LIFE UPDATE: Where Am I?

Oh hey~ I'm not dead. It's just that I am currently somewhere new. I don't remember if I talked about it already but I moved to Cebu this month and I'll be living in Cebu for...I don't know how long.

Okay so for non-Filipinos reading this, Cebu is a province located way down south of Manila. It can take an hour and forty five minutes tops by plane and probably two days by sea. It's famouse for being the seat of Catholicism when Spaniards conquered the Philippines. Cebu has nice beaches, even nicer than the famed Boracay Island. The people here speak a different dialect and so for someone who grew up in Manila and spoke Tagalog all her life, it feels like I'm in a different country all together.

I've been vacationing here when I was a kid but I never picked up the language. I'll learn along the way...someday.

So, new home, new place, new neighbors, no friends. Well, what a challenge. Also more challenging, not having internet connection at home.

We'll get it installed one day...don't worry. So far, I don't have my library with me. Seventy percent of it is in Manila and I miss them very much. For now, I'll probably go on and finish my TBR pile and regular programming aka my blog posts will come up afterwards. Don't know when. But it will happen. Trust. Me.

That's it for now. See you guys next time~!

Wicked Review: The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Published: March 22, 2011

Publisher: Speak

Acquired: Paperback

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Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

To say that I fell in love with the book is a massive understatement. This book is amazing. Sure, I've read a lot about loss and how the characters have dealt with it. But The Sky Is Everywhere is more than that.

We have Lennie Walker, a clarinetist who lost his older sister, Bailey. She walks in the shadow of her older sister who's a bona fide star in their small town. Bailey dreams of becoming a theater actress one day. They were almost inseparable until Bailey's own heart took her life away.

My sister will die over and over again for the rest of my life. Grief is forever. It doesn't go away; it becomes a part of you, step for step, breath for breath. I will never stop grieving Bailey because I will never stop loving her. That's just how it is. Grief and love are conjoined, you don't get one without the other. All I can do is love her, and love the world, emulate her by living with daring and spirit and joy. 

I felt Lennie's grief, so much so that her actions through the course of this book is almost selfish. I have never lost anyone dear to me so I wouldn't really put myself in Lennie's shoes. But everyone around Lennie-Toby, Bailey's boyfriend, their Grandmother, their Uncle Big-has also lost Bailey. They were also grieving. They lost a piece of themselves when Bailey passed away.

The sky is everywhere, it begins at your feet. 

Lennie met Joe Fontaine, new guy who plays so many instruments. He's such a sweetheart. *insert heart eyes emoji* Where Lennie was overcome with grief over the loss of her sister, Joe comes to save the day. He's the epitome of a good life in my book. I just love him.

Each start of the chapter, there's a poem at the side. All those poems are written by Lennie and I think, those poems help understand Lennie's feelings and her relationship with her sister. She leaves those poems everywhere and writes on all sorts of known surfaces. I think I'll try that some time.

The.World.Is.Not.A.Safe.Place.

Messentialism. It's the word the often came up in this book. We live in a big mess. Each situation we're in, it's a mess. I believe that one hundred percent. Jandy Nelson provided me with a book that is greater than life. It was everything I expected from Jandy Nelson and then more.

Jandy Nelson, like her characters in I’ll Give You the Sun and The Sky is Everywhere, comes from a superstitious lot. She was tutored from a young age in the art of the four-leaf clover hunt; she knocks wood, throws salt, and carries charms in her pockets. Her critically-acclaimed, New York Times bestselling second novel, I’ll Give You the Sun, received the prestigious Printz Award, Bank Street's Josette Frank Award, and is a Stonewall Book Award honor. Both Sun and her debut, The Sky Is Everywhere, have been YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults picks (Sun, a Top Ten on Both YALSA and Rainbow Lists) and on multiple best of the year lists including the New York Times, Time Magazine, NPR, have earned many starred reviews, and continue to enjoy great international success, collectively published in over 47 countries. I'll Give You the Sun has been sold to Warner Brothers and screenwriter Natalie Krinsky is currently writing the adaptation. Jandy, a literary agent for many years, received a BA from Cornell University and MFAs in Poetry and Children's Writing from Brown University and Vermont College of Fine Arts. Currently a full-time writer, she lives and writes in San Francisco, California—not far from the settings of her novels.

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Wicked Photo Diary: January 2016

Wicked Photo Diary is a feature on the blog where I recap what happened in my life, bookish and non-bookish, in the form of my Instagram photos. Do follow me on Instagram here.

Well, unbelievable. I mean, whaaaaat? That's it. First 31 days of the month is already over! Goodness gracious! That was fast. January started off good for me. I found time to read the books that I bought from last year and my TBR pile is thanking me for my self-control and my perseverance in reading books off of the pile.

I also have a special announcement to make. I'll be moving to the province starting this February. For those unfamiliar with Philippine geography, I'll be moving to Cebu, a province in the South that can only be accessed from the Philippine capital, Manila, either by sea or air. It's far away from Manila, far away from my friends and the life I've lived for twenty one years in the city. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. So I'm enjoying the last few weeks I'll be spending in the city before I move. All part of life.

Here's how the first month of 2016 has treated me.

January 1, 2016

Pretty foggy due to the fireworks from New Year's Eve and the fact that it;s always foggy in the mornings.


January 2, 2016

First read of 2016. Absolutely loved this book. Things just got really interesting for all the characters and damn, I can't wait for Frost Like Night!


January 8, 2016

I just re-downloaded Spotify on my iPad that day and somehow, this song has been stuck in my head.


January 9, 2016

Got to watch Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens with Anna, another Star Wars fan. And wow, the movie was amazing. So many theories in my head that'll last me until Episode VIII comes out. PS: I'm obsessed with Kylo Ren. Dark Side all the way~


January 12, 2016

I've heard so much about I'll Give You The Sun than The Sky Is Everywhere. But this is the first Jandy Nelson book I picked up. It was amazing.


January 14, 2016

I had to reread this again because I forgot how things went down with Lara Jean and Peter K. It was a nice trip down memory lane afterwards.


January 15, 2016

It was such a sad day. I was wasting my time on Youtube, watching cooking videos to past time and make myself sleepy. I found myself on Facebook and the first thing that came on my news feed was a Page To Premiere article about the passing of Alan Rickman. At first, I didn't want to believe it. I waited for the major new organizations to confirm it. And they did. It was like my world fell apart. The world lost a great human being. A few days ago, singer David Bowie passed away and then it was Alan Rickman's turn. I will always remember him. Always.


January 16, 2016

I was reeling after reading this. I mean, ugh, I love you, Peter K. I wish you were real.


January 18, 2016

The angel lore in Angelfall is superb. I knew I made a good decision buying the trilogy in one go, something I don't do, at last year's Manila International Book Fair. This isn't your typical angel fantasy story.


January 19, 2016

I didn't even read any contemporary in between because I was desperate to know what happened next!!!


January 22, 2016

End of Days was explosive! Explosive ending for this phenomenal trilogy! A must read!


January 23, 2016

Stocked up on my romance reads written by Filipino authors! So excited to read them all!


January 24, 2016

It took a long time for me to finish this because I was busy reading contemporaries on my iPad. But, oh, this book reminded me of the ship scene in the movie Stardust. And to think, Magonia is real! *stares up the sky*


January 29, 2016

Got this baby at 20% off! Sweet deal, I know. I'm a little bit confused with this book but it means I just need to be focused with this book!


January 30, 2016

Took a photo of the sunshine before it went behind the clouds.

Send off party number one with Neil and Coleen! Had a blast book shopping with the two. I will definitely miss the two of them!


January 31, 2016

Books, books and more books. Would you believe that most of these titles don't even cost more than $5?!



What Else Happened One The Blog?

Backlist Revival Tour: One Night At The Palace Hotel by Bianca Mori

Hello 2016! Better Late Than Never!

Backlist Revival Tour: One Night At The Palace Hotel by Bianca Mori

The Backlist Revival Project, in case you don't know, is where books released some time ago are back in the spotlight. These books deserve some love too, you know. For the month of January, One Night At The Palace Hotel by Bianca Mori is on the spotlight!

Publication Date: February 14, 2014

Buqo

It's the night before The Palace Hotel opens, and the entire city is abuzz with what everyone is calling a throwback to the Gilded Age. Everyone, that is, except Consuelo De la Red. Faced with a destiny picked out for her and a dream she just can't forget, she confronts the choices she has made and the man she was forced to reject. When the past comes crashing into the present, will she listed to her duty, or give in to the urging of her heart?

One, I'm a sucker for high society stuff. Anything and everything about old families and their dramas, I'm in. Two, I love romances like these.

Consuelo, or Sue, is a trustfund princess. Her family came from the old money. Surely, being born in that type of family has a reputation to put up with. Sue has heard stories of her other relatives who were driven by their passion and determination to live their own lives away from the gilded cage that their last names represent.

So, when Sue met Sam, she almost did just that. The two met in Chicago and immediately fell in a whirlwind romance. Until Sue was forced to come back to Manila or else she will be disowned. Six years later, Sue is back in the good graces of her family and their golden circle of friends now that she has a boyfriend they approve of.

Things took a turn during the opening night of The Palace Hotel. The architect who so lavishly designed the hotel is none other than Sue's old flame, Sam. Sam wants Sue back. To say that I fell in love with Sam is an understatement. Here he is, a hardworking man who's smart, funny. handsome, good natured, I mean, what more could a girl ask for> Frankly, I'd rather have someone who got rich by working hard day in and day out than someone who was born rich. His love for Sue is so strong and Sue couldn't deny that Sam is the one she wants to be with.

Can I just say that Bianca Mori did a good job in this book? Everything about this book is so vivid-from the design of the hotel to what the characters are wearing to what the characters are feeling. They all came alive in this book.

Bianca Mori is the author of "One Night at the Palace Hotel" and "Tame The Kitten." She is interested in exploring power in romance and enjoys reading about demimondaines, pin-up girls and Jazz Age personalities and hopes to reinterpret these in her stories. She lives with her family and a hyperactive pug.

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Hello 2016! Better Late Than Never~

What? It's still January, first month of the year. I can still do this, right? Right.

So, hello. I survived. You survived, because duh if you didn't then you wouldn't be reading this and that will suck.

Okay, brand new year. What do you do with a brand new year?

I guess, it's time to let you guys know that I'm not a planner kind of person. I don't make grand plans for my life because I know that 1) PLANS CHANGE and 2) YES PLANS CHANGE. Simple as that. I mean, if plans on going out with friends don't change, who says you're plans for the whole year won't change either? Amen? Yes? Yes.

I don't even bother with the general plans (i.e I WILL LOSE WEIGHT and etc) I mean, me? NO WAY.

But one thing's for sure, this will be an awesome year. IT WILL BE, TRUST ME. I've learned that if I keep thinking about this over and over then it'll be true. 2015 was awesome to me. I got to finish all my required units for college but I'm not graduating because the ceremony won't be until this April 2016. But I'm done with college! No more school for me! My school life is officially OVER!

Huge achievement, yes. But next to that is finding a job. That part, not easy. Real world is scary af. I mean, fresh grads like myself are basically bait in the big ocean with the big fishes. Whew~ But it's all part of life. Yup, life. Gotta experience it to live it.

2015 was good in terms of books, so good that I'm on a self-imposed book buying ban because I have a lot of books from 2015 that I haven't even read yet and I need to read them before I buy a new one. You don't believe me? Gotta see it to believe it!

But in all seriousness though, as much as I love having books, I can't keep on buying books even if I win the Powerball Jackpot (btw, the jackpot is huge and I'm not even American). I was raised to be thrifty and to value money because one day I will earn that and I will realize how fast money can disappear.

So yeah, until I finish checking out all the books I bought in 2015, then I can do it again in 2016. A lot of bookworms are stressed with a growing TBR pile and the answer is easy: SELF-IMPOSED BOOK BUYING BAN. It doesn't have to be forever! You'll save a lot of money too.

I hope 2016 is the year I can finally open my eyes to other genres of books. I feel the need to branch out, to get out of my comfort zone. I have to be up to par with other people and the only way I can do that is to, duh, read books other than what I read on a daily basis. And that says a lot already.

And this year, in say five months time, I'll be a Taylor Swift song...If you don't get the reference then you suck. But if you do then you're awesome. Oh boy, birthdays. Yaaay...no.

Goodbye for now. Let 2016 be an awesome year!