New Releases: July 26th - August 1st 2011

Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer

Supernaturally (Paranormalcy#2) by Kiersten White

And The Things Fall Apart by Arlaina Tibensky

Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Cleopatra's Moon by Vicky Alvear Shecter

Never Have I Ever (The Lying Game #2) by Sara Shepard

Always A Witch (Witch #2) by Carolyn MacCullough

Populazzi by Elise Allen

Want To Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Dark Souls by Paula Morris

Across the Great Barrier (Frontier Magic #2) by Patricia C. Wrede

Misfit by Jon Skovron

On My Wishlist (5)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It’s where we list all the books we desperately want but haven’t actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It’s also an event that you can join in with too – If you want to know more, click here.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Hardcover: 459 pages

Release date: June 7th, 2011

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Goodreads Summary: Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

 Hardcover: 336 pages

Release date: August 16th, 2011

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn't live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But when he falls for the wrong girl, Luis enters a dark world he's never known, and just when he thinks he's got life all figured out, learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life. Will that Fuentes bad boy streak come out with a vengeance and lure Luis to live on the edge like his new girlfriend and his own father?

Continuing all the steamy romance of the first two books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Simone Elkeles gives fans one more satisfying taste of the irresistible Fuentes boys. 

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Hardcover: 448 pages

Release date: March 6th, 2012

Publisher: Harperteen

Goodreads Summary: Lauren Oliver captivated readers with Delirium, the first book in a thrilling dystopian trilogy in which Lena Haloway dared to fall in love with Alex and escape the cure, the government-mandated procedure that renders a person immune to the disease of love. Lena and Alex staked their lives on leaving their oppressive society, but only Lena broke free. 

Pandemonium continues Lena’s gripping story. After escaping from Portland, Maine, Lena makes it to the Wilds and becomes part of an Invalid community, where she transforms herself into a warrior for the resistance. A future without Alex is unimaginable, but Lena pushes forward and fights, both for him and for a world in which love is no longer considered a disease. Swept up in a volatile mix of revolutionaries and counterinsurgents, Lena struggles to survive—and wonders if she may be falling in love again. 

What's on your wishlist for this week? 

Review : Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Hardcover: 472 pages

Release date: Oct. 12, 2010

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart.

Thoughts

I have a story about finding this book. I stumble on this book out of the blue, when my friend checked on a wrong book on ‘goodreads.com’. I saw its cover and grab hold of my attention, then; I always keep Revolution in my mind that I will buy it soon. And that’s how I end up loving the book, than I ever thought. Revolution is the first book that I read by Jennifer Donnelly. At first the start of the book was kinda hard for me to understand, when Ms. Donnelly writes in like an old method. But then I managed to keep up with it and soon flow with the motion of the story. Andi Alpers has got some problems with her family, grades, and even on herself. Her father leaves them, and her mother can’t muddle through with the death of her brother and her, blaming herself that she’s the reason why Truman is dead. Everything started to fall on her, that even her only way of escape, her music, seems to go downhill too. Her father decided to help her by having Andi on his project on Paris. That’s when everything started to changed on Andi’s’ life, she founds her new friends and even a love interest, Virgil. The biggest changed, is when she discovered a diary of an Alexandrine Paradis, a girl who lived during the time of Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution. As she unfolds the truth about the French Revolution she suddenly feels comfortable with it and let the past becomes suddenly horrifyingly present.

I love how Ms. Donnelly brings the history of France in a different way that would let you turns every page. I’m not an aficionado of history or even music; really, I mean I kinda sucked at it. But then reading Revolution lets me discovered that there’s a different way of how music and history can be exceptional and beguiling. The story was made very wise and neat. The characters are remarkable, Alexander, Virgil, and Andi. Andi is a person who can be stubborn sometimes but have a soft spot for music. While Alexander is totally a dreamer of herself and wants her life to be perfect, but everything changed when she found the prince of France. Virgil--okay I know that you all think the name was familiar, of course its Virgil from Dante Alighieri—the partner of Andi was really cool, he’s got fine looks...I mean really fine looks and got a talent in rap. I like how there affection grows in the story. Andi soon finds asylum with him and soon arranges her life and put every piece of it in one again. The end of the story is pretty quick-witted; I recommend this book for every person who wants to understand the importance of time. That in life time is one of the most important thing in our life, ‘coz you can’t bring it back. That life doesn’t have the second chance, but you can always bring everything in right by correcting everything that you did on the present for the sake of the future. How you can do everything for love that even laws can’t destroy.

Follow Friday & Book Blogger Hop (4)

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee.

This week's question: 
What do I do when I'm not reading?

I either go to school, study at home, or attend school org meetings and school academic and social events. I'm a college freshie and I haven't been reading much these days (one book a week). I joined a political organization called Campus Alliance for Dedicated and Unified Action and the University of the Philippines Baguio Mountaineers    my heart rate's abnormal so the members decided I skip the 5, 10, and 15 kilometer-run training   ... add the Freshmen activities and parties until August that the school organized for us to feel welcomed as new scholars. Last week of July up to August first week will be our exam weeks. *sigh* That's why I have little time to check on blogs and to read and review books. Aside from school stuff, I've been doing a lot of house chores with my three housemates. I do the cooking, laundry, and dishes twice a week, unlike before when I'm at home with my family and slacking was one of my favorite hobbies. I'm also still trying to adjust to my new environment since my school is located in Baguio City, which is really far from Manila and home.

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy for Books for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word and to connect with other bookworms, make new friends, support each other, share our love of books! 

This week's question from Veronica who blogs at Read Books, Have Fun:
How/Where do you get your books? Do you buy them or go to the library? Is there a certain website you use like paperbackswap?

Most of my books are bought by me or sometimes my mom when the titles aren't available here and she orders from Book Depository for free shipping. I'm into newer YA books but unfortunately, our library doesn't have those. My other books were either gifted or won from giveaways while I get ARCs from Netgalley.

Mini Review: Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

Hardcover: 308 pages

Release date: November 15th 2010

Publisher: Clarion Books
Source: Won
Amazon ││ Goodreads
Goodreads Summary: Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures--goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty--are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

     Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right. The goblins are coming.

Thoughts

This is the first book that I’ve read solely about goblins and precisely regarding Celtic mythology. I was drawn to the idea of the world in this book that set up creatures I haven’t been introduced to until now. It was an interesting read all in all. I’d love to have Teagan as a sister. She ensures that Aiden, her little brother is always out of harm's way. Aiden on the other hand, is my favorite character. He speaks like a grown-up and is totally adorable. He loves music, remembers everything and is afraid of Elvis Impersonators. :D Finn is the Mac Cumhaill that is ordained to fight the goblinkind in the present time. Oh, boy. He’s an Irish accent, a warrior blood, and a hot bod. Need I say more?? 

There are things that I find lacking and flat though. The things that happened in the first half of the book came almost too fast. Teagan’s mother died and there are times that I feel like it didn’t happen. I thought Gabby-Crabby- I mean Abby, would play a much bigger role, but didn’t. And the romance! Although there is, I was slightly disappointed to find little. Sorry, I was just waiting for the first kiss. I still enjoyed it however. The part three of the book was action-packed that I was lost track of time. I kinda blame it that I didn’t get to study for the exam the next day! This is a very good start for a series. Can’t wait to have another dose of that sexy Irish again.