Books Before Boys (but I guess not when you're in your 30s)

Uy in fair marami-rami ang posts ko this month.

Anyhoo, I just feel like posting this book list here to track my progress as well. Some time Valentines week, I found this article on epicreads.com- 30 Contemporary YA Romance Reads and since YA is my genre of choice as of the moment and I am a sucker for anything romantic, I decided to, at least, try reading everything in the list. Fortunately, I have read about one third of the list which leaves with just 20 more.

So without further ado, ze list:

{image source}

1. The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
3. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
4. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
5. Perfect Chemistry by Simon Elkeles
6. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
7. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
8. Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
9. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
10. Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller
11. How to Love by Katie Cotugno
12. Rock and A Hard Place by Angie Stanton
13. Crash by Nicole Williams
14. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord 04/2014
15. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
16. The Sky is Everywhere by Jandi Nelson
17. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
18. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
19. Every Day by David Levithan
20. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay 7/2014
21. The Trouble with Flirting by Claire LaZebnik 3/12/14
22. If We Kiss by Rachel Vail 3/13/14
23. Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay
24. The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine
25. The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler  3/9/14
26. How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer
27. Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
28. Street Love by Walter Dean Myers
29. Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook
30. If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan

Apparently, I have read almost lang pala 33% of this list. I'm currently reading The Book of Broken Hearts and hopefully I could tick off another title soon.

I'm happy that the list has Eleanor and Park and Sloppy Firsts because they're two of my favorite books ever. Of the first nine books I've read in this list, I've liked everything except for Before I Fall and also I was not too big on The Summer I Turned Pretty (which I "read" via an audiobook so I was thinking maybe I didn't like the book because I found the narrator's voice annoying). Hopefully hopefully, I'll be able to finish everything in here this year.

An Attitude of Gratitude

It's been a while since I posted a gratitude list in here which, I think, may have contributed to my "depression." I have been feeling shitty for a while now and I feel I may have gone back to that dreaded quarter-life crisis stage in life (which I thought I have undergone earlier than most of people my age). I have been advocating this happiness-is-a-decision frame of mind but honestly, I think my happiness is directly proportional to my bank account. I should try harder to be happy for real and not make my happiness dependent on material things. So I'm doing this gratitude list con más frecuencia ☺

♥ The ovaries are normal, y'all! After years of dealing with PCOS, I was told yesterday that the ovaries are now normal. I do not know which actually healed my PCOS- the pills or Fr. Carmona's enzyme. But whatever did it, I'm thankful that I'm finally healed. This calls for a celebration ☺
♥ I finally enrolled in driving classes. Today will be my fourth and I am actually enjoying it. I'm not too sure though if I can do it without an instructor by my side and without the CAUTION: STUDENT DRIVER signage at the back of the car. I can't drive at 20mph and with the hazard light on forever. But what the hell, I can do this. Aja!
♥ Trying out new foods. Ha ha! I actually hate it that I am an emotional eater and that food makes me happy and that my happiness is also directly proportional to what I eat, but to be truly I guess I should learn how to stop feeling guilty every time I eat good food.

Project Pie with AD. Cheese is love. True love.

burrito and cheese flautas at Burrito Brothers in Marikina

In relation to trying out new food, I am grateful for a sister who also likes eating (and treating me!) to good food.
♥ Orders. Small orders pa lang but it's a start, right? Eventually, orders will flood my mail and phone. Soon.
♥ New series love and a new series character crush ☺ My sister watches Beauty and the Beast (not the Disney movie, okay) while I don't because I thought it was too mushy and I think I've had it with anything paranormal/superhuman-themed. But guess what, I have been sucked into the Beauty and the Beast vortex. I just started last Friday and I am now in the first season's 17th episode. I am such a sucker for secret loves and love triangles.

Anyway, guess who my character crush is. Clue: not Vincent Keller. This is who

Evan

I luuuuurve Evan Marks. I have the feels for him. Haha. And you know, I feel for him, I actually cried for him. Not that I cried because I "crush" him, but because I feel his pain- loving Catherine secretly. And as of the most recent episode I've watched, JT now knows that Evan is harboring some kind of romantic feels towards Catherine. I am watching this mostly because of him and I am praying and hoping that he doesn't get killed off or cross off to the dark side. But I fear that his love for Catherine will make him do things, that if he can't be with her, the "beast" can't as well. But I like to believe that he will be more determined to catch the beast because he wants to protect her from him and not because he wants to get him out of the way.

but after seeing this, I have a hunch he will cross to the dark side

This series reminds me so much of Chuck.

So there, things I am grateful for. I really should do this more often. To cap off this post, here's a note to myself:

from Pinterest

2014 Book Challenge: Wait For You

{via Goodreads}

I'm only two books behind schedule, huzzah! Anyway, this book, Wait For You, falls under the New Adult (NA) genre and not YA. Which I do not get, actually. What does New Adult exactly mean? With the proliferation of sexed-up YA books they have finally come up with a genre for it? Haha. I feel it that's it though. Goodreads defines New Adult as:

"New Adult fiction bridges the gap between Young Adult and Adult genres. It typically features protagonists between the ages of 18 and 26."

Oh okay. But what is Adult genre, actually? Initially, I thought it's those type of books a lá Fifty Shades of Grey, but Pride & Prejudice and To Kill a Mockingbird also fall under the category. Whatever.

Seriously, why are these book protagonists always good-looking and sexy, male and female alike? Take for example, Cameron. He's tall, handsome and has an amazing body. Almost all guys in these books are like that. But real life is a different story. I don't see tall, handsome, well-built guys around here. But then again, this is fiction. Haha. And Avery. She's equally as hot as Cam is and she's totally oblivious to it. Every YA and in this case, NA, book has protagonists like that. It gets old, sometimes. But you know what doesn't, the kilig moments.

Cam is definitely swoon-worthy. Every girl's ideal guy, I suppose- good-looking, nice, a reformed bad boy. Don't we all want that guy? And what actually makes him more attractive is his loyalty to Avery. If girls are practically throwing themselves at him and he shrugs them off for you, the guy is a keeper.

 

(Maybe reading these books is bad as it taints my view of reality. Ha.) But when it comes to fictional boyfriends, Cam maybe there in the list of the best but he's not the best. The best fictional boyfriends are, in my opinion, Marcus Flutie (Jessica Darling series), Park (Eleanor & Park) and Nick (This is a Love Story). Hmm.. this gives me an idea- to add another category in my Goodreads page: Swoon-worthy Book Boyfriends.

The book's title is Wait For You. Okay, I give props to Avery for holding off until she has sorted her issues out and also props to Cam for waiting until Avery has sorted her issues. And in Fiction/YA Land where teenage girls lose their virginity at a drop of a hat, six months is a long time. But what I find funny is these two have done EVERYTHING except that. So technically, there wasn't much waiting that happened. But then again, this is your Lola Prude talking. 

2014 Book Challenge: Stealing Heaven

{via Goodreads}

Stumbled upon this book while looking for another title by the same author. The book is Something, Maybe and I've been wanting to read it for quite some time now but surprisingly, I read this one first. But I do not regret picking up this one because although it wasn't really a fun read (because, seriously, the girl's got some serious issues) but I guess the kilig factor made up for it.

Danielle, our protagonist, is in the family business, only it is one business one cannot be proud of. Her mother steals silverware from rich people's houses and all her life it's what she has known to do. She has never gone to school. She and her mother hop from one town to another, taking on one identity after another. Danielle wanted more but she reckons she doesn't know how to be and have more than she is right now, plus she just can't leave her mother alone, that they are a team.

But things changed when they came to Heaven- she became friends with Allison and she's genuinely into this guy, Greg, who turns out to be a cop. But to be successful in their plan of laying low, she must not have both but the desire is so strong and she does maintain both the friend and the love interest, unknown to her mother. Of course I wanted things to come up roses- for her mother to truly fall in love with a nice guy and decide to stop stealing silver from rich people and the plan to steal from Allison's family doesn't push through because of it, then Dani and her mom stays in Heaven and then they live happily ever after. But that wasn't the case.

They got busted and both relationships that Danielle gained from their stay in Heaven was compromised. The one with Allison was irreparable (but still you've got to give the girl props for not turning in Danielle), but the one with Greg, well, it was a good thing he finally came around. Understandable that he'd be hurt because of the lies but of course, true love wins. Ha. Sige na, huwag na tayong kontra-bulate.

My like for Danielle is reversely proportional to my dislike for her mother. Even until the end, I am unsure if she truly, genuinely loved Danielle. Maybe she's just doing the stealing because she wants to be able to provide for her daughter and stealing is what she knows how to do and what she does best. It's just that I hope she didn't involve her daughter in it.

But we still got out happily ever after, just not the way I wanted it though. Mom gets cancer, which I think is for all the bad juju just coming back to her for stealing from other people. Greg stays by Danielle's side and preferred to see what she wants to be and not for what she was. But what I liked most was that Danielle has risen above her past and turn into something better. Well, she was able to do it with the help of ill-gotten wealth but still, she chose to use it for her betterment, so she doesn't have to do what her mother did for a living.

Ang serious naman ng "review" na 'to.

2014 Book Challenge: Wallbanger

Funny how I breezed through this one but finding it difficult to finish the third and last installment of the Fifty Shades trilogy.

First reason is this is actually a fun read. In fair ha, there was no "action" until near the end and I guess I found the "chase" amusing and interesting. In comparison to Fifty Shades, the main characters had more than lust going on between them. Well maybe there was attraction (and lust, sige na nga) but they didn't act on it right away- in fernez, they did take the friendship route first before going there. And nothing beats the anticipation, right? Right? RIGHT??? We know that he likes her and she likes him but they're sort of taking it "slow."

We think Simon is your regular man-whore (a la Nate Achibald), well actually he was until he met Caroline. Which was sweet, by the way, that he was willing to drop all the other girls because of her. And I think that was what endeared me to him. Of course, kasama na yung description na he's good-looking and has, get this, not six but eight-pack abs. Who has that? I guess hot, fictional characters. Ha ha.

I feel you, Jenna

You know, these books always ALWAYS have good-looking characters. And not only good-looking, but drop-dead gorgeous and sexy girls and these beautiful, hot girls are usually unaware of their gorgeousness. This makes me want to quit reality, pack up and move to the land of fiction.

Caroline is likable. Unlike Anastasia Steele and Bella Swan, she is her own woman. She didn't have to quit her work or quit life (yes, I am mean you, Bella) to get her man. And she refused to succumb to the call of the flesh (in Tagalog, tawag ng laman, har dee har har). The woman has restraint, y'all!

And like what I have said earlier, this couple is not only about that. Well, we know it eventually leads to that but unlike Christian Grey and Ana Steele, they do other things such as go out with friends, watch movies and cook. And that is why I think I am not yet done with Fifty Shades Freed- it gets old eventually. Remember, the anticipation is half the fun!

I gave it three stars. Yes I did like it but you see this Goodreads rating system is a bit tricky. I hope they have, like, ten stars. Cos personally, I only give five stars (the perfect score) to books I truly, madly and deeply loved, books I can't get over of even after n number of days, books that make me gush to no end. Four stars I give to books which I enjoyed so much but didn't really leave a lasting impression on me. And most books, I give three stars. So anyway, three stars for this book and definitely would pick up another book from the author.

2014 Book Challenge: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

Can you believe it we're frickin' halfway done with February? I can't and I am still in denial. I am seriously way, way behind my to-do list but in fernez to me, I already enrolled myself in driving school. Finally 'no? After a bizillion light years I finally did it. Hooray for me! So anyway, I finally got myself on a roll with my books and even if I'm six books behind, I think I can make habol. Larios, isdatchu?

So ze second book for the year is.. Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. High ratings/reviews on Goodreads and I think a book about dares is fun.

It took me 15 days to finish the book- FIFTEEN DAYS! Kung dati mabilis na sakin ang 15 days, well now I consider that mabagal and that means either I'm busy or the book isn't very interesting to me and I am not very busy these days; ergo, it failed to tickle my fancy. It was a collab between David Levithan and Rachel Cohn, who by the way is the author of Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. The book did sound/feel/seem similar to Nick & Norah's, although I haven't read the book yet, only saw the movie because I adore Kat Dennings (and Michael Cera, for a teensy bit).

A book about two strangers daring one another to do things that are, honestly, not too daring. Haha. Not that I am for the scandalous ones. I remember watching a French movie about dares and I was not a bit amused. So Dash and Lily's dares were tame and age-appropriate. If this was a movie, I'd say na mejo lacking ang chemistry between Dash and Lily. You could say it's because they haven't met but Lincoln and Beth (Attachments) were all chemistry even if they haven't seen nor spoken to each other. Well, actually they've seen each other but at the time, they did not know that it was the other person.

Verdict: 3 out of 5 stars. Tinimbang ka ngunit kulang ☺

Six of fifty-two: Sino'ng may S?

33/365: Spent the entire day watching a Korean drama and come sunset, I glanced outside and saw this. I tried to look outside but since the blinds were closed, I saw the shadow of the snowflake ornament I hung outside my window. The snowflake was there for almost two years now but it was the only time I saw it like this and I thought it was very pretty.

34/365: Obviously, I have plans of getting rich. Haha. Although I haven't really gotten myself to reading these yet. Used these books to get inspiration of corporation names. I'm trying to put up a corporation and start my business from step 1 para malinis at hindi pa magulo which is the case now and no thanks to St. Francis department store for that. Just wish me luck starting with a clean slate, at least with this one.

35/365: My cousin "promoted" my Facebook page and from 114 likes, I now have 143 likes. I think this is befitting of being my photo of the day for Project 365 since 1-4-3 is also known to mean as "I love you," and Valentine's Day is just around the corner. He he he :P

36/365: Running errands. Mail documents to New York. Pay AC's credit cards. Deposit funds. Free lunch c/o AC. I swear ang takaw ko because I ate a 2pc chicken, three pcs nuggets, a medium coke and a large caffe latte. Felt super bochog afterwards.

37/365: Meet-up with a customer. I'm happy that I've been receiving orders since the year started. Putting up an FB account for my colognes was a good decision. However, I should learn to insist delivery via shipping instead of meet-ups cos I end up spending what I made on that transaction. Ha ha. So here is my stash for that day- anti-pimple chuva. Snoe's Outzit was very effective but I wanted to try their other soaps so this time, trying out Awesome Poresome. Crossing my fingers here.

38/365: It was a very, very crappy day. I woke up already in a cranky mood. Lumayas for awhile and sought shelter in my sister's house. Playtime with ze other nephew who was making pa-cute while eating. Effective naman sakin. He he he. But happy mood was, again, momentary, and went home in a crummy mood again. Only Suburgatory made me laugh. Which, of course, was also momentary.

39/365: Woke up in a crummy mood. AGAIN. Alam niyo hindi ko naman ginusto na lagi na lang masungit and actually nakakapagod ang laging asar. But I can't help it. Sometimes, there just are days like these. Anyway, tagged along AC to her project monitoring at SM Aura. This picture was accidentally taken on my way outside the house. It was a surprise that it wasn't blurred since I was in motion and since I liked the shot so much, I made it my photo of the day ☺

I hope this week will be much much MUCH BETTER  because think all these negativity are taking a toll on my skin and I freakin' look like crap. While I was taking the pill, my skin was very well-behaved and the moment I stopped, my skin went berserk. Mas mataba pero good skin vs. mataba but fugly skin? Argh.

Five of fifty-two: Trying to get that feeling

I've wanted to do this Project 365 for a long time now, I think since 2009. At the start of the year, I always attempt but when it starts feeling like a chore, I stop. But now that technology permits me to do it easily, now with apps and wi-fi connection, I think I can pull this project through until the end of the year. But I think I also continue with my gratitude list, be more mindful of the blessings I receive, no matter how small it may seem. Anyway, I again forgot to do this week-in-review Project 365 last week so will be posting two weeks worth.

27/365: In an attempt to put up a new vision board, I was browsing magazines and found this Peanuts Got Milk? ad. I started collecting Got Milk? ads in high school. These ads got rarer as years went by but l and behold, I get a new one at Peanuts pa? Eh I love love love Peanuts ♥ So there, this was really a surprise and I was very much delighted by this find.

28/365: Mommy ran out of her 3-in-1 brown coffee stash so I had this for my morning coffee- freebie 3-in-1 frappe. I think I know why they gave this for free- old stock na. Pero in fernez, it was okay naman although may lasang luma na which I think were the cookies. 

29/365: My vision board is up. It's not yet filled up because I don't know exactly what I want in life. I just want things in general like get rich, have plenty of money, get married, have a family, be a landlady of leisure. So anyway, just thought of putting up pictures of two of my favorite eye candies- JGL and Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley!!!). 

30/365: Free lunch c/o AD. Steak and mashed potato! Food is yummy but service is crappy. First time I ate here was also with AD but we only had ice cream and service was crappy the first time, too. It would have been a lovely experience if it weren't for their service crew who, clearly, lack good customer service skills. This was at Mad Mark's Creamery in Glorietta, FYI.

31/365: Nephew slept on my bed for the night because AC had an overnight thingy in Tagaytay. He wetted the bed and I just changed my beddings the night before that. Oh well. 

32/365: Ze nephew drew a stick version of me. Actually relieved that he didn't draw me using circles, haha. I'm really amazed that he can draw already. Parang kailan lang, he was a teeny tiny baby and now he's going to school already and drawing stick people. At very accurate ang depiction niya ng hairstyle ko ha. 

33/365: Feeling crappy because I feel so bloated and big and heavy. So what better way to make one feel better than to indulge in junk food! SELF-DISCIPLINE FAIL. But it tastes soooo good. So after feeling happy for a moment, I was feeling crappy again for giving in.

Napapa-tsk-tsk na lang ako sa sarili ko kasi laging highlight ng araw ko ay pagkain. Actually, it is a conscious effort to not make food my photo of the day for this project. 

permission to rant.

I haven't felt down in the dumps for a long time. Which I am thankful for. Actually, 2013 kind of was a sucky year but not really because although it was pretty okay in general, it lacked any significant highs. Well, maybe except for watching Linkin Park live and reading a lot of books. But this year feels different, feels blah-er than blah. This is what I get for checking my horoscope. Haha. Pigging out usually makes me feel better but after indulging myself in cheese pizza, soda, chicken and spaghetti and other supposedly "comfort foods," I still feel crappy inside. Maybe because I have gained considerable poundage- ten, to be exact. Here I am trying to lose ten, instead I gain it. FML. 

But then again it's just the start of the year. I should give it more chances to become more awesome or there are more chances for me to make it awesome. What to do to make my 2014 more exciting and more worthwhile? 

For now, I need Cyma pork chop to make me feel better. 

2014 Book Challenge: Just One Day

Finally was able to squeeze in one book before January ends. According to my progress bar, I am three books behind schedule. This time last year I think I have read three to four books already and this year I only had one at the end of the month. I hope this doesn't set the trend for the year when it comes to reading books.

While reading Just One Day, I remember that the first book I read last year was The Fault in Our Stars and for a brief moment, the story was set in Amsterdam as what also happened in Just One Day. Galing, no? I'm sure not a big deal pero amused ako sa mga ganitong coincidences kahit gaano kababaw. So anyway, I carefully chose this book to start the new year because it is about taking chances and stepping out of one's comfort zone which I think I need to try. Last year's book choice was a bit depressing and I think maybe it sort of set the mood for my 2013. I need to pick up the pace here.

Allyson and Melanie went on a cultural/exposure trip in Europe as a graduation gift from their parents. And that one fateful day, Allyson meets Willem. She went with Willem, whom she barely knows, on a trip to Paris. Alone. Without Melanie.

I guess Allyson doesn't have CI channel on cable

So Allyson (otherwise known as Lulu) likes Willem so much that she took a chance on him and hopped on that train to Paris even if she barely knew him. Maybe she hasn't watched any of those psycho-thriller movies where this good-looking guy is a serial killer or someone who sells teenage girls to prostitution dens. But whatever because Willem turns out to be a perfectly normal human being without Dexter-ish tendencies. They spend one day together in Paris, took a nap in the park, got chased by Parisian tambays and trespassed an art squat to spend the night in. The morning after, Willem disappears. Distraught and feeling duped, she goes back to England, to Melanie (with the help of Ms. Foley) and let this one event affect her life.

This one day changed Allyson into an anti-social, sad person who was stuck in a moment. But you see, Willem was someone she barely knew and when she spent one day with him I kinda think she already knew that what they had was something temporary. She expected too much and we all know by now that expectation is the root of all heartache. Very befitting quote as it came from Shakespeare.

But of course our story doesn't end there. She goes back to Paris to find Willem and find out what really happened that morning. I guess she just wants some sort of closure. She finds him but we will find out how their story ends in Just One Year which is told from the point of view of Willem.