Dark Matter by Blake Crouch Review

Title: Dark Matter
Author: Blake Crouch
Published: July 26th 2016 by Crown


Synopsis from Goodreads:

“Are you happy with your life?” Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.”

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable--something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

My thoughts:

Dark Matter is a really good and a really trippy book. you never know what's going on most of the time but you kind of know there's something going on with alternate universe. It's a good thriller and it was a fast pace read. The book got me hooked and I keep wondering what will happen next. I can imagine sci-fi movie scenes happening while I read this book. I feel for Jason, the main character, as he goes through his journey to find out what happen to his life. It's hard to imagine one day you wake up and your wife is not your wife anymore and your son doesn't exist. The science concept within Dark Matter is intriguing. I definitely recommend this book for people who like sci-fi, thriller, and suspense.

B-Fest 2016 at Barnes & Noble Experience

Many of The Barnes & Noble bookstore in the US had their first B-Fest Teen Book Festival this year on June 10th- June 12th, 2016. They had lots of YA related events and giveaways. Here's a recap of my experience on this 3 day event.

B-Fest was fantastic. I'm really glad Barnes & Noble created this event. It definitely will help promote readers to come to the bookstore and read more books. I went to a few different B&N store throughout this whole B-Fest. If I had more time, I would have gone to more because there are just so many events happening.

June 10th: B-In the Know (Trivia Blast)

I headed out to my local B&N that evening for the first event at B-Fest. We played trivia games. The winner of the trivia got Advance readers copies (ARC) of upcoming YA titles and they get a postcard to send in to Penguin Teen so that they can be in the ARC mailing list. I got second place and they still gave me some book goodies. They were also nice enough to give everyone who played a prize too. The questions were moderately difficult. Some of the books I read years ago and some I recently finish but I still don't remember the answer. It was fun playing it and even the moms of the teens joined in too. It was a nice experience. The program coordinator was wonderful and the event host was great. Good times.

The prize I received were a tote bag, a t-shirt from paper town, and a copy of Scott Westerfeld's Afterworlds ^o^

Day 2: June 11th B-First @11 AM

This was a cool event. B&N were giving out ARCs, book samplers, and many other goodies at 11 AM on day 2. I specifically went to a B&N store that will give out Stalking Jack the Ripper ARC because I've been very interested in that book. I was able to get a copy \(^0^)/. To my surprise, I didn't expect to get even more ARCs (\^o^)/.

The line for the giveaway wasn't too bad. (I'll post the pics of the book swags I picked up at the end)

Day 2: June 11th B-Part of the Fun @2 PM

A few hours later I returned to play some pictionary and the spelling challenge. It was amazing how many people knew the titles of YA with just a few drawings. The spelling challenge was a tough one. I couldn't spell some words from the Harry Potter, the Lords of the Ring, and the Doctor Who series. In the end, I won a Scythe t-shirt as a consolation prize. I think the winner got a copy of the Nemesis ARC by Anna Banks and a tote. Once again B&N people were so nice and everyone else got a prize.

Day 3: June 12th B-Creative @2 PM

On day 3, I went back to my local B&N for the Adaptive Studio B-Creative discussions. We learned of the process Adaptive Studio do to bring different titles to the audiences. It's really cool to see how an old scripts can be turn into a novel and later turn into film. The workshop was a good way to introduce people to the process of writing books and bringing it to life. I'm hoping to come out with a novel and/or a movie scripts in the future so it's a good way to see how this work.

Guest Author: Kristen Tracy @3 PM

A casual meet and greet with our local author Kristen Tracy. She's really nice and really fun to talk to. It's great to hear her story of how she became an author. She read some passages from her new book and she was able to give tips about writing and the publishing process. She also signed a copy of Lost It and her new middle grade book Project [Un]popular for me. Can't wait to read them.

Overall, I had a great time at B-Fest. Thank you B&N for having these cool events and giving us so many stuff. Many hearts to you. I pretty much have books to read for the rest of the year. Hoping we'll have B-Fest again next year.

Advance Reader's Copy galore:

Frost by M. E. Kozolowsky (10/2016)
Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland (9/2016)
The hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti (1/2017)
History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera (1/2017)
We Know it Was You by Maggie Thrash (10/2016)
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (9/2016)
Boy Robot by Simon Curtis (10/2016)
Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley (11/2016)
Replica by Lauren Oliver (10/2016)

Book swags received:

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon Review

Title: Everything Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon


Goodreads synopsis:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

My thoughts:

Everything, Everything was a great read. It was fast pace, cute, and interesting. The premise intrigued me and the flow of the story was very well done. Seeing Maddy struggle to break free and trying to find ways to make her love come true was really fun. She’d been inside her house all her life and all she wanted was a friend. Suddenly a boy next door, Olly, appeared. Her relationship with Olly was awkward at first but they develop a bond as the story progressed. As their relationship deepened, unfortunate things happened. I was rooting for Maddy and Olly throughout the book. I wondered if she can maintain her love even if being allergic to the outside world. There was a twist at the end that was heart wrenching. Everything, Everything is everything I wanted in a romance YA novel. I’d definitely recommend Everything Everything to everyone.

Graphic Novels Review: Lumberjanes vol.1 and Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft

Lumberjanes vol. 1


by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Brooke A. Allen (Illustrator)

Lumberjanes is adorable and really fun. The stories revolves around a group of eccentric teenage girls who is in a girl scouts troop called Lumberjanes and they go on amazing adventures while trying to earn different scout badges. I like the different personalities each girl has. I love the strong female characters in this graphic novel. They might trouble makers but when difficult situation occurs, they are able to pull through by working together. It has friendship, love, and quite a bit of laughs. I also really like the character design and the color scheme in Lumberjanes. Can't wait to see what happens next. Volume 1 compile issue 1-4 of the Lumberjanes comic book.

Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft

by: Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodríguez (Artist)

Locke & Key vol.1 is dark but really good. The story introduces our three main characters: Tyler (big brother), Kinsey (middle sister), and Bode (younger brother) and their crazy adventures. Their father was murdered and they have to move to the Keyhouse, a big mansion filled with mystery that their father use to live in. Bode was playing around in the house and found a key that unlock the door and something magical happened. In addition, there's an ominous presence in the key house estate that may harm the family and want to use Bode. Even worst, the ominous presence is working with their father's murderer too, which will put the kids lives in danger. It's really fun to see how the three kids fight back and how each of them grow in this volume. The character design and the story is amazing. I'm curious to see what other keys and other doors they will find. Definitely check it out if you like a dark and intriguing story.

YALLWEST 2016: May 1st 2016 Experience

It's been a while since I've written in my book blog. I've been in a book slump for a while but the fun I had at YALLWEST this year cheered me right up. Now I just want to read more books ^O^

YALLWEST 2016 is a counter part Young Adult/Middle Grade book festivals of YALLFEST but happened in the West coast in Santa Monica, California. This event actually took place on April 30 - May 1 this year. I was working on April 30 so I was only able to attend on Sunday May 1st.

The last time I went to a book fest was 2 years ago at LA Times Festival of Books and that was amazing. I wasn't sure what to expect in YALLWEST but I knew it would be fun. The location was good. It was a sunny day but the breeze help cool the palce down. Santa Monica High School hosted YALLWEST this year and there was plenty of walking space and not too pact. Although I heard there were a bunch of people on Saturday. There was a nice atmosphere about it. They even have food trucks and In-N-Out too.

There were a bunch of YA/MG book lovers of different ages everywhere. I saw a ton of YA and middle grade book authors roaming around throughout the festival too. My plan for YALLWEST was to attend a few panels and get books sign by a few authors. The book signing part did not happened since I left my book in the car and I found out they were passing out free Advanced Reader Edition of upcoming YA books (I'll call them ARC for the rest of the post). I couldn't pass out on that. Planning ahead helped in a way. I got to attend three panels and got a bunch of book swags.

I started my day at the keynote panel where it's a conversation between authors Tehereh Mafi and Marie Lu. It was a fun panel where they talked about the struggles and what they've learn as an author. They even give advice and told us about how they came to be doing what they do and their previous career. I felt motivated to read and write more from this panel. It helped energized me for the rest of the day.

The next panel I attend was the ZOMG! AUTHORS AS FANS (MG/YA) panel. This panel was moderated by Margaret Stohl, with Victoria Aveyard, Alexandra Bracken, Soman Chainani, Danielle Paige, Neal Shusterman, Melissa de la Cruz. It was so nice to see that authors have fandom too. They talked about how books, TV shows, movies, and video games they like influence them in their work. Many of them like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. One of them even like the Fire Emblem video game.

After the panels, I wanted to try out the spin the wheels at Epic Reads since they were giving out upcoming ARC. That was how I got to made friends with a few book lovers and one of them was an author and she gave me her book too. I was super happy that Jennifer signed her book Exist for me too. At the Epic Reads booth, I kept landing on the blank slot on their wheel so they just let me choose a book. I chose The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis. Afterward, I ended up with my author friend, Jennifer, and we line up for more ARC. We got The Savage Song by Victoria Schwab right after the wheel.

We walked around a little bit and saw a line at the Penguin Teen booth while they were passing out exclusive edition of The Young Elite by Marie Lu. I got a few more ARC later... A Walk in the Sun by Michelle Zink, A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess, and The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid.

I said goodbye to Jennifer while I went to see the YA STORYMOB FINALE. This was a pretty neat panel. It was hosted by Pseudonymous Bosch and C. Alexander London, featuring Victoria Aveyard, Ransom Riggs, and Veronica Roth. They authors had to make up a story with the help of volunteers. They story was very strange but ended well for each of the author's character. It was funny and relaxing. At the end, Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz came up to thank the sponsors and the volunteer as well as the Tehereh Mafi and Marie Lu for putting YALLWEST together.

Overall I had a wonderful time at YAAWEST 2016. I got to see lots of my favorite authors talked in various panels, I made new book loving friends, and I got lots of cool book swags. Harlequin Teen booth even give me a glass bowl since they were clearing out their table :) With all the activities happening, I forgot about the book signing. Maybe next year. I'm glad I was able to make it to YALLWEST. It reminded me of how much I love reading and talking to people about books. I'll even try to venture into writing too. I'd definitely recommend YALLWEST to YA/MG book lovers to attend.

Here's the book swags I got from YALLWEST

Book List(Can't wait to read all of them):

Exist by Jennifer Cazey Daniels
The Young Elite by Marie Lu
The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess
A Walk in the Sun by Michelle Zink
The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid

Maleficent by Elizabeth Rudnick Review

\(^o^)/ Hi everyone. I took a few months break from book blogging. It's great to be back. I'll be posting some pics from book events I've been to in the past few months. Also I've got a book haul posts coming up too. But first let's start off with the book reviews.

Title: Maleficent
Author: Elizabeth Rudnick
Published: April 29th 2014 by Disney Press

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A deluxe novelization of the Walt Disney Studios film Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie. This visually dazzling live action film explores the origins of one of the most iconic Disney villains: Maleficent, the infamous fairy who curses Princess Aurora in Disney's animated classic Sleeping Beauty. This 'origin' story is told from Maleficent's perspective, intersecting with the classic in both familiar and unexpected ways. The movie stars Academy Award-winning actress Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, and is directed by two-time Oscar-winning production designer Robert Stromberg ( Avatar, Alice in Wonderland). The film co-stars Elle Fanning ( Super 8) as the Princess Aurora, and features Sharlto Copley ( District 9), Imelda Staunton ( Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), and Juno Temple ( Atonement)

My Thoughts:

This was a refreshing take to the Sleeping Beauty fairytale. I thought it was unique to see the story through the point of view of Maleficent. I haven't watched Sleeping Beauty in a very long time so this book was like a new story to me. I was surprise to find out that she was a fairy in the first place. I thought she was a witch. The book started out with a back story of who Maleficent was and how she came to be the cold hearted villain. She had connections with the king who betrayed her. Coincidentally, the king was princess Aurora's father. Then Maleficent put a cursed on baby Aurora. Thus, the story continues like the original but I notice there was a twist to it. Her relationship with Aurora was deeper and meaningful than the original Sleeping Beauty. I also notice there was a twist to the ending. Let's just say that by the end of this book I feel for Maleficent and I really enjoy the ending. Overall, Maleficent is a great book and I'm hoping to watch the film soon.

Novellas review: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi and No Place Like Oz byDanielle Paige

Good day. Here are reviews of the two short novellas I read.

Title: Destroy Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Format: e-book
Release date: October 2nd 2012

Goodreads synopsis:

Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45

My Thoughts:

Do I feel sorry for Warner? Not really. Was he misunderstood? Maybe. It was an interesting look into Warner's POV. His childhood was tough and that may be what made him the way he is. He became obsessed with Juliette and he just can't give up on her. It felt like there's a combination of love and lust that Warner is feeling for Juliette. Warner may be egotistical and self righteous but he's fragile inside. I really enjoy the complexity of his character and can't wait to see how the story will develop. Destroy Me is definitely a good novella.

Title: No Place Like Oz
Author: Danielle Paige
Format: e-book
Release date: November 12th 2013

Goodreads synopsis:

In this digital original novella, Dorothy travels back to Oz to reunite with old friends, but her story may not have a happy ending. No Place Like Oz is a prequel to the forthcoming novel Dorothy Must Die.

After returning to Kansas, Dorothy Gale has realized that the dreary fields of Kansas don’t compare to the vibrant landscapes of Oz. And although she’s happy to be reunited with Aunt Em, she misses her friends from the yellow brick road. But most of all, Dorothy misses the fame and the adventure. In Kansas she’s just another prairie girl, but in Oz she was a hero. So Dorothy is willing to do anything to get back, because there really is no place like Oz. But returning to the land she left comes at a price, and after Dorothy is through with it, Oz will never be the same.

Perfect for fans of Alex Flinn, Marissa Meyer, and Gregory Maguire, No Place Like Oz is a dark reimagining of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Building off of its rich mythology, Danielle Paige creates an edgy, thrilling story for teens that chronicles the rise and fall of one of the literature’s most beloved characters. This digital original novella is a prequel that sets the stage for the forthcoming novel Dorothy Must Die

My Thoughts:

No Place Like Oz is dark and interesting. I always thought of Dorothy as an innocent little girl. Seeing this side of her makes me think of her differently. It's a great twist to the usual The Wizard of Oz. I was curious to see how Dorothy would be like when she returns to Oz. I also wanted to know what leads her to become so evil that she must die. This time she didn't return to Oz alone. Her aunt and uncle came with her accidentally. While she's trying to show her relatives the wonderful world of Oz, they just want to go home. Also there's a new ruler of Oz called Ozma. As the novella progress, Dorothy's personalities began to change which may cause conflicts between her and Ozma. I also notice that her three friends, Lion, Tinman, and Scarecrow's personalities has change a little bit. No Place Like Oz is a very nice lengthy prequel and I can't wait to read Dorothy Must Die.

The Beginning of Everything by Robin Schneider Review

Title: The Beginning of Everything
Author: Robin Schneider
Published: August 27th 2013

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them—a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: in one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra’s knee, his athletic career, and his social life.

No longer a front-runner for Homecoming King, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra’s ever met, achingly effortless, fiercely intelligent, and determined to bring Ezra along on her endless adventures.

But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: if one’s singular tragedy has already hit and everything after it has mattered quite a bit, what happens when more misfortune strikes?

My Thoughts:

Now I know why the original Severed Heads, Broken Hearts title came from. The Beginning of Everything also fits well as an alternative title for this book. It's a good YA contemporary. I love the California setting because I grew up in SoCal. The book really reminds me of my high school years. Erza's character is really likeable. The accident changed his life and he's trying to figure who he really is. It's hard to transition to the popular jock to a nobody. He's feeling insecure and he feels that he doesn't belong. Then he met the people at the debate team and the new girl that may change his life. He also rekindle his friendship with his old best friend Toby. It's a good coming of age book. It's full of love, heart breaks, and loss. I really enjoy reading this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who's interested in a good roller coaster ride contemporary book.

Rush by Eve Silver Review

Title: Rush
Author: Eve Silver
Published: June 11th, 2013

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

My Thoughts:

Rush is sci-fi fast pace action packed book with the main character Miki, who trying to figure out what she is and why she got pulled into the game. She'd been through a lot and now she'll be fighting for her life with other teenagers. I really like Rush and the world Eve Silver created. There's a bit of high school life mix in with an alternate alien fighting game world. The tough part is that getting the highest score in the game doesn't necessarily mean you will survive the game. 

I also really like the Miki's two love interest in the story. I think the person she chose to be with really fits her. As for the Drau describe in the game, they were scary and the things they are doing to the humans are horrible. It's great to see Miki's character becoming stronger as the book progress. There were enough backstory on each of the characters that made the story solid. Eve Silver did a wonderful job with Rush and I really want to know what happens next.

2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge ^O^

Last year I started out a bit late on this so let's try it again this year.

This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2014 - Dec 31, 2014.

Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Short stories and novellas are OK, too! Only books released in 2013 and earlier! NO 2014 ARCs or any books release this year.

There are 6 levels:

1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - First Kiss
31-40 - Sweet Summer Fling
41-50 - Could this be love?
50+ - Married With Children

My Goal: This year I'm aiming for 10 books for a firm handshake :)

TBR List for the challenge: (The list is tentative and may change throughout the year)

1. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
2. A Million Suns by Beth Revis
3. Shades of Earth by Beth Revis
4. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
5. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
6. A Monster Call by Patrick Ness
7. The Diviners by Libba Bray
8. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
9. Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
10. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn



Want more info on this challenge or want to join the challenge? click here

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson Review

Happy New Year Everyone !! \(^0^)/ Hope you all have a fabulous new year eve and day. 2013 has ended and it's 2014 now so let's start with a book review.

Title: Steelheart
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Published: September 24th 2013

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics.

But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills.

Nobody fights the Epics... nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.

And David wants in. He wants Steelheart—the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning—and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience.

He's seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.

My thoughts:

I like this book. Reading about antiheroes are always interesting. We always read about superheroes doing good things but what if the people use those powers for evil and becomes villain? Who would the normal people turn to for help. I really like Brandon Sanderson's take of this idea. The story is really good and I really enjoy the high octane action scenes in this book. David's character is likeable and he may seem like Epic fanatic but he has a good reason for it. Megan, his love interest, is an interesting character too and the rest of his Reckoners team are memorable and interesting.

I also really like the world building within this story too. Newcargo seem like a dark dystopian world that is mostly made out of stone and the is ruled by Epics. People are oppressed by Epics but there's still hope that there may be good Epics out there. Steelheart was a great antagonist. He appears complex. I wish there would be more interactions with him and the Reckoners team. The book really builds up to the last part wit the grand battle that reveals many interesting secrets. Overall, Steelheart is a great start to the series and it had many twist that will leave us wondering what will happen next. It's an awesome book and I'd recommend people who like action/ sci-fi adventure with antihero twist in it.

In the After by Demitria Lunetta Review

Title: In the After
Author: Demitria Lunetta
Published: June 25th 2013

Goodreads synopsis:

They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you've ever seen.
And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.

Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.

After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.

My thoughts:

In the After is really fun to read. I love Demitria Lunetta's writing. There is something about it that's raw and enticing. I love Amy's and Baby's relationship. Amy save Baby as a toddler and raise her for years. It's almost like a mother and daughter relationship. The first part of the book was fantastic and the rest of the story is just amazing. I really enjoy the post apocalyptic setting where humans are being killed by crazy aliens and the girls have to live in the world by making as little sound as she can because the aliens will attack you if they hear them make the slightest sound. It's like a zombie movie but replace the zombies with aliens. There's also a growth in Amy's character from a vulnerable teenage girl to a tough butt kicking heroine. She's trying to live her life the best she can with Baby and they would go and salvage any food that's left in the desolated world.

Another cool thing is that the girls are able to communicate to each other through sign language. They were able to adapt to what's left of the world and live on. And then not so good stuff happens that will take them leave their comfort zone. I don't want to spoil the story but a lot of crazy things happen. We'll get to see if Amy's parents are alive or not. We'll get to find out where the aliens came from and why are they killing people and the society that's left after the alien invasion. This series is a duology so there's one more book that will tie up the story together. I'd definitely recommend In the After for people who wanted to read a sci-fi book about surviving post alien invasion world that is griping, fun, and fast pace.

Updates..So What Happened Last Month?

Updates:

Hi everyone. How are you? It’s a few weeks before Christmas. I think 2013 is just going by so fast. November was a busy month for me. Once again I was having a difficulty finishing NaNoWriMo. I was unable to achieve my NaNoWriMo challenge this year T0T but I learned a lot from it. It’s really hard to write a 50,000 words novel in a month. The story I wanted to write ended up changing each week and the genre I chose to write about got shifted from contemporary YA to sci-fi YA unconsciously >o<. Therefore, I’ll keep the draft I’ve written and work on it in the future. The second and third week was hard because I couldn’t come up with any good ideas. This means I need to read more books and watch more films to get more inspiration. Maybe when I get some editing done, I’ll post a few chapters up for you all to read. Reading-wise.. I finished one book and I started three more. I have that habit of reading multiple books at the same time, which is not good at all. A few reviews will be posted up this month so be sure to look out for them. I also went to watch The Hunger Games: Catching Fire last weekend and the movie was awesome. I love the casts and the story. It was just so good. There were some teary moments for me during the Victory Tour. I did finish reading Catching Fire earlier this year so now I really want to finish reading Mockingjay to see how it all ends.

On other note, I'm planing to finish Insurgent soon since Allegiant came out and I also want to know how it ends. In addition, I got my hands on two novellas: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi and No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige. I’m halfway through both of the novella so their review will pop up in the near future.

Lastly, a lot of my reading time this month got spent on reading lots of manga. I finish reading the last few volumes of Air Gear by Oh Great! which I adored. It's so much fun. I also caught up to Magi:Labyrinthe of Magic. This has become another of my favorite manga. I can talk all day about manga but these were two of the favorite manga I read last month.

If you would like to read more posts about anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture, please feel free to check out my other blog called Inside the Shell. Check it out --> here

I'd totally love to post manga reviews on this blog too but it goes along better with the Inside the Shell blog.

That's it for now and have a happy holidays. Happy Reading.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga Review

Title: I Hunt Killers
Author: Barry Lyga
Published: April 3rd 2012

Synopsis from Goodreads:

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

My thoughts:

This book is awesome. I really love how Barry Lyga made Jazz's character on the borderline of good and evil. Jazz had an identity crisis and tries really hard to not be like his father, a serial killer. His best friend, Howie, is funny and a hemophiliac who gets to tag along in Jazz's crazy adventure. His girlfriend Connie is a strong female character that complement Jazz really well. The story has Jazz and Howie investigate series of death that is similar to Jazz's father's killings. People close to him are being targeted and the police wouldn't pay attention to Jazz's theory of a copycat killer. Then later the police was able to get him involve and that's where more fun begins. I enjoy the stories and I had a hunch of who the killer was. I'd definitely recommend this book to people who like murder mystery. There may be a few gruesome scenes but not too gory. It's always nice to have a protagonist who is in the grey area between good and evil. Be warn that the end of I Hunt Killers will leave you wanting to find out what happens next. I'd definitely continue reading this series.

NaNoWriMo 2013

National Novel Writing Month is in November. Yep. I'm gonna try writing a novel in 30 days again this year.

Last year was an epic fail for me because I had midterm + school + work. I think I only wrote 3000 words ...T0T... This year, I have a bit more time and I still work. I know rushing a novel in a month is not gonna be perfect. I'll most likely have to edit it like crazy later. At least whatever I come up with will give me some ideas and more focus on the type of stories I have in mind. I wanted to incorporate them to possibly a visual novel, a manga, or maybe movie script. We'll find out once I finish. It'll fun creating the novel but it can be a pain to have a good middle and finding the right ending for it. Therefore, I won't have as many book reviews up this month. No fear though. I have a few back up book reviews to finish up so keep a look out for them k.

If you are up to writing 50,000 words novel in 30 days, check out the NaNoWriMo 2013 website.

Check it out here

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins Review

Title: Spell Bound
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Published: March 13th 2012

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

My thoughts:

I was smiling when I finished reading this book. Hex Hall was a great series to read. Spell Bound provided closure to all the questions I had in the previous books. Sophie evolve into a mature character but still with a little bit of her sarcastic remarks left. Also more back story of her mother was reveal in this book and more information about her love interest Archer Cross too. The identities of the Bannicks were reveal. They were not as Amazonian warrior like I thought they would be.

The love triangle in this story was nicely balance and not overwhelming. Sophie was wavering between Archer and Cal but she did decide on who she wanted to be with at the end..>o<.. Although I like the final battle with the baddies but it was kind of quick. It'd be awesome if it was extended. Sophie had to make a surprising decision at the end that can change her life too. Overall, Spell Bound was entertaining and provide a good ending to the series. I'll definitely check out other works by Rachel Hawkins.

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins Review

Title: Demon Glass (Hex Hall book #2)
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Published: March 22nd 2011

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch. That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (a.k.a. witches, shape-shifters, and faeries). But then she discovered the family secret, and the fact that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie's a demon, one of only two in the world-the other being her father. What's worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will either destroy her powers for good-or kill her.

But once Sophie arrives, she makes a shocking discovery. Her new housemates? They're demons too. Meaning, someone is raising demons in secret, with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they're using Archer to do it. But it's not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

My Thoughts:

Demonglass was pretty good. I was hoping for a funny and quirky story because of Sophie's sarcasm in Hex Hall. It was funny but I think she was a bit too snarky in this one. In Demonglass, Sophie was trying to find way to remove her demon power but there's a price for it. She got to travel to England for the summer with her BFF Jenna and Cal(who will play an important role in her life) to be with her father + meet the council. There were two demon teens Nick and Daisy introduce in this book who will help her learn to be a demon. There was a bit of bonding moments between her and her father too.

With the second book came a love triangle. While Archer, her crush(worst enemy), was on the run, another man came into her life. Sophie had to figure out what type of relationship she'll have with Cal. I was really glad there wasn't too much teen angst in this book. The only hard part was that Cal was such a nice person too. In addition, there was more back story of how demon were made and some dangerous grimoire that had been locked up in the library. There were twist and turn which keep you guessing who is good and who is evil. Overall, a great continuation for the Hex Hall series.

The Eye of Minds by James Dashner Review

Title: The Eye of Minds
Author: James Dashner
Published: October 8th 2013

Goodreads synopsis:

An all-new, edge-of-your seat adventure from James Dashner, the author of the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series, The Eye of Minds is the first book in The Mortality Doctrine, a series set in a world of hyperadvanced technology, cyberterrorists, and gaming beyond your wildest dreams . . . and your worst nightmares.

Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it’s addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?

But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific—the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer’s motives are a mystery.

The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker.
And they’ve been watching Michael. They want him on their team.
But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can’t even fathom—and there’s the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever.

My Thoughts:

This book is a quick read for me. It's engaging and the I love the idea of going into a MMORPG and having to face an enemy that could leave you dying in the real world. I've read a few books and seen a few shows with similar concept but James Dashner takes it and make it refreshing and fun at the same time. Michael is a bit of a trouble maker in the virtual world and with his friends Bryson and Sarah, they are a bunch of misfits. Each characters is relateable and their strong points shines throughout the book. 

As for world building, the VirNet is advance and the idea of coding was intriguing. I love the different type of game worlds that exist in the book. I think it'd be cool if there was more backstory of the game existence in the later books. Kaine was an interesting bad guy. Very is little is known about him. It is fun to see the kids trying to find Kaine. There was a lot of twist at the end that makes me want to read the next book. The Eye of Minds is definitely worth a read. 

Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike Review

Title: Life After Theft
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Published: April 30th 2013

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Moving to a new high school sucks. Especially a rich-kid private school. With uniforms. But nothing is worse than finding out the first girl you meet is dead. And a klepto.

No one can see or hear Kimberlee except Jeff, so--in hopes of bringing an end to the snarkiest haunting in history--he agrees to help her complete her "unfinished business." But when the enmity between Kimberlee and Jeff's new crush, Sera, manages to continue posthumously, Jeff wonders if he's made the right choice.

My thoughts:

Life After Theft was a fun read. It's a fast pace paranormal YA with a contemporary feel that involves a male protagonist. Jeff, the main character, didn't know what he got himself into when he met the teenage ghost girl(Kim) at his new school. Being the kind person that he is and the only person who can see Kim, he ended up helping her in a quest to let her move on. I find Jeff's interaction with Kim really humorous because they always argue with each other. Both of the characters are relatable. Kim may seem like a snotty rich girl but she's very sensitive on the inside. Their attempts to returned the items Kim has stolen is amusing. They'd go to stores and different people's locker and return the items. There was also Khail, Kim's crush, who got involve in their scheme too. Sera is also a great complex character that Jeff falls in love with. This book also serious moments which made the story really interesting. The backstory of each characters is great and I sort of tear up at the end. Life After Theft has lots of secrets as well as a good twist. Definitely a great read.

Also...

If you would like to read about about Kim's last day before she dies, check out the prequel novella: One Day More

The Giver by Lois Lowry Review

Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
Published: April 26th 1993

Summary from Goodreads:

Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

My Thoughts:

I've always wanted to read The Giver ever since I was young but I never had a chance to. I've heard lots of people praising it and now I finally know why people liked it so much. The story is set in a dystopian world where children get assign job/roles as they turned the age of twelve. The main character of this book, Jonas, is turning twelve soon and he's nervous on what job he'll be assign for the rest of his life.

Jonas' character seem out of the norm. He sees things others don't and he began to question his beliefs. His family are very loving and yet they are not able to express their feelings well because very limited emotions and ideas are prohibited in the community. To his amaze, he was chose to be the next Giver. As Jonas trained with the current Giver, a world of vast information flooded through him, which made him question the community even more. Concepts like colors, war, pain, and lying was nonexistent in the community and Jonas now knows about it and feels it all at once. Will he be able to handle it? Or will he find a way out...

The world building in this story may be minimal but it does explain a lot about why the people in the community act the way they do. I find it similar to 1984 where people have a specific tasks and roles to follow without question the authorities or else they face the consequences. I was a bit confuse about the ending but overall The Giver is a great book to read. I recommend everyone give it a try if they'd like to read something that's different.