Another Coming Back Post.... Hopefully.

There's no point in beating around the bush so I'll plunge right in.

Okay. It's been so long since my last last last post. As much as I hate to admit it, I've neglected this blog. I know it deserves attention, as it is an avenue for the expression of my opinions on literature. But..... it's hard.

Our schoolwork got really hectic recently, with me struggling to keep up with the piles of homework and tests and projects that need to be accomplished. It almost drowned me, so to say. Even our heavily-awaited Christmas break turned out to be free time for us to meet and do our group works. I'll be calling a spade a spade. I was tired. I got tired of being stressed and doing all those... Also, I got sidetracked. I'm preparing for a big event that I hope to pursue next year, but again, these academic constraints kinda prohibited me to do so.

I'd like to start the year by committing myself more to the blog, though. That's gonna be in my New Year's Resolution. I didn't want to go under a hiatus. In fact, I hated it. But it couldn't be helped. I love blogging for my opinion's sake, and I love connecting with people who share the same passion for books as I.

I hope  I can abide by his resolution!

P.S. Here's a photo with some of my Hi-Y (High school YMCA) friends! We attended the YMCA Conference last December 19-23 and it was superb! This was taken on the 23rd, at the QC City Hall.

Book Turned Art: The Retribution of Mara Dyer

Today we have a brand new tag, which was created by Anette from Anette the Wicked! Book Turned Art is a feature in which the spotlighted book gets to have some quotes, or even its cover, turned into graphic art. Today's featured will be the Retribution of Mara Dyer, the conclusion to Michelle Hodkin's The Mara Dyer Trilogy! WARNING: There might be some profanity in this post.

[Release Day Blast] EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY: Sidekick

Oops! I Read Again is also hosting a tour! Click the banner for more info.

Title: Sidekick
Author: Natalie Whipple
Number of Pages: 356 (HB)
Date of Publication: TODAY!
Publisher: Little Brown Ltd.

Synopsis:

Russ is a high school football player who feels like he always comes in second to his best friend, Garret. In sports. In school. With girls. Well, he's tired of it, and he gets the rather foolish idea that if he can win the heart of the new girl in town before Garret he can prove he's not just sloppy seconds.
His plan? Use his anime-obsessed sister's group, who has befriended the new girl, to get closer to her. He'd never tell the team, but he's been going to Anime Night for years and might even enjoy it. That would ruin his reputation, just like his secret love for cooking and James Taylor.
But pretending to be something you aren't catches up to you eventually, and Russ can only get away with living two lives for so long. As more than one person reveals they have something to hide, Russ must figure out what and who he really wants in his life. And more than that, he needs the courage to make it happen.

Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

[Release Day Party] Excerpt: Persuasion

Title: Persuasion
Author: Martina Boone
Number of Pages: 464 (HB)
Publication Date: October 27, 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Grieving the death of her godfather and haunted by her cousin Cassie’s betrayal, Barrie returns from a trip to San Francisco to find the Watson plantation under siege. Ghost-hunters hope to glimpse the ancient spirit who sets the river on fire each night, and reporters chase rumors of a stolen shipment of Civil War gold that may be hidden at Colesworth Place. The chaos turns dangerous as Cassie hires a team of archeologists to excavate beneath the mansion ruins. Because more is buried there than treasure.

A stranger filled with magic arrives at Watson’s Landing claiming that the key to the Watson and Beaufort gifts—and the Colesworth curse—also lies beneath the mansion. With a mix of threats and promises, the man convinces Barrie and Cassie to cast a spell there at midnight. But what he conjures may have deadly consequences.

While Barrie struggles to make sense of the escalating peril and her growing and forbidden feelings for Eight Beaufort, it’s impossible to know whom to trust and what to fight for—Eight or herself. Millions of dollars and the fate of the founding families is at stake. 

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Title: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Author: Ransom Riggs
Publication Date: May 20, 2012 (TPB)
Publishing House: Quirk Books
Number of Pages: 352

Synopsis:

16-year-old Jacob has discovered the ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores the abandoned building, he realises that the children were more than just peculiar - they may have been dangerous. And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.

I'm So Totally Pumped.

Hi! Sorry it's been too long. Yep, I've been inactive without much of a forewarning. I tried to juggle blogging and the things that I've been doing recently, but I just couldn't fit it in. But now, things have become quite loose, and I'm here with my explanation!

Review: Unwind

Title: Unwind
Author: Neal Shusterman
Number of Pages: 335 (paperback)
Date of Publication: June 2, 2009
Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Synopsis
Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives.
The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.

[Blog Tour] Excerpt: Never Always Sometimes

Title: Never Always Sometimes
Author: Adi Alsaid
Number of Pages: 320 (Hardcover)
Date of Publication: August 4, 2015
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Synopsis

Never date your best friend.

Always be original.

Sometimes rules are meant to be broken.

Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they’d never, ever do in high school.

Some of the rules have been easy to follow, like #5, never dye your hair a color of the rainbow, or #7, never hook up with a teacher. But Dave has a secret: he’s broken rule #8, never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It’s either that or break rule #10, never date your best friend. Dave has loved Julia for as long as he can remember.

Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. He even dyes his hair an unfortunate shade of green. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they’ve actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love. 

Follow the blog tour hosted by Pink Book Tours HERE!

[Blog Tour] Review: Overboard

Another Blog tour! Follow it by clicking on the banner! :)

Title: Overboard 

Author: Elizabeth Fama

Number of pages: 186 (paperback)

Publication Date: June 29, 2015 (re-issued)

Publisher: CreateSpace
Buy here: Amazon || B&N

SynopsisOne moment of rashness, and fourteen-year-old Emily Slake finds herself amid hundreds of panicked and drowning people in the dark ocean waters off Sumatra. Miles from shore without a life vest, she resolves to survive. But in facing the dangers of the ocean, the desperation of her fellow survivors, and her own growing exhaustion, Emily must summon wits and endurance she's not sure she has.
Striking out on her own, Emily encounters Isman, a frightened young Muslim boy, floating in a life vest. Together they swim for their lives, relying on Emily's physical strength and Isman's quiet faith.
Based on a true story, Overboard is both a riveting tale of survival and a sensitive portrayal of cross-cultural understanding in a time of crisis.

What It's Like: High School

Okay. I'm trying something entirely new! Well, not quite. Today I'll be talking about what it's like to study in High School. That's because a) I'm in high school, and b) It seemed kind of a timely topic to discuss. What It's Like is a new thing that I'm trying out. It's some sort of feature which discusses various topics. All opinions listed are of my own, and no one made me state these online.

Review + Guest Post: Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda

Title: Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
Author: Becky Albertalli
Number of Pages: 303 (Hardcover)
Publication Date: April 7, 2015
Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised. With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

Updates! What I've Been Up To! Journalism Shenanigans!

Helloooooo! I've been inactive lately, so here! An update post!

First of all, I'd like to just put it out there that I'm currently in the 10th Grade of high school. Here in the Philippines, this is the last school year I'll be taking as a Junior High School student. Yes, it's pretty much stressful, since I study in a Science High School. 

Speaking of the matter, another pressing fact as to why I haven't been able to post much is our research. We're currently doing an Investigative Project, so there's that. We're actually going to the College of Science in University of the Philippines Diliman, in hopes for a consultation session with a professional during our off-camp on Tuesday.

FUNNY THING, THOUGH. We were supposed to send a notification email, along with a formal letter to the institute earlier this week, in order for them to know that we're going to their facilities next week. I actually thought that it was already sent last Thursday or Friday. However, little did I know, the letter was only sent last night at 11 PM! And aside from that, today is the college's GRADUATION! My other group members tried to call, but no one's there to answer. Tomorrow's a Sunday, so again, they won't be able to answer. I guess we're just gonna have to keep our fingers crossed.

Another thing that I'd like to say (I really don't know if this is significant, relevant, or necessary, but here goes) is that we're gonna be having our screening next week for Journalism! The District Schools Press Conference is just around the corner, and our journ class needs to determine who's competing. I'm excited for all of us!

And now, for my non-life related updates.

My current read is Unwind by Neal Shusterman! It's a gripping Futuristic thriller. Must read. I'M SERIOUS!

I've also hauled two books from Fullybooked yesterday, since they had a sale! I got a hardcover of The Winner's Crime, as well as a paperback of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe!

But I still need to return my copy of Ari and Dan to Fullybooked since IT HAS A BIG-A**TEAR ON ONE OF THE PAGES!

As for TV, I'm currently watching the night-recaps of Pinoy Big Brother 737. I know, it's not like me to watch this reality show, but I figured that the housemates this season are really relate-able, since they're teenagers, just like me, and they experience the same problems as I. I'm also waiting for the 11th season of Supernatural, as well as the series 9 for Doctor Who!

In other news, hooray for the United States! Same-sex marriage is now legal in all 50 states!

How about you guys? What have you been up to?

Waiting on Wednesday: Library of Souls

Hi! This is me, climbing back from the grave, for the tenth time. And I suppose that with everything happening around in school, I might be going in and out of this "grave".

So much for that!

And to kickstart my attempt in successfully balancing my lives, here is a Waiting on Wednesday post! This meme was created by Breaking the Spine.

I don't think there's a more suitable book to feature this week than Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs!

[Blog Tour] Review + Excerpt + Giveaway: BuqoYA 5 - Perfect Moments

Yet another blog tour! I have to be blunt -- I'm sorry there haven't been any new reviews and features so far. I seem to have lost my creative juices at the moment. Just like what ate Jayvee talks about in her post! I promise, a feature or two is up on its way soon!

As always, click on the banner to follow the tour stops!! :)

Thanks to Oops! I Read Again Tours for the opportunity!

[Blog Tour] Review + Excerpt + Giveaway: BuqoYA Bundle 4 - Heart Choices

Hellooooo! Today we have another tour stop for BuqoYA! It's always nice to see books by Filipino authors! It makes me proud :)

Click on the banner above to follow the tour!

[Yes, I was listed under May 21, but I needed to do an errand today, so I wasn't able to make a review. Sorry!]

By the way, this tour is hosted by Oops! I Read Again Tours!

Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass

Finally. I finished The Elite only earlier today, and I still haven't recovered from everything that happened in this book.

Here I am in this warm night, eager to share with you guys what I think about the sequel to The Selection, by Kiera Cass!

[Blog Tour] Excerpt + Review + Giveaway: Buqo YA Bundle 2 Sweet Complications!

Hi everyone! It's time for another blog tour!

At last, Contemporary Filipino authors! I'm so stoked for this bundle of wonderful stories!

Sweet Complications is the second Buqo YA Bundle. It features several stories written by fellow Filipinos!

This tour is hosted by Oops! I Read A Book Again Book Tours! Follow the tour HERE to get more scoops!

Review + Interview: Poetry Madness with Holly Bodger!!

Okay. Today, I'm gonna be reviewing 5 To 1 by Holly Bodger. And after that is my fun interview with her, where we asked each other some questions regarding poetry and such!

DISCLAIMER: I was given the chance to read the e-ARC of 5 To 1 by the author. All opinions stated in this post are of my own without anyone's influence.

Waiting on Wednesday: A Work In Progress

Hey guys! It's time. To. Share. This. Wonderful. Thing!!! Okay here's the hint:

YES. One of my favorite Youtubers, Connor Franta, decided to make a memoir!! 

Now I know, I should be dubious about it, because of the also-recent controversy with another Youtuber's book: it was GHOST-WRITTEN (maybe I should make a feature about ghost-writing....?). But even so, I think I'm gonna be comfortable with Connor's book since it is a MEMOIR.

More details below!

Cover Reveal: The Light (Equilibrium II)

Hello! Today we have another cover reveal! 

This reveal is hosted by Good Tales Book Tours! It goes like this: I post the details of the book and THEN I reveal the cover!

Just click "Read more" and you'll see it all!

Waiting on Wednesday: Persuasion

It's been a while, yeah? So to kick-off my blog's revival since my awfully long hiatus, here I have a Waiting on Wednesday post! I really missed this! And you guys!

For today's feature: Persuasion!

GORGEOUS COVER.

I'm back from the grave!!

Hey lovelies! Finally. After an eternity of waiting (yes, I have waited that long). I'm finally back!! Okay. So this post will be explaining to you what transpired during my awfully long hiatus!

Oh wait. Before anything else:

There, my friends!

This is the mark of my LONG explanation!

I've Been Gone?!

Hey guys! In this post, I'll be BRIEFLY talking about why I've been gone for the past weeks!

It's not corny or dramatic or cheesy in any way, so please. Spare the tears.

There are two primary reasons:

a) School's being an ass.

b) I'm gonna travel!

Yeah. School. I know, most of us have the same excuses. But as for me, school's been hard lately, because I had to train for a Reading Proficiency Contest for a week, and in line with that (hoorah. NOT) I had to catch up on ONE WHOLE WEEK of schoolwork. Activities, quizzes, the sort. So yeah, I'm still recovering!!

The other reason is that.... *drum roll* I'm going to Japan next week!!

I've been delegated to participate in the Chiba-QC YMCA Cultural Exchange Program!! That's nine whole days of Japanese food, culture, and friends! So yeah, I'm preparing for it right now, and that's one of the reasons why I've been somehow inactive recently. And I'll need to catch up (YET AGAIN) on more than a week of schoolwork. Actually, I think when I return, the periodicals are gonna be administered already?? Another burden I have to carry!! (Plus, I won't be able to attend our prom this year. SAD)

Please bear with me, and my TEMPORARY hiatus. I will return as soon as possible, which is SOON. Thanks lovelies!

Review + Interview: SARA RAASCH ASKS ME QUESTIONS!!!

You do not see this thing quite often. I'm here to share with you guys my review of Snow Like Ashes and of course, my interview with Sara Raasch!!!

Review: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Hey guys! Today I'm gonna be talking about Dorothy Must Die, the first book in the Dorothy Must Die series by Danielle Paige!!!

The Difference Between Journalistic and Blog Writing

I suppose most of you are aware of the term "journalism", no? Some are actually intimidated whenever they hear it (I'm probably exaggerating), and as a campus journalist AND a blogger, I'm here to offer bits of clarification for those who aren't familiar with this archetype of writing.

There are huge differences between what I do as a journalist, and what I do as a blogger. These can be seen in terms of writing style, length, and the subject altogether. 

Eccentric Everything 2.0!!

It might be quite obvious, but here's the thing. I've redesigned my blog!!! Well, not COMPLETELY, but yup!! Did it all by myself!! :)

There's no particular reason for this, I just thought that I needed a fresh new look for 2015!!

Okay. I probably disturbed you just for this. haha! Well, if you have any suggestions to make this blog more "quirky" (as my friends put it) just comment below!