Review: United We Spy by Ally Carter

United We Spy 
(Gallagher Girls #6)
by Ally Carter
Published: September 17, 2013




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Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle’s elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie—and her country—forever.

Review: Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae

Wish You Were Italian
(If Only . . . #2)
by Kristin Rae
Published: May 6, 2014




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Pippa has always wanted to go to Italy … but not by herself. And certainly not to sit in art school the entire summer learning about dead guys’ paintings. When she steps off the plane in Rome, she realizes that traveling solo gives her the freedom to do whatever she wants. So it’s arrivederci, boring art program and ciao, hot Italian guys!

Charming, daring, and romantic, Bruno is just the Italian Pippa’s looking for—except she keeps running into cute American archeology student Darren everywhere she goes. Pippa may be determined to fall in love with an Italian guy … but the electricity she feels with Darren says her heart might have other plans. Can Pippa figure out her feelings before her parents discover she left the program and—even worse—she loses her chance at love?

June New Releases

New Book Releases this June 2014

*cover image links to Goodreads*

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern Published: June 3, 2014 The Book Depository Amazon __________ John Green's The Fault in Our Stars meets Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park in this beautifully written, incredibly honest, and emotionally poignant novel. Cammie McGovern's insightful young adult debut is a heartfelt and heartbreaking story about how we can all feel lost until we find someone who loves us because of our faults, not in spite of them. Born with cerebral palsy, Amy can't walk without a walker, talk without a voice box, or even fully control her facial expressions. Plagued by obsessive-compulsive disorder, Matthew is consumed with repeated thoughts, neurotic rituals, and crippling fear. Both in desperate need of someone to help them reach out to the world, Amy and Matthew are more alike than either ever realized. When Amy decides to hire student aides to help her in her senior year at Coral Hills High School, these two teens are thrust into each other's lives. As they begin to spend time with each other, what started as a blossoming friendship eventually grows into something neither expected.

Music and Lyrics (15): ON REPEAT

It's been a while since I last heard some of these songs but I noticed that I terribly missed them so now they are also included in my current playlist along with these new ones I've loved since summer break:

1) Demons by Imagine Dragons

I dedicate this song to Meda (Cracked and Crushed by Eliza Crewe - amazing book!).

"They say it's what you make
I say it's up to fate
It's woven in my soul
I need to let you go"

INCIDENTS: Bookish or Otherwise (this time it's OTHERWISE)

Not only does the start of a new school year signify the end of summer in a 'vacation mode sense' but also literally. You see, ever since school started last week, it also started raining quite a lot. I am even glad to say that I am once again sleeping huddled in a blanket. This entire summer, I've never bothered getting under the covers. The weather was that hot and just like that *snaps finger*, it's not anymore. There are only two seasons here in our country.. sunny and rainy.

Yesterday, since our last class was right after activity hour, we had plenty of time to hangout in our classroom even before the bell since it wasn't occupied. When we arrived there, we saw that part of the second floor hallway was flooded. SECOND FLOOR. And our room was in the middle of it. Anyway.. a girl entered the room. We're pretty sure she's lost since it's a major subject for fifth years which means no one can just enroll in that class and she's wearing the new school uniform which means she's either a second or third year student (freshmen are still allowed not to wear the uniform). Me and my classmates just looked at each other and we girls finally decided to help her out.

My cousin: Excuse me, miss? Which room is your class?
Lost girl: *looks confused for a second* Umm, DR?
Cousin: I think you're in the wrong room.
Lost girl: Why? What subject is this?
Cousin: Software Engineering
Lost girl: But this is DR, right?
Me: Yes. SLDR. I think your room is SEDR.
Lost girl: Oh. Where is that?
Me: Third floor. Just take the stairs right outside this room.
Lost girl: *looks sheepish* Oh, no. Thanks so much. *smiles*dashes for the exit*

Poor girl. I'm pretty sure she missed the first week of HER class since OUR class wasn't able to formally meet on the first week of school - the room was unavailable so she had no idea that she got in the wrong room until yesterday.

I don't really know what you will get out of this post. Heh. I'm just in a writing mood so take what you can out of this. I hope you're entertained or at least got a bit of lesson to help out a lost soul instead of making fun of them. Common first day back to school problems.. no need to freak the lower years (especially fresh bloods) out by being in the wrong class. Imagine if that was you. *cringe*

Review: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Stormdancer (The Lotus War #1)
by Jay Kristoff
Published: September 1, 2012




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Griffins are supposed to be extinct. So when Yukiko and her warrior father Masaru are sent to capture one for the Shogun, they fear that their lives are over. Everyone knows what happens to those who fail him, no matter how hopeless the task.

But the mission proves far less impossible, and far more deadly, than anyone expects – and soon Yukiko finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in her country's last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled griffin for company. But trapped together in the forest, Yukiko and Buruu soon discover a friendship that neither of them expected.

Meanwhile, the country around them verges on the brink of collapse. A toxic fuel is slowly choking the land; the omnipotent, machine-powered Lotus Guild is publicly burning those they deem Impure; and the Shogun cares about nothing but his own dominion. Yukiko has always been uneasy in the shadow of power, when she learns the awful truth of what the Shogun has done, both to her country and to her own family she's determined to do something about it.

Returning to the city, Yukiko and Buruu plan to make the Shogun pay for his crimes – but what can one girl and a flightless griffin do against the might of an empire?

Back to School TBR Pile

Some of you are just starting summer so enjoy! June for us here in the Philippines means the end of summer and the start of another academic year - or at least to most of us who did not change our school calendar - which happened this week. And since it's only the first week, school isn't that hectic. Yet. IT ALL STARTS NEXT WEEK. I'm only taking 7 classes this semester - thanks to summer class - and I'm dreading my Tuesday schedule the most. I have four classes that day from 10.30AM to 4.30PM straight, one hour break (for lunch, I'm guessing ???), and continue until 7PM. This is the kind of school day where bringing food to class will be much needed but they are lab classes so buh-bye-excess-fat-I-gained-this-summer. Oh, and here's another sad fact.. two of the most I'm-giving-you-five-programs-to-make-for-your-assignment-to-be-submitted-next-meeting professors are holding those four classes. Someone cry with me. Wednesdays and Fridays are the most chill so they're my favorite days of the week.

Anyway, the reason why I haven't been blogging even if times aren't tough yet is because I've been catching up on my TBR pile. Yes, I am behind my Goodreads reading challenge (again!) but that's because the books I am currently obsessed with are thick so.. understandable. So far this June I've read..

Cover Reveal: GIRLS ON FIRE Boxed Set

10 award-winning, critically acclaimed YA authors have brought together 10 amazing heroines in the GIRLS ON FIRE boxed set.

Girls on Fire

by Laura Howard, Amber Argyle, Angela Corbett, Christy Dorrity, Cindy M. Hogan, Tamara Hart Heiner, Elana Johnson, Rachel Morgan, Lee Strauss, Lani Woodland

Publication Date: June 16, 2014

I AM AN AWFUL BLOGGER!!!

OH. MY. GOSH. I just realized that my blog turned 2, like, a week ago. Two freakin’ years old. I suck. Now I feel guilty. I also forgot my first blogoversary! I think I even made a late blogoversary post but I wasn't able to publish it. I would have loved to do something special this time though. But I’m afraid now is really a bad time. It so happens that June means back to school and all the fuss that comes with it – why I started this blog in back-to-school-month (at least in our country) June, I can’t explain. Or I would have loved to have a giveaway for you, dear readers, but I’m broke. I can, however, give my heartfelt thanks to everyone of you who visited my blog even once. My blog is no superstar but I don’t mind at all. It’s here. You’re here. AND IT FEELS AMAZING!

Review: The Girl With the Windup Heart by Kady Cross

The Girl with the Windup Heart
(Steampunk Chronicles #4)
by Kady Cross
Published: May 27, 2014




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In 1897 London, a final showdown is about to begin.

London's underworld is no place for a young woman, even one who is strong, smart and part-automaton like Mila. But when master criminal Jack Dandy inadvertently breaks her heart, she takes off, determined to find an independent life, one entirely her own. Her search takes her to the spangled shadows of the West End's most dazzling circus.

Meanwhile, taken captive in the Aether, Griffin King is trapped in an inescapable prison, and at the mercy of his archenemy, The Machinist. If he breaks under the hellish torment, The Machinist will claim his powers and control of the Aether itself, and no one in either world will be safe-especially not Finley Jayne and her misfit band of friends.

Finley plunges headlong into the Aether the only way she knows how, by temporarily dying. But she cannot parry The Machinist's maneuvers for long. To defeat him for good, Griffin will have to confront his greatest fear and finally come face-to-face with the destructive power he wields.

Cover Revealed! MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: Twelve Holiday Stories

I've been waiting for this anthology a long time and while it's not really here yet, it has a cover! A very very cute cover. I know all of the authors included and read AND loved the books of 10 of them. So, yes. OH.MY.GOD.

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

by Stephanie Perkins (editor), Holly Black, Ally Carter, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Matt de la Peña, Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor, Kiersten White

Expected publication: October 14, 2014

Cover art by Jim Tierney

If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins.

Fun fact: each of the skating couples on the cover represents one of the twelve stories.

So. Any guesses which couple will be written by which author? The guy with the red checkered shirt and blue jeans reminds me of Levi (Fangirl). I wonder if I know the guy who has horns. LOL.

**EDIT: AAAHHHhahahahaha!! I showed this to my sister and we made guesses together. She says the guy with the horns and weird feet is the one from Days of Blood and Starlight (Laini Taylor). Ohmygod.. I did not expect this to be so much fun. And there's Mary and Joseph (we think). Also, either one of the two guys (the other wearing Santa's outfit) must be A. Bahahahaha.

PS We know they are probably not the characters who are going to be in the story. These guesses are just for fun.

May Reads + Monthly Recap

Just when I already made up my mind not to go, my college buds called and convinced me that I should go with them for the weekend. Just when I said yes, my high school classmates planned another movie day on that same day. Damn (I now owe them lunch or dinner). And there I was totally expecting a 2-day read-a-thon before summer break is officially over. Didn't happen.

May was.. internships, club meetings, plans, late nights, late mornings, reading, blogging and being lazy the rest of the time. It's the first time since I started college that I didn't take summer classes. I still have my OJT though but it's not so bad. I was also able to catch up to my Goodreads Reading Challenge. I've been behind since January (heh). I'm not that far ahead either but I don't mind. At least I'm "on track".

This month I read 17 books (holy crap!):