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Enthralling Reads | 2015. Powered by Blogger.
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Abby Joy B.


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The Fine Art of Pretending
Author: Rachel Harris
Date Published: September 30, 2014
Publisher: Spencer Hill
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Summary:
According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.
It's so hard to review this book because there's an endless issue about feminism, misogyny and slut-shaming involve. This is the kind of review that I avoid. But we're already here so let's hit the road. What drew me in the first place was the bestfriend-turned-lover troop in YA, but it really came out a terrible read. Teach the woman to love themselves and help them gain their confidence by supporting them in beautifying themselves. BUT NEVER ever tell them that their worth is based on the perception of the guys.

The main character's transformation: from the usual baggy pants and jersey shirts to wearing make-up, tank tops, skimpy short and skirts, but it's not for her own, but for the male population. Period. Now, we don't forget her bestfriend that started feeling intimate/romantic about her when she brought out the girly-ness in her. That's why the romance also didn't work on me. It really felt forced. The lack of deep, strong friendship connection here between Aly and Brandon made me wonder where all these love love love thing came from. 


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Smelly caaaaat, smelly caaaat... I've been staying in a dungeon having the time of my liiiiiife producing hysterical laughs since term break (translation: I'm obsessing over FRIENDS and Parks & Recreation.)

Hi fella-over-there-with-a-hella-good-hair! I'm on a term break for two weeks, but I'm having a little reading ruuuuuut. It's kind of a letdown since I miss reading and blogging. I'm trying to rectify the situation by starting with Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson, but so far my heart is not fully into it. WHAT'S MY PROBLEM??!??!  I've written this post before but I never posted it. I figure this is the right time to publish this and ask for your opinions and recommendation in hopes that any of these books will be the reviving glory for my slump.

Being an avid fan of series, one of the cons(or maybe also a pro) is the agony of entering a beautiful, painful, cavernous hole and finding that it's still going to get deeper but you have to wait for a year or more. Terrible metaphor, but you know what I'm saying. Series makes me impatient but at the same time makes me exuberant especially if I can finally marathon it. There's no in-between.

I'm sharing a few first books of a series that I haven't read yet. This can also be my compensation to the latest TTT that I badly want to do but too occupied to write.


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Since You've Been Gone
Author: Morgan Matson
Date Published: May 6, 2014
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Rating:
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Summary:
The Pre-Sloane Emily didn't go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn't do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell.

But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just… disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try… unless they could lead back to her best friend.

Apple Picking at Night? Okay, easy enough. Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a Stranger? Um...

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go Skinny Dipping? Wait ... what?
In a well-ordered universe, I would love this book and vigorously shove it down on anyone's throat, er.... I mean must-read-ASAP list. And I guess I'm living in one right now. Trust me, I rarely do that. This is the kind of book that has every element of wonderful and versatile characters and relationships. Oh, and the fluff???? I'M ALL SQUEEEEE.
“I don’t think you have to do something so big to be brave. And it’s the little things that are harder anyway.”
What struck me the most and totally pulled my heart strings was how much I could relate to the main character. There was a time that I stopped reading for a moment and muttered to myself, "Is the main character me???? Or is Morgan Matson writing a plausible story about me????? ??" And for me nothing beats a character that I could relate to. Emily is shy and she's working on it. I love that the book didn't try to transorm everything about Emily unlike the usual from shy-timid-quiet girl to everyone's-friend-and-wow-become-suddenly-hot-and-popular. Emily explored things and worked up the courage to do things out of her comfort zone but still being herself. She's more confident and braver by the end of the book. It's very important to empower women whilst not deteriorating who they are.

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Credits to the rightful owners/makers of the gifs and photos.

When my favorite authors release a new book:
futurama animated GIF

When I have to wait for a bajillion years (aka one year) for the sequel of a book that I love/like:

When I finally have the book I'd been anticipating to read since forever:


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Title: The Archived
Author: Victoria Schwab
Series: The Archived #1
Rating:
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Well, I'll be damned. For someone who rarely reads books about this kind of story, this one totally kicked me in the gut and made my head swam in a muddle of..... amazeballness. Yep, totally using that word. The Archived took things to a different level with its eerie and whimsical world, strong/independent heroine, adorable love interest and twisty, conspiring villain. Not enough to convince you to read this? WESLEY AYERS. Dream guy. GUYLINER. Funny, smart, cute, goshdamn cute.. And has DADDY PROBLEMS *gasp* Go. I know you want to meet Wesley Ayers. This book is unique in all sorts. A library full of the memories of the dead? "Librarians" who want to protect the memories of the dead? "Keepers" who subdue violent Histories off the leash? YES PLEASE. And another note: PARENTAL PRESENCE!!! Mac's, the heroine, parents were present all through out the book and they care and they are there. The banter here was so entertaining, I could munch a whole tub of popcorn and just sit there and watch Wesley and Mac talk and joke around and throw some charming banter on each other. Really. I would. 

“IGNORANCE MAY BE BLISS, BUT ONLY IF IT OUTWEIGHS CURIOSITY. CURIOSITY IS A GATEWAY DRUG TO SYMPATHY”  

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Title: The Unbound
Author: Victoria Schwab
Series: The Archived #2
Rating:
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On the other hand, this book dragged a little for me. It started smoothly at first, almost right into action then felt a little (yes I am still in love with the series) flat on the latter. But I can't never deny the eminent character growth throughout this book. The emotional abuse, turmoil and battle of Mackenzie made my heart ache, but she's brave. Always have been brave. That is one thing that makes this book and Mac's character stand out amongst the other books in the loose. I like like liked the dynamics of the new characters as well as the change in setting. Prep school Mac and Wesley? SIGN ME IN. It was fascinating getting deeper into the characters' life. All of them share grief, depression, sadness, and quirks that totally made the diversion. I was just a little upset with the plot in here. It went from "OHMIGOSH THE MYSTERIES" to "UM THAT'S IT?" The romance between Wes and Mac.... It was swoon-worthy, funny, adorable and flail inducing. I found another shiiiiiiiiiiip *pops confetti*

“OUR PROBLEMS WILL TEAR US APART IF WE TRY TO IGNORE THEM. THEY DEMAND ATTENTION BECAUSE THEY NEED IT.”

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It's Valentine's Day tuuuhday and what fun to celebrate it? With le book boyfriends. And the love of their life (bitterrrrr). I love these couples so much, like how do I even function?? Seriously, since I am single and I don't have that 'special' someone yet, their love lives became my own romantic pursuit. I take my shipping intently and with passion. Unabashed fangirl, aye? :D 



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Title: The Winner's Crime
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Publication Date: March 03, 2015
Series: The Winner's Curse #2
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Summary:
The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.
THE WINNER'S CRIME WAS ALL I WISHED FOR IN A SEQUEL OR IN A FANTASY BOOK OR IN EVERYTHING. Suffice to say that I loooove love loved it so much. I was even clutching my tablet for a good hour reeling over everything and over THAT ending. That's very cruel, Ms. Rutkoski. Seriously, this book is all sort of amazeballs, brilliant and superb. I have no other words. This ends my review. Goodbye! I am going to wallow in the misery and agony of waiting for the third book.

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18308266
                Kiss the Sky (Goodreads)                      Hothouse Flower (Goodreads)


Daaaamn girl, these books were feverishly awesome, beautiful, poignant and heart-rending. I read Addicted To You last year and thought it was really moving. Addiction is a very deep and heavy topic to tackle, but KB Ritchie wrote a beautiful story out of it. 

Now we have a spin-off called Calloway Sisters. It has 4 books, but so far only two are published. Kiss the Sky is the story of Rose Calloway and Connor Cobalt while Hothouse Flower is Daisy Calloway and Ryke Meadows's story. But all three Calloway sisters and their lovers are present on every book. That's the beauty of these series by KB Ritchie. They never neglect the other characters and they make it a point that though they are integral characters, they play a very important part in every book. I'll mix my review over the two books in one since both made me drown in a puddle of feels. I lost the ability to write a comprehensive review so I am sorry in advance :D.

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I have a problem. Richelle Mead invaded my reading life for two weeks. How to function after Silver Shadows? How? I started from Shadow Kiss (VA #3) and just this afternoon finished with Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5). Seriously, where did my life go? A total of  9 books in two weeks. Duuuude. 9 Richelle Mead books and I am just. . . . *flips table* Now, now, Abby, don't fret, it was worth your while. Yes. Because I did discover a gem: SYDRIAN.

I admit that I have a love-hate relationship with Vampire Academy. The first half of that series really piqued my excitement over the series, but the other half made me want to punch someone. I could only shook my head while reading those. But ALAS! It was time to move on to the spin-off: Bloodlines series.
Goodreads
What's with the models? Ugh. This is a fantastic series with not-so-glorious covers. I love the color schemes, ornaments, font, flowers, but but but the models' expressions are. . . off. I don't know. It's just me, I think.

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This week's topic is about 2014 releases I meant to read but wasn't able to last year. In resolution to that, here are the top 10 2014 books I am going to read this year. So without further ado, let's get to it!


1. City of Heavenly Fire is literally glaring at me from my shelves. I am 200 pages in and then decided to hold it off for a moment. That's the keyword: moment. I never thought that that moment will take almost a year. 

2. Heir of Fire is that book everyone wants me to read. "Hey any book recommendation?" "Heir of Fire" and then repeat the process 100 times. After the ending of CoM, my mind is still reeling. I need to get my hands on this one this year. Must. Must. Must.

3. I read the heart-rending prologue of In the After Light but that was it. I needed the physical book. It feels weird reading it in e-book when I've been dying to know how will Liam and Ruby's story will end.

4. My sister's friend borrowed my copy of To All the Boys I've Loved Before and hasn't returned it yet for like months now. But I badly want to read this. Heard nothing but good things.

5. My goodreads feed had been "Since You've Been Gone" - ified when this book was release / even earlier. I love lists. I need to read about all the dares in this book. 


6. I am finally reading Bloodlines!!! Holy Shit. I am so excited. I have all the books except Silver Shadows and The Ruby Circle. HASHTAG SYDRIAN

7. Copies of Dreams of Gods and Monsters are so elusive here. I couldn't find one in our local bookstore. Any hopes that they'll release a paperback of this?

8. I just bought The Bane Chronicles yesterday! I am so excited. While skimming it, I noticed the graphic pages. How cool is that? And knowing how glittery and awesome Magnus Bane is, I'll definitely enjoy this.

9. I have The Archived now and I only need The Unbound. This duology sounds epic and I couldn't wait to read it this year.

10. I confess that I intended to stall reading Opposition. Aside from the sudden cover change, I was just a little meh with Armentrout books lately. I am not avoiding them, but I get the same formula with all her books. I hope I could read this before my memories of the predecessors got lost in my mind.

Quick Update:

I'M DROWNING WITH FEELS FEELS

BLAME
SYDRIAN
BLAME
GOLDEN LILY
I'M READING THIS SERIES IN A WHIM WHAT IS HAPPENING??? I THOUGHT I'M GOING TO READ IT SLOWLY BUT SCREW THAT

WHAT 2014 RELEASES ARE YOU GOING TO READ THIS YEAR? AND DO YOU LOVE SYDRIAN?

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Meet Abby!


I'm an engineering student who loves skincare, books, dramas and pastel pink (i just had to write that.) This where I translate my shenanigans and whatnots in life into written posts. I'll probably rave about stuff here so you've been warned! jk! (not really)

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Thought: Does Kasie West ever go wrong? I'm escalated that my first read for 2017 was a squee-filled one. This was utterly adorable. The main character, Lily, is a very witty person. It wasn't hard to love her and her family.
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