Celestial Pages

ARC Review: The Lies About Truth by Courtney C. Stevens

2016-02-14T16:45:00.000+08:00

The Lies About Truth
Author: Courtney C. Stevens
Publication Date: November 3, 2015 by HarperTeen

Summary:

Sadie Kingston, is a girl living in the aftermath. A year after surviving a car accident that killed her friend Trent and left her body and face scarred, she can’t move forward. The only person who seems to understand her is Trent’s brother, Max.

As Sadie begins to fall for Max, she's unsure if she is truly healed enough to be with him — even if Max is able to look at her scars and not shy away. But when the truth about the accident and subsequent events comes to light, Sadie has to decide if she can embrace the future or if she'll always be trapped in the past.

I'm so sorry, this is so late, and I haven't posted anything in months. I'm sorry.
I wrote this review in November, and I never scheduled. I'm sorry.

I received an E-ARC from HarperCollins through Edelweiss (thank you so much!). This does not change or affect my thoughts. All the quotes are not final, and were quoted just to show their beauty. I do hope that my favorite quotes from this book are in the final thing!

If nothing changes, nothing changes. If you keep doing what you're doing, you're going to keep getting what you're getting. You want change, make some.

THIS IS SO GREAT. Like story plus the quotes equals bam. I actually featured this book on my birthday Waiting on Wednesday post, and I'm glad I wanted to read this one since, like June. Hahahaha.

Okay so first of all, while I'm still a bit fangirly, I LOVE THE COVER.

The theme. The Lies About Truth was about forgiveness and letting go, and friendship. I felt like their friendship was strong. The romance in this book wasn't the "feeeelllssss!!!" kind of romance, and that was right for the theme.

The quotes. I love, love the quotes. I did screenshot several times to remember them. Quotes legit make me like books more.

Maybe forgiveness was giving the past less power to hurt me. Or even building new memories that were stronger than the painful ones.

The parents. This is a big plus. Sadie's parents support her, but she's not spoiled or anything. In a lot of stories, parents aren't shown that much, and I love how the parents (mainly Sadie's) were really part of the story. Plus, they're cool. They always remind their children to watch their language.

The ending felt right, I can't find the right word to describe it, but for now, let's say peaceful.

RATING: 4.75/5

Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

2015-10-18T17:35:00.002+08:00

Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 1, 2015

Summary:

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.

{Special thanks to Bibliophile Soprano and Pinoy Book Tours for the review opportunity! (I borrowed the copy before Bibliophile Soprano returned it.)}

Review:

All her life, Maddy has lived in a white room, where everything is clean and safe. She has this disease wherein you don't know what you're allergic of, so you're basically allergic to the world. One magical day, a family moves in next door. (I can already imagine this scene happening in a movie. Like there's this slo-mo and stuff.) And there's this boy.

I expected this book to be a "poignant" one, since there's this disease, but no it's not. It's actually much more lighthearted than I expected. The romance is cute, the main characters are cute, but it's like a kissing book? (I'm exaggerating. But you know.)

My excitement was evenly distributed- there was almost no dull moment. Plus, I love the illustrations! Speaking of illustrations, the cover is gorgeous. The cover is the type of cover that will definitely make me want a book. (Or want a book more.)

It's actually rare for me not to fangirl over the main guy, (if you haven't seen my previous reviews, I really usually do) but yeah. Carla is my favorite character because I personally think that Maddy wouldn't be who she is without Carla.

The ending felt perfect! It's very positive and I didn't kick walls or anything just because this and that should've happened. I love it.

"Spoiler Alert: Love is worth everything. Everything."

I recommend reading this book because of the quotes, and the illustrations and the diversity (mixed-race characters, and I have never heard of SCID before reading Everything, Everything.) and because it's nice. PLUS, MADDY READS BOOKS!!!1!!

RATING: 4.75/5

I am so sorry because I can't really say much without spoilers.

Book Haul-ish? (3): Invisible Book Haul

2015-09-05T20:58:00.000+08:00

Book Haul-ish? is a weekly feature created and hosted by me and Bibliophile Soprano. We encourage bloggers to post about their hauls no matter how small or invisible it might be. Yay.

For those who want to participate:

-You can use the picture above, or create your own. Up to you. :) Just link the picture to this blog or to Bibliophile Soprano.
-Ideally, we'll post every Saturday (8 AM EST). Oh whale, I'm late. Anyways, you don't have to post on a Saturday if you don't feel like it, you can post on
-Just talk about your book haul-ish, you can post pictures if you want :))
- You can include ebooks you purchased, digital review copies (DRCs), physical ARCs, books you purchased, anything.
-Please tweet us! We'll try to RT as much as we can. :) (@CelestialPages & @bookishsongs)

August 30- September 5

[invisible]

Sooo. Here's a perfect example of an invisible book haul. Yay. I'm sorry for not posting about my [invisble] book hauls for 2 weeks!

ARC Review: Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales

2015-09-01T00:00:00.000+08:00

Tonight the Streets Are Ours
Author: Leila Sales
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
On sale date: September 15, 2015

Goodreads Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. Taking care of her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But she's tired of being loyal to people who don't appreciate her—including her needy best friend and her absent mom.

Arden finds comfort in a blog she stumbles upon called "Tonight the Streets Are Ours," the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter.

When Peter is dumped by the girlfriend he blogs about, Arden decides to take a road trip to see him.
During one crazy night out in NYC filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was, either.

SO HI GUYS! I MISSED YOU ALL.

Review:

UGH. I DIDN'T WANT THIS BOOK TO END.

I NEED MORE PETER. MOAAAR. I NEED ARDEN AND PETER TO MEET AGAIN OR SOMETHING JUST UGHH

This book is packed with quotes! It's just kinda sad because I'm not supposed to quote anything from an ARC. If you're looking for a book with lots of really good quotes, my dear, this is the right one for you.

The welcome note is so beautiful. Part One was okay, it just wasn't as fun as Part Two since Peter didn't know Arden yet. But Part Two- wow. I really enjoyed it. All of it. ESPECIALLY THE CUDDLING PART. ERMEGHERD. The epilogue made me cry. It was the first time that I cried without any tragic or really sad event. I DIDN'T WANT IT TO END.

The epilogue is so well-written. Good things happened, but it made me a little sad because I really wanted more. Reading the epilogue was the first time I cried without anything tragic happening.

Arden is the best main character ever. SHE IS RECKLESSLY LOYAL. She's like, the truest friend ever. And she always tries not to hurt anyone. She's not annoying. A lot of MCs are annoying, but she's not.

And Peter... ERMEGHERD. Attention please, bookish main guy in this book. He's like, the chillest (and maybe the richest hahah jk) character ever in my n years of reading. And how much he loves Bianca. Peter is like, goals.

Actually, I don't have any problem with the characters except Chris.

I really wish there's a sequel. I JUST NEED MORE.

Much love for this.

Book Haul-ish? (2): extremely thankful

2015-08-15T20:18:00.000+08:00

-You can use the picture above, or create your own. Up to you. :) Just link the picture to this blog or to Bibliophile Soprano.
-Ideally, we'll post every Saturday (8 AM EST). Oh whale, I'm late. Anyways, you don't have to post on a Saturday if you don't feel like it, you can post on
-Just talk about your book haul-ish, you can post pictures if you want :))
- You can include ebooks you purchased, digital review copies (DRCs), physical ARCs, books you purchased, finished copies, anything.
-Please tweet us! We'll try to RT as much as we can. :) (@CelestialPages & @bookishsongs)

The post after this shall be a review. :) I don't wan't this blog to be made of features.

August 8-14

ARC from Harper 360

(Thank you so much! <3 First book mail ever. SO GLORIOUS.)

It's About Love by Steven Camden

DRC from Edelweiss

*thankful*

What's Broken Between Us by Alexis Bass

My review for It's About Love is coming really soon! :)

And SEPTEMBER SHALL BE LOADED.

Book Haul-ish? (1): DRCs!

2015-08-09T23:06:00.000+08:00

Oh whale. This was supposed to be on the blog by yesterday. Oh whale.

-You can use the picture above, or create your own. Up to you. :) Just link the picture to this blog or to Bibliophile Soprano.
-Ideally, we'll post every Saturday (8 AM EST). Oh whale, I'm late. Anyways, you don't have to post on a Saturday if you don't feel like it, you can post on
-Just talk about your book haul-ish, you can post pictures if you want :))
- You can include ebooks you purchased, digital review copies (DRCs), physical ARCs, books you purchased, anything.
-Please tweet us! We'll try to RT as much as we can. :) (@CelestialPages & @bookishsongs)

So yay!

August 1-7

DRCs from Edelweiss

(Thank you, HarperCollins!)

Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa

Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix

A Step Toward Falling by Cammie McGovern

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

These books have PERFECT covers. I.Just.Can't.Even.

My reviews for these will come sometime in September so stay tuned! :))

Attention, please!

2015-08-03T21:07:00.001+08:00

In this post, I'll be discussing some matters. Yeah.

1. SEMI-HIATUS. It's already evident, actually. So yeah, school has started again and I'm (finally) trying my best. Anyways, I'll still post, but I won't be very active. I'M SORRY. I'LL MISS Y'ALL.

2. Posts! This is kinda related to the first matter. I failed to post something. And it won't post asdfghjkl

3. BOOKWORMS UNITE! It was so much fun! I'll surprise you guys with a giveaway someday.

4. Book Haul (ish)! So... Bibliophile Soprano and I came up with this some time ago, and yes, it's finally out! I'll start this Saturday. Join guys, join! We're encouraging bloggers to post about their book haul no matter how small (or invisible) it is. Most of the time, mine's invisible. I SWEAR. If not, it has like, ebooks only. So if you're shy about yours, don't be. WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

I'll talk about this on Saturday.

5. Bye, July! So... the blog event ended (well not really) with giveaways!

You can check my blog's sidebar. AND WHO WANTS TEN BOOKS?!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

6. HOORAH. GUYS. GUYS. GUYS. Happy 20 followers on Bloglovin', 200 on Twitter, 20 on GFC, and nearly 20 via Feedburner! Thank you thank you thank youuu.

I love you all.

Blogger Interview: Erin from The Hardcover Lover

2015-07-18T12:00:00.000+08:00

So... Erin. She's one of my first blogging friends, she runs a blog with a cute design, and she's awesome.

And hey, my name's Erin too! :D

Personal Questions

Favorite food?

Buffalo Chicken

Favorite color?

Pink

Favorite flower?

Orchid

Favorite song?

I don’t have one.

Favorite TV show?

Friends and Gilmore Girls

Favorite place to read and/or blog?

My bedroom

Favorite book?

Just one? That’s too difficult of a choice!

Blogging Questions

Who are you when you’re blogging?

Right now… I’m not really sure. I used to be so relaxed when I was blogging, but lately, I’ve been feeling like it’s more complex than it used to be.

Who are you when you’re not blogging?

I’m just Erin – the reader, the teacher, the babysitter.

Which do you prefer more?

I’m not sure. I don’t really see myself split into two different people, so I guess I don’t really prefer one version of myself over the other.

What drives you to blog more?

I really have no idea. Lately, I’ve been in a slump, and have been cutting back on blogging.

5. How do you see yourself in the blogosphere?

I don’t really see myself as part of the “in-crowd,” but I do have a lot of great blogging buddies that I can talk to on a daily basis.

Are you a perfectionist when it comes to your blog?

Kind of, but not really. I want the content to be perfect, but I am not great with graphics, so I let those slide a little bit.

Do you like making outlines when you blog, or do you prefer to start from scratch and work your way from there?

I keep track of ARCs in a planner so I know when to post my reviews. I do a little drafting for reviews in a review notebook, but usually everything is from scratch. I feel like it’s more authentic that way.

How much do your followers mean to you?

I love my followers. I don’t care if I don’t have many because I know that the ones that I have enjoy my blog, and that’s all that matters to me.

What is the best blogging advice that you could share with us?

Find your strengths and stick with them. Don’t try to copy someone else just because you think it will get you more attention from other bloggers or publishers. You need to have a unique and authentic voice in the blogosphere, so find it and use it.

Topic Questions

How would you define book discrimination?

Book discrimination can really be anything- banning books, not allowing your children to read books, not reading a book because the main character is a different race, etc.

How do you feel about it?

I’m okay with parents not allowing children to read certain things at certain ages due to content, but otherwise, I think everyone should be entitled to read what they want.

What do you think is the cause of book discrimination?

It all depends. It could be schools, governments, parents – anyone really.

You can visit Erin's blog here.

Waiting on Wednesday (7): It's About Love by Steven Camden

2015-07-08T21:07:00.001+08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature/meme created and hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It features upcoming titles that I really look forward to.

It's About Love
Author: Steven Camden
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
On-sale date: August 4, 2014

Edelweiss Summary:

He’s Luke. She’s Leia. Just like in Star Wars. Just like they’re made for each other. Same film studies course, different backgrounds, different ends of town.Only this isn’t a film. This is real life. This is where monsters from the past come back to take revenge. This is where you are sometimes the monster.But real life? Sometimes, only sometimes, it turns out just like in the movies…… maybe.

Everyone, look at that cover. So cute and attractive.

So here's another thing about me: there are times when I relate my life to movies, books, or music. That's why I think that this book has greatness in it. It's like, the first time I've seen something like this. I also have a feeling that there are many quotes in this book. Look at the conversation thing in the cover! :D

Oh, and Star Wars, I can't really say that I'm a fan, but I enjoyed the movies! Lightsabers are awesome.

Review: Eleanor & Park

2015-07-04T00:00:00.000+08:00

Eleanor & Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
This edition published by Orion Books in 2013

Summary:

Eleanor is the new girl in town, and with her chaotic family life, her mismatched clothes and unruly red hair, she couldn't stick out more if she tried.

Park is the boy at the back of the bus. Black T-shirts, headphones, head in a book - he thinks he's made himself invisible. But not to Eleanor... never to Eleanor.

Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall for each other. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're young, and you feel as if you have nothing and everything to lose.

Review:

Okay, wow. This was my first Rainbow Rowell read and it's great.

Let me start by talking about the parents. Park's parents are great. They try to make their children better. And they're so balanced! Like, they do what they can to keep their children good while not spoiling them. Or making them excessively rebellious. They're strict, but they're not the I'm gonna kill you if you disobey me strict. And they're not stubborn.

But Eleanor's. Eleanor's situation made me sad. Broken original family. All went to the mom, mom married a jerk. Mom's scared of new husband. Real dad almost doesn't care.

And Park basically saved her.

Park. I love Park. Partly because he's Korean, but mostly because of the hero factor. And HE JUST ROCKS (we should never forget Park's eyeliner.). He's one of my favorite book boys.

And Eleanor... I like how she thinks! Well, sometimes. Particularly the moment when she told their English teacher that Romeo and Juliet wasn't love at first sight, it was Oh My God, he's so cute at first sight. I think she's strong. I mean, she doesn't strongly react to the bullying and stuff, but she's strong enough to hold it. And thank you so much to Park for making her stronger. (stronger's not actually the right term but I can't exactly pinpoint it) We should never forget that moment when Eleanor told Park that she lives for him.

The love story is just... beautiful.

I don't know if I missed a part or something- I don't understand why Eleanor wouldn't respond to Park properly expect for that three word thing. I also don't know why I'm perfectly calm with the ending.

But was a prom date required or something because please explain the first three paragraphs of the last chapter.

RATING: 5/5

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Define: Book Discrimination

2015-07-03T00:00:00.000+08:00

For me, book discrimination is when you refuse to read a book because it’s not popular, self published, or it has negative reviews. Or you think it’s too mainstream. Simply judging books for some reason.

I don’t think refusing to read a book simply because you have no time, you’re not in the mood for it or you’re not ready for the stuff in that age group is book discrimination. We’re not forcing you to read anything here. (Anyway, when you’re ready, you’ll read them, right? *wink wink*)

And book genre favoritism, for me, is not book discrimination. Because that’s what you enjoy. We respect that. Unless you ONLY read books in that genre because others aren’t going to be nice. When you judge a genre when you haven’t read anything in that or you’ve read just a few. I mean, don’t generalize.

For me, judging a book by how entertaining its first parts are is also discrimination.

I don’t have DNFs on my blog yet (but in case, I won’t rate, I would just tell why it’s a DNF and maybe talk about it some more), because there’s something that makes me want to finish a boring read someday. Like, I don’t want to finish it but I want to finish it. Like someday, I’m gonna feel like it. And I think that that something is the feeling that maybe the nice part of this book is right after this chapter. Or the next. Or the next. So I continue. Then I finish it.

I’m actually guilty, because I’ve discriminated books in the past (I had a case of the covers, but now, it’s just like, extra points for the gorgeous cover). To be honest, I’m still working on it. I’m trying.

To stop book discrimination, I think people should just read. Like without this book is not famous/the cover isn’t attractive/etc. so I’m not gonna read it.

We have different preferences. You might like what they didn’t. It’s not bad to read popular books. But don’t limit your bookshelf only to popular books. We’re not just following the trend here. Give self-published authors and small publishers a chance. You might be missing out on a lot.

So that's it! What do you think? :) Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Book Discrimination Awareness Month

2015-07-02T12:00:00.000+08:00

IT'S THE BOOK DISCRIMINATION AWARENESS MONTH!

This is the first blog event ever on Celestial Pages. THIS IS HISTORY. Anyways...

Fay from Bibliophile Soprano started this thing last year, and for this month, I'm co-hosting with her! If you're reading this, please do check her blog. I have a guest post about my thoughts on book discrimination- wooh! (first guest post, this is history.) Actually, I'm gonna post that on this blog too, tomorrow, 12 AM! :)

This month will be glorious. We will have weekly giveaways and a massive one at the end of the month, a Twitter chat party on July 27, 8 PM EST, and of course, other stuff! :D

Have a great month!

Waiting on Wednesday (6): Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales

2015-07-01T18:17:00.000+08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature/meme created and hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It features upcoming titles that I really look forward to.

So guys! I'm sorry for not being able to post anything last week, not even a WoW post, I'm really, really sorry. We had problems with our internet connection.

Tonight the Streets Are Ours
Author: Leila Sales
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
On sale date: September 15, 2015

Goodreads Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. Taking care of her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But she's tired of being loyal to people who don't appreciate her—including her needy best friend and her absent mom.

Arden finds comfort in a blog she stumbles upon called "Tonight the Streets Are Ours," the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter.

When Peter is dumped by the girlfriend he blogs about, Arden decides to take a road trip to see him.
During one crazy night out in NYC filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was, either.

I've read the uncorrected proof, and it made me go wow. I found so many quotes and I can't wait to legally quote them! (We can't really quote from ARCs without checking the published edition.) I'm gonna make a post about my favorite quotes from this book.

Plus, I'm really desperate for more Peter. I need to see if Leila Sales added some more! It's gonna make me even more happy. (Because I'm already happy with it.) HE'S BOOKISH AND CHILL AND HAWT.

So my review will be up sometime in August or early September. On or before the on sale date. :))

P.S.: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT PETER.

Waiting on Wednesday (5): The Lies About Truth, The Distance From Me To You (IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!)

2015-06-17T13:44:00.000+08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature/meme created and hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. This features upcoming titles that I really really really look forward to.

HI!!! It's my thirteenth birthday, so I'm gonna wait for two books for a special WoW post! :) It's actually my fifth week doing this so it's like a mini milestone. I really took a long time trying to decide on what I'll wait for this week, and finally...

The Lies About Truth

Author: Courtney C. Stevens

Publisher: HarperTeen

To be published on November 3, 2015

Edelweiss Summary:

An affecting and heartfelt story from the gifted author of Faking Normal, Courtney C. Stevens, about the struggle to move forward in the face of tragedy.

Sadie Kingston is living in the aftermath. A year after surviving a car accident that killed her friend Trent and left her body and face scarred, she can’t move forward. The only person who seems to understand her is Trent’s brother, Max.

As Sadie begins to fall for Max, she’s unsure if she is truly healed enough to be with him. But Max is able to look at her scars and not shy away. And Sadie realizes that she has to embrace the future to become whole again.

From author Courtney C. Stevens comes a story of hope and courage and the power to overcome the pain of loss.

The cover. Ohwow. Polaroid thing. Handwritten title. It's so beautiful! Really.

Poignant. I love stories described as poignant. I like it when I get emotional while reading. (There's like, no poignant in the summary, but I believe I saw it in the key points of this title)

Sadie. I've read (and heard of) books with emotionally scarred characters, but Sadie's like, emotionally and physically scarred.

Plus, the title intrigues me.

And of course, it's a romance novel. Favorite genre.

The Distance From Me To You

Author: Marina Gessner

Publisher: GP Putnam's Sons Books For Young Readers

To be published on October 20, 2015

Edelweiss Summary:

Wild meets Endless Love in this suspenseful story of love, survival, and self-discovery.

McKenna Berney has been accepted to college for the fall, but she has a different goal in mind: she defers her freshman year to hike the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia with her best friend. But when her friend backs out at the last minute, the five-month backpacking trip quickly turns into a dangerous solo. While on the trail, she meets Sam. Having skipped out on an abusive dad and quit school, Sam has found a brief respite on the trail, where everyone’s a drifter, at least temporarily. Despite lives headed in opposite directions, McKenna and Sam fall in love on a journey of dizzying highs and devastating lows. But when their punch-drunk love leads them off the trail into dangerous uncharted territory, McKenna has to persevere in a way she never thought possible to beat the odds or risk both their lives.

First of all, the cover. It's so simple, but it's so attractive for me.

So... My old favorite genre was adventure with mystery. The Distance From Me To You covers both romance and adventure. Niiiice. Like, really. I also love survival stories (books or movies), but I haven't read one yet. Yet. So I'm excited for this one! :)

That's it for this week's Waiting on Wednesday! :) Are you excited for these too? What are you waiting for this week?

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Review: The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

2015-06-16T00:00:00.000+08:00

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B
Author: Teresa Toten
Publisher: Doubleday Canada, Walker Books
First published: August 27, 2013

Goodreads Summary:

When Adam meets Robyn at a support group for kids coping with obsessive-compulsive disorder, he is drawn to her almost before he can take a breath. He's determined to protect and defend her--to play Batman to her Robyn--whatever the cost. But when you're fourteen and the everyday problems of dealing with divorced parents and step-siblings are supplemented by the challenges of OCD, it's hard to imagine yourself falling in love. How can you have a "normal" relationship when your life is so fraught with problems? And that's not even to mention the small matter of those threatening letters Adam's mother has started to receive . . .

Special thanks to Bibliophile Soprano for lending me her copy!

Review:

Adam's life is full of drama. His mother has this hoarding problem. He has OCD. He attends a support group with other teenagers coping with . When he saw Robyn Plummer, the newest member of the group, he "fell in love" with her. He believes that he has to fix himself for her, protect her; be her Batman.

I started this book without much expectations, since the first time I heard about this was when my sister received it. The reading experience was wonderful. And oh, how much this book taught me about OCD. However, a tiny portion of this book bored me, particularly the Brenda-only parts, but no, not the with-Sweetie parts. Sweetie's so adorable. But when it's not boring, it's goooood. The title made me wonder why at first, but it was justified.

I was annoyed at Adam's Robyn obsession at times. Like he wants to kiss Robyn every.single.time.they.meet. But sometimes I could relate. I understand that feeling when you want to be better for someone you like. Also, I don't think that's love at first sight. It seemed like Oh My God She's So Gorgeous at first sight to me.

And... I enjoyed Adam's The Lists!

Now, Robyn- 11/10. I LOVE HER. She's my favorite character in this book. She's so chill, she doesn't overact, she's not annoying. One of the best YA characters ever. I liked how she reacted to Adam's lie. She wasn't like "Ha, I knew it, I was just waiting for you to tell me so I could ask you why." She appreciated it. And the Robyn (I'm assuming that's Robyn) in the cover is so beautiful!

Calling the characters in the support group with superhero names (well Snooki...)- I find it cute. That made the characters easier to remember.

The ending- ASDFGHJKL. It's great but it made me sad. When the first part of the "ending" happened, I was like NOOOOOO!!! STAWHP ADAM. But I wasn't disappointed. He did the right thing, but still. I can't explain without spoilers. Sorry.

RATING: 4.25/5

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Waiting on Wednesday (4): This Raging Light by Estelle Laure

2015-06-10T00:00:00.000+08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme features upcoming titles that I really look forward to.

This Raging Light
Author: Estelle Laure
Publisher: Houghton Miffin Harcourt
To be published on December 22, 2015

Edelweiss Summary:

Can the best thing happen at the worst time?

Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after. Now is not the time for level-headed seventeen-year-old Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she’s about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend’s brother. With blazing longing that builds to a fever pitch, Estelle Laure’s soulful debut will keep readers hooked and hoping until the very last page.

First of all, the cover. It's super attractive! Look at that heart. To be honest, the cover is actually the reason why I clicked on this title on Edelweiss.

Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after.

This might look evil or weird or something, but I am a fan of "tragic" stories. I enjoy watching the main character struggling. And of course, my favorite genre is anything romance.

For some reason, I expect this book to be full of feels. I can't really explain it.

Review: 99 Days by Katie Cotugno

2015-06-06T21:00:00.000+08:00

99 Days
Author: Katie Cotugno
Publisher: Balzer+Bray (HarperCollins)
Publication Date: April 21, 2015

Goodreads Summary:

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

Eighty-seven days of summer to go, and history is repeating itself. The last thing I want is to come between the Donnelly brothers again…but the truth is, the Donnellys stole my heart a long time ago.

Review:

I originally planned to buy the hardbound edition, but it was already out of stock when I tried to reserve it. Thank you to my sister for finding me a paperback. I was desperate.

Molly Barlow left Star Lake to get away from a mistake she made. When she returns for summer, it’s clear that everyone still remembers everything.

The writing is good- no boring part for me! The story was made more realistic in a not-annoying way: the days wherein the MC did nothing significant. Not just not-annoying, but also good. Like a break-ish from all the drama.

The really nice thing about this book is the character development. Molly Barlow, from “they all hate me” to “I’ve had enough.”

I’m done. And I’m walking away.

Imogen is my favorite character, and I think she’s the best one in this story. She’s such a true friend. I just love her character.

I'm not a fan of love triangles, but this one had a twist in it. While the Molly-Gabe parts were wonderful, the Molly-Patrick parts were annoying, except for the throwback stuff. Molly still messing around with Patrick- no, just no. Like seriously, are you trying to fix this? You cannot have everything, make a choice or leave both of them.

Julia's reaction to Molly's mistake was one of the few things I dislike in this book. Dude, stop overreacting. Now, Molly's mom- why on Earth would she write about her daughter's (very very) personal life? No, just no.

"I came here to make sure your freaking mom doesn't write about the lesbian down the road, that's all. We good?"

I really like this book. 99 DAYS DESERVES A MOVIE! :D

Waiting on Wednesday (3): A Step Toward Falling by Cammie McGovern

2015-06-03T00:01:00.001+08:00

A Step Toward Falling
Author: Cammie McGovern
To be published on October 6, 2015

Summary:

Cammie McGovern follows up her breakout young adult debut, Say What You Will, with this powerful and unforgettable novel about learning from your mistakes, and learning to forgive.

Told in alternating points of view, A Step Toward Falling is a poignant, hopeful, and altogether stunning work that will appeal to fans of Jennifer Niven, Robyn Schneider, and Jandy Nelson.

Emily has always been the kind of girl who tries to do the right thing—until one night when she does the worst thing possible. She sees Belinda, a classmate with developmental disabilities, being attacked. Inexplicably, she does nothing at all.

Belinda, however, manages to save herself. When their high school finds out what happened, Emily and Lucas, a football player who was also there that night, are required to perform community service at a center for disabled people. Soon, Lucas and Emily begin to feel like maybe they're starting to make a real difference. Like they would be able to do the right thing if they could do that night all over again. But can they do anything that will actually help the one person they hurt the most?

I was looking for some titles to request on Edelweiss when I saw a gorg cover. When I looked more closely, I saw something- Cammie McGovern. I've read her YA debut Say What You Will and I liked it.
(A giant thank you to Stay Bookish for the SWYW giveaway. First win ever!)

This looks interesting and the plot can make me want to read this without the author being Cammie McGovern. This one's a romance novel too! (I've been waiting on three Wednesdays for romance-ish books so...)

Its tagline thingy- Sometimes the worst thing to do is nothing at all - I LOVE IT. I also loooove the fonts used in the cover! (They're actually what made the cover attractive to me!) Now, I look forward to all of Cammie's YA works partly because of the covers (and the tagline thingies!).

Waiting on Wednesday (2): Madly by Amy Alward

2015-05-27T00:00:00.000+08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

This meme features upcoming releases (books!) that I really really really look forward to! :)

Madly

Author: Amy Alward

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

To be published on September 29, 2015

Summary:

Samantha may be falling for the beloved of the princess she is sent to save in this start to a hilarious, adventurous, and sweetly romantic trilogy.

When Samantha is summoned to the royal court of Nova for a secret mission, it’s her chance to put her training to the test: Princess Evelyn has taken an illegal love potion with disastrous effects, and Samantha, like her ancestors before her, is great at mixing potions. She may not be one of the naturally Talented—those who can heal or transform at the wave of their hands—but she is skilled nonetheless, and determined to find an antidote and cure Princess Evelyn.

The problem? Princess Evelyn took the love potion to make her best friend Zain fall for her—and it’s Zain who Samantha keeps encountering on her hunt for antidote ingredients. As forbidden sparks between them fly, Samantha is forced to wonder: will curing Princess Evelyn doom her own chance at love?

Here's another thing about me: I have a thing for potions! I used to mix shampoo, liquid soap, and water to create my "potion." Some of our plants died because of that. I also "brewed" some more crazy stuff.

Potions seem magical. They are magical, right?

And I love romance novels. Potions plus romance? Bingo. The cover and the colors- just perfect. I love it.

Madly is the first of The Potion Trilogy, and I ~~want~~ need this one.

Excerpts + Giveaway: Buqo YA Bundle 5: Perfect Moments

2015-05-26T09:00:00.000+08:00

Follow the tour! http://oopsireadabookagain.com/2015/05/blog-tour-invite-buqo-ya-bundle-5.html

Perfect Moments

Various Authors

Sometimes you’ll meet your match: at detention, on the badminton court, in a resort hotel in Davao, at a lab, in a foster home, at an epic party. You’ll never know. But always keep your heart ready for that perfect moment. Read these stories and experience the bliss of first love.

Aaaand... We're down to the last (definitely not the least!) Buqo YA bundle! This week, it's available for only 0.99 USD (45 pesos). Thank you so much to Dianne from Oops! I Read A Book Again for organizing this tour!

I'm so sorry for the pictureless post. We're on a vacation and I'm not sure I can use anything capable of that :(

A Moment Like This by Sue Donymko

A few minutes later, Noel came out wearing shorts and a snug shirt. His legs were quite hairy, and she caught a glimpse of his trim stomach when his t-shirt lifted as he dried his hair. Kris told herself to quit staring or he might think she’s the maniac.

He laid down on the bed, made himself comfortable and closed his eyes before acknowledging her statement. “Okay, what do you want?” he said tiredly.

“That’s it, what do I want?” she asked incredulously.

He looked at her and raised both eyebrows. “It’s not as if I don’t know what to not do such as not stare at your legs if you wear shorts,” he said innocently, but his eyes held a teasing gleam.

Kris flushed. “Touché. Okay, no staring. No going to each other's beds. No undressing in front of each other, no leaving dirty clothes on the floor. I don’t want to see your underwear!”

“What makes you think I wear any?” he said, closing his eyes again.

She gaped at him until he started smiling.

He forced himself to sit up and look at her seriously. “I’m really not going to take advantage of you. I know we’re still in our hormonal years, but I do act like a human being ninety percent of the time,” he said.

This time, she was prepared for his teasing. “And ten percent of the time?” she asked lightly.

“That’s when I start scratching my head with my feet, start licking my balls, and howl at the moon,” he said with mock seriousness before laying down on his bed again.

Kris couldn’t help but laugh at that imagery. She caught him smiling just before he fell asleep.

Anything You Want Me To by Audrine Pascal

"So where's Via's boyfriend?" I catch someone blurt out.

I'm supposed to debut Kyle Olvera tonight. I’m supposed to introduce him to all my friends. I’m supposed to make them all drool in envy, because he’s gorgeous and rich and totally hot for me. I’m supposed to drink and dance with him by my side. I’m supposed to take a million make out selfies when we’re good and properly smashed.

Where’s Kyle? The photo saved in my phone flashes before my eyes. Didn’t you see the picture online? It must’ve been shared a million times by now. He's busy. Busy kissing someone else!

I was already home yesterday when my phone chirped to notify me that Kyle had just created a post. I opened the app to find the picture that would make me stumble backward and stifle an outraged scream.

It's a close up. There’s Kyle’s unmistakably angular profile and it’s pressed against a face that isn’t mine. Pink lips, delicate cheekbones and unbelievably thick lashes that can only be fake or unfair. The caption: #todaywasafairytale.

Fairytale? What kind of a banal hashtag is that?

The girl is tagged in it. Who the expletives-that-would-make-my-dad-faint is Nicole Valencia? Who does she think she is? Doesn't she know anything about Kyle and me?

He posted it. He wants me to see it. He wants everyone to know.

A boy breaking up with a girl is already bad. A boy breaking up with a girl, then getting it on with another one, is a jerk. A boy breaking up with a girl via text is listed in the dictionary under the word ‘asshole’.

But a boy breaking up with a girl, using a picture of him sticking his tongue down someone else’s throat, uploaded on social media?

OMFG, I want to die.

Something Real by Charm Jacinto

I went to the shoreline barefoot and let the small waves tickle my feet. Biela already made friends and was enjoying the day as much as I did. Ben didn't lie when he said that I will enjoy the beach. The scenery is just so breathtaking. The coast is clear, the skies are blue, powdery sand, and coconut trees are all over the island.

I can hear a reggae song - B.M.D by Insolence playing in the background, one of my favorite beach songs. I let the gentle sea breeze mess my hair and the cool water splash on my aqua sleeveless dress then I closed my eyes and seized the moment.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Brett standing in front me with his gorgeous eyes looking into mine.

"I was gonna tell you that they are all eating at the table" he said in a husky voice.

I snapped out of my reverie. Looking at Brett right now makes me feel safe and calm. Maybe I was staring too long because Brett started to become worried.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just remembered I forgot to put the suntan lotion in my bag"

"Suntan lotion huh?"

“Yes” I lied. "But seriously, I wanted to thank you for all your effort."

"Effort for what?”

"Brett, you have my happy list in your head. The sunflowers, photos, beach, Biela…"

"And the quiet moment that I interrupted. So, you’ve noticed huh?” He said scratching his head. “Let's just say, I'm saving a lab partner in distress."

“Well, I’m happy to report that I’m getting back on my feet Sir! But what’s in it for you?” I asked curiously.

“I’m practicing my skills on how to save a life. I’m a future doctor, remember?”

“Really Brett? Do you want me to pack up and leave?"

"No no no you just got here. I was just kidding!” He touched my shoulders lightly. “When you became my lab partner, all I ever do is save you from trouble, not that I’m complaining. You’re one happy chaos in my very organized life."

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not really. I still consider you as my friend.”

Match Point Mishap by Madelyn Tuviera

Wency gave him a long look, sucking in his bottom lip as he did so. He tilted his head, squinted his eyes. It was almost as if he was studying Lester, and maybe he was. Maybe this was what Wency did during down time, between matches – watch people move from one side of the court to another, trying to see if there was anything in their normal actions, gestures, reactions that could allude to the next shot they were going to make, or the block they planned to deflect his shots with.

"You look familiar," Wency whispered. Slowly, he bent his knees before getting down on all fours, looking up at Lester through the narrow gaps of his bangs. "Very familiar."

Lester took a deep breath. He was really bad at names, but he was dead sure he hadn't seen Wency prior to the try-outs at the start of the week. His memory of faces and anything visual was impeccable, after all. So it only made sense that if they'd at least bumped into each other in a tournament or in school, Lester would've recognized him, picked him out from the crowd of aspirants hoping to make the badminton team. He didn't have the biggest social circle, but having Jude and Jessica as close friends made him friends with everyone by extension.

And when he mentioned a certain 'Wency David' to both of them, they'd only said, "Oh wow, you remembered his name. Must've been really good, huh?"

Someone to Care by Jessica Larsen

Humigpit ang hawak ko sa dala-dala kong traveling bag nangtumambad sa paningin ko ang malaking yellow two-story house with red roof mula sa kabila ng kinatatayuan kong mataas nametal bars gate. Hinila ko pababa sa knee level skirt ko angsleeveless tee kong suot at humugot nang malalim na hininga. Tension filled my heart as my fingers hovered over the doorbell, but before I could press it, a teenage boy not far from my age, with tousled black hair and gray eyes, opened the gate. Nanigasako sa posisyon ko nang magtama ang aming paningin. I saw recognition in his eyes, but before I could speak, a woman’s voice called out.

“Val, bumalik ka rito!”

“Sorry mom! Babalik din ako mamaya!” sagot ng binatilyong sapalagay ko ay may taas na 5 feet, 8 inches, given that I stood about four inches below him. He furrowed his brows at me, and without saying anything more, he dashed down the road before the woman got to us.

The Offside by KZ Riman

I turned away the moment Geo tried to kiss me. It just didn’t feel right. None of these, however real they felt to me, was right. Everything was so wrong. Everything that led to this night had been lies – that photo wall, that chance to be with Matt again. If it was me who had been blindsided, I didn’t know. What I did know was that he was putting an end to it all.

“What are you doing?” I asked, my heart thudding against my chest. I’d push him out if I had the strength to do so, but having him that close to me drained me of my will.

He didn’t move nor did he say a thing after that, but I could feel tension slowly rising between us, the distance too close no matter how much I tried to get away from him. I couldn’t breathe. I felt my knees wobble, and I sat on my bed, calming myself.

“Zoey, I really like you,” he said.

“Please don’t.” It was a whisper.

“But I do. I do like you…”

“How could you do this to me?” I yelled at him. What kind of a sadistic asshole pushes a girl to the boy of her dreams, does sweet things for her and then tells her that he likes her, too?

Buqo is giving away a powerbank to a lucky Philippine resident!

The winner has to claim the prize at Buqo's Metro Manila office.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/dc42906e273/

A Guide to a Grand Bookish Adventure

2015-05-24T00:00:00.000+08:00

I know, the banner is super off-theme, but I really felt like that the blackboard theme was appropriate.

A Guide to A Grand Bookish Adventure! Let me rephrase it: a guide to an epic reading experience/reading tips!

Think of faces that suit the characters.

It's always easier to imagine with full production! It's actually more fun when you can imagine the things happening right?

Now here's the nice thing about covers with real people in them. I instantly just use the model's face as the main character's face.

And here's the [slightly] weird thing about names. I can't really explain it, so I'll just give an example. I actually used Divergent movie's Peter for To All the Boys I've Loved Before's Peter. Have you experienced this too?

Think of yourself as the main character!

It's gonna be fun- especially when it's a romance novel and the main guy is one of your Book Boyfriends (or if you're a guy, the main girl is one of your Book Girlfriends!).

Avoid distractions.

Read somewhere quiet! But if you enjoy reading with music, it's okay. But try to avoid places with a TV on. Just imagine yourself reading an epic part of a book but the TV tells another story!

(Optional) Use page markers.

This is optional because this doesn't really make the experience epic-but with this, you can mark the wonderful parts and enjoy them anytime! (Now, that sentence ~~sounds~~ looks weird, doesn't it?)

I got the idea from my sister. We use sticky flags- the semi transparent ones. It's pretty important for me since I enjoy bookish quotes so much (I need to remember them!).

That's actually it! (I'm bad at wrapping up stuff, so...)

What do you think? Share your ways too! :D

Never miss a post! Follow Celestial Pages on Bloglovin'!

Book Blitz + Giveaway: In The Beginning There Was Us by Ingrid Jonach

2015-05-21T09:00:00.000+08:00

Thank you to Dianne from Oops! I Read A Book Again and of course, Ingrid Jonach!

We have a guest post by Ingrid, an excerpt from In the Beginning There Was Us, and an international giveaway for you guys!

Why I Love Writing Sci-fi YA

by Ingrid Jonach

I love writing for young adults—mainly because I like reading young adult novels, so I guess I feel like I'm writing for myself. And, even though I’m now well beyond the traditional age bracket, my favourite contemporary author remains Sarah Dessen (who has just released her twelfth novel Saint Anything. Yay!).

When I was writing books for kids, I used to get asked all the time whether I had kids myself. I somewhat sheepishly replied, ‘No,’ as if this somehow disqualified me from being able to entertain and educate that age group. After all, I was a kid once myself.

And that’s exactly how I look at my obsession with young adult novels. I was—not too long ago—a teenager and it left an indelible mark on me. I think what really appeals to me about writing for young adults is that you’re exploring the transition to adulthood, which gives you some really heavy themes like the loss of innocence and search for identity, coupled with characters who vary vastly in maturity.

I’ve always been a big fan of fantasy—more so than science fiction. The books I adored growing up were mostly supernatural (for example, anything by Australian author Victor Kelleher). I particularly adored the horror genre. I devoured anything with vampires in it (WAY before Twilight) and cut my teeth on R. L. Stine.

When I started pitching my first young adult novel—When the World was Flat (and we were in love)—to agents, I actually described it as a fantasy novel. Embarrassing as this is for someone with a writing degree to admit, I wasn’t a reader of science fiction and thought of it largely as stories set in space (hard science fiction). When I finally pieced together that Albert Einstein and his Theory of Everything were science and NOT fantasy (duh!), I started describing my story as science fiction fantasy and then soft science fiction and now science fiction romance and sometimes speculative fiction. The genre, however, that I think really sums it up is the non-existent genre of urban science fiction (a hypothetical counterpart to urban fantasy).

My follow up young adult novel, In The Beginning There Was Us, is also urban science fiction (I’m just going to go ahead and coin it as a genre). Both of my young adult novels look at re-imagined histories and possible scientific explanations for the inexplicable in a contemporary setting. For example, scientific theories I have developed (or dreamed up) about ghosts and luck. I use the term ‘scientific’ loosely, of course. The theories are only based in science – the rest is based in what if?

You know how kids go through the ‘why?’ phase. They ask what you’re doing and when you tell them they want to know why. And when you tell them why their next question is inevitably, ‘why?’ I think I’ve never left that phase behind. I enjoyed maths at school until my teachers stopped being able to explain to me why I needed to understand trigonometry and calculus. Then I dropped it (something I somewhat regret, but that saw me pass my final exams with flying colours!).

This insatiable curiosity has led me to the science fiction genre. The romance that’s spread throughout my novels is just the icing on the cake. Couple both of those with the young adult demographic and I have so much scope for my imagination!

In The Beginning There Was Us

Author: Ingrid Jonach

Publication Date: April 28, 2015

Blurb:

What would you do if you were God? If you had the power to not only give life, but take it away in the blink of an eye? These are the questions that haunt fifteen-year-old Abbey Baxter after she resurrects a boy, long lost to the ages.

The achingly beautiful and eternally melancholy Cole not only serves as a welcome distraction from her long-time crush, Elwin, but also eases the heartache that persists since the sudden passing of her younger brother, Junior, four years earlier.

As the intrigue of her relationship with Cole deepens, so too does the mystery that surrounds a growing phenomenon sweeping through her small West Virginian town, transforming the lives of its residents. Around her, two bedroom cottages are transforming into mansions without explanation and residents are waking up to bank balances that have tripled overnight, all under the watchful gaze of the sinister American Laboratory for Particle Physics, located on the outskirts of town.

As Abbey searches for answers in a bid to solve the mystery in partnership with Elwin, she’s forced into a realization that that some things are better left buried, including her newfound love, Cole.

This cautionary tale of heartache and obsession explores the endless possibilities of the universe and its devastating impact on two young lovers from different worlds.

Excerpt from In The Beginning There Was Us

WE HEAR THE music before we see the crowd.

The Coal River Volleyball Tournament’s an annual event for Albert Falls and at least a quarter of its population’s standing around with cans of soda and hot dogs, or stretched out on blankets on the grass, wearing their masks like Elwin.

This year there are a few rubberneckers too—those who have travelled from nearby towns just to see the infamous Albert Falls.

“I thought it would be standing room only,” Mali complains, looking at the empty seats in the bleachers.

“Not with half of the town still in lockdown,” Elwin says.

“Really?” I ask. “I thought they'd lifted it last Tuesday.”

“Not for West Albert Falls.”

Mali suddenly stops in the middle of the crowd to dig around in her shoulder bag for her anti-perspirant. “Damn. Where did I… Aha!” She sprays her palms openly, ignoring a look from a woman with a hot dog shoved halfway down her throat—like she can talk.

Elwin spots his friends—a group of college kids who are sprawled in the shade next to one of the courts. They all dress alike, like they belong in a commercial for Coca Cola, or Abercrombie and Fitch.

Buck’s there too. He high-fives Elwin and then sinks onto the grass with the rest of his friends. I check the time on an oversized clock next to the nets. His game’s on in twenty minutes. My stomach sinks as I realize how much the day’s going to drag on without Cole.

I slip a hand into my pocket again, reminding myself that he’s here. If I close my eyes I can actually see him, walking through the crowd towards me. He smiles and gives me a wave as he walks around a family spread out on a picnic rug.

I open my eyes, but of course, there’s no Cole. Instead, I see a girl with cropped blond hair kneel down behind Buck and start massaging his shoulders. Crap.

“Want to grab a hotdog?” I ask Mali, blocking her view of her crush and his touchy-feely friend.

Mali holds her stomach and sticks out her tongue. “Blergh.” But then she brightens. “I could use a hit of caffeine though.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Did NASA call? Do you have a moon mission?”

“I only drank two cans this morning,” Mali protests.

“One more and we have lift off,” I quip.

“Hilarious.” Mali rolls her eyes at my ongoing joke about Buzz-O-Rama being like rocket fuel. “Dibs on getting the food. You can find us a spot.” She points at me as she walks backwards towards the long food lines. “Close to the court. Get it?”

“Got it.”

“Good.”

I locate a patch of grass in the shade about fifteen feet from the court and about fifty feet from Elwin, not wanting to cramp his style. As if he wants to hang with his little sister and her best friend when he has his own buddies.

I sandwich myself between a family with about six kids and an older man who’s watching the girls with short skirts, instead of the volleyball. I pull on the hem of my own skirt again as I sit down, crossing my legs awkwardly and then drawing my knees to my chest, before finally deciding to stretch my legs out in front.

My stomach growls and I realize I skipped breakfast. I scan the crowd for Mali. I need a hot dog stat. Dammit. She’s chatting with Buck, who’s finished his massage and is now doing stretches next to the court with no shirt on.

Mali looks like she’s warming up too, bouncing from foot to foot. I know that bounce. It’s her boy bounce.

It had started in fifth grade with Jed Jefferson—Jay-Jay. Talk about OCD. If that boy even looked at the clock on the wall above her head Mali would be bouncing back and forth. In seventh grade, it had continued with Sandy Waxman. And since eighth grade, it had been all about Buck.

The next round of games are being announced over the loud speaker. A cheer goes up when the announcer reads out “Buck Dartmouth” and Buck walks onto the court, waving his clasped hands around in the air, like a pro-wrestler entering a ring. His groupies line up courtside, including Mali. Double Dammit.

I think about getting my own hotdog, but the heat’s like a heavy blanket that makes me want to lie down and go to sleep.

I give in to it about five minutes into the game, stretching out on the grass and closing my eyes. The intermittent thwack of the volleyball and the resulting “Oohs” and “Ahhs” fade into white noise, along with the sound of the bees droning in the nearby honeysuckle as I doze.

I’m dreaming about Cole and in my dream, he’s lying beside me on the grass, listening to me talk nonsense. And I mean that literally. It’s a dream after all.

We’re talking about how we’re getting married in the Fall. When I ask whether he wants to get married in Albert Falls or Italy, he tells me his hometown had been part of the European Apocalypse.

I stop speaking mid-sentence as Cole brushes my cheek with his fingers. He leans towards me, his porcelain skin dappled in the sunlight that filters through the leaves.

“Abbey.”

I open my eyes. I’m curled up on my side with the grass tickling my cheek. I blink owlishly at a pair of red skate shoes. “Cole?” I mumble.

I roll onto my back and stare up at a wide smile and a mop of light brown hair. “Elwin. Hi.” I return his smile as I realize he’d just called me Abbey, instead of Quasi.

I sit up too quickly, moaning at the rush of blood to my head.

“Are you OK?” he asks, crouching down and steadying me with an arm around my shoulders.

“Head spin.” I rub my temples, trying to get rid of the black spots in my vision. My heart’s thudding like a bass drum, but that’s because I’m in his arms, not because of my blood pressure.

“Have you had lunch?”

I shake my head.

And thus begins the best thirty-five minutes of my life. Elwin buys us hot dogs and sodas, before settling down beside me on the grass to watch the game. It feels like we’re on a date.

“Do you like volleyball?” he asks.

I choke on my mouthful of hot dog as I laugh.

Elwin grins and nudges me companionably. “I forgot. It sends you to sleep.”

“I shut my eyes for like a second,” I lie.

“You were snoring.”

I gasp and nudge him back. “I was not!”

He chuckles, flashing me a picture perfect smile.

I look straight ahead at the court in case I swoon. Is this another dream? It’s been years since I’ve had one-on-one time with Elwin.

I can remember having heart to hearts with him after Junior had died. Mali would be lapping their indoor pool and we’d be stretched out on the chaise lounges talking. It had been good to be able to take off my Moretta mask for a while—even Mali had been speechless when it came to Junior.

That was when I’d started crushing on Elwin majorly—like stealing strands of hair from his comb and hiding a photo of him in my underwear drawer majorly. Yeah. I know. Stalker.

“How was New York?” Elwin asks, tilting his head and studying me with gold-flecked eyes.

The key chain in my pocket digs into my thigh and I shift my weight as I’m reminded of Cole. “Good,” I say.

“How was your mum without…” He doesn’t even have to add “Junior.”

I shrug as I give my earlobe an absentminded tug. “OK.”

“At least you got a full week with the folks,” Elwin muses and I think about his own parents. It’s been about six months since they were last home and even then I think it had only been for three weeks.

“Have your parents called?” I ask.

He nods. “I told them not to come home. I’m not sure they would have let them in during those first two weeks anyway.”

There’s something in his tone that makes it sound like coming home hadn’t even been a consideration for his parents.

They’d often talked about moving to New York or Los Angeles since they'd launched Buzz-O-Rama, but the Kendricks have lived in Albert Falls since their great-great-grandfather emigrated from Ireland. Mr Kendrick likes to joke that he bleeds coal dust and I actually think he misses working at Albert Falls Coke & Co.

Elwin gives a whoop as his eyes return to the court.

“What happened?” I ask.

Elwin shrugs. “Buck hit the ball,” he says and then touches his finger to the side of his nose. “Between you and me? I hate volleyball too. All I know about it is that it involves a ball and a net.”

I laugh, my face flushing as I finish with a snort.

Elwin grins and then reclines on his elbow on the grass. There’s no conversation for six lots of five seconds. I actually count each tick of the clock on my watch.

I’m about to put myself out of my misery by commenting on the weather when Elwin finally speaks, as if the thirty seconds had been one second.

“Did you hear about the Hallifords?” he asks.

I could kiss him for starting a conversation. Correction. I could kiss him period. “No,” I say, making myself look at his eyes, instead of at his lips.

“Do you know their house on Fourth Street?”

I nod. Albert Falls is hardly New York. It’s not even Brooklyn. It’s a duplex in Brooklyn. My dad’s on lean-on-the-fence-and-talk-for-two-hours terms with Mr Halliford, who works as a janitor at Albert Falls Elementary. And my mom used to be friends with Mrs Halliford, who’s expecting their third child in October.

“I think it’s about twice the size of our house now.”

“What?” The Hallifords live in a three-bedroom cottage that looks like it needs a lick of paint and a new roof. It’s definitely no Buzz-O-Rama Mansion. “How?”

“It literally happened overnight,” Elwin says. “I spoke to Jeremy Blundall this morning,” he continues and then pauses. “I think you know his sister Katie. She’s your age. Maybe older.”

Katie Blundall? She’s thirteen! “She’s two years younger,” I correct him and he shrugs, not noticing my flushed cheeks as he continues his story about the Hallifords.

“Jeremy said he went to bed next door to a cottage and woke up next to a mansion. You’d think he would have woken up if there was a house being built next door. He said Mr Halliford was just as stunned as everyone else.”

“Hmmm… Weird.”

“Welcome to Albert Falls,” Elwin says with a nod to one of the soldiers.

I frown. “Do you think it’s connected to the accident at the Lab?”

Suddenly, an enormous cheer erupts from the crowd.

“Is it over?” I ask, squinting at the court again. “Did we win?”

“Looks like it,” Elwin says as he follows my gaze to where the players are giving out high-fives. “You’d think they’d just won the Super Bowl.” He climbs to his feet. “I guess I should join in the backslapping. Coming?”

My heart flutters as his hand curls around mine and I’m thankful not to have hyperhidrosis like Mali as he hoists me to my feet.

As I follow him through the crowd of spectators that has converged on the court, a guy covered in tattoos spills beer on my shoes. “Yuck.”

“Are you OK?” Elwin asks, bundling me under his arm like a protective boyfriend.

I look up at him and smile. “Definitely.”

My smile lasts about three seconds. “You got sunburned,” he says.

I hold out my arms and see that they’re pink, like the inside of a hotdog. Fantastic. I bet Elwin never gets sunburned in the shade. Cole would though with his chalk-white skin, I decide.

My hand slips into my pocket and closes around the key chain, like a security blanket.

“Abbey!” Mali explodes out of the crowd like a firecracker. “Did you see that spike? Buck was like ‘Bam!’ And then he was like ‘Pow!’” She spikes an invisible volleyball, her fist narrowly missing a woman with a pusher, who gives her a dirty look.

Mali suddenly stops her instant replay. “You got sunburned,” she says, pinching my arm.

“Ouch! Mali!” My skin feels tight, like I’m wearing spandex. I need a cool bath stat to avoid third degree sunburn.

I scan the crowd for Elwin, who’s being crushed in a hug. Buck’s like a silverback on steroids. I’m sure he’s about to start beating his chest and baring his teeth.

Mali spots them too. She grabs my hand and drags me towards Buck. “Congratulations Buck,” she says coquettishly, twisting her hair around her finger, as if it needs to be curled.

Buck throws a sweaty arm around Mali. “Thanks, babe.”

Babe?

“Are you girls coming to the after party?” he asks, as if we’re at the Oscars. “I have a band lined up.”

Buck’s known for hosting the biggest and best keggers in town. Girls at school would tear out their hair extensions for an invitation to a party hosted by Buck Dartmouth.

His parents are divorced and his mom’s constantly out of town, chaperoning his younger sister and international catwalk model, Sylvia. It means he basically lives on his own.

“Yes!” Mali says, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“No,” I say at the same time as Elwin.

Mali gives us a what-the-hell look.

“Last time I checked, you were both sophomores,” Elwin says.

“Juniors,” Mali corrects, even though it’ll be another two months before we can say that without our fingers crossed. “And when did you turn twenty-one?”

Elwin’s not giving in. “Maybe I should have a chat with the National Guard,” he says.

“Maybe I should have a chat with the National Guard too,” she responds stubbornly.

Elwin sighs. “Ready?” he asks me.

I nod and Mali gives me the stink-eye for siding with Elwin.

“See you soon,” Elwin tells Buck.

“Winni!” a girl calls out. Winni? His name’s Elwin. El. Win.

The girl has long blond hair that radiates in the sunlight. “Are you going to the kegger? Can I get a lift?” She bats her eyelashes at him. They look fake, like they belong on a doll.

I look her up and down, noting the black push up bra under her white shirt and the strip of bare skin above her Daisy Dukes. One more inch and she’d be trailer trash.

“Sure,” he says, smiling too wide for my liking. “I have to drop the kids home though.” He tilts his head towards me and Mali.

Mali rolls her eyes as I sigh inwardly.

Elwin introduces the girl as Dana. She looks bored as he tells her our names and when we get to the Thunderbird, she climbs into the front seat without calling shotgun.

I watch her turn up the radio and wind down the window as we roar down the street. Her long hair flicks around in the wind like a whip and I press myself against the back seat, in case it cracks me in the eye.

I watch her bobbing her head along to a song that sounds like two pots being bashed together over and over again and again. My heart sinks when I see that Elwin’s drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

I reach into my pocket and squeeze the key chain, telling myself that Cole would hate this music and he’d hate girls like Dana.

I close my eyes and imagine Cole sitting beside me in the backseat, instead of Mali, who’s still sulking, slouched in her seat with her arms crossed again.

Cole’s smiling at me though. His fingers inch across the vinyl towards me, until his hand finds my thigh. I lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder.

“Ow! Get off!”

I sit up straight.

Mali’s laughing. “Are you hitting on me, Abbey Baxter?”

For a moment, I’m completely confused. Where’s Cole? My thigh tingles from his touch. But then I realize I’d been daydreaming again. I blush as Elwin glances in the rearview mirror.

“I mean I love you,” Mali’s saying, “but—”

I force myself to laugh. “You know you want me, Mali Kendrick.” Last names are mandatory when we’re being stupid.

Elwin pulls up at my house. “You girls behave yourselves. OK?”

I cringe. Girls. Kids. Rub it in, Elwin.

“Yes, Dad,” Mali says facetiously, as she slides out of the Thunderbird.

We stand on the sidewalk and watch her brother drive off with a toot of his horn. Dana barely bothers to wave. In fact, she might have just been shooing a gnat or gesturing to Elwin.

My stomach clenches as I think about them hanging out at the party. I can see her batting her eyelashes at him. I can see her clutching his hand as they walk through the crowd. I can see her leaning in to kiss him and then he’s kissing her back.

I realize my jaw’s clenched tightly and I release it, before clenching it a second time and then a third time, thinking that if I clench it five times Elwin won’t even talk to Dana tonight. No. Scrap that. He won’t talk to her ever again.

“How about we sneak into the party?” Mali asks, interrupting my OCD.

Her eyes light up when she sees it cross my mind, but then I shake my head. “I need to smother myself in aloe vera and turn up the AC,” I say with a grimace. “I think I have sunstroke.”

It’s the half-truth—my head’s starting to throb and my mouth’s as dry as cotton balls—but the full-truth is that I’ve decided to make up for not spending the night with Elwin by spending it with Cole.

Mali frowns and sticks out a hand to feel my forehead.

“Ow! Sunburn! Remember?”

“Fine. You owe me though. For the two weeks you spent in New York, plus tonight.” Mali pouts. “Pizza for one. Here I come. Again.”

I wince. “Sorry.”

Mali shrugs. “I would give you a hug, but—”

“Sunburn,” I repeat with a small smile.

I take the stairs three at a time, yelling out “Hi” and “Bye” to my parents.

I hear my dad respond from his study, his voice muted by the closed door. My mom’s probably in the bathroom. She likes to read romance novels in the tub until the pages are waterlogged and she shrivels up like a prune.

I almost pull the ladder down on my head in my haste to get to Cole. And when I do reach the top, he’s waiting.

“Hi,” I say breathlessly.

“Hi,” he responds, standing up from the couch.

About Ingrid Jonach

Ingrid Jonach writes books for kids and teens.

Her young adult sci fi romance novels When the World was Flat (and we were in love) and In The Beginning There Was Us are available now.

She is also the author of the picture book A Lot of Things and the chapter books The Frank Frankie and Frankie goes to France published by Pan Macmillan Australia.

Ingrid has worked as a journalist and public relations consultant, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing with Honors in Communications.

She lives down under - in Canberra, Australia - with her husband Craig and their pug dog Mooshi.

Website: http://ingridjonach.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/IngridJonach

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ingrid-Jonach/172887016112319

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/IngridJonachAuthor

Ingrid is giving away an ebook copy of IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS US and WHEN THE WORLD WAS FLAT (AND WE WERE IN LOVE)! Open internationally.

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Waiting on Wednesday (1): P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

2015-05-20T00:00:00.000+08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

This meme features upcoming releases (books!) that I really look forward to! :)

P.S. I Still Love You
Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
To be published on May 26, 2015

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

This is the sequel to the book I rated 6/5. Remember how much I praised it and fangirled? :D

If that's not enough, here:

I admit, I was ready to support Lara Jean and Josh's relationship... But Peter. THE FEELS HE BROUGHT TO THE BOOK. Now, I actually think that Josh is the Aspen of the story. I wanna know what happens next- and I do hope that it's going to be more of Peter (and his donuts!!!)!!!

The release date is so close- but I can't wait! GIVE ME THIS BOOK.

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Review + Giveaway: Buqo YA Bundle 4- Heart Choices

2015-05-18T09:00:00.000+08:00

Heart Choices

by Various Authors

Publication Date: April 24, 2015

Summary:

Sometimes it’s hard to choose.

Do you stay or do you let go? Should you become friends, more than friends, or stay strangers? Would you risk love for popularity? You’re invited to explore these stories and find out each character’s choice from the heart.

Thanks to Oops! I Read Again Tours for organizing this! :)

Review:

Today's my tour stop for this bundle and I'm reviewing two of them!

Barely Even Friends by Kristel S. Villar is my favorite part of the bundle.

It was a quick read, and even though it had the cliche factor, I still like it. Reading this felt like I'm seeing the characters (Noah!). I wasn't annoyed with any of the characters- not even the Elite because they're supposed to act like that.

What About Today by Dawn Lanuza- this one's so cool. And the cover (so gorg)!

This story made me feel the need to go to an amusement park right now! The only thing is I was confused with the name-headers-that-looked-like-POV-markers-to-me because What About Today was in third person.

The Hi-Aiden-you-need-to-work-now parts made this story more realistic, but they made me think: GET BACK TO THE FUUUN.

I'm giving these stories 4.75 stars because the negative parts were minor.

If you want to read six fabulous stories- it's available in the Buqo store for only 0.99 USD (45 PHP) this week!

And because you're awesome- Buqo is giving away one powerbank! (PH only!*)
*Buqo requires the winner to pick up their prize from Buqo's Metro Manila office.

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Review: The Heir by Kiera Cass

2015-05-17T21:30:00.000+08:00

The Heir
Author: Kiera Cass
Publisher: HarperTeen (HarperCollins)
Publication Date: May 5, 2015

Summary:

Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.

Review:

I was so excited for the special international edition of The Heir that I asked my sister to buy it for me on the release date! (I'm just twelve, so I'm kind of not allowed to go to malls whenever I want/need to.) Thank you so much to my sister, Fay from Bibliophile Soprano! :)

I had fun while reading The Heir- especially on the middle parts. The first chapters bored me a little and I always thought: GIVE ME THE SELECTION PART ALREADY!.

Twenty years after something much more than happily ever after, (okay, I made a reference to The One: "This isn't happily ever after. It's so much more than that.") Eadlyn has to do her own Selection to please the citizens of Illea and distract them from all the riots and uprisings. Yes, rebel issues again. However, she doesn't want to.

I only have one heart and I'm saving it.

I found Eadlyn bratty, self-centered, and sometimes rude. She can be insensitive to Neena, her personal maid. I'm glad she's not like the younger America, who thinks excessively lowly of herself. In fact, Eadlyn thinks that she's the most powerful girl in the world. Eadlyn's reactions were natural for her character though.

I liked America's part of this series more than Eadlyn's, because the first three books were more serious- they're deeper. The Selected in The Heir doing tasks to prove they're worthy wasn't really shown. It was full of dates. Because it was full of dates, it was packed with feels! I'm Team Kile, by the way. AND I SHIP THEM SO MUCH. The sweet Kile moments- oh, they made me kick walls again.

I felt like Hale was supposed to be some sort of a significant part of the love polygon (love triangle with n people in it) but the spotlight seemed to dim earlier than I expected. Henri is kind and awkward, and I like him. For some reason, Erik made me feel like he wanted to be part of the Selection (but it feels wrong!).

I recommend this one to The Selection fans- and maybe the non-fans-yet too, because I felt like this was a new series, separate from The Selection.

RATING: 4.5/5

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August 30- September 5

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Book Haul-ish? (2): *extremely thankful*

August 8-14

Book Haul-ish? (1): DRCs!

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Blogger Interview: Erin from The Hardcover Lover

Personal Questions

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Waiting on Wednesday (7): It's About Love by Steven Camden

Review: Eleanor & Park

Define: Book Discrimination

Book Discrimination Awareness Month

Waiting on Wednesday (6): Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales

Waiting on Wednesday (5): The Lies About Truth, The Distance From Me To You (IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!)

Review: The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

Waiting on Wednesday (4): This Raging Light by Estelle Laure

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Waiting on Wednesday (3): A Step Toward Falling by Cammie McGovern

Waiting on Wednesday (2): Madly by Amy Alward

Excerpts + Giveaway: Buqo YA Bundle 5: Perfect Moments

A Guide to a Grand Bookish Adventure

Think of faces that suit the characters.

Think of yourself as the main character!

Avoid distractions.

(Optional) Use page markers.

Book Blitz + Giveaway: In The Beginning There Was Us by Ingrid Jonach

Why I Love Writing Sci-fi YA by Ingrid Jonach

Excerpt from In The Beginning There Was Us

About Ingrid Jonach

Ingrid is giving away an ebook copy of IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS US and WHEN THE WORLD WAS FLAT (AND WE WERE IN LOVE)! Open internationally.

Waiting on Wednesday (1): P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Review + Giveaway: Buqo YA Bundle 4- Heart Choices

Review: The Heir by Kiera Cass

Book Haul-ish? (2): extremely thankful

Why I Love Writing Sci-fi YA

by Ingrid Jonach