2015 Reading Challenge: The Elite

It's been a while since I last posted a book (non) review. I've been busy with "production" and my handy dandy Kendall is not salvageable anymore so even in my downtime, I can't do any reading done. Well, sometimes I use my phone when I'm on the train but it's just not the same. Plus, the ereader app drains my phone's juice quickly. So anyway, for this I'm thankful for audiobooks :) I finished two audiobooks the past week HUZZAH! Now I'm only 13 books behind my goal.

I liked Kiera Cass's first book of The Selection series, The Selection and I thought well, I would definitely love the second book as well cos, love triangles. Haha. So I had my hopes up which I should have known better not to do.

The gist is from 35 "contestants," the number has been whittled down to six. Originally, America was only in it for the money and she also successfully formed an alliance with Prince Maxon being his "insider." Of course at that first meeting medyo gets ko na type ni Prince Maxon si America. She'd feed him information regarding the girls which made her sort of spend a lot of time with him which sort of made her eventually fall for the prince. America's now a member of The Elite.

To make things exciting, Aspen, America's boyfriend before the entered The Selection entered the army and is now stationed in the castle (castle nga ba?) and *surprise! surprise!* sometimes, outside America's room. How convenient.

So here's why I sort of didn't like The Elite as much as the first book. Everyone's so indecisive. America went into this thing all reluctant and just after a few months, she begins to fall for Maxon. Well that happens when you're cooped up inside a space without much interaction from anyone else- think PBB. When she's with Maxon, she feels she wants to spend the rest of her life with him; but, when she's with Aspen, she feels the exact same way with him. Anubeh.

The same goes with Aspen. He broke off with America so she'd enter The Selection, knowing fully well that means if ever America's wins the thing, they can never be together. So now here he is a member of the king's army, within the king's walls, near America, he decides to pursue her. Tapos ngayon magseselos- selos siya?

And Prince Maxon. Isa pang pabebe. Haha. I mean, if he likes America, why not choose her? He knows she also sort of likes her and while the poor prince doesn't know his rival is just around the corner (parang Christmas lang), he gets the upper hand in this situation. Why not decide, once and for all, to choose America so they can live happily ever after? It's so easy for Aspen to fade into the background once he chooses America. America only remembers Aspen when she's with him. Eh kung bakuran na ni Maxon, wala na yun.

So I'm frustrated. Lahat sila urong-sulong. Nevertheless, I still will read The One. Tingnan nga natin ano ba talagang pinaglalaban nila.

2015 Reading Challenge: Girl Online

Umm.. so I was expecting a lot from this book judging from what I read from its blurb.

In the beginning, the book has promise. I thought the premise was interesting- there's this girl, Penny, who has this blog that has a pretty big following, only she runs the blog anonymously. I also find her crush on Ollie and her "friendship" with Megan interesting.

I really thought there's more to Ollie than meets the eye. I honestly thought that Ollie and Penny had a chance so I was very disappointed when Ollie wasn't really part of the main story. After Penny's embarrassing moment was when everything turned from possible to incredible.

First, I highly doubt that there are people who would fly four people to another country, all-expenses paid just to style their wedding venue. Aaaaaand.... two of those people aren't really helping with the set-up. So maybe they're filthy rich but filthy rich people are actually very stingy, mind you. Or maybe they're actors or rappers, the ones you see in MTV's My Super Sweet Sixteen. Ang saya naman nila masyado.

But wait, there's more! Not only does Penny go to the US without having to do anything but she meets this incredibly good-looking guy who turns out to be a popular musician. After just a day or so together, they fall in love.

I really, really hate these books (or movies) where a girl and a boy "fall in love" in a span of one day. I mean, seriously, you don't even know if he's a serial killer, 'no! And in this case, Penny doesn't even know Noah's last name. So hindi lang pala sa pelikula ni KC at Richard Gutierrez naiin-love sa loob ng isang araw at pagkatapos ay parang gumuho na ang mga mundo nila.

Anyway, after reading the book, I found out that the book's author, Zoe Sugg, is actually a YouTube celebrity. I now get where she got her idea of a famous blogger falling in love with a musician- it's basically her life- also, debunking my comment that plots like this one is incredible.

Hindi ko pa rin gusto. Bleh. 2 out of 5 stars.

Apparently, there's a sequel to this book. It definitely won't be in my To Read list.

2015 Reading Challenge: Transcendence

What made me read this book in the first place was its blurb which can be read here. I thought it was interesting how love between a modern day human being and a primitive caveman would develop, or if it's even possible.

Actually, I think I was misled by the book cover which made me think that caveman could look like that- way better-looking than most fully-evolved men living in the 21st century. The author included a note which I'm glad I read (because I tend to not read those and jump right into the story) because it was where the author specifically said that Ehd, our story's caveman, would never, ever learn how to speak. Just reviews the author's note and she qualified Ehd's pagka-caveman. Turns out he's just like any other modern-day human male, intelligent  and capable of learning except how to speak and associate sounds with words, objects or actions (so sign language is out). Pero still I think he'll never be able to look like that man on the cover of the book.

So at first I was actually excited and hopeful of the 'promise of kilig' this story will bring into my kilig-obsessed system. I was okay with the first few chapters with Ehd and Beh (Elizabeth) slowly learning how to exist with one another. Of course I understand why Beh would be terrified of Ehd, being that he is a caveman (and will never look like that man on the cover, kung si Tarzan nga modern-day male hindi naman guapo, si Ehd pa kaya?). However, as they were the only Homo-sapien-somethings wherever they were, things were bound to happen and by 'thing,' I think you know to what I'm referring to. Which is actually to Ehd's benefit as he was must-put-a-baby-in-her at first sight with Beh. And when that was all what I was reading again and again, I started to get bored. Which made me skip a looooot of pages (and chapters).

I know how you feel, Alice

And also this is one of those books which I feel should've been told from two POVs. Para at least hindi paulit-ulit and will also give the readers better understanding how Beh finally decided to give Ehd a chance- like did she really fall in love with him or was it just plain tawag ng laman? In the end, light was shed into the situation but I find that out cos I'm the type who finishes her books, no matter how what.What if I'm the type who gives up when things are going WTF-proportions? Also what I can't understand was why Elizabeth chose to stay in the BC era when she could bring Ehd with her to the future instead? Siguro mas masaya sa kweba ☺ Hahaha!

Two stars.

2015 Reading Challenge: Winger

Because I've been struggling with Ann Brashares' My Name is Memory which is taking me forever to finish- ang baaaaagaaaal kasi ng story. I thought I needed a light, mababaw story which led me to Winger.

Umm.. it was an okay read. I found it a little boring and super babaw naman. Well, whaddya expect from a life of a fourteen-year-old boy?

My favorite character is Joey and it was sad that he died, which I think was a last-ditch effort to shock the readers. It was a tragic turn from the book's earlier feel- which deals mostly with petty teenage stuff. The author should've let Joey live.

But this has a sequel so maybe Joey's death has a purpose. I don't know if I'd want to read it though.

2015 Reading Challenge: Never Too Far

I take it all back. I mentioned here- Fallen Too Far post- na hindi masyado ma-issue si Blaire, but now I am taking it back. Sus etong babaeng ito ay isang example ng isang taong madaling kausap.

Anyway, I think everything happened TOO SOON. Personally, I feel they should've explored further her relationship with Cain before she went back to Rosemary Beach again. And I also think that she's not really serious about shutting Rush out of her life cos if she is, why on earth would she go back to where he is? Ang lola mo simpleng malandi din. But seriously, I really wish they prolonged the chase a little bit. I guess, patience is not one of today's kids's virtues. Sige na Blaire, ikaw na ang fertile.

Also one of my reactions while listening to the book- PUEDE BA YUN?!?!?!? As in. Naloka ako. Sa palagay ko hindi pa puedeng maging parents ang dalawang 'to.

Dear Blaire,

I am very disappointed in you.

And Rush. A lot are swooning over Rush Finlay and I don't know why. You see, I am not immune to bad-boy-charms as evidenced by my infatuation over Marcus Flutie but at least Marcus doesn't start every sentence with an expletive.

So umm... it was okay but I think I won't be picking up Book Three anytime soon.

2015 Reading Challenge: Fallen Too Far

via Goodreads

Thanks to audio books, I am now 1 book ahead of schedule. "Read" Fallen Too Far before I went to sleep last Sunday and I was done by lunchtime Monday. But it's just not the same. It's different when you really read a book and not just listen to it. Mas feel ang kilig ba. Haha.

Well, I kinda like it that Blaire isn't as angst-y like her contemporaries even if she has the life experiences to back it up. Her dad left her and her mom then her mom got sick and died. Kung issues lang, maraming baon si Blaire. But she was still optimistic about things, relatively-speaking. She didn't self-destruct. She didn't try to kill herself. And I think getting attracted to Rush was reasonable. Kahit na minsan parang it's weird and awkward cos they're stepbrother and stepsister but in times like these, I just think Clueless. If it's okay in Clueless, then it is acceptable.

Alam naman nating lahat where Blaire and Rush's relationship was headed for. I may like Blaire but with Rush, I am not emotionally-invested yet. Woods is still a viable candidate. I liked how Woods didn't put up a fight when he realized that Blaire and Rush were already an item. I mean, he technically has dating dibs over the girl since he asked her out first, but he let them be. And Cain, the best friend. May chance pero minus pogi points pa rin when he chose to break up with her just so he could hook up with other girls who would put out for him.

Seriously, these kids have way too much freedom. Although Rush isn't a kid anymore but still to my 32-year-old-manang-eyes, he is still a baby.

So anyway, post- Rush Blaire leaves Rosemary Beach an angsty teenager and for understandable reasons. I just hope she doesn't wallow in it so we could start Never Too Far on a not-so-sulky air.

2/5 hindi kasi masyado kinilig.

2015 Reading Challenge: This Song Will Save Your Life

via Goodreads

Elise was an outcast. In Hey! Arnold terms, back-of-the-bus material. The popular crowd loves to harass her and honestly, I think I know why.

Elise has always been unpopular in school. She tries to be one of them and by this I don't know if this means to be one of the popular kids or be "normal." And I think she's bait to these popular kids pranks because she's trying way too hard. I could be wrong but this is how I see her. She's trying too hard and she thinks highly of herself.

In what way, you ask me? Because it seems that Elise is insecure, so why you say do I think of her as someone who thinks highly of herself? Well, let's just say that she has longed to be noticed by the popular crowd and how she has felt superior to Sally and Chava. Why, before her suicide attempt, does she have no friends? Not even one? Because the friends she wanted were the popular ones and the likes of Sally and Chava who with their shallow interests are so beneath her as evidenced by: "You may wonder how I managed to make these friends. Well, I will tell you: making friends is actually not that hard when you drop every single one of your standards." Lakas. Ikaw na, Elise, ikaw na.

So that is why I don't like Elise Dembowski. She's so full of herself. She realizes that in the end- THANK GOD- but I think she still thinks highly of herself and now that she's Elise, DJ extraordinaire, her self-worth must have gone off the roof.

Oh, you think you're so great. You think you're so special.
You think you're so much better than everyone else.

And that's what's inside Elise's head. And that is why I give this book only two stars. Not because other people don't listen to The Smiths or Oasis or some other "cool" band, they're beneath you, Elise Dembowski.

2014 Book Challenge: Biggest Flirts

Okay here I am again going all-preachy about how these teenagers are so promiscuous. Biggest Flirts (Jennifer Echols) may have been one of the books with the fastest hook up that ever happened in a YA book. I think Tia and Will's hook up happened even faster than those characters in Trish Doller's Something Like Normal. But after reading a lot of these American YA books, I think I am slowly coming to terms with how fast things go in their part of the world. However, I think I still need someone to explain to me what exactly is a hook up. Is it everything, but...?

Tia and Will hook up within the first ten seconds upon getting acquainted with each other. Okay it wasn't that fast but they did hook up at the end of night and of course the prude in me was shocked at how these kids progress sexually. I get that this is fiction where everything is possible such as hooking up with a guy you just met and he doesn't lose his respect for you, but in real life, 'wag isuko ang Bataan, girls. Spoken like a true, blue prude. Ha.

that's right

I like Will. Tia, not so much. This is not a case of double standards and this is not based on their propensity to engage in certain "activities." Well, I sort of have this issue with girls who self-destruct and obviously, Tia is one of those girls. But then again Tia is not solely to blame with regard to her actions. Her family is pretty messed up and with an absentee father and she is just a teenager who does what she thinks will get her through life. Plus, Tia is smart and she has what it takes to rise above her situation so notwithstanding the circumstances of their first meeting, I reckon Will was the best thing to have ever happened to her.

But props to Tia for changing for the better not because of Will but because she wants to even if it was Will who made her realize that she wanted something better and that she is capable of being better.

Two stars for Biggest Flirts. Although there was some semblance of kilig, kulang pa din. Groping and other stuff that entail a hook up doesn't automatically equate to kilig. They should learn from Lara Jean. Hehehe.