Paper Towns Book Review

"Paper Towns" was my first John Green book. I didn't join the bandwagon when "The Fault In Our Stars" came out; until now, I have yet to read the book or see the movie. So I really did not know what to expect. Was John Green another Nicholas Sparks? I'm not going to go on and compare the two authors but one thing is for sure; I read through Paper Towns like the book is on fire. I loved the non-traditional characters, I loved how the novel was written in such a smart and witty way that I was chuckling to myself as I was going through the pages; because the lines were just so funny and a funny smart kind of way. :)  

It was actually the trailer of Paper Towns that got me to start reading the book. I was actually expecting a typical love story when I saw the trailer but I was really surprised as to how it really wasn't your typical love story at all! 

Paper Towns is a contemporary coming-of-age story with unique characters, so real they can actually be someone you know. Instead of a "damsel in distress/heroine" "looking for love" we have Margo Roth Spiegelman, a free spirited teen who takes revenge on a cheating boyfriend, has a wide collection of records which even her best friends don't know about, oh and she likes running away from home. 

Then we have our protagonist Quentin "Q" Jacobsen whose voice and thoughts narrates the story for us. Unlike your typical hero "Q" is a geek and a nerd who loves playing video games on his free time, he studies for tests and does his homework. I love how the story allows the characters to  grow from their own shells and find the courage that even they did not know existed within themselves. 

Shout out to Q's friends Ben and 'Radar' who bring in more to the story. Anybody would be lucky to have friends like them :) 

The night before Margo runs away from home, she enlists the help of Q to get revenge on people who she felt have wronged her. During this "mission" Q's feelings for Margo are fully realized. (he has had feelings for her since they were little). The next morning when Margo's disappearance has become official, Q realizes that Margo has left clues for him to find her. Q begins an obsessive search to find Margo with the help of his friends Radar and Ben. 

Paper Towns deals with themes of growing up and appearance versus reality. In a high school setting of the beautiful and popular kids and the geeks and the nerds in the school band and of concerns like graduation and prom, I'm glad to see deeper thoughts and themes being explored. 

A great book and a great reading experience - looking forward to when the movie comes out :) 

Insurgent Book Review

I haven't done a book review in a long time because I haven't finished a book in a long time too and I think that's because I've made the mistake of reading "book turned movies" after seeing the movie. I say that it was a mistake because after seeing the movie and knowing what will happen next, it was hard for me to turn on the next page since I already knew what was going to happen. Case in point Mazerunner and The Book Thief. Although I had no trouble finishing Nicholas Sparks' A Walk To Remember,bebenta if it was a watch-movie-read-book-afterward arrangement. I guess there's an exception for every rule but one thing is definitely for certain: As much as possible, if you really can; read the book first. Which is why I really made it a point to finish the book before watching Insurgent and I have to say that it was a wise decision indeed. 

While reading the book, I thought that it was more exciting and interesting than it's predecessor Divergent and this made me anticipate watching the movie. I still had about 150 pages left to read in the book when I saw the movie. I'm not the type who goes crazy over tiny details being changed from book to movie. I always look at them as two different works; from a writer and a script writer's perspective I understand that not all that is written on paper can be translated on to the screen. 

Given that I would have to say that it is in my opinion that Insurgent is one of those books that is better as a movie. Why is that? Well it's because of the many action scenes and sequences in the story. Just like in a manga where big fights can be more appreciated (well at least in my opinion) as an animated episode rather than reading it. The same goes for Insurgent's gun blazing, punches flying, action filled scenes. You'd be disappointed  if you're looking for prose in Insurgent since it is written in a straight forward perspective of a 16 year old in a dystopian  future. It lacks and and all beautiful words that give you a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. It is straight, concise and to the point. 

Unlike Divergent which only gives the reader a look into the Abegnation and Dauntless factions, Insurgent gives us a sneak peak into the other factions Amity, Candor and even a benign look at Erudite. Yes, not all Erudite are calculating and cold blooded like Jennine. This is something that they failed to portray in the movie though. 

I believe that the movie was able to conveniently cut out scenes and put everything together in a fast paced adventure. Admittedly the ending was a big different from the book, which leaves you hanging and you just know that when you pick up book 3 - Allegiant you would know that it picks right up on the action which left you in a big cliff hanger in Insurgent. 

One thing that the movie failed to show though was why the movie/book was called Insurgent in the first place - this was beautifully explained in the book though. 

You're not really missing much if you don't read Insurgent, it's not exactly a literal masterpiece that will be discussed in English Class in future generations but if you're a book worm/movie buff like me then you wouldn't be too disappointed with it. The action scenes and complications will keep you gripping on the book to the next page. 

Book Review: If I Stay

At the rate that book to movie adaptations are going, it is almost impossible to keep up with what book to read and what adaptation to watch. 

Before, a book would have been around long enough for everyone to have already read it before it hits the cinemas but nowadays you find out about a book to movie adaptation when the movie is already in the Next Showing list. 

Such was the case for a book worm and movie buff like me, I don't know if you guys have noticed it or maybe feel the same way but now I find myself hurrying to either read a book so I can watch the movie version. Ideally I would rather read a book first before watching the movie on which it's based on. 

Luckily for If I Stay I was able to keep my preferred book-to-movie adaptation sequence. 

I have to admit that I was actually worries when I read that fans of Twilight would enjoy the book, now I won't be a book snob and say that I didn't read Twilight because I did but then after the series I also realized that the plot and characters were poor, flat and predictable. 

I really wasn't expecting much from If I Stay, I just thought that it was going to be another typical love story but I was proven wrong as Gayle Forman's writing and characters transported me in a boundary between life and death, one not often ventured by authors. 

As the story progressed and I saw glimpses of the movie through trailers, I was able to put two and two together that the story was about a young girl in a terrible accident where she might have lost her entire family and she's in a literal fight for her life and faces the thoughts of an empty life without her loved ones "If She Stayed". 

I love that Gayle Forman chose to create her heroine as a 17 year old classical musician in a rock oriented family and with a rock star boyfriend. She could have easily chosen to write Mia up as a rocker chic, that would have been more predictable but Forman decided to throw a curve ball with her Bach loving heroine. I love that Forman wrote her characters in such a realistic way that they could have been your own father, mother, aunt, uncle, grandfather or grandmother. Mia's mom was a "hard as nails, feminine bitch who encouraged her daughter to get her own supply of condoms once she found out that she had a boyfriend. 

It was well written characters like these that just crushed your heart as you start to understand what Mia has lost and the empty life she would have to come back to if she stayed. 

Then of course there's her boyfriend Adam who wants her to stay. Will there love be enough for Mia to want to say? Does she have a choice in the matter? 

Told in the perspective of a commatosed character as she wanders through the hospital where her loved ones are waiting for her and reliving the past where the family she lost painfully reminds her of how Death can come like a thief in the night, swift, unexpected and without mercy. 

I actually put off reading If I Stayed since I know my cry baby heart wouldn't be able to handle it, but when I woke up one afternoon and reached out for my iPad to read - it's a ritual I do to help me sleep; I got to a part in the book where it was simply no return and no coming back. I was hooked and I finished the book right then and there, loosing 3 hours of sleep while ugly crying to Mia's story. 

If I Stay is an unexpected good read, kind of like finding treasure in a junk yard, Forman's gutsy writing, realistic characters and writing from a perspective of a character in the boundary of life and death will have you crying and your heart breaking. 

Just hope I still have time to catch it in cinemas! 

The Graveyard Book: Book Review

I read Neil Gaiman's The Ocean At The End Of The Lane and The Graveyard Book consecutively. Even though The Graveyard Book has the Newberry Medal, the British Carnegie Medal and the Hugo award under its belt, I actually enjoyed The Ocean At The End Of The Lane more. It was more exciting and more of a page turner rather than Graveyard.

Needless to say, I still enjoyed The Graveyard Book; it has it's own morbid charm that would have you cheering for Bod, (short for Nobody), the boy who lived in the Graveyard. After his family is murdered by the man Jack. 

I was admittedly drawn to Gaiman's morbid/macabre premise of a little boy (A baby at that!) who lives in the graveyard and is raised by its ghostly residents. Complete with lessons from ancient teachers teaching some pretty outdated but still useful curriculum. 

In a sense the story reminds me of Harry Potter who becomes the only survivor after his family is murdered by Lord Voldermort and just like Tom Riddle, the man Jack doesn't leave a job unfinished. 

Gaiman has admitted that the book was inspired from another famous orphan-Mowgly from the Jungle Book. When I was reading through the book, I thought that each chapter was like an episode in a TV series where Bot has his adventures, like meeting the different residents in the graveyard, after all it's not only ghosts who stay in graveyards. 

Bot even goes to regular school for a time and let's face it- in school there are worse things than ghosts. 

The eight chapters are like short stories on their own and are set two years apart, so we see Bod grow up before our eyes as we read through the pages, which Gaiman has said follows the same format as Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. 

Aside from Mr. & Mrs Owens who becomes Bod's ghost foster parents, Bod is also looked after by the Graveyard caretaker Silas, who is suggested to be a vampire but not really confirmed which was a source of frustration for me since at one part, you're thinking: "He doesn't...so does that mean..?" So you're racking your brain for clues and hints but don't get any confirmation in the end. 

Years after Bod escapes as a baby, the man Jack and the other Jacks of the secret group The Jacks of all Trades have finally cornered him and it's up to Bod to use all of his knowledge of the Graveyard to truly escape their clutches. 

I loved the illustration that was in the book, the pages were creatively drawn and designed and made for more pleasant reading. It's good to know that there's actually a movie adaptation in the works for the movie. Early rumors had it to be a stop motion animation but let's see what happens since a director was just confirmed (after some hiccups) this year. 

Reminiscent of The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Graveyard Book is a great book which young teenages and adults will surely enjoy. Gaiman's genius and story telling cannot be denied, reading through the book will have your imagination working over time and isn't that what reading is all about? 

Hard Boiled Wonderland And The End Of The World Review

 I've always wanted to read Haruki Murakami's work. I've always been intrigued by his books which I would find on book shelves in book stores but the lack of funds have always hindered me from purchasing a book of his to take home and read at my own pleasure.

Ever since aquiring my iPad I have recently discovered the joy albeit an illegal one of downloading e-books from the Internet. I can hear my husband's scolding and disapproving voice of having to give back to the author and so, I have made a promise to myself with you oh dear reader as my witness that when the budget allows I will still buy books from book stores. 

There is still that joy that comes from making a book purchase, feeling the book's cover and turning through each page while inhaling that familiar new book smell. All these feelings and sensations are obviously missing from reading e-books. 

So now that, that promise has been made let us get on with Haruki Murakami's 'Hard Boiled Wondeland and The End of The World' review. 

I honestly did not know what to expect when I started to read the book since it was my first time to read any of his works. Lately I've been reading old Stephen King books from the ladies that come to the office every payday peddling old second hand books that smell like mold and mildew when you open the pages. Each book costs P150.00 and sadly that's all that I can afford for now. So as I was saying I really had no idea what to expect from Murakami unlike when you pick up a Stephen King book you already have an idea that you are in for a thrilling read but for Murakami, it was a box of chocolates for me - I had no idea what I was getting myself into. 

I have to admit reading through the first pages was hard as you are led through the story by a nameless protagonist whose peculiar job was to shuffle data for a crazy scientist living underground for the fear of his research falling into the wrong hands, while all of this is happening the book shifts from the seemingly normal Tokyo scene to a parallel world where our protagonist is a dream reader, reading dreams from old skulls in a town where the people have no mind and shadow of their own. 

It really is a peculiar plot and how one world weaves to the next has no warning either. It was an initial struggle for me to read the story at first since data and numbers aren't really my cup of tea which is strange considering my day job is a Data Analyst and all I do is stare at numbers and Excel the whole day. 

Nevertheless the story gets intriguing and you get caught in the shifting worlds and the curiosity of what will happen next will have you moving on to one page after the other without you even knowing it. 

So this box of chocolates was pretty much my kind of chocolates and I really also enjoyed Murakami's prose and writing style. He had me highlighting quotes and posting on social media because. I really liked them and he had me highlighting words and defining their meaning, thus increasing my vocabulary. 

The pages of Murakami's book seem to have been taken right out of a Sci-Fi Anime with strange groups and organizations like the System, Semiotecs, Calcutecs, the INKlings, all mixed up in an ongoing info wars which leads up to the ultimate battle of the subconscious. 

An intriguing and ambitious novel which follows a unique plot, just don't get turned off with the "technical lingo" I did compare it to a Sci-Fi Anime. 

After reading the novel, I thought that it reminded me of a a tightly closed bud, it hasn't achieved it's full beauty and potential until it fully blooms, which it does in the end. 

It may not be of the same excitement factor as Sthepen Kings's books but there is definitely a unique kind of excitement there. 

Bag of Bones Book Review

I make it a point to have a Currently Reading Book; it really helps with my writing. The words come easier and I get inspired to improve on my writing and come up with new techniques.  

But since I don't have the budget to splurge on brand new books the smell of which brings such joy to me I have to make do with old, really old books which are sold by vendors who come to the office every payday, all the more to tempt you with, my dear and sell old Stephen King, John Grisham, Sidney Sheldon books at P150.00 a pop. 

So even if that brand new book smell (which I love so much) is replaced by moldy, wet paper, old book smell (which I choke on, every time I open the book and get it too near my nose) I still get to have a new book to read so I'm happy and content. 

My latest old book find (which I got around my birthday) is Stephen King's Bag of Bones and well, let's just say that I haven't been this scared by a book in a long time, so much so that I would refuse to go down in the early morning to get a glass of water, even if I'm already parched. 

I loved that the novel featured a writer/novelist as the main character. As I got a glimpse of what it's like in the life of a novelist, being chased by editors, publicists, being pressured to continue to write books and appear on TV interviews and what not. It's like  I was able to get an idea how it is to be a successful novelist, so that was a refreshing new protagonist, only someone as gutsy as Stephen King would try something like that. :) 

This ghost story of epic proportions begins with the sudden death of novelist Michael Noonan's wife, Jo. Mike is devastated, his grief is overwhelming but aside from his mourning; Mike has to get over the fact that his wife was pregnant and that she kept the pregnancy from him. Which is strange considering that he and his wife have been trying to conceive a child for a long time, they even have a name picked out already, Kia if the baby was a girl. 

Now if Jo was keeping that secret what else could she have been hiding? 

All these questions plague Mike and even follow him in his dreams, their lake house, Sarah Laughs. These vivid dreams turn into nightmares and Mike is haunted not only by the nightmares but the inability to write as well. 

So apparently there's a movie version of Bag of Bones with Pierce Brosnan playing Mike Noonan, have to put that on my to-watch-list.  

Crippled with writer's block and haunted by ghosts and spirits unknown, in a desperate attempt at peace, Mike heads out to the lake house in question. 

In this seemingly peaceful town, you know the type where everyone knows everyone, Mike meets a young widow and her young daughter and from this chance meeting (or is it?) Mike is thrown in a web of mystery, violence and horror (one he will never, ever imagine) and one too horrible to even be a plot in his books. 

Without giving anything away Bag of Bones works up a good climax (even if the first part of the story, the mourning part, took a bit long). You get caught up in the story and characters and like classic Stephen King, everything goes down at a big event and it will literally leave you with your jaw open. 

This horror story comes in full circle and will have you scarred in the end at how cruel human nature can be and how far hatred can go, beyond years, beyond generations and even beyond death.      

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane: Book Review

When I read the summary of the book from it's back cover (as I was doing some book 'window' shopping) and I honestly did not know what to expect from the story. Which is why I was pleasantly surprised when I was thrown into a thrilling adventure of a mysterious world existing within our own.

The story begins with a mundane middle aged man as he makes his way through his childhood home. There is nothing special about this man, he is just like any other adult, dealing with the same problems and concerns that we all do; like "marriage (failed a decade ago, a relationship that had slowly frayed until eventually, as they always seem to, it broke), dating (I wasn't; I was not even sure that I could, not yet), children (all grown up, they have their own lives), work (doing fine, thank you)." 

But beneath this seemingly ordinary man lies a great adventure that chills me to the bone just thinking about it. The unnamed narrator visits a farmhouse he used to visit when he was a child, it is in this farmhouse where he met a young girl Lettie, her mother and grandmother. He goes to the pond at the back of the farmhouse and memories of a forgotten adventure start coming back to him. 

I just love the tattered and ripped details that the pages of the book had. 

It all starts when an opal miner (that rents a room) in the then young boy's home (he is seven years old at this time) commits suicide in his father's car after gambling away all his friends' money. Because of this suicide, a being from another world makes its way into our and starts giving money to people -it's not as fun as it sounds especially when you wake up choking on a coin. 

Our seven-year old protagonist then seeks out the help of Lettie Hempstock (the girl he met in the farm) and her mother and grandmother. 

Lettie takes the boy with her to bind the spirit that is causing all the trouble, Lettie (who appears to be eleven years old) instructs the boy to never let go of her hand. When they confront the 'being'/'spirit' the boy lets go of Lettie's hand for a moment-in surprise and this is when he feels a pain in his foot. 

After vanquishing the spirit, the boy goes home and discovers that there is a hole in the sole of his foot where a worm has lodged itself in. He is able to remove the worm but a part is left inside him. 

The next day, his mother introduces him to Ursula Monkton who is going to look after him and his sister. While the whole family adores Ursula, the narrator of the story doesn't and this is because Ursula is actually the worm that was in his foot and is the same 'spirit' that he and Lettie supposedly bound. Ursula was able to make her way to this world through the boy. 

Book Review: Under the Dome + A Sneak Peek On The TV Series!

I know I said I haven't been writing as much book reviews as I would like so I'm making a point to start getting back to writing book reviews. I've already finished a bunch of books but instead of stopping to write reviews I would move on to the next book. So while I've already finished reading most of these books, some I've already read months back I can still recall my thoughts and opinions on each book. :) 

First up on the to-write-book review list is Stephen King's Under The Dome - I guess I want to start by saying that there are some books that I read when I have nothing to do, like before going to sleep or when I'm waiting in line but there are some books that I really make time to finish, the kind of books that once you are hooked on you sit on bed, with the television off, the computer off and you just find yourself going through page after page until you've already read about 200+ pages without even noticing the time and Under the Dome is one of those books. 

I clearly remember nights where I would be sitting on bed furiously reading through the book, being totally engrossed by it. 

Well before I go into my thoughts on the book let me tell you first how we first met. :)  

When I got a gift certificate for Fully Booked from my Ninang Joy for my birthday I immediately thought about what titles to buy. I originally intended to buy one of the Young Adult titles on my to-read list but when I got to Fully Booked I saw this really really thick book (think 3 encyclopedias) by Stephen King entitled Under The Dome. 

I've already mentioned in my blog posts that Paul and I are big Stephen King fans , we've read his books, watched movies based on these books and even bought the Kingdom Hospital (TV Series) DVD Box Set - King was a producer on this series (although that was dissapointment since it wasn't as good as we'd hoped).     

I picked up (with much effort) - the 1,074 page book and I knew I was going home with it.  

Just like other of Stephen King's books, Under The Dome takes place in a small sleepy town (in Maine) and where unsuspecting evil works up in a big dramatic climax that leaves a town with (SPOILERS) a record breaking death toll (even higher than Carrie).

But unknown to most people even before 'The Dome' (an invisible force field) descends on Chester's Mill cutting it off from the rest of the world, there is already much evil and corruption brewing in their supposedly sleepy town. 

Now a reluctant hero in the form of former Iraq soldier turned-short order cook Barbie (yes, his name is Barbie) along with his rag-tag team of some of the town's constituents take on a force none of them could ever fathom. 

While reading 'Under The Dome' I found myself remembering another of Stephen King's books - 'Needful Things' I thought of the latter because of the huge cast of characters that Stephen King has but he is able to orchestrate through them like a seasoned maestro, he knows each section, each character and he is able to have them play all together and come up with the perfect harmony and music.  

Stephen King is such a master story teller that he can even tell a chapter through a dog's perspective but it would still read like a masterpiece. He jumps from character to character and is able to narrate a beautiful story without having to sound like a diary. 

I really admire how unforgiving and gutsy Stephen King is when it comes to the demise and fates of his characters. I think he and George R.R. Martin are now infamous with how they kill off their characters - there is no rest for the wicked and let's just say that the death toll in Under The Dome is unrivaled, the shock factor is always there and will have you gasping and shaking your head at every turn of a page.   

One thing that did bother me about Under The Dome (SPOILERS) would be the actual origin of The Dome - leather heads and aliens are really not my cup of tea, they sort of remind me of Ancient Aliens on History. Aside form this the book is a big page turner and I also love the lessons that come with it - yes it's not all about conspiracy, corruption, blood and gore there are actually subtle lessons within the text of the novel such as environmental, religious and the human dynamics of kindness and cruelty.  

 I loved reading Under the Dome so much going through the 1,074 page novel was a breeze. 

Even if I'm already finished with the book I'm still exited - why? Because there is a TV Series out right now based on the book! :) 

Stephen King is a producer of the series and it has already been renewed for a next season. It premiered last June on CBS. 

Upcoming Movies: Odd Thomas

And a new novel-to-movie adaptation is making it's way to cinemas in the form of Odd Thomas. 

Odd Thomas is a thriller novel by Dean Koontz which was published in 2003. The novel is a New York Times Bestseller and was well received by critics and has gained fans alike and has spawned other sequels: 

Forever Odd (2005) 

Brother Odd (2006)

Odd Hours (2008)

 Odd Apocalypse (2011)

Deeply Odd (2012) 

While I have yet to read the novel and I don't think I will be able to in time when it hits the movies on July 17, 2013 ~ (I can always read it even after seeing the movie ;P) I can see that it is a very interesting novel, gathering an average of 3.75 out of 5 stars in Goodreads.  

"I see dead people. But then, by God I do something about it." -Odd Thomas

Odd Thomas is about a young man, who can see ghosts but aside from ghosts he can also see 'bodachs' which are shadowy creatures that go to people who will eventually encounter accidents or even death. Despite his simple life, Odd Thomas does his best to help the troubled souls who seek his help but this isn't your Medium or Ghost Whisperer type of story as there is something bigger and more sinister than ghosts just around the corner. 

A mysterious man comes into town and Odd Thomas just knows that there is something big and bad that is going to happen to his quiet town of Pico Mundo. 

Directed by Stephen Sommers (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Van Helsing, The Mummy, The Mummy Returns and The Scorpion King) Anton Yelchin is Odd Thomas and I am personally looking forward to seeing Willem Dafoe in the movie. :)

Odd Thomas is brought to you by Pioneer Films ~ Movie Punch and hits theaters on July 17, 2013. Check out the trailer below. 

Book Spotlight: Unsung Giant

If you believe that there are two sides in every story then you will definitely enjoy this book. I really liked the concept of how the author Jennifer Pendon took to challenging a myth and a legend. 

It's like suddenly coming out and saying that the big bad wolf is not bad at all. Loki - the Norse God of Mischief has always been painted as the bad guy but for all we know he just might be a misunderstood character. I really admire how Jennifer Pendon challenged Loki's character, how perhaps his desire to prove himself as worthy may have been cause for him to be misunderstood. I really like the idea of rewriting something that has already been known and accepted. 

In the "Unsung Giant" Jennifer Pendon takes us on a fast paced adventure of how Loki became an unsung hero- the unsung giant. When you read the book you are transported through different realms, travel through time and meet interesting characters both mortal and immortal. 

Book Spotlight: The Body Finder

I was actually really excited when I got 'The Body Finder' the title of the book had an almost 'The Bone Collector' appeal to it. The premise of a young girl who could sense dead bodies (specifically) bodies of people who were murdered had a lot of promise. 

But then, unfortunately promises are made to be broken and this promise was broken really bad. 

The book had a great potential to be a real thriller unfortunately it was overshadowed by the nauseating teenage love affair between the young heroine with the gift to sense the dead and her (why of course!)  childhood friend (who else?) 

Perhaps the author, Kimberly Derting was aiming to create a seemingly normal life for Violet - the main character of the story with the gift/curse of sensing murdered souls and being able to detect a unique 'imprint' off the person responsible for their deaths. 

Unfortunately through Derting's efforts of creating a normal 'teenage' life for Violet she just managed to make her social life with friends and school - very mundane and very, very cliche. I mean- seriously - you find yourself in love with your childhood friend- who in the course of the summer has grown into a 'hunk' that every girl in school is now after. I mean really? Seriously? Is this what every teenager goes through? 

Book Spotlight: UnWholly

Photo by: Paul Cheng 

In what seems to be a very close likeness to reality Neil Shusterman's UnWholly joins its predecessor UnWind as being the Young Adult version of an all out Pro-Life and Pro-Choice War. 

Even while I was reading the first book - Unwind - it was hard for me to come to terms with the reality that the book was presenting. 

In a (Dystopian) future after the Heartland War which is basically a Pro-Life and Pro-Choice war, the Unwind Accord is signed. This law states that a life cannot be terminated upon conception. However, parents of a child have a choice to 'Unwind' them before they reach the age of 18.




Unwinding the child means that every piece of that child will be surgically removed and will be transplanted to other people who need the parts. Just think of it as being an organ donor but they don't need to wait until you die before they take your body parts. In this sense the child is not dead but is in a 'divided state' and 'lives' through other people. 

Pretty out there right? 

Not so out there as you might think since author Neil Shusterman actually got his inspiration from a scientist who claims that within our lifetime 100% of the human body will be viable for transplant. It was this coupled with news of teenage riots in Britain and the very strong opinions of people regarding abortion that became the stepping stones to Shusterman's award winning 'Unwind'. 

Marvel to come out with Heroine-Centered Novels this June

Marvel will be trying their hand with a different medium and will be coming out with Heroine-Centered Novels this June. (Yeheeeeey!!!) 

The first two novels will feature The She-Hulk and Rogue. Hyperion Books is joining Marvel with this project. The announcement came in today, Hyperion's Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Dyssegaard made the announcement and this is what she had to say about the deal:

"Marvel has had tremendous success with recent hit movies and we think it's a great time to explore what happens to super heroines when they are dropped into traditional women's novels."

From the Marvel front, Ruwan Jayatilleke, Associate Publishers/SVP, Marvel Entertainment has said that: "It's exciting to see Hyperion bring two of our most beloved female super heroes, Rogue and She-Hulk to life in ways you've never seen before. Whether you're a long time fan of Marvel or new to super heroes, these novels deliver exciting stories that will capture your imagination". 

Both novels promise to feature 'strong, smart heroines seeking happiness and love while battling cosmic evil.' 

Personally I'm really excited for this and I hope that the novels will be very well writen. I'm actually having reservations and I'm honestly scared that the novels will turn out to be too reminiscent of a certain Vampire Franchise. 

I swear If it turns out to be too 'Twilightly' I might choke on my own vomit, roll over and die. Here's to hoping the book won't be told in a  first-person voice that would remind me of Bella Swan. 

Book Spotlight: Warm Bodies

Honestly, Warm Bodies for me was a pleasant surprise. I was not expecting to be impressed as I was when I started reading the book. 

Unlike friends and most of the public I haven't really jumped the 'zombie bandwagon' I mean I don't like zombies. They're ugly, they're rotting and they eat you. 

That scene in the very first game of Resident Evil where in your character comes upon a zombie eating a human- flesh tearing, blood oozing out of the body; zoom in on the zombie, then zombie turns to you with pale white, rotting flesh, yellow eyes and blood in it's mouth - that very scene still makes up the stuff of my nightmares and this Resident Evil game came out more than 15 years ago. 

So no, I haven't been following The Walking Dead series and other Zombie media out there but this is were the pleasant surprise comes in. I don't like zombies but I did like the novel- Warm Bodies. 

I was not even planning to read the novel, it all started when my friend came from Full Booked with a copy of the sought-after novel. Why is it sought-after you ask? Well my friend had to make a reservation to get the book and they were a lot of other people who made reservations as well. Since my friend was currently reading another zombie novel, I started reading the book- just the first few pages-then I was hooked and about 9-10 hours later I finished it. 

In my whole life as a bookworm I have never ever finished a book in one sitting but that came easy with Warm Bodies. 

Why you may ask? Well for one thing it is very well written. There is wisdom and humor written in those pages which I was not expecting at all. There were so many lines I liked that I started writing them down. 

Book Spotlight: A Dance with Dragons

As I am currently writing this I’m still suffering from the effects of DWDWS (Dance with Dragons Withdrawal Symptoms) Yes! It’s a thing!

I stayed up way past my bed time earlier finishing the book and when it was time to wake up, I lost a long battle with my alarm clock. When I came to my senses, I was awake in bed thinking about how the characters would get out of their ‘out-of-the pan and into the fire’ situations (or if they would get out at all-alive). 

Then I realized that my husband and I were already late for work.

Book Spotlight: A Feast for Crows

Weather worn but well loved. 

I always find it easier to write when I am currently reading a book. I'll try to make it a point to read a book moving forward-and of course to share my reading experiences with you guys and just like one of my favorite Game of Thrones characters said: "A mind needs books like a sword a whetstone". 

My mom would always tell the story of how a 9 year old me, asked for books for one Christmas. I got from 'Santa' The Little Women and Daddy-long-legs. 

I have always been fond of reading and as a consequence have poor eyesight, although I don't know what the grade of my eyes are all I know is I sometimes miss Jeepneys since I can't read the signs. 

So despite the poor eyesight I still love to read and my eyesight would most probably become worse but that won't stop me from reading more and more books!

So I just finished with A Feast for Crows which is Book 4 of 'A Song of Fire and Ice' by George R. R. Martin. I'm already done with the first three books- A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords.  I did get hooked into reading the books due to the largely popular series- Game of Thrones and I also got my office mates hooked with the series :)