2013 Book Challenge 40/35: Eleanor & Park

It's been a few hours after I was done reading Eleanor & Park and somehow I still find myself wanting to cry. Oh yes I am that affected. I enjoyed Attachments TREMENDOUSLY and although against my will (and that is because I needed to do an awful lot of grown-up things to do like work and, seriously, starting a really good book won't let you do that), I picked up another book from the same author (Rainbow Rowell). Thank God for the down time while manning my booth and also that whole day I got sick so staying in bed the entire day and reading was justifiable, I got to finish another awesome awesome read.

{goodreads}

Honestly, if I have never picked up Attachments, I would never had attempted reading this. I judge books by their covers and this cover doesn't make me want to pick it up and read it. Plus, Goodread's blurb goes like this~

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.

What first love?  Unfortunately (or fortunately), this 30-something manang didn't have a first love and there was no pulling under whatever ever happened. So okay, I do read these YA books because we aim to live vicariously but the blurb just didn't make me want to read it. Basta thank God I did because then I would have missed out on this super awesome book.

Set in 1986. Eleanor met Park in a school bus and the their first meeting wasn't pleasant at all. Because Eleanor looked weird, Park tried to steer clear of her at first- he didn't want to share his bus seat with her, didn't want to talk to her, didn't want to have anything to do with her- to avoid being made fun of or bullied. Being the only Asian in school, Park already felt different and he didn't want to further complicate things by having the "wrong" associations. But something happened during the course of sharing a seat of an hour-long bus ride.

"He tried to remember how this happened- how she went from someone he'd never met to the only one who mattered."

 You see, this is what I love in stories such as this (and This Is A Love Story), love that has slowly developed into something beautiful. I happen to like love-at-first-sight stories, so what I sort of frown upon is how teenage couples in most YA reads are so sexually active and at times, promiscuous. With the exception of The Duff because I really liked that one. But you see the beauty of how their relationship evolved, that it's not just about sex, baby.

For Eleanor, I have the girl from Brave in mind. The Brave girl may not be fat but I guess it's the hair. I can't think of any peg for Park because I seriously cannot imagine a half-Korean guy with green eyes. I think of my Hallyu crushes and I really put a face or at least borrow a face for my Park. I usually have a vivid imagination but I really cannot imagine an Asian guy with green eyes. My imagination has been challenged.

Park. Seriously, I should stop crushing on fictional characters. Actually, someone told me I should stop reading romance novels/ love stories because they are ruining reality for us. WHAT? You mean there are no nice guys in real life? But you see, I really really REALLY want a nice guy like Nick (TIALS) or Lincoln (Attachments) or Park. Props to Park's Korean mom for raising such a nice boy. Nice, cute and unassuming.

{via Siminiblocker.com}
one of the best art work based on the book ♥

Eleanor has legit reasons to sulk her life away. Her biological father isn't much of a father, her mother is putting up with the abuses from his stepfather and her stepfather is a drunkard who lusts after her and writes inappropriate things in her books. None of those "I want freedom" angst (I am referring to you, Bailey Gray, ranting about your college scholarship and that your mother buys your underwear. Bailey, Eleanor doesn't have and can't even afford a toothbrush, for crying out loud!). You can see how Park became a big part in her life, how he became the sunshine after the storm.

"Nothing was dirty. With Park.
Nothing could be shameful.
Because Park was the sun, and that was the only way Eleanor could think to explain it."

"Ever since the first day they'd met, Eleanor was always seeing him in unexpected places. It was like their lives were overlapping lines, like they had their own gravity. Usually, that serendipity felt like the nicest thing the universe had ever done for her."

and he was always there for her. He never intended to be her hero, he just did what he thought he had to do. I love him and his family for how they were to her. This time, I think I understand why she was clinging to him like that. And it wasn't even the annoying kind of clinging. You see, words really aren't enough to relate my experience while reading this book. Usually I do not think highly of young loves but with this one, I did. Omigaaahd, especially the last few chapters of the book- I was already crying.

Universe, how could you split up this adorable couple? Why why why!?!?

'I just can't believe that life would give us to each other,' he said, 'and then take it back.'
'I can,' she said. 'Life's a bastard.'

This story, I can imagine how it could affect you until old age, unless you meet another great love, hehe. Three year olds falling in love with each other, that I will never ever get in a million years. But this, omigaaaah, this is beautiful. I really am super affected. Plus, that it's sort of an open-ended ending and those three words could be anything. I'd like to believe it's "I love you," but it could also be, "I am sorry."

"He'd stopped trying to bring her back. She only came back when she felt like it anyway, in dreams and lies and broken-down deja-vu."

this is me after finishing the book, only with tears in my eyes

 P.S. Please throw all expectations out the window to fully appreciate. Remember, expectation is the root of all disappointments.

end of the affair

All good things must come to an end.

Has it really been 5 years already? It's sad because I have grown so attached to this series and among all the series I have watched or am currently watching, I have the most unconditional love for this one. With Gossip Girl, I have unconditional love towards Blair and only Blair and I admit that there were times back in the 3rd season when I entertained thoughts of stopping watching it. But I stuck through it and I am sticking with it  mainly because of her. How I Met Your Mother's consistently funny so there's no need to force myself to watch it. With Glee, I stopped watching it altogether- too trying hard to be socially relevant, imho. But with Chuck... this is real love, y'all! All characters are lovable (well, maybe except for the villains). No characters you'd want to get hit by a bus or fall off a cliff such as Vanessa Abrams or Jenny Humphrey.

Omigosh, I remember signing up an online petition for Chuck's 3rd season... and at that time, even if the third season would be their last, I am fine with it just as long as they give me an ending. Imagine my joy when I found out that they were picked up for a 4th season, then a 5th. I was elated. Wow, it has been three years since signing that online petition.

I have yet to thank that guy who sold me the Chuck DVD set. At the time, I have NEVER heard of Chuck nor Zachary Levi nor anyone in the cast and I had NO intention of buying but since he was superduper makulit and practically shoving it in my face, I gave in. And now I have him to thank for this serendipitous find.

It hasn't been all roses, my relationship with Chuck. There were episodes that I thought were corny or boring. There were times when I thought that it was getting redundant and how I wondered why no one seems to be a plain civilian around them. Either someone's from Fulcrum, The Ring or one of Volkoff's minions. But I guess such is inevitable. In order to appreciate something in its truest sense, we must go through with them though the good and the worst. Word. But whatever, I'm glad I stuck with it all these years. Who cares if five years in Burbank could turn a man into butter? I like butter. Butter is nice :)

I am soooo in love with Sarah + Chuck. We all kinda knew where the relationship is headed to but still it was one helluva I-feel-it-in-my-fingers-I-feel-it-in-my-toes 42-minute ride every week. I was crying while watching because I knew they won't be back for Season 6. I was actually crying during those flashback scenes.

Chuck's a big influence in my life because I made him my peg for the perfect boyfriend. Diba??? Fine, he's not  a hunk-a-babe with six-pack abs, but he has a kick-ass amazing sense of humor and he's smart and he's kind. Ayun lang, he works at a Buy More, LOL. But whatever. I'd still take him ANYfrickinTIME.

Chuck and Sarah. Elie and Awesome. Casey. Morgan. Jeffster. General Beckman. EVERYONE. Oh yes, I am this attached to this series. I love it THIS MUCH. Even if they gave me a sort of an open-ended ending (which I really hate because I they're called endings for a reason), I love it truly, madly, deeply. Unconditional love, y'all! I really thought they could make Sarah's memories, her memories with Chuck, come back. Okay, fine.. move on na nga. They'll make new memories na lang together. Everyone's moved on. And so should I.

So long. Farewell. 

You will be missed.

PS. Next time we have a dog (which is sometime soon because bitch is preggers), I am naming the pups, Chuck Bartowski and Sarah Walker. 

Chuck S03 E09: Chuck Versus the Beard

This episode is downright AWESOME! OMFG! As in oh my frickin' goodness! This episode just oozes awesomeness!!! Things fall apart so that other things can fall together indeed, as is the case in this episode as Chuck suddenly felt as if his life is falling apart since he just lost his flashing abilities (ergo losing the chance to be a real spy), lost his bestfriend Morgan (with whom he was best friends with since they were six) and also lost his chance on a happily ever after (Sarah's eyes are currently on Shaw [or so we thought] and he just dumped very pretty Hannah). I feel sorry for Chuck... when we first "met" him, all he wanted was a real relationship but fast forward three years later, what he wants is to be a spy.

Devon is really awesome (hence the name Capt. Awesome) and I am loving him even more with each episode. He really stepped up this third season as he has become an integral part of this story. Before, we can do without him but now, he has added all this awesomeness to the show that I can't imagine Chuck without him. And he's the best brother-in-law EVER. And I fully understand why his paranoia albeit the awesomeness~ he just doesn't want Elie's life endangered.

And thankfully they brought back Morgan... it wouldn't be as fun without Morgan. He recently just fired Chuck from being his wingman, I believe because of Hannah, because Morgan was interested in her but she liked Chuck so he sort of gave way but in the end, Chuck dumped Hannah. Chuck had a valid reason for breaking it up with Hannah but that was unknown to Morgan at that time. But also the Hannah thing was like the straw that broke the camel's back~ as he also was feeling as if he was losing Chuck but when he found out about his best friend's double life, he fully understood everything and was actually happy for him. He made Chuck recover his mojo, so to speak. Love it!
Yes, Awesome's awesome. Grimes' a moron but we need our Buy More-ons. They're there for a reason :)
And I also love it how he (further) made Chuck realize that he still loves Sarah. And we all know that Sarah still has the hots for Chuck. And now that Chuck has kind of sorted out his feelings, Chuck+Sarah is back, y'all!

Both glad and sad at the same time- glad that this show is frickin' awesome but sad because of its impending end. I ♥ Chuck. Can't wait for next episode!

I waited for you for a long time

and now you're here.

CHUCK! ♥ ♥ ♥

Downloading episodes 1 and 2 as we speak. Please, please Chuck, do not disappoint. And please do me a favor, BE AMAZING so not only will you get a full season but also a fourth season. Oh please please please pretty please!

Originally, I planned on going to Onsdnah at 2pm to oversee things but looks like that's going to change. Will wait for download to finish then will go to Onsdnah and watch Chuck, mi amor, there.

EXCIIIITED.