What is it with my luck this week?

Just look at what I got today! Another book! And not just any book, it’s Insurgent! The one book I am dying to have ever since it was officially released last May 1st. I have read it already on eBook but it’s a different feeling having the actual book. Oh and finding it is not what I’m referring to as my luck. No. I considered this day lucky because this book was given to me by my cousin. Yes, I got another book for free. It’s was just yesterday that I got my Wreck This Journal, literally.

I received a call from Denise, asking me if I’m free to meet up today because she’ll give me a “treat”. Since I don’t have anything to do today, I agreed to go to her house a while ago. Turns out, it was her payday today and she was off to buy books (she’s a bookworm too!) and she saw this on display at SM Manila. She knew that I was looking for this because I lend her Divergent (the first book in the series) and she also was waiting for this. So she bought two, one for me and one for herself. I though she was going to ask me to pay since that was what we talked about when we were both looking for the book but then she told me that it was her treat since, like I said, her payday.

So yes, I am very much shocked and overwhelmed with the luck I have been experiencing for these couple of days. I am seriously wondering if I really deserve such gifts. I am scared that this will give me something bad in return, sometime in the future. But right now, I am so very thankful for having such kind and giving friends and relatives. Someday, I’ll return the favor. I swear.

Awesome-est friend ever.

Lalalalala. My happiness right now is inexplicable because of this book. It’s been so long, and I finally got my hands on it! I am just so freaking happy. You might say that I am overreacting but I really don’t care. I wanted to have this book (well it’s not actually a book) so bad for the last couple of years and I have been hunting for it in every bookstore I go to.

And all these feelings won’t exist if not for my very awesome friend, AJ. It was our enrollment today and she told me that she has a surprise for me. Of course, I wondered what it was because she is the type who never gives gifts or whatever for no special occasion. I thought it was just some souvenir or trinkets from the US since she spent her summer there.

Imagine my utter surprise when she handed this to me. I was so overwhelmed that I jumped and hugged her. Apparently, her family went to Barnes and Noble and there, she spotted this book. She told me that she remembered how I was so desperate to find one (she was always with me when I am searching for the book in every bookstore possible). And the astonishing thing was that she bought it. FOR ME. Free of charge.

You have to understand that this is a big deal because AJ doesn’t treat anyone even on her birthday. So I was really really thankful for what she did. She’s one of my closest friends in college but I never thought I would like her more that I already do. Seriously. Again, AJ Bird, thank you so much for this. I really am glad that I have a friend like you. You know me so well. I don’t know how to thank you enough. I love you, baby girl!

Unplanned purchase.

I finally got home! I went to UST to get my clearance and did something in relation with my scholarship. After that, I was supposed to go straight home. But since I’m already out, I decided to stop by the mall and thought there’s no harm in that. When I arrived, I just visited a bookstore.

I was browsing for new books to buy the next time I have enough money. At the last shelf, the one at the very back, I found Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak hidden behind a The Fault in Our Stars hard cover. I immediately picked it ip when I saw the red tag in front. The book is marked down by 40%, which means that instead of getting it at 500php, it is priced at 300php. I didn’t find any damage, whatsoever. So, without second thoughts, I immediately went straight to the counter and paid for it. 

I was hoping to buy this book for a long time. But then I was not able to because it’s always out of stock. But I guess my book luck strikes again and voila! I watched the movie adaptation of this book and became very interested when  I learned that it was originally a novel. And so now, I am so happy because I can finally read it.

Books I currently own.

So here’s for the anon who requested photos of my books. Sorry for the crappy quality. My sister borrowed my camera so I used my phone instead. This is quite a long post so please bear with me guys. :) 

Harry Potter set

John Green books (The Abundance of Katherines was borrowed by my friend.)

Hunger Games trilogy

Ned Vizzini books

David Levithan titles.

Cassandra Clare books (The Mortal Instruments + Infernal Devices)

Sarah Dessen books (Still don’t have Along For The Ride, Dreamland, and Lock and Key) 

Haruki Murakami books (I have yet to complete this collection.)

Percy Jackson series (Still need to buy the last 2 books)

Other dystopian books

Books about suicide (Yeah, it’s a growing interest of mine)

Out of this world/Sc-fi books

Other YA books

Pocket books

Filipino books

Books for more mature readers

James Frey books

Books with characters that have supernatural powers

and lastly, not-so-popular books I got from secondhand stores.

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Okay, that’s it. Hope you enjoy. :) 

Cheaper book finds.

As many of you already know, I am big on book hoarding. And yes, I frequent as much bookstores as possible every time I go out. So last night, I went to the mall to buy an alarm clock because my phone got stolen, which is what I usually use as an alarm. Again, the magical pull of bookstores overpowered my will and I went to NBS and Booksale.

I found Peter Hoeg’s Borderliners at Booksale. I am not familiar with the book, neither with the author, but I read the summary and it is a dystopian novel. It’s about an elite school with a peculiar set of rules and uses the children for some kind of bizzare social experiment. It somehow reminds me of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, so I decided to buy it. Imagine my surprise when I looked at the tag and it was priced at 45 pesos ($1.00)! And the book is at a good state, no dog-eared pages and the cover isn’t bent or anything.

And then I finally got into the Game of Thrones bandwagon. My roommate recommended it to me and said that it was good. I have also read a lot of excellent review about the series. I watch the HBO series and I must say that I like the storyline. So I went ahead and bought the first book. It was priced at 315 pesos (about $7.00) and then when I went to the cashier, it was marked down to 250 pesos. So I got about 20% off! Well, I guess I just have good luck with books. Which I do wish was also applicable in other aspects of my life.

So yeah, that’s that. Just 3 more exam days and I’ll be having my vacation. I can finally knock off some books from my to-read list! :D 

If only I am as lucky in my love life as I am in book hunting..

Went out to go to the mall because I have to buy some stuff I need at my dorm. Of course I chose the mall with my favorite bookstore, so I went to SM Mall of Asia. It didn’t even took me more than 15 minutes to buy the things I need. And then, I immediately head off to Fullybooked to look for any good book I can find.

Well, my luck paid off and I found three books that are in my to-buy list. I got another David Levithan book, The Lover’s Dictionary. It was the last stock available in that branch and one other guy was holding it. I was already getting very much envious because I really wanted this book. But then, as he was going around, he found another book and put The Lover’s Dictionary down. The moment he let go, I immediately picked it up and the guy saw me. He looked at me and gave this funny look. I just smile and said, “Thank you for putting this down!” And then he laughed. Who cares? At least I got the book. I also found Michael Thomas Ford’s Suicide Notes and Walton’s Cracked at the shelves. I grabbed them both and decided I have enough so I bought them all.

If only I was this lucky in finding that special person, then maybe I’d be happier. Haha. Oh well, at least I am very satisfied with my hoard today. Hope I can finally read these books. I want to have my vacation already so that I can have time! 

Fantastic finds.

And our four-day long break had officially began. I was supposed to go straight home from my dorm but then my uncle was driving by the gate of our subdivision and saw me. I asked where he was going and he said that he’s off to the mall to get something for my baby cousin. He asked if I wanted to come and of course, I did. I would never miss a chance to go to a mall when there is a good bookstore I can visit, with a prospect of hunting a new book.

So here are the books I found which, I must say, are very good finds. I found the only John Green book that I didn’t have yet. I actually squealed and did a little jump when I found it on the top shelf. So now, I have all of his books and I am so happy. Plus I also found this one book about the Hunger Games movie. It was published by Scholastica, the same publisher of the book series. Inside are pictures and details about each tribute, the set and some sneak peak of the movie itself. I immediately grabbed it and know that I will regret not buying it. And lastly, I got The Best of Chico and Delamar’s The Morning Rush Top 10. It is a local book that lists some of the funniest top 10s that was featured on their radio show. I seriously laughed out loud with every list I read.

All in all, I think my four-day long break would be awesome. It would be a nice time to catch up on my reading and finally knock off a book or two from my to-read list. I wish that I can finish at least three books, aside from my Hunger Games reread. I really don’t want to go out and party during this little vacation. I want to spend my precious time with my ever trusted books. 

Mini book haul.

Went to MOA yesterday and of course, visited the bookstore I love the most: Fullybooked. And look at these babies that I found! Oh heaven!

At first, I only wanted to buy Douglas Adams’ Hitchhicker’s Guide To Galaxy, but then I spotted this awesome book, Zombies vs Unicorns. I think it’s a great book since a lot of my favorite authors are included in this anthology of short stories about zombies and unicorns. In this book, they debate about which creature is better. I read a bit and I must say that it’s seriously hilarious. And then for the last book, my bookworm senses are telling and urging me to buy it. I read the summary of Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes and I think I might be able to relate with the characters. If it isn’t too obvious in the title yet, the story is about two best friends which share two different uglies in life. They struggle to face their everyday problems with bullying and teasing. But when it became too much for one of them, the story goes as the other fight to save his lost friend.