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Showing posts from May, 2016

Jennifer Niven Book Signing Event

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I arrived in SM Megamall at around 6am and I met up with my twitter friends. I had so much fun waiting with them because we talked about a lot of bookish stuff that made the waiting bareable. With (Avy) @MorganMatsonPH, (Karen)@WinnersPH, & (Pam)@ThrnsAndAll With  (Karen)@WinnersPH, & (Pam)@ThrnsAndAll They let us in for the registration early, around 9am and the event started around two pm. I almost cried because all of the emotions from reading All the Bright Places came back to me when Jennifer Niven arrived at the event and I'm not the only one. I think it was an emotional day for everyone due to the All the Bright Places being a relatable and exceptionally sad book. Also, it was so sorrowful when Jennifer talked about her inspiration for this book because this situation happened to her and a boy she loved. To add, I love how she made the book more personal and real by creating the aspects of the book into a reality just like the  Germ Magazine  and

Events: Jennifer Niven In PH

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National Book Store brings New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Niven to the Philippines for book signing events on May 28, 2016 at 1 p.m. in the Northwing Atrium, SM City Cebu and on May 29, 2016 at 2 p.m. in Second Level Mega Atrium, SM Megamall. Frequently Asked Questions ONLY BOOKS PURCHASED FROM NATIONAL BOOK STORE, NATIONAL BOOK STORE EXPRESS OR POWERBOOKS WILL BE ACCOMMODATED. When and where are the book signings? May 28, 1:00 p.m., at the Northwing Atrium, SM City Cebu May 29 6, 2:00 p.m., at the 2L (2nd Level) Mega Atrium, SM Megamall Is there a registration fee? No. There is no registration fee. When will the registration be? Registration opens at 10:00 a.m. on May 28 at the Northwing Atrium, SM City Cebu, and 10:00 a.m. on May 29 at the 2L Mega Atrium, SM Megamall. Each guest will be asked to fill out the registration form upon arrival. First come, first served. Guests must present their book to get a numbered Signing Pass. The book must have eit

Anticipated Book Releases - June 2016

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The first is my most anticipated release of June 2016 and that is ... The Savage Song by Victoria Schwab  There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from acclaimed author Victoria Schwab ,  a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books,   This Savage Song  is a must-have for fans of Holly Black, Maggie Stiefvater, and Laini Taylor. Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the ch

GIVEAWAY: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E Schwab

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To celebrate my 1st blog anniversary, which I forgot, and 50 followers for my twitter account (@VESCHWABph) I will be giving away a copy of A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E Schwab. Rules: 1. Must be 18+ years old (If you are younger you have to get permission from your parents/legal guardian).  2. Residents of the Philippines only. * Giveaway ends at July 1, 2016* a Rafflecopter giveaway GOOD LUCK AND MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR. XOXO, Isabel Samonte 

Book Review: Ruined by Amy Tintera

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Summary  (From: Goodreads)  A revenge that will consume her. A love that will ruin her. Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped. But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family. In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family. Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the

Author Spotlight: Q& A with Dana Burkey

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           Hi Ms. Dana Burkey and thank you for answering some questions for me, First things first can you give me five fun facts about yourself? Absolutely! I live in Washington State, although I grew up in Ohio. I have a degree in theater with a minor in creative writing, and currently work full time at a kids camp. I've been writing stories of one kind or another since I was in middle school, and started self-publishing just under 2 years ago. When I'm not writing I love going geocaching, doing community theater, and watching movies. Oh, and most important of all, I have a cat named Cato that helps keep me company while I'm writing! Why write about cheerleading? Ever since I was younger I was really interested in cheerleading. I loved watching it on TV. The athleticism and performances involved in the high energy routines was super easy to get caught up in and excited about! In recent years thanks to YouTube shows and social media I have been able to foll

Book Review: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

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                This novel starts with two teenagers, Violet and Finch, meeting on top of a bell tower. They kinda save each other since both of them are dealing and struggling with heavy issues. Violet grieving her sister's sudden death and Finch having some serious family issues that lead him to be fascinated with death. They started to form a friendship, which led to something more serious. This book shows how different people deal with different issues and dilemmas they face and they cope up with them.                 I really really love this book. It is definitely one of the books that was an eye opening experience for me and it really left a lasting impression on my life. I love how it tackles depression and how it shows that it is really a health hazard. This book is good for readers in the Philippines since the Philippines is a country wherein mental health is not really talked about. It is even considered taboo and that is why I think people are afraid of seeking

ARC Review: Learning to Fly by Dana Burkey

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Disclaimer: I receive a free arc from the author in exchange for an honest review.                This book start with a 12 year old girl Maxine "Max" Turner. She is a tomboy and plays with her two guy best friends Peter and Kyle. As they were playing dodge ball, she met some girls in the local trampoline park due to her being intrigue with the gymnastics stunts they were doing. The girls even taught her some moves and she was actually good at it. They invited her to go to the gym to try out cheerleading and with the encouragement from her dad she gives it a try. But the change was very challenging her that she even considered quitting and going back to what it was used to be.                I really enjoyed this book. It is a fast and easy read and it got me out of my reading slump. I love that it talks about the challenges a person goes through growing up, especially how a person deals with change. In this book, we see Max as this girl who was afraid of try

National Bookstore Online Review and Haul

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   *** This is not sponsored nor am I affiliated with the company *** Review             I love national bookstore. I've been buying my school supplies there ever since I started going to school. It's very convenient since they have a lot of branches nationwide and now shopping in there will be more convenient and trouble-free now that they have an online shop (Click  Here ). This is my second time ordering in the National Bookstore website. The first time is when I ordered The Siren by Kiera Cass with an autograph bookplate. And I would say that I will continue shopping in their online shop since you can pre-order books, they have online exclusives (like signed books), and they do cash on delivery.  Reminder: For Metro Manila expect your order to arrive 2-3 working days after confirmation and 3-4 days for outside Metro Manila. Also if your order is over 1000 pesos the delivery and handling fee will be free.  Haul:  A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Book Depository Haul and Review

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Book Depository  Review              I decided to try book depository since the local bookstores here in the Philippines does not carry A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E Schwab. Also, a lot of booktubers get their books from Book Depository. Before ordering I read some reviews from some local bloggers to make sure that their parcels arrived, that it was not lost or got stolen (problems living in the Philippines) and that I did not have to pay extra for the handling fee or in the Bureau of Customs.           Furthermore, it took a long time to arrive (Mine arrived 10 days and more after the confirmation of the order), which is understandable since mine is shipped from the United Kingdom. Also, even though you ordered 2 or more books at the same time they will be packed separately and delivered separately. 3 out of the 5 books I ordered arrived 10 days later while the other 2 books arrived after 4 days.  PROs  - They have lower prices as compared to local bookshops here.  -