog by clicking on the link at the bottom of the right sidebar or you can just follow me on Twitter (@almeldiel). Leave a comment to let me know that you subscribed or comment with your Twitter username, and that’s your entry right there! If you’re already a subscriber or if you already follow me on Twitter, then just post a link to this giveaway on your Twitter or any social networking site and leave a comment with a link to your post/tweet.
Once I have validated your entry, your comment will appear on this post.
The winning entry will be chosen by a random draw and will receive a signed trade paperback copy of “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” by Ransom Riggs. We had this copy signed during Ransom Riggs’ book signing last 3 March 2013 at Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street.
A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here – one of whom was his own grandfather – were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow – impossible though it seems – they may still be alive.
You have until 31 March 2013 (11:59pm) to send in your entries.
Barring any unfortunate interventions by sheep on the loose or cranky bartenders, I should be able to announce the winner by April Fools. (I just hope you believe me if you win.)
This contest is open only to residents of the Philippines. (Sorry, foreign friends!) If you live outside the Philippines but you have a friend or relative with a Philippine mailing address who will be willing to receive the prize for you, then you’re welcome to join the contest.
The winner must reply to the notification e-mail within 3 days from receipt of the notice, otherwise, the prize will be forfeited in favor of the second person on the random list generated to determine the winner.
Spread the word, and May the Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!
✻ ✻ ✻ Disclaimer: (To satisfy the WordPress.com Terms of Service) This giveaway is not sponsored and is not being posted in lieu of paid advertising on this blog. (I don’t have advertising at all!) I bought the book and paid for it out of my own pocket and had it signed at an event that I attended. ☺
Lauren Kate is back with a new book, and it looks and sounds magical!
Never, ever cry. . . . Eureka Boudreaux’s mother drilled that rule into her daughter years ago. But now her mother is gone, and everywhere Eureka goes he is there: Ander, the tall, pale blond boy who seems to know things he shouldn’t, who tells Eureka she is in grave danger, who comes closer to making her cry than anyone has before.
But Ander doesn’t know Eureka’s darkest secret: ever since her mother drowned in a freak accident, Eureka wishes she were dead, too. She has little left that she cares about, just her oldest friend, Brooks, and a strange inheritance—a locket, a letter, a mysterious stone, and an ancient book no one understands. The book contains a haunting tale about a girl who got her heart broken and cried an entire continent into the sea. Eureka is about to discover that the ancient tale is more than a story, that Ander might be telling the truth . . . and that her life has far darker undercurrents than she ever imagined.
From Lauren Kate comes an epic saga of heart-stopping romance, devastating secrets, and dark magic . . . a world where everything you love can be washed away.
Publication Date: 22 October 2013
Eureka’s name should have been Alice…who went to Wonderland and cried a lake into existence. (^_^)
My tiring but book-tastic weekend is over, but…hey, it’s another Bookmark Monday!
Today’s bookmark was sent to me a few years ago by the awesomest person in Cebu City, Marivic a.k.a. Miss A.M.! Thank you! *mwah! hugs!*
This is a thin wooden bookmark with a carved wooden owl that’s designed to perch atop your book. And it’s made in Cebu City, of course! At least I can say I’ve been there. (^_^)
I took a shot of this with my signed copy of Ransom Riggs’ “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” to commemorate Random Ransom’s visit to the Philippines.
Speaking of Random Ransom…in my giveaway this month, someone is going to win a signed copy of “Miss Peregrine”! Stay tuned for the mechanics. (^_-)-☆
—
And once again, I apologize for the quality of the image because I still haven’t resolved my uploaded image quality problems here on the blog. Everything looks fine in my computer, but they pixelize once they are uploaded to WordPress. If there’s a kind soul out there who can help me solve this, please message me?
Shout-out to Leia: Thanks for the help with the coverage and for force-cajoling me into ordering that cake. (^_^)
Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) Author:Tahereh Mafi Read Date: 27 February 2013 Goodreads Reading Status Updates:click! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. But only because of Warner, who’s worth maybe a whole star, maybe more. (What?! The rest of the book was only mildly interesting.)
tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it’s almost
time for war.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.
She’s finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.
Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam’s life.
*SPOILER WARNING FOR PRETTY MUCH ALL THE MATERIAL IN THIS SERIES*
So I thought that life-changing decision they were talking about in the synopsis will be something really epic, but as it turns out, it’s just Juliette finally succumbing to Noble Idiocy.
I first encountered the term when I got into Korean dramas, and perhaps one of the best examples is illustrated here: Noble Idiotic Cancer-afflicted Characters. If you’ve read “Unravel Me” and that scenario sounds familiar, well…now you have a term for it.
I was annoyed with Juliette for most of this book, and to be honest, I really wanted to punch her in the face. If only she weren’t so powerful and so…fictional.
First, there’s that noble idiocy. (I am a monster, I can kill you, therefore, we cannot be together. *gives Adam torturous looks for the rest of the book*) I do understand her plight and her genuine fears, but I was disappointed that she didn’t even give herself or Adam a chance to at least be trained or to even actively find a solution.
Juliette: ‘I can’t help but wonder what my life would’ve been like if someone had taken a chance on me.’
Me: Well, sister, you will keep wondering if you aren’t even willing to take a chance on yourself.
I liked, though, that Adam wasn’t willing to take all this bullshit from Juliette and kept insisting that he wanted to make things work. (Although sometimes, I think he’s just sexually frustrated. Sorry. I mean…right?) At least he redeemed himself after making the mistake of not telling Juliette that he wasn’t as immune to her as they thought.
Second, she was just so emo. It’s the book’s saving grace that Tahereh Mafi got Kenji and Castle to call Juliette out on being a selfish, whiny, anti-social brat. I really, really appreciate Mafi hanging a lantern on that. It’s a pity because you would’ve thought she’d be a bit more optimistic and proactive now that she has a Professor X in her life. You know, just a bit? Not to mention an awesome awesome friend in Kenji. If Kenji dies in the next book, I will seriously cut a bitch.
Also, I do think Mafi writes beautifully, and sometimes the similes and metaphors are so pretty they touch my heart, which is proven by the many tabs now sticking out of my copy of the book. But there are times, too, when it all gets cheesy and overbearing. Emo Juliette + Juliette’s voice in melancholic prose = a particularly trying time inside the character’s head. I do get that this is part of the character’s DNA, but I just wish there was some semblance of evolution in this aspect now. It was acceptable to see her so introspective and defeated only when she was locked up in an asylum. I don’t expect her to stop being this way entirely because then, she wouldn’t be Juliette. But maybe just…a little more positive? A little more willing to change her circumstances and to fight back? I loved when she was being funny and light-hearted and even sarcastic—those are some ray-of-sunshine moments!
The character who I did not expect to be such a fancy thinker was Warner (omo, he reads Shakespeare!), although reading “Destroy Me” changed that perception. Oh, Warner Warner Warner. There’s some hate for him out there as a love interest, especially post-”Shatter Me”, and I understand that. In fact, I approve. I felt the same way!
But I, like Juliette, find something compelling about him that I cannot name. He’s been described by other readers as a psycho, a warfreak, a megalomaniac. Well, he does own up to being a murderer and a troubled, unforgivable person, but people give him too much credit.
Anyway, that doesn’t mean he can’t make you swoon. After all, bad boys are attractive, right? And Warner is a very bad boy who you just might want to do bad things with. CHAPTER SIXTY TWO. ‘Nuff said.
Juliette: ‘I don’t know why my heart is losing its mind.’
Me: Damn. My heart lost it too. But I know why.
I don’t know why she keeps giving Warner flack about going Darth Vader on her Luke Skywalker, by the way. (*in Darth Vader voice* Join me, and together, we will rule the galaxy…) Warner wants her to realize the true potential of her powers. Sure he wants to do it for World Domination (or so he says), but what about Castle? Castle wants her on their side so they can overthrow the Re-establishment, but he also admits that they will do it when they’re ready to rule. So both sides want Juliette on their side so they can gain power. Castle may have more noble intentions, but sometimes, when it comes to Warner, I think Juliette doth protest too much. It’s a good thing she’s not a hypocrite about her other feelings for him.
‘Warner is the one person I can be completely honest with. I always feel like I have to protect Adam from me, from the horror story that is my life…But with Warner, there’s nothing to hide.’
I am not yet too hopelessly romantic to think that Juliette will end up with Warner just because I like him, of course. Author Kate Evangelista once said that there seems to be an unspoken rule that the heroine must end up with the one who saved her first, and that was Adam.
Actually, I’m still not convinced that Warner will be good for Juliette in the first place. As of this book, he does have his own agenda despite his feelings for her, and nothing can erase his past, his crimes, and his family background. Basically, if Juliette was still living with her family, her mother would tell her to stay as far away from Warner as she can. And until things change in the third book, I’d have to agree with her.
I personally like him because he has more potential as a character, he has more depth, and he’s been brutally honest about what he’s really like so far, and I appreciate that. And also, yes, that compelling something I still cannot name. And the feels. But being on Team Warner/Team 62 doesn’t mean being on board the Juliette/Warner ‘ship entirely. In this book, for me, it just means I’m rooting for the character.
It’s telling, though, that the times when I liked Juliette in this book were when she was with either James or Kenji.
I also like that in the love configuration, it’s Juliette who is the more powerful entity. In most YA love triangles, it’s often the girl who’s the normal or weaker one—the human—and it is often the boys who have power or wealth or who are supernatural beings. This is a nice variation to the trope. I hope that she lives up to the hype when we get to the last book.
I should probably stop talking about the romance now. I just couldn’t help it because the plot didn’t really move forward as much as could be expected from such a thick book, and the romance constitutes a good chunk of it. You can’t even really argue for character development taking up a lot of space because there wasn’t much growth or change in Juliette.
Okay, let’s talk about abilities. The gist: the series has gone all dystopian X-Men on us.
Yes, I did expect to see a lot of mutants because the story is now set in Omega Point, but I didn’t want EVERYONE to be a mutant! Sure, I was willing to accept that maybe Adam was, and I kinda saw the Warner revelation coming after that. But even James?! Being Adam’s brother is not an excuse.
The only normal major character in this is Supreme Commander Anderson. And who knows, maybe he’ll also find out later that he’s a mutant, especially considering how his kids turned out. Statistical probability just got thrown out the window. It’s all just so…to quote James himself, convenient.
Sometimes I feel like the Omega Point and mutant rebel action plot thread belongs to a different story. I think it’s because of Juliette’s voice, which is so personal, internal, and emotional; it fits the romance aspect more than the action and secret mutant rebellion scenes which are best narrated in a more straightforward voice to be better appreciated. I’m hoping that Mafi will be able to more smoothly intertwine internal Juliette with heroine Juliette and the outside world.
I also hope that Juliette will live up to her potential, not necessarily as a powerful being, but as a proper heroine in the next book. Nothing like almost-death to get you motivated, huh?
♪♫ ♪♫ ♪♫
And now to Score The Book. This has everything to do with Warner and Chapter Sixty Two. Sorry, Juliette.
♪♫ ♪♫ ♪♫
Read this book:
Only if you’ve read “Shatter Me.” Reading “Destroy Me” is optional, but recommended.
Recently, he started his own fantasy/adventure series, “The Seven Wonders”. He came to the Philippines for a book signing event last May 4th at National Book Store to promote the first book, “The Colossus Rises”. 
I had to reassure him that the reason there were only a couple of pandas in the latter half of the book is because I got caught up in the action, and not because I fell asleep and found it too boring to merit some more pandas.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 
Unbreakable
Icons
I paused to look at the black treads and the big white Swoosh, grass poking through the rubber, and thought that if I were a basketball shoe, this is how I’d want to live and die—on the feet of someone who treasured me so much that he wore me until I fell to pieces, then spending eternity with front row seats to the game that was my raison d’être. Standing there marveling at the rubber scraps, I felt like those people who claimed to see Jesus in their Cheetos.
