Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

After so many months of persuasion and nagging from my fellow bookworms, both from the internet and in my tiny circle of book-crazed friends, I finally got around to reading this book. I had my initial doubts regarding the theme of this book like the ones I had while I started with Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief. As I’ve mentioned before, I am not much of a fan of history, and so a story weaved from Stalin’s reign was a bit of stretch for me since I have no retention, whatsoever, of our lessons about his fight for power.

Okay, enough with my preferences and on to the book, itself. There have been a lot of books published regarding the World War II, focused more on Hitler’s rise to power and its repercussions. Sepetys’ Between Shades of Gray gives reader a different view of the war, highlighting the harrowing rule of Stalin (the Soviets) over the Baltic states, Lithuania, in particular.

“Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother’s was worth a pocket watch.”

The story begins as Lina Vilkas, a fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl, and her family got torn apart due to their deportation to the cold lands of Siberia at the beginning of the war. Of course, at these times, people were expected to keep whatever they had in their minds about their grueling experiences hushed if they wanted to preserve their lives. But it was different for Lina. Somehow, she just couldn’t silence her opinions and so when words failed her, art became her medium, her channel to express and depict the hardships and challenges she and her fellow countrymen had to endure under the commands of the NKVD troops under Stalin. Lina drew everything she saw and felt in hopes of her father finding these drawings to serve as clues about their current location. She also drew to make documentations of their experiences which would, hopefully, be seen by everyone in the future when the war is finally over.

Like other books centered mainly around the World War II, Lina’s story gave readers a very visual and personal account of the inhumane and immoral things she had encountered throughout her journey to Siberia. From the starvation to forced labor to random killings to sex slavery, everything was given in this book. What sets it apart is the way it was written. Personally, it was a very light read, wording-wise. But then bits and pieces of flashbacks about Lina and her family’s life before the onset of the war are strewn across some chapters which, I think, helped greatly in making the readers understand more about the things that were happening to them. 

My attention was also caught by two other characters in the book: Andrius and Kretzsky—two very different yet intriguing persona. I won’t give detail description of these two because I want you guys to be the ones to learn about them once you read the book. The only thing I’d tell you is that these two people will be the image of hope and love, in opposing ways, in the story. And I thing they made the book much more interesting. 

I guess by reading this review, it was obvious that I enjoyed the book. I finally get it why it was being compared to Zusak’s The Book Thief and Boyne’s The Boy in Striped Pajamas. Aside from these books being about the World War II, all three were personal perceptions of the war from children’s eyes. It was through their minds that we get pictures of the actual pains and sufferings of the people through those times.

Compared to The Book Thief though, Between Shades of Gray appealed less to me emotionally but it doesn’t mean that I did not like the book. It’s just that I can relate more to Liesel Meminger than Lina Vilkas because I am attached more to books than art. And I don’t know why, but I did not shed a single tear over this book even though some events were depressing enough. Overall, I will give it a 4/5.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Sorry if this one’s a little bit rusty. I haven’t written a review for so long. And truthfully, I missed it. Haha.

I have been one to judge books based on their covers ever since the YA genre started spouting tons of vampire/werewolf/*insert-other-mythical-creatures-here* crap. Every time I go into a bookstore, I find, to my disappointment, another goth-themed cover. If not those kinds, I see books with lovey-dovey covers which contain very clichéd plots. Now why am I babbling on about these stuff? Well, because this particular book that I am reviewing falls into those category, cover-wise. (please don’t stop reading)

But then, as I update myself of the vlogbrother’s video entries, I found that in one of it, Mr. John Green himself recommended this book. Of course, my opinion of it changed and I started to take a second look and finally.. bought my own copy. After a few weeks, here I am, finally gotten around reading The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.

I have to be honest and admit that the title didn’t help in convincing me to like the book. You see, I am a non-believer of the whole love-at-first-sight magic. But then as I got past the first chapter, I find myself actually getting attached to the main character, namely Hadley Sullivan.

“It’s not the changes that will break your heart; it’s that tug of familiarity.”

And so the story began as Hadley got stuck in the airport by missing her flight that would bring her to her father’s second wedding. And so she had to book yet another flight and wait. All this hassle just because she was late by 4 minutes. Yep, only 4 minutes. But then this seemed to be a blessing in disguise for she met Oliver, also waiting to catch the same flight she recently booked. 

Their meeting was fairly odd and not quite realistic to me but I guess it somehow worked for the whole of the story. Even when they’ve met for just a few hours, they felt comfortable talking to each other and sharing stuff you don’t usually do with strangers. And so goes their 24-hour-long story of witty remarks, comedic adventures and personal revelations.. all inside an airplane.

The premise of the book may look shallow at first but then reading through it revealed a lot more about the characters that just their timely acquaintance. Surprisingly, what caught me wasn’t the love story between Hadley and Oliver but the conflicted relationship Hadley has with her father. (yeah yeah, I am a sucker for characters with father issues) The book started out with Hadley having strong feeling against her father and as the story unfolds, we were allowed to peek in on Hadley’s head and her hatred. Who wouldn’t be mad of a father who leaves his family for another woman?

I know that this is not a unique story and a lot of books have already intricately depicted broken families and bitter children. But what made this book so much different from the others is that it journeyed toward a positive path of acceptance. Although even to me, Hadley forgiveness of her father’s act was to sudden and early, I felt this bit of jealousy for her having the heart and bravery to finally find peace with what she was dealt with. She wasn’t like other characters who would rather carry the hatred for as long as they can even when it wasn’t worth it. And I think that’s what I admire most about Hadley. She was honest about how she felt and she can deal with it. I, personally, don’t have the strength to do that.

Overall, I enjoyed it and I am glad that I believed Mr. John Green’s word. I think it wasn’t really much of a love-at-first-sight thing. I would say that it was an attraction-at-first-sight. A little predictable but it was fine with me. It was a perfect mix of wit, drama, craziness, and cheesiness. Nothing was too much overdone. I give it a 4/5.

Fat Kid Rules The Word by K.L. Going

I am a fat kid. Everywhere I go, people’s eyes would turn my way, their gaze following my lumpy shape. I am used to their disgusted stares.  I have no friends. Who would ever want to befriend a 300-pound loser? Even my family looks down on me because of my excessive weight. So I guess no one would even bother when I die.

Generally, that was what goes inside Troy Billing’s head most of the time. Being laughed at all the time for being overweight has become too much of a torment. The only thing people do when he’s around is criticize him silently in their mind. Or so he thought. And so desperate for an escape, he decided that a leap from the subway station to a railway with an incoming train would be the best solution. And so he stood there, contemplating about how funny people would think it is to see a 300-pound kid get splattered by a moving train.

As Troy Billings made up his mind, and chose to continue his plan, a thin homeless boy showed up, standing right beside him. It would not have mattered if the person was just a random stranger. But in this case, the lad beside him wasn’t. Troy suddenly found himself talking to the most popular semi-homeless punk-rock guitar-god their highschool has ever known: Curt McCrae. Now, all of Troy’ efforts killing himself evaporated and Curt declared that he should be compensated for saving Troy’s life.

Together, Troy and Curt take on the world as they help each other realize their worth. What started to be a weird meeting paved way for a very unlikely and unique kind of friendship between the two misfits as they decided to form a band.

Personally, I was able to enjoy the story since I can somehow see myself in Troy. Ever since I was a child, I had been slightly overweight. And of course, with that comes the ever present taunting from my classmates, friends, and even family members. I totally understand Troy’s lack of self-esteem and tendency to engulf himself with self-hate. His self-consciousness is too much to a point that of being too self-centered. He thinks that everything is about him and that everyone cared about how he looks, how he acts or how much he weighs. But then that is not always the case. I mean, I cannot blame him for being too negative about people’s perception of him. But I think he was far too busy expecting the worst that he came to neglect how lucky he was compared to others. He doesn’t realize that other people even envy him.

As for Curt, it was not really clear to me why he did what he did and saved Troy’s life. All I can say is that in saving Troy, he actually saved himself. Somehow, their fated encounter saved them both, in the best way possible. I wouldn’t make any further explanations as to why, for I do not want to spoil anyone of you who would want to read the book too. Let’s just say that even if this story is told in Troy’s perspective, a great deal of it is around Curt, and how he deals with problems of his own.

Overall, the book was very much entertaining and detailed to the point that, at times, you’d be grossed out with the descriptions. It was also hilarious yet very much real and honest, as well. This is one of those very few books which prove that Young Adult literature doesn’t have to be bombarded with supernatural creatures or teenagers falling madly in love with each other. I wish more people could appreciate these kinds of stories as they reveal haunting issues about teens that are usually hushed up and ignored by the society. It deserves my 4.5/5.        

The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch (Secret # 1)

I know I said that this book is an easy read and that I should be finished with it 3 days ago, but then due to some unwanted circumstances, I was only able to finish it a while ago. The past 3 days, I have been busy with my scholarship renewal, enrollment for the second semester, and attending the funeral of my deceased friend. On top of that, I managed to acquire fever and colds yesterday, which is a very great way to end my sembreak. Not. Anyways, here goes my review for the first book in the Secret series, which is was overdue.

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Based on the book’s rule, I am putting my life in grave danger telling you what it is all about. For the story holds a Secret that we must keep hushed in order to prevent others from using it for greater evil. So I trust you to save me the trouble and keep whatever you will read about to yourselves for our own sake.

So the story starts with two eleven-year-old kids, Cass and Max-Earnest. The two are what some others may describe as weirdos due to their peculiar traits. But these two kids are important for they are vital in keeping the Secret safe and saving lives of people involved.

Cassandra calls herself a survivalist. Every day, she goes to school wearing her trust backpack loaded with the equipment she believes are needed for every kind of calamity or danger. Aside from that, Cass believes that she can predict whenever bad things will happen, but she was yet to prove her “sight” to everyone in school. To her classmates, she is the “girl who cried wolf”.  

Max-Earnest. A quirky name. But there is a good story about how it came to be. But I fear that I am not fit to be the one to share it. Read the book and let the narrator relay it to you. Aside from the name, Max-Earnest tend to talk a lot. Yes, somehow, a period doesn’t work for him as his words pours continuously straight from his head. Max-Earnest also has the habit of telling everyone a joke the no one seem to find funny. And for the kids around him, this is annoying to the point of irritating. 

The two were brought together when Cass found the Symphony of Smells, a box filled with different vials of herbs and whatever containing various of scents, at her grandfathers’ shop. Apparently, the Symphony of Smells is one of the things left by a magician who disappeared after being burnt inside his house, leaving nothing but the smell of sulfur like rotten eggs.  

And so the adventure begins as Cass and Max-Earnest unearth the secrets involved in the mystery of this magician’s death. Aside from the Symphony of Smells, they also found Pietro’s, the magician, notebook. In it they learned more about his story of magic and amazing power of the senses. They started on a quest to find out more about the peculiar Ms. Mauvais and Dr. L who began pursuing them since they discovered the Symphony of Smells. What did these two want from the box and why do they desperately want to know Pietro’s story? Will Cass and Max-Earnest be able to prevent their evil plan in order to save one of their friends from the hands of Ms. Mauvais and Dr. L?

I have been seeing this book series displayed at the children’s section every time I go into a bookstore. I had to admit, the colorful cover and mysterious title made me curious enough to buy the first book. I guess I can say that it was worth it. From the first few pages, with the author giving us visual illustrations of warning before reading the book to the last pages of reminders for the sequel, I was hooked.

I particularly enjoyed the type of narration as it was directed to the readers, like casually talking to the narrator. It was also hilarious as the narrator was very reluctant to share any information that might give away any details that would let us find the whereabouts of the story or recognize the characters in person. Despite the hesitation, the narrator ultimately failed to do so for the readers would not be able to know the story without getting some details. I think that made the story very worth reading, the yearning to know about the Secret more.

Aside from the narrator, I also loved the adventures itself. I have to admit though, that I was quite disappointed with the lack of magical stuff in the story. Being a Harry Potter fan, I have a very high expectation when it comes to magic, spells, and mystery. I guess I was just really desperate to find another series that could match the brilliance of Harry Potter.

But then again, this book is different in a sense that it focuses on alchemy and the phenomenon known as synesthesia. Synesthesia is, in truth, a neurological condition in which a stimulation of one sense, hearing for example, will entice a  simultaneous stimulation of another sense, for example taste. One with this condition may read words but instead see different colors as an interpretation.  And this is the central theme of the story. The kids were trying to save a friend who has synethesia from the hands of Ms. Mauvias and Dr. L. This, I think, is the magical part of the story. 

What really made me love the book is the brain teasers and codes it gives. Along the way, Cass and Max-Earnest is presented with codes they needed to break and answer. I find it very amusing and I, myself, tried decoding the riddles. In fairness, I did a good job. I was also able to predict some of the events that would happen and that wasn’t very good for me. A good mystery book would be something surprising and this one was a bit predictable. Of course, I don’t have the right to give my conclusions since this is just the first book in the series. But I assure you that I have a great interest in reading the next book.

I will give this book a 4/5. I recommend this series for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Mysterious Benedict Society. It was a very easy read intended for adventurous kids and explorers, alike. 

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

Please ignore Vera Dietz. Please ignore Vera Dietz! PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ!!!

This was what Vera Dietz screams inside her head, her mantra gone overboard, nowadays. All she wants now is for people to not notice her, to be invisible. She wanted them to look away from her, especially Jenny Flick and her crowd. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts, and wallow the loss of her bestfriend, her love, Charlie Kahn.

Actually, this was not how it was before. Her wish of being ignored was not as desperate. It was not this bad when she hasn’t lost Charlie, twice. Vera was devastated when he died, she was angry. But that was not the time she lost him, no. Vera Dietz lost Charlie Kahn way before his death even occurred, and she could not weigh these two instances and choose which was worse. 

If she could only go back in time, when the only people in the world were her and Charlie, then she’d be happy. Vera Dietz and Charlie Kahn had known each ever seen they were in diapers. I guess that was given and inevitable when their houses are just a walk away, separated only by trees. Since childhood, the two have found solace in each other’s company. In their tree house, they spend their time, talking about life, school, the future, and everything else. This was their escape from their chaotic family. 

Speaking of family, Vera and Charlie keeps each other s’ family secret. Vera lives with her father ever since her mom left when she was twelve years old. That was not the thing she hides from everyone. It was the fact that her mom used to be a stripper and that she eloped with her doctor, away to Las Vegas. For Vera, this secret leaking out was unfathomable and unimaginable. As for Charlie, he has a more complicated problem than Vera. His parents are forever fighting, arguing every night. His father hits her mom and this abusive behavior was known in the Dietz household. They here everything from the shouts, the hitting sounds, and yet, Vera’s father said that it was better to just ignore everything.

Vera and Charlie’s relationship continued for years and all was well. Vera developed feeling for her best friend which she kept secret for she cannot waste the bond they already had. They were living their different lives in school, Charlie being the popular delinquent he was and Vera the quiet, shy, smart and responsible kid. Despite this, at the end of the day, the two would still spend time together at their tree house or at the Master Oak or they would drive to the Pagoda and fly paper planes.

Things took a full turn when Charlie spends a lot more time in detention, hanging out with the Detentionheads and Potheads and Jenny Flick. Suddenly, there was limited time for him and Vera to even see each other. They don’t mention it, but both of them knew that the relationship they built over time was slowly crumbling down. 

And then fate took its toll as lies made their way into the picture. How easy was it to destroy that strong bond with a lie planted by another person? Was it really the end of everything for Vera and Charlie? How could Vera forgive her best friend when just weeks after his betrayal, he just happened to die? Aside from the fact that she was left forever, Vera was also haunted by a secret that could reveal the truth about his death and clear his name. But does she have the heart to give in one more time, help him, even after all the hurtful things he did? Would she do the right thing despite being treated unfairly?

Three words that I think best describes this book: realistic, honest, and relatable. At first, I was wary and unsure of it. I thought that it was just another sappy teen romance story, the typical childhood friend-turn-to-crush-turn-to-love-life kind of thing. But oh, was I wrong. 

What made it different from all those cheesy teenage novels is that it tackles issues that are usually hushed up and kept secret. Everything in this book—from broken families, abandonment to physical and verbal abuse, from pedophilia to betrayal, from alcoholism to escaping one’s destiny—is just exploding with truthfulness. And I think that was the main reason why this book touched so many readers. It was capable of harboring deep emotions from readers and showing it straight to our faces. Reading it was really a trip on an emotional rollercoaster. It was like being there, portraying the characters like it was our own life at play.

Another thing I deeply enjoyed about this book is how it toys with one’s idea of destiny and fate. The story revolves around Vera and Charlie’s struggle of prying away from the mistakes their parents made. And ironically, the process just shoved them back and leads them to be the people they never wanted to be. And it does not end there. It also affected their friendship badly. This was what gets to me the most. I can relate so well with Vera as she wade through life after the betrayal, lost and completely helpless. But what I admire so much about her is that she can control her feelings and that she is just so kind. She never stooped down to get revenge or anything. She kept to herself and endured every single misfortune she had. 

I now understand why this book won the Michael Printz Honor, and I know that it was well deserved. I give this book a 4.5/5.  

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Grueling. Dark. Terrifying. Feared. Merciless.Morbid. These are some of the words that are attributed to Death. For most of us, we depict Death as a heartless creature, capturing and gathering the souls of the departed, bringing them to the place we have yet to know. To some others, it exists as life meets its finality, another unknown to be discovered and explored. But in general, human beings alike find Death a negative force that brings nothing but despair and grief. It is not something to be yearned and befriended.

But what if we are presented with a peculiar and interesting side of Death? One which has a heart that understands and pity the human beings he fetch, a mind that ponders on the mysteries of humanity, and a soul which tires from all the gloomy consequences of carrying the burden of every dead being it guides? And that is what I found as I unearth each page of Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief.

There have been a lot of stories told, books published, and movies produced based on the people’s experiences and tales during the Second World War, particularly the time of Hitler’s harrowing reign in Germany. Yes, the Holocaust was devastating yet with it come great stories of heroism, courage, and life. And this book takes a little zoom in on Himmel Street, a small town in Munich, Germany, in the midst of war on 1939. As the Nazis are busy on executing Jews all over the country, Death’s workload seems unending. But in one of his trip to collect yet another young soul, he stumbled upon a little girl, Liesel Meminger. Death witnessed Liesel’s first act of book thievery that sparked his lengthy interest on the girl. And this isn’t his only encounter with the girl. In fact, he was able to pick up the book Lieasel wrote which tells the story of her life. And in turn, it was Death’s selfless act that he shared Liesel Meminger’s story with us—a story of struggles, life, friendship, love, courage, and abandonment.   

“When Death tells a story, you really have to listen.”

Liesel Meminger is a book thief. During her first acquisition, it was not clear why she pick the book from the snow-covered cemetery. She cannot even read at time. She saw the book lying on the ground, and somehow, had the urge to get it. And so her story continues as she was brought to Himmel Street and given to be cared for by her foster parents. From then on, the story blooms as several characters came to light, that will somehow touch Liesel’s life in one, little or great, way or another.  

Here are some names that made their way deep into Liesel’s heart in the duration of Death’s tale: Hans Hubermann, Rosa Hubermann, Rudy Steiner, Ilsa Herman, and of course, Max Vandenburg. The book can be described as a series of hellos and goodbyes, of each relationship formed by Liesel with each of these characters, weaved into one brilliant life-changing story.

To give you a little picture regarding each of these persons, let’s talk about them one by one. Let us start with the first people she met at Himmel Street, Rosa and Hans Hubermann. Imagine a little girl dragged into another unknown place to live with another set of parents. By this time, I think you can understand why Liesel threw her most stubborn character at their faces. But with his kind and patient heart, Hans Hubermann was able to slowly soften Liesel’s unyielding facade and reached the scared little kid hiding inside. And that was the beginning of a very personal and close friendship, perhaps the very reason why Liesel Meminger’s life was saved. The strong bond between Papa Hubermann and Liesel made me yearn for a father’s love so bad. Despite the poverty and tragic misfortunes Liesel experienced, I cannot help but envy her for having the chance to grow up with a father figure embodied by Hans Hubermann. There were times when I had to put the book down just to wipe away tears from my eyes. Tears that made their way, flowing from my eyes, even when the parts I’m reading aren’t actually that emotionally provoking, but just enough to tug on my hearstrings. I think that this is the first book that has touched me like this. 

As for Rosa Hubermann, she is the booming and loud counterpart of her husband. At times, you will hate her for being very harsh, but soon, you’ll realize that this grave woman also has a heart of gold beating deep within her. She is a woman capable of great kindness and care even when everything around her seemed dark.

Next in line comes Rudy Steiner, one of the characters that will linger with me even after finishing the book. Rudy had one single wish in life, and that is to kiss Liesel Meminger, to feel her lips, just once, against his own. And that is the reason why his story became, perhaps, the most depressing and saddening in this book. I guess, I’ll leave it to you to know why this is such, savor the pain. Rudy Steiner became Liesel’s best friend after one game of soccer, and from then on became her partner in crime in every single stealing quest they had.

And then there’s the mayor’s wife, Ilsa Herman. She was one of Rosa’s few customers. She was also the witness to one of Liesel’s book thievery. Every day, Liesel would pick up or deliver her laundry at their doorstep with nothing, even a mere smile or sound, from Ilsa Herman. At first, I was intrigued by her character. Surely, there was something about her cold attitude towards the book thief. And then as I read on, I knew that I was right. She was another book lover as well and she gave Liesel the privilege to read inside her library, letting the girl loose around the brilliance of numerous books. This paved the way to an unlikely friendship and was the reason why Liesel even thought of writing a book of her own.

And last but truly not the least, is Max Vandenburg. One thing you should know about him though: Max Vandenburg is a Jew. In any other time, that would not have been a problem, but we are talking about a story during the Holocaust period and we all know that it clearly isn’t a good time to be a Jew. His appearance in the story may have lead to a series of problems for the Hubermann household, but in a way, without him, the Liesel’s story would not be complete. Even when they knew about his status, Hans Hubermann took Max in their home, to be hidden in the basement. This was to repay his debt from Max’s father, who was the very reason why Hans was still alive. Max Vandenburg’s stay at their home resulted into another strong relationship with Liesel as they both learned their similarities. Both was a broken soul, haunted by the past and left alone to survive. Also, they both cling on the magnificent power of words to survive the harsh times.  Max Vandenburg is my favorite character of all for he was capable of touching the reader’s hearts with his thoughts and stories.  

I guess to sum it all up, Zusak story is really one of a kind for he was able to relay the difficulties of that era as well as the struggles of people in general, especially in coping with grief and loss. Another great thing in this novel was that Death was personified in a very unique way. His perspective was very detailed and inquisitive, not to mention surprising and at times, hilarious. I think that was the reason why this book is a success for it shows us that even Death has a different view of life. His words will make you yearn to know more about the story he is telling. I can even feel like I am at Himmel Street, myself, as he describes each event. 

Oh and just a fair reminder for those who plan on reading this book: If you’re one of those people who despise spoilers, I suggest you try and get used to them beforehand, for this book doesn’t hold back on its facts. At any point, you’ll find that the future events are already being thrown right at your very eyes. Trust me when I say that you can never be prepared with what turning one page of this book could bring.

I think this is the best book I have read this year and Liesel’s story will linger on, permanently etched in my mind even in the long run. The book just blew me away. From the very first page, I was hooked. I had so much emotions the entire duration of reading it and all I can say is that the book was perfect. I fell in love almost immediately. This book very well deserves a 5/5.

Numbers by Rachel Ward

Reading a summary of a book which has a main character that can see a person’s date of death in her mind by merely looking at their eyes was definitely the reason why Rachel Ward’s Numbers caught my attention. The anime/manga Deathnote and the movie, Final Destination, immediately popped into my head while reading the gist at the back of the book. Yes, curiosity got the best of me and I decided to get a copy and read it.

The story starts with Jem, a shy quiet girl who tends to spend her time alone and away from people. She might as well be considered as one of the weird kids at their school, not talking much and always keeping a low profile. But how can anyone blame her for being that way when she is carrying around a dark secret she has known all her life? How do you interact with the people around you when one look in their eyes would mean you suddenly knowing the day when their lives would end? And that is how Jem’s life has been for as long as she can remember. This burden is became the main reason why she avoids any kind of relationship with people. In her mind, it would be impossible to be close to anyone when every time she looks at them, the numbers appear, a constant reminder that they will eventually be gone.

That is her way of life until she met Spider in one of her usual chill spots. What started out as mere mutual understanding between two weird introverts blossomed further into a unique friendship. Maybe even more than that. Suddenly, Jem took chances and risks she never thought she can handle. She was drawn into a new kind of experience with Spider beside her. But then during a date in London, Jem foresees a tragic accident, which changed everything. All of a sudden they were blasted into a catastrophic chain of events that would turn their worlds around.

I have to say, I really have mixed feelings with this book. I very much enjoyed the first few chapters as I can strongly relate with Jem’s personality. Like every other teenage loner, we both contemplate with things that aren’t exactly spoken out loud like death. To her, death is a constant thought but not in a suicidal way, it’s just a basic fact of life. We all live and we all die at some point. It is the undeniable truth. And given her unusual sight, I think death would really be part of her every day life.

Halfway through the book, I felt bored and the storyline seemed a bit of a drag and was dull. I wouldn’t reveal any spoilers but let’s just say that I feel that the events did not seem to connect with the premise of book. To me, it became more like a teenage romance, a bit like watching Skins, instead of a mystery/fantasy genre the book promised based on its gist. The book did not quite satisfy the level of adventure and thrill I was expecting. At some point, actually most of the time, the events were very predictable. That, plus I did not feel the excitement I usually get when reading these kinds of books, honestly lessened its appeal to me. 

But then as I neared the end, I was a bit caught off guard as I turned to the very last page. I was a somehow disappointed about one anti-climactic event but what happened after was certainly a cliffhanger and somehow lifted my interest a little. I think I would still want to read the sequel, but not any time soon. Oh, and maybe one redeeming quality of the book was that it is very much quotable. It also makes you think about things as it poses a lot of questions about life. I mean, if someone can tell you the day you will die, would you want to know? If you do, what would you do when you realize that you only have a short time left to live? All in all, this book is a 3.5/5 for me.   

Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers

We all have this notion that popular girls have it easy, that their lives are perfect, untainted and flawless. And our brains are rattled when these girls suddenly throw away everything and destroy themselves. We wonder what have gone so wrong that they decided to abandon their seemingly godly lives. But of course what we do not know is that maybe, all these could just be facades, tough masks to hide what’s buried underneath, like turbulence hiding under the calm surface of the sea. Sometimes, these people are actually the ones who have the cruelest monsters, silently gnawing at their very souls.

Enter Parker Fadley, the girl who has it all. Well, more like had. Parker was cheerleading captain, a straight A+ student, and the girlfriend of the most popular guy in high school. Yes, she is the girl who’s got everything, the one everyone in her high school envies. But then out of the blue, Parker went from being the perky popular girl to a self-destructive loner. She dumped her boyfriend, got intoxicated with alcohol and drugs almost everyday. Suddenly, she was out of reach but in a negative way. She is still popular but due to other reasons. People now shy away from her like she’s garbage and no one seem to bother as to why the sudden change of attitude. Parker cut every connection she had with her friends and locks herself up in her own tangle of emotions. To everyone’s eyes, her life is definitely spiraling down the drain and nothing or no one might be able to stop it.

But here comes Jake, the new student who seemed very interested with Parker. This persistent guy wanted to pierce through the walls that Parker created around her. No matter how much Parker tried to push people away, Jake’s will seemed unyielding. He knew that the old Parker is in there somewhere. He somehow knew that something went seriously wrong for a girl like Parker to just throw away everything she has. But will he be able to uncover the truth and become Parker’s salvation? Is he ready for whatever it is that Parker is so desperately keeping secret?

In this book, Summers was able to weave a beautiful picture of life as teenager dashed with all the awful, harrowing ingredients like sex, depression, drinking and such. In this book, it is possible to love and hate the main character at an equal extent. To be honest, I thought I wouldn’t be able to finish this one because the first chapter was all about the main character’s bitchy attitude. And I just cannot seem to sympathize with that kind of personality. But then as I trudged through more pages, I suddenly understand where she was coming from. How could you live with yourself after experiencing what Parker had? If you knew that someone would be in deep trouble, would you help pr would you let your fear hinder you from doing the right thing? And that is what this story is really about. What would you do if in every waking moment of your life, your conscience haunts you? Will you find the courage to speak up in order to give justice to those who were wronged, or will the silence eat you up forever, knowing that someone’s life would have been better if only you found the courage to be strong? 

All in all, I enjoyed the book very much. The flashbacks really helped the readers get a glimpse of the past Parker, and somehow let us picture the change that happened better. I would give it a 4/5.

Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Imagine meeting your special person in one of the aisles of your favorite bookstore. It must have been the ultimate fairytale a bookworm could ever hope for. And that’s basically how Dash and Lily’s story unravels, only with a little twist.

As a regular venturer at The Strand, a ginormous bookshop, book-geek Dash was surprised to find a quirky little addition wedged in between two books of his favorite author at his particularly favorite aisle. Out of plain curiosity, he took the red notebook and opened it to find a series of tasks written by another person named Lily.

On the first page was a dare directed to anyone who has time, enough passion for literature and an ample amount of craziness to comply. With all these, Dash went out of his way and started playing the game by accomplishing the first task. This first move became what seemed to be the ticket to a different yet interesting journey of a strange kind of friendship.

For days, Dash and Lily would pass the red notebook back and forth, at various place, with new dares and challenges written on it. With each round, they got to know each other better. And in those conversations on pieces of paper, they found solace in each others’ woven words. 

But words and phrases can only get you so far. Yes, they might have the same interest in books and prose but that doesn’t guarantee that their entire personalities match. It’s so easy to lie using words and hide behind pretentious facades. 

What if the actual Lily wasn’t like the deep, kind and thoughtful one in Dash’s mind? And would the smart, soothing and friendly Dash in Lily’s head be the same as the real version? What would happen if these two people meet and their expectations aren’t met? Do they stick with the fairytale they started or would they just drift apart, letting go of that strange connection?

This is the third book from the Cohn-Levithan collaboration, and it is the second one I’ve read after Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List. Given that kind of premise, how could I not pick up this book? I mean, duh, that would definitely be my kind of fairy tale!

Reading this book, I became much more attached to Dash than to Lily. I see myself in him because we share the same sentiment. I like being alone and I believe that certain holidays are overrated. I also find company in books and like him, I very much enjoy time without my parents.

Lily can be described as quite the opposite, being all bubbly and family-oriented and pet-loving. And I guess that’s the reason why I find it hard to like her character. To me, she seemed an over-the-top goody two-shoes to the point of annoying. She seemed so unrealistic to me. I know this may be due to her issues but still, her character irritates me.

Now, let’s get to the story. At first I was enjoying how they exchange dares and challenges.  I also liked how their friendship started in a very old-fashioned way. I mean, how many people get to meet others in form of writing, and not through texts, social networking sites and the likes? I was eagerly anticipating the next games and I was impatiently waiting for when and how they would actually meet. But that feeling was cut short with an anti-climactic first encounter. I wouldn’t say the details but I can assure you that it wasn’t how I expected their first meeting to be.

From that moment on, my interest with the book diminished. Not fully giving up, I thought things would turn around as I neared the ending but it seemed like the story slipped too far away from the original concept. It’s like the adventure was cut short and another story was attached as the continuation.

Overall, it was a nice story, good for one-time reading. Yes, I might have been disappointed to some extent but when I look at the bigger picture, it’s a sweet story that will make you giddy and hope that someday the same could happen to you. It may get your hopes up in meeting that one person. The story may help readers keep their faith or somehow strengthen it, but not for me. It has a number of hilarious parts and silly events that would make you laugh out loud. I also like the references made about Hermione Granger, Buddy Holiday, and Marie Howe. It was fun and quirky, new concept of getting-to-know. But then again, to me, Dash and Lily’s story was just too good to be true. (or maybe I’m just a bitchy pessimist at that matter). I give it a 3.5/5.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent is the second book in the Divergent trilogy written by Veronica Roth. If you haven’t read the first book, you might as well read this review first and pick up the said book for, surely, you wouldn’t understand this post. This would also seem to be a huge spoiler for the first book. So I suggest that you stop reading this now. But if you have already read Divergent, I can safely assume that you already know the story and that it ends with a cliff-hanger. 

This second installment is the continuation of Tris and Four’s journey to unravel the secrets of their personality and the society they are in. Now that a war is beginning to ensue due to the Erudite’s inhumane move to control the Dauntless using simulation, the factions are on the edge of being destroyed. The conflicts in beliefs and interest among the different factions have caused unimaginable terrors to everyone. Being Divergent and the only people not affected by Erudite’s mind control, Tris, Four and the others must decide who to side with in order to stop the oncoming war. Do they try to stand by the remaining loyal Dauntless and the factionless or ally with the person who they so very hated? But would it be easy to choose when one aims to destroy the peace in order to eliminate the factions for a new regime while the other option is to betray the one you love in order to know the truth behind the formation of the society you live in? And even more so, what would you do when the one you love with all your heart refuses to agree with your choice. 

After almost a year of waiting for this to come out, I must say I was generously pleased and satisfied with what I’ve read. Insurgent continued exactly where Divergent left off and the transition was very smooth. It is much more action-packed than the first book and also, much more tragic. But nevertheless, I never could put it down, much like with the first book. 

There are a lot of things I really like about Insurgent. First is that in this second book, readers would get a good glimpse of the other factions. With Divergent, we only got to know more about the Dauntless and Abnegation, and the evil side of Erudite. Here, we will get a better view of how Candor, Amity and, Erudite functions. Readers will get a chance to know about each faction’s quirks, traditions and belief. We will see both the positive and negative sides of each faction that would really make it hard for us to judge them as purely good and purely evil.

And in that comes the second reason why I enjoy the book. Yes, this ay very well be intended for young adults, but I think that the book’s message is for all. While reading the book, I got to know more about each of the characters, and it was so hard to decide whether I like them or not. They have good traits and then the bad one which makes me want to just kill them. And I guess the author captured reality very well in this case. She was able to reflect people as close as possible to what they really are. We aren’t blacks and white. No one is purely evil and purely good. We are a combination of both. Grays. It just depends on how we choose to act on these parts of us. Some may drift to the negative while some, choose to stick with the positive. 

The third reason why I like this book is that its political and societal issues are very thought-provoking. I mean, for all we know, this could be our future. We might be divided according to our beliefs and our personalities. The author made a world in which people choose how they want to be, how they will live their lives depending on character. The Dauntless are courageous, seeking thrill in action and adventure. The Candor values truth above all and despise any form of lying. The Abnegation are selfless people, putting the need of others first before their own. The Erudite are those who thrive to learn, forever seeking knowledge and making innovation. And then the Amity are those who wants nothing more but peace, and believes that unity is important above all else. Yes, at first I tried to categorize myself into one of these factions. But in this second book, the focus was on the Divergent and the factionless, people who aren’t sorted into any of these categories. I admire how the author wrote about them. These people represent those who can be more than just one of those factions. People cannot really be wired to just one personality. No. I mean, could we not also be brave while being selfless at the same time? Does seeking knowledge and information hinder us from being peaceful? We are complex creatures incapable of being caged into just one way of living. Our character isn’t just made up of one trait. We are much more diverse that the factions, which is supposed to put things in order, also became the reason for problems to arise.

And lastly, of course is the love story of Tris and Four. Insurgent showed how realistic Tobias and Tris’ relationship is despite its dystopian genre. In most books, couples re portrayed all lovey-dovey and perfect. Here, we would see the imperfection when certain circumstances force them to disagree with each other and argue. There were even some points in which I thought they would be over because of all the bickering. And I guess it’s nice because that’s how relationships are in real life. Couples have misunderstandings, they argue. And overcoming those trials is what make the bond stronger. And that is how love is portrayed in this book. Imperfect but real.

All in all, I very much loved it, I think more than I loved Divergent. I cannot put the book down because I wanted to know what will happen next, immediately. I stayed up very late because of this book. I always have this fear that sequels would somehow fail my expectations, but this one did not. There were predictable plot twists but some are actually shocking. I suggest you don’t get too attached to any of the characters for surely, you will regret it after the next few chapters. Also, be ready to laugh, cry and be giddy for this book has it all. Oh yeah, the sarcastic humor is another great factor in this book. I give it my full 5/5. And seriously, the ending is such a fucking cliff-hanger. What will I do? The next book isn’t due until 2013. Damn.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

First of all, you should know that I made the mistake of watching the movie first before reading the book. And of course, not having known the full book story, I loved the film completely (well of course, Logan Lerman being one of the reasons why). But then I have this friend who has been forcing me to read the series since last year. He told me that the movie is a complete thrash compared to the novels.

So now, a year later, here I am, totally hating myself for even liking the movie adaptation of this book. The movie plot was very different from the book. It’s like they just took the characters and wrote a whole new storyline. The adventures, the deaths, the problems, and a lot more were completely different. Even the age of the main characters was wrong. I mean, does Logan Lerman even look like a twelve-year-old? Okay, enough of the complaints and let’s move on to the review.

Percy Jackson is a twelve-year-old sixth grader who is diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. He is irritable, and he couldn’t control his impulsive behavior. The dyslexia made it hard for him to read and understand his lessons and this resulted to failing marks. And so, Percy might be kicked out from his boarding school, again. 

And then, one field trip to the museum revealed the truth about him when he was attacked by his math teacher, well actually, a monster disguised as his teacher. He is a demigod, a half-god, son of one of the gods of Olympus. Suddenly, it all became clear that his problems were actually his talents. The dyslexia was due to the fact that his brain is hardwired to understand ancient Greek writings. The ADHD are manifestations of his advanced reflexes, useful in battles. These would all seem to be a good thing if not for the mythical monsters and demons running after him, wanting him dead.

In turns out that he was the prime suspect for a crime done to the most powerful Olympian god, Zeus. But Percy has no clue as to why he was blamed for the theft of the master lightning bolt, Zeus’ most important weapon. Nevertheless, he must go on a quest to find the lightning bolt and prove his innocence before the gods wage war to each other, endangering the mortal world. Together with his friends, he must know who the real suspect was and stop the possible war, in just ten days.

Okay, so as I’ve said the book was very different from the movie. I don’t want to spoil the whole story for those who haven’t read the book yet, so I leave you to your own disappointment when you finally read this book. All I can say is that I don’t know how the movie producers are planning to make sequel since some important events in the book were removed and replaced in the movie.

As for my opinion on the book, I can say that I seriously enjoyed it. I am a big fan of fantasy novels and this one has one special trail that I loved: its reference to Greek mythology. I’ve already talked about how much I am attracted to mythologies in my past post, and so the all the allusions this book have to all those Greek gods and goddesses immediately got me hooked. The story was brimming with intense action sequences that got me more excited. Also, the plot twists would have been surprising, had I not watched the movie first. 

Well aside from all the magical stuff, I loved the way it portrayed family problems. Of course, in the book, the demigods have both mortal and god parents. This means that they only spent their life with only one of their parents. And I can empathize with how these characters felt, growing up without my dad. They all struggle with the abandonment they felt. Because of this, they felt the need to seek acceptance and approval from the Olympian gods and goddesses, who are their parents. They even put themselves in dangerous quests just to prove that they are worthy of their parents’ titles. 

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and I’m hoping to finish all the books in the series before school starts. But I just have one problem. No matter how hard I try, I can’t help but find Harry Potter similarities in the book. First is Percy’s appearance. He is a twelve-year-old boy with jet-black hair and sea green eyes. Sounds familiar, right? The only things missing are the glasses and the scar. Then their Trio was made up of Annabeth, daughter of Athena—very intelligent girl—and Grover, a satyr who seem to be very cowardly but otherwise, loyal and useful. They somehow remind me of Ron and Hermione. Oh well, maybe this is just my obsession with Harry Potter messing with my head. But seriously, ignoring those parallels, this book is good and very much adventure-filled. It can stand alone and the plot is different from Harry Potter. I give it an overall 4.5/5.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

My name is Bernadette Grace and in all eighteen years of my existence, I have known a lot of people with the same name. Not exactly my whole name, but usually my first and second names. I usually do not mind since I know I am different from each one of them. I have come to accept that my name is a very general and common one. So far, none of my namesakes have been significant in my life.

But in this book, two Will Graysons will meet by chance and will bring an important piece to each of the other’s puzzle of life. The first Will Grayson is the very honest embodiment of a teenager. And this does not mean a drunk, pot-dependent and irresponsible person. No. Will Grayson is a very confused person. Just like other teenagers his age, he battles with what he wants and the possible consequences of these desires. One moment he is pushing for something and in the next, he’s holding back. Despite this, Will Grayson is a good friend. 

And then here’s the second Will Grayson. This one is a bit darker compared to the former Will Grayson. This is due to the circumstances he grappled with in his life. With his father’s death and the depression he is living with, it is obvious that this Will Grayson is the quiet and secretive one. But though he is like this, he is not entirely on the bad end. Yes, he may not be over with the loss of his dad, but he is not lost in his own grief, either. Also, his depression is in a state in which it is manageable. It is not eating him up, he can survive with it. 

One night in Chicago, the two crossed paths and little did they know, this meeting will have a huge impact on each of their lives. The common denominator of these two Will Graysons is Tiny Cooper. Without this certain character, I guess the novel would suck. He is just very vital to the whole plot. He is the connection between these two different people and he, himself is a very unique and intelligent person. Tiny is someone who believes in making everyone’s life happier and better every day. His outlook in life is very positive despite every heartbreak and failure he has faced.

This novel is a collaboration of the two greatest authors in the world of young adult literature. I have read other books of John Green and David Levithan, and I can say that they did very well on this one. Being familiar with their writing styles, it’s very easy for me to distinguish which Will Grayson is written by them. The first one was by John Green, while the other is by David Levithan. Their characters just shout their writing identity. Green’s Will is his typical character, an oddball, lovesick and average. Levithan’s Will, on the other hand, is geeky, homosexual and dim-witted. I do prefer Levithan’s character, though. As to why, just read the book and you’ll know by the end.

As for the whole appeal of the book, I can say that it would be a very enticing read for everyone, regardless of gender or age. One thing it tells us, like all of Levithan’s novels is how the LGBTQ community is a human as any straight person. It tells us that they have the same problems and they also have genuine feelings. Aside from the homosexual theme, the book also focused very much on friendship. To me, Will and Tiny’s friendship is something very difficult to come across nowadays. I am so envious of how they can put each other’s differences, which is actually quite a lot, and just be there for each other. It’s like one person is the strength of the other, vice versa. The honesty in their friendship is just so enviable. And then of course, there is the issue of familial acceptance, not only the acceptance of gender but also the quirkiness of each of the members. 

In conclusion, I have to say that this is by far the most hilarious, most unique and original book I have read. It’s just so honest with the depiction of teenage life in general. Although, the musical part of the books is quite absurd, it doesn’t lessen the brilliance of the story. In fact, the whole musical thing got me laughing loudly and in the next, brimming with tears. Truly, this book deserves my 4.75/5.