The 2012 Book Challenge

[7deadlyjeans]

8) Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman, a compilation of bizarre stories that will thrill you. Some of my favorites among the 31 stories are Wedding Present (in the introduction), The Goldfish Pools and Other Stories, Mouse, We Can Give It To You In Wholesale, Tastings, Murder Mysteries, and Snow Glass and Apples. The stories such as the Wedding Present, We Can Give It To You In Wholesale, and Tastings are the kinds that will give you trouble sleeping while the stories of The Goldfish Pools and Other Stories, and Mouse are that have a bit of life learning. The stories I really like best are Murder Mysteries and Snow Glass and Apples. Murder Mysteries, is Gaiman’s brilliant story telling of what happened before mankind and the universe were created. The Snow Glass and Apples is the story of the classic Snow White in the “Evil” Queen’s perspective, only this story is not a fairy tale.

Ooooooh! Sounds cool! I'm a sucker for classic fairy tales reinvented in a twisted kind of way! Will look for this in the bookstore soon.

lulu_bella!

[hethler]

Slight OT

If you're looking for cheap books, meron sa ABS-CBN Loop Studio for as low as 50 pesos, nice yung collection nila. And it's open for public just in case you're nearby

[japspt]

Ooooooh! Sounds cool! I'm a sucker for classic fairy tales reinvented in a twisted kind of way! Will look for this in the bookstore soon.

lulu_bella!

ako naman, i am reading the ORIGINAL tales, Hans Christian Andersen and Grimm. It is somewhat interesting how Disney reinvented some of the endings. Not all are happily ever after, after all

still stuck at my curently reading book, Jane Eyre

[yakibuke]

22. Mrs. Dalloway - Virginia Woolf

[talkplaylove]

ako naman, i am reading the ORIGINAL tales, Hans Christian Andersen and Grimm. It is somewhat interesting how Disney reinvented some of the endings. Not all are happily ever after, after all

still stuck at my curently reading book, Jane Eyre

One of my favorites is the original Snow White--I loved the idea that even then, the idea of a "beautiful body" was twisted. (Snow getting asphyxiated from the cursed corset)

[talkplaylove]

8) Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman, a compilation of bizarre stories that will thrill you. Some of my favorites among the 31 stories are Wedding Present (in the introduction), The Goldfish Pools and Other Stories, Mouse, We Can Give It To You In Wholesale, Tastings, Murder Mysteries, and Snow Glass and Apples. The stories such as the Wedding Present, We Can Give It To You In Wholesale, and Tastings are the kinds that will give you trouble sleeping while the stories of The Goldfish Pools and Other Stories, and Mouse are that have a bit of life learning. The stories I really like best are Murder Mysteries and Snow Glass and Apples. Murder Mysteries, is Gaiman’s brilliant story telling of what happened before mankind and the universe were created. The Snow Glass and Apples is the story of the classic Snow White in the “Evil” Queen’s perspective, only this story is not a fairy tale.

I was exposed to Neil in my freshman year--we took up Snow, Glass, Apples. My favorites from that book are Murder Mysteries, We Can Give It To You Wholesale, Babycakes and October in the Chair. You should check out the graphic novel adaptation of Murder Mysteries! It is so good--I saw a couple of elements that I wasn't able to notice in the short story.

[talkplaylove]

UPDATE

1. the hour i first believed - wally lamb
2. she's come undone - wally lamb
3. twisted 9 - jessica zafra
4. coraline - neil gaiman
5. dreaming water - gail tsukiyama
6. night of many dreams - gail tsukiyama
7. ang mga kaibigan ni mama susan - bob ong
8. for one more day - mitch albom
9. ligo na u, lapit na me - (sir) eros s. atalia
10. percy jackson and the lightning thief - rick riordan
11. percy jackson and the sea of monsters- rick riordan
12. percy jackson and the titan's course - rick riordan
13. percy jackson and the battle of the labyrinth - rick riordan
14. percy jackson and the last olympian - rick riordan
15. the help - kathryn stockett
16. to kill a mockingbird - harper lee
17. inheritance - christopher paolini

currently reading: para kay b - ricky lee

Oooh, I have mixed feelings about that novel! Haha it was an enjoyable read, kaso super dramatic!! Ang ganda na sana nung premise kaso..ugh. Will tell you more about what I think after you're done Wala akong kausap about tagalog books sa totoong buhay eh kaya nangugulo ako dito, haha

[yakibuke]

Oooh, I have mixed feelings about that novel! Haha it was an enjoyable read, kaso super dramatic!! Ang ganda na sana nung premise kaso..ugh. Will tell you more about what I think after you're done Wala akong kausap about tagalog books sa totoong buhay eh kaya nangugulo ako dito, haha

tara pagusapan natin yung mga filipino books anong mga filipino na ang nabasa mo?

[corn queen]

Oooh, I have mixed feelings about that novel! Haha it was an enjoyable read, kaso super dramatic!! Ang ganda na sana nung premise kaso..ugh. Will tell you more about what I think after you're done Wala akong kausap about tagalog books sa totoong buhay eh kaya nangugulo ako dito, haha

tara pagusapan natin yung mga filipino books anong mga filipino na ang nabasa mo?

I really love Para kay B.... [spoiler start]Pwede siyang story about love and pwede rin syang story about a struggling writer trying to create a perfect craft.[spoiler end]

@yakibuke Kung novels, meron ako nung kay Eros Atalia and Ricky Lee. Meron din akong compilation ng erotic stories. Yung isa, Laglag Panty, Laglag Brief (heterosexual), at yung isa, Talong/Tahong (homosexual). Meron din akong Zsazsa Zaturrnah. Nabasa ko na rin yung Canal dela Reina nung highschool. Nakalimutan ko na yung iba ehh.

Kayo?

[XxSkaterBoixX]

Bakit ako hindi ko nagustuhan yung Para kay B? Pero maganda nga ang pagkakasulat dun, in all fairness..

Kung tagalog naman, puro online novels lang nababasa ko. Mga amateurs/students lang ang may akda. Dito rin sa pex may magagandang stories, sa AP forum.

cornqueen

[corn queen]

XxSkaterBoixX

Nagustuhan ko naman. Siguro kasi may pinagdadaanan ako nung nabasa ko yun.

[michymichymoo]

13. There's No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern



Rating: out of 5

Review:

Sandy Shortt started to be obsessed in searching for missing things eversince her childhood classmate, Jenny-May Butler, suddenly disappeared in their neighborhood. Her obsession in finding missing things concerned her parents so much that she had to be brought to a counselor, Gregory Butler. Her relationship with Gregory changed over the years, that they continued to be friends after her stint with the Gardai and when she opened up her own missing persons agency. She was about to meet Jack Ruttle, whose brother Donal disappeared more than a year ago, but while jogging she found herself in a world where all missing things --and persons go. She found herself surrounded by all the missing persons she had been looking for for quite a while, her problem is: she doesn't know how to go back home.

The novel kinda confused me at the beginning, maybe because of the two perspectives: from Sandy and from Jack.

But it's a nice read. It teaches us that we should be appreciative and satisfied of what we have. And we shouldn't waste our time looking for things we don't have that we tend to ignore our blessings.

[yakibuke]

I really love Para kay B.... [spoiler start]Pwede siyang story about love and pwede rin syang story about a struggling writer trying to create a perfect craft.[spoiler end]

@yakibuke Kung novels, meron ako nung kay Eros Atalia and Ricky Lee. Meron din akong compilation ng erotic stories. Yung isa, Laglag Panty, Laglag Brief (heterosexual), at yung isa, Talong/Tahong (homosexual). Meron din akong Zsazsa Zaturrnah. Nabasa ko na rin yung Canal dela Reina nung highschool. Nakalimutan ko na yung iba ehh.

Kayo?

mga nobela ni jun cruz reyes, vim nadera, edgardo m reyes, marami namang filipino books di nga lang nobela.

[sliceoftime]

Book No. 1



Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Genre: dystopian young adult fiction

Divergent is set in dystopian chicago. The city is divided into 5 factions. Those who value selflessness are in abenagation, those who value knowledge are in erudite, those who value peace are in amity, those who value honesty are in candor and those who value bravery are in dauntless.

The book starts with Beatrice Prior (Tris) a 16 year old girl in abnegation, undergoing the aptitude test to determine which faction she belongs to. Her test results show that she is divergent, she exhibited traits of a person belonging to three factions - dauntless, abnegation and erudite. She could not see herself as an erudite and she did not feel selfless enough to be in abenagation therefore she chose to transfer to dauntless.

The book chronicles Tris' initiation into the dauntless and the battle between the erudite, dauntless and abnegation inside her. She realizes that the three are not mutually exclusive she does not have to be one or the other. Tris also uncovers an Erudite plot to overthrow the current government (led by the abnegation) using a dauntless zombie army.

Although the plot smells a lot like the Hunger Games with the dystopian society and the rebellion, I find it an ok book. It's engaging and an easy read. It's good enough that I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the book in the trilogy.

----

Side comment: I think the book challenge is more of a writing challenge for me rather than a reading challenge. Reading book after book is not a problem, it's writing a synopsis/review that I am finding challenging. I've read a few books in the last couple of weeks but this is the only book I've reviewed so far. Hopefully, doing the challenge will turn writing into a habit.

[Heidegger]

1. After Dark - Haruki Murakami
2. The Wind-up Bird Chronicles - Haruki Murakami
3. Kafka on the shore - Haruki Murakami
4. 1Q84 - Haruki Murakami
5. What I talk about, When I talk about running - Haruki Murakami
6. The Elephand Vanishes (Yung On seeing the 100% perfect girl, one beautiful april morning) - Haruki Murakami
7. Hard boiled wonderland and the end of the world - Haruki Murakami
8. After the quake - Haruki Murakami
9. Sputnik Sweetheart - Haruki Murakami
10. South of the border, west of the sun - Haruki Murakami
11. Aleph - Paulo Coelho
12. The winner stands alone - Paulo Coelho
13. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelhoo
14. Veronica Decides to die - Paulo Coelho
15. The Valkyries - Paulo Coelho
16. Series of unfortunate events - Lemony Snicket
17. Sophies World - Jostein Gaarder
18. The castle in the Pyrenees - Jostein Gaarder
19. Harry Potter Series - J.K. Rowling
20. Twilight Saga - Stephenie Meyer

will post the reviews some other time.

[strandedstranger]

^I like your username. Favorite philosopher.

[jp_ocampo83]

A Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin
I'm really into fantasy and A Game of Thrones did not disappoint! Although it wasn't really about the fantastical elements but more of the plot itself that got me hooked. I remember watching Hostel, the movie builds up this protagonist, and in the middle of the movie, kills him. This is exactly what it's like in A Song of Ice and Fire series. You just never know what happens next. I've finished books 1-5 so far and 3 novellas, can't wait for books 6 and 7.
A Clash of Kings - George R. R. Martin
Things get interesting. The game of thrones just included new players. We get to see different types of religions in Westeros. And one of my favorite characters, the Imp, takes center stage. This volume also introduces my favorite assassin. A great read and would keep you yearning for more.
A Storm of Swords - George R. R. Martin
This is by far my favorite, and probably the longest read. In other countries, this volume was split into two. For those who've read the series, they already know that the books are not split into chapters but rather by POV. This is a really innovative and great technique for fleshing out a lot of characters. It is in this book that most of the characters were allowed their moment to shine (for better or worse). To put it shortly, the experience is very similar to having a multiple climax. After gaping at one revelation, another hits you right in the gut. And then another, and another. This also becomes a turning point for a lot of minor characters in the previous books, making them into major characters.
A Feast for Crows - George R. R. Martin
This is where the series takes a breather. The pace is slower than usual. Probably because GRRM decided to split the story in half (again). And instead of splitting the timeline, he opted to split the POVs/geography. This means that much of the cliffhangers in book 3 aren't answered here. It was still better than most, but it should have been spectacular. But still it's great on how it can turn villains to heroes and vice versa.
A Dance with Dragons- George R. R. Martin
This is more or less part 2 of A Feast for Crows. But it is somewhat underwhelming. With a title like this, you'd want to have dragons, but in this volume, they hardly dance at all. But still, it being a Song of Ice and Fire series, it is still way better than the others. It is in this chapter where I began to suspect about the R + J = L theory, and when I googled it to see if others have the same opinion, I was shocked. The clues actually goes as far as the first book. Hope my theory proves to be true.
The Hedge Knight - George R. R. Martin
I just can't leave Westeros after reading the five books straight. I had to read this one. And this is a welcome read indeed. It was a departure from all the dread of the series, as this actually has a somewhat happy ending. If you exclude what happened to the main characters as mentioned in the original series. The Hedge Knight is first of the Tales of Dunk and Egg series, and is set years before the events of A Game of Thrones. In its simplicity, it beautifully captures the rise of a simple minded hedge knight and a start of a much needed education of a boy who would grow up to be a great king.
The Sworn Sword - George R. R. Martin
This is second of the Tales of Dunk and Egg series. Dunk swears his sword to a lowly lord, and all is well until the neighboring royalty, known as the Red Widow, cuts off their water for her castle moat. GRRM being GRRM, things are not as one sided as it seems. There is no clear line separating a hero from a villain. But again in the end, all is well that ends well. This includes a background on the Blackfyre rebellion, which would come in handy on the next tale, and probably on the remaining to volumes in the original series.
The Mystery Knight - George R. R. Martin
This is the third in the Tales of Dunk and Egg. It has the most serious plot and is directly related to the Blackfyre rebellion. Although I liked the simplicity of the first tale best. Although, it is in here where I may have discovered the identity of the Three-eyed crow. The three-eyed crow is probably the most powerful entity in the whole Song of Ice and Fire series in terms of magic. The ending was also somewhat anticlimactic as it tries to wrap everything up nicely. And it is where Egg begins to show who he will be in the future.

More to come, just want to separate my GRRM reviews.

[jp_ocampo83]

John Dies at the End - David Wong
I looked forward to reading this because it became somewhat of an internet sensation and has just recently been turned into a film. But to tell the truth, it was just ok. It was fun in a juvenile sort of way, and the scares and surprises were inventive. But I just felt that I wasn't fully immersed in its world. It was a short, fun read though. But I would not revisit it.
Horns - Joe Hill
Wow this novel was great. It's got an unbeatable premise. A guy wakes up from a hangover and, also, horns. Along with it comes all the powers of the devil. And with great power, comes, great vengeance. Or was it responsibility? But it's not the outrageous premise that immerses you. It's the heartfelt story of it's main character. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you think, it will scare you. In the end, the devil will get his due.
Invisible Monsters - Chuck Palahniuk
This is a short read. It's a good book but not that great. Fans of Palahniuk know that in his world, nothing is taboo. It is about a model who gets her jaw shot off. Told you. It has great twisted twists and a lot of life lessons as well. To tell you more about the plot would just ruin your drug induced journey to self realization upon reading this book.

I think this is it for the year so far. Currently reading Good Omens, will update you soonest.

[av0415]

(25) The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride #1)
Author: James Patterson
Pages: 424
Rating: 5/5

According to Mr. Patterson, the idea for Maximum Ride came from earlier books of his called When the Wind Blows and The Lake House. Though there are some similar names, Maximum Ride should not be confused with his two prior novels because the similarities end with those names. The Angel Experiment starts when Angel, a 6 year old avian kid, was kidnapped and brought to the School, a laboratory of some sort. Max and her friends ended up rescuing Angel and to escape the Erasers, wolf-like mutants who are cronies of the School, they literally flew to New York. In there, they found out about the Institute, another group like the School, so they decided to go directly to the Institute and find for clues about their identities. By this time, Max already started hearing a voice in her head and most of the time the Voice tells her what to do. For some means, they were able to enter the Institute. In there, they rescued some mutant children and gathered some documents about their biological parents and their addresses. Max was glad about the discovery only to find out that there were no information about her and her family.

I think the first book in Maximum Ride is a great start for a great series. I’m a hundred percent sure that I will be reading the next installments in no time. While reading the novel, it feels like there’s an I am Number Four and The Maze Runner touch on it. Like in the former, the kids here are developing unknown super powers, they don’t know what they can do and what their limits are. The cluelessness of Max and her friends including the maze like conflicts and challenges seem like the same for the latter.

IMABOOKKEEPER Care to visit my new blog?

[talkplaylove]

^ That series is on my to read list Goodreads recommended it and naintriga ako sa summary I only have 1-6 in ebooks though, kulang pa ko ng isa?