Review: Pines

Pines by Blake Crouch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
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I honestly don't know how I feel about this book yet. It's definitely a strong start towards a trilogy, but I was expecting....more. As Crouch noted, Pines is inspired by the 90's cult classic Twin Peaks. While I am not entirely familiar with Twin Peaks, I do notice the similarities of the thematic "creepy town" vibe. The novel is a combination of horror and science fiction, and makes for an enthralling and unique read. However, the first book lumbered along and it was incredibly frustrating not knowing anything at all. To be fair, the book ended on a definite note. You're certain that there's a sequel, but you get a sense of satisfaction at the way the first book ended. It can stand on its own.

Would I be continuing with the next books on the series? DEFINITELY, because I'm still expecting Wayward Pines to live up to the good great reviews.

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Review: Final Girls

Final Girls by Riley Sager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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I AM STUNNED. 😨😨😨

This belongs to my Top Reads of 2017. Every chapter put me on edge. This book made me feel a range of emotions from start to finish. Admittedly, the most common was frustration. The book was frustrating most of the time because of the presence of Sam/Tina. Another source of frustration was Quincy's recklessness. I really done know if that recklessness comes with being a Final Girl, or is it recklessness that comes with being Quincy? Wherever it came from, it became a constant source of irritation for me.

This is one of those books that gives twists one after the other, without being too confusing, and without being too absurd. Just when you thought you had it figured out, it pulls you again to another direction and it will leave you reeling. It's one of those stories that makes you feel complacent one moment knowing you understand it, but then you realize you absolutely know nothing.

It's a horror/mystery and it did a mighty job at scaring and leaving me breathless from the twists. I am looking forward to re-reading this book and reconnecting all the clues to have a better grasp of the story and be amazed all over again with Sager's brilliance.

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Review: The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley

The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
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Tinti writes beautiful prose, but to be completely honest, I struggled with this book. I could not relate to neither Loo nor Hawley. They've been through a lot, particularly Hawley, which makes him so compelling and difficult at the same time. He makes for one of the most interesting characters I've read recently, but he's so complex and doesn't make for an easy read.To be frank, I am not really comfortable with guns--they've always held a sense of danger and violence for me. And this book did not help repress that fear. Because of the characters' and plot's heavy dependence on guns, I'm wary for the entire time I was reading the book.

Halfway through the book, I felt duped. I was expecting this book to be...magical, or at least I would find constant reference to classical myths as one of the blurb said, but I found none of that. So yeah, I guess, it was unmet expectations. I was irritated at how at one point, the story was veering towards the YA genre. If you haven't noticed, I no longer hold contemporary YAs to the highest regard. They don't hold much "believability" and being identifiable for me anymore. (I don't know if it's just because I've grown out of it, or there just aren't any exceptional YAs lately.) So this book shifting towards YA at one point was sigh-inducing.

A redeeming feature for me (by that I meant, the reason why I didn't give this an even lower rating) was towards the end of the book; Bullet Number Eleven was the most beautiful chapter of this book. In hindsight, it may look sloppy, but the build-up towards it was paced well, and it became the quintessential manifestation of Loo and Hawley's relationship.

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Disclaimer: Excerpts below are from the book. Copyright © 2017 by Hannah Tinti:

It was easier to fall back on what he knew than try to change, even though he understood things weren't right anymore.

Changing where you were could change how much you mattered.

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Review: American Gods

American Gods by Neil Gaiman
This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 4.8 stars
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It's difficult to put into words what exactly I loved about American Gods. It was a myriad of eccentricities; this is the weirdest book I have read. The book is a plenitude of riddles. There were things I wish I understood immediately, or had connected immediately to what I've previously read. But due to my on-and-off reading (it took me a month (!!!) to finish this book), some details have already gotten lost among the trivial everyday things on my mind. I only really fully understood what was happening towards the end when the twist was revealed. I'm still reeling from all that had happened--I don't think I've fully grasped and related Shadow's dreams with the resolution. On a different note, it makes me want to go on a road-trip across America to visit all the places Shadow visited.

Despite getting lost along the way, however, I never remembered a time when I didn't have fun reading it. American Gods held me fascinated and intrigued. It got me attached to characters (more importantly to quiet Shadow and resilient Laura). It educated me (a bit) about the different gods of different myths and folklore, which I am otherwise previously unfamiliar with. Although you wouldn't be a subject matter expert immediately after reading this, this served as an introduction to African folklore, German folklore, Egyptian myths, and Algonquian folklore. The blend of culture and tradition made this book so exhilarating to read.

I especially loved the Coming to America short stories (?) by Mr. Ibis. I would have loved to read more of it. I wish Gaiman would write an anthology using Mr. Ibis' voice to regale us with the gods' manifestation in America, and read about the (mis)adventures of the people who brought them here.

Gaiman has always been one of my favorite authors. His works are always so compelling, and his writing mesmerizing. American Gods is no exception. The way he weaves his tale is ingenious. His prose is always lyrical no matter how simple the words he used. Each voice he took with each point-of-view is sharp and distinct.

I think I would still enjoy this book even after re-reading it numerous times. It's one of those books that naturally amass its own cult following. It's just so...profound, and has a lot of layers waiting to be discovered at every re-read you do.

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Disclaimer: Excerpts below are from the book. Copyright © 2011 by Neil Gaiman:

Information and knowledge: these are currencies that have never gone out of style.

You know why dead people only go out at night? Because it's easier to pass for real, in the dark.

Fiction allows us to slide into these other heads, these other places, and look out through other eyes. And then in the tale we stop before we die, or we die vicariously and unharmed, and in the world beyond the tale we turn the page or close the book, and we resume our lives.

A life, which is, like any other, unlike any other.

Religions are places to stand and look and act, vantage points from which to view the world.

I think I would rather be a man than a god. We don't need anyone to believe in us. We just keep going anyhow. It's what we do.

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Review: Blindness

Blindness by José Saramago
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Reading this gave me the WORST headaches. I am simply not smart enough for this book. It is most certainly jarring and disturbing, but not in a way I've enjoyed. Saramago's style is so complicated. There are probably a thousand nuggets of wisdom within this book, but most of them went over my head, or they simply did not make any impression on me because I was too confused and distracted with the "non-dialogue". It was a serious struggle for me to finish this book. I went on because I was genuinely curious about the epidemic and what will happen to the main characters, but I did not absorb nor appreciate the countless poorly punctuated philosophical ramblings. I think I would enjoy this more if it was written into a more conventional style.

Setting the Scene: She Believed

© Bobbie Rebultan

She's always been pessimistic and skeptical. She doesn't like getting her hopes up.

So when he brought her to their favorite seafood shack where they had their first date, she only thought he wanted to indulge on a Friday night.

So when he asked her if she had any plans for the night, she didn't think any of it and just said none.

So when after that, he brought her to a bookstore that was open late at night while he watched with a smile as she browsed the shelves for two hours, she only thought he was amused at how indecisive she's always been when book shopping.

Review: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
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I am floored by Chamber's material. I really don't know where she got it, but growing up in a household of science probably helped a lot. This novel is immersive, and often overwhelming. But really, this book is...fun. Not Star Wars type of fun and legendary (*ducks to avoid tomatoes flying towards my head*). Honestly, I'm not a hard-core Star Wars fan (yet) because I haven't read/watched/consumed everything-Star-Wars (BOOOO! *barely had time to duck to avoid a TV flying towards my head.*) (Calm down! Calm down! I'll get to it!) But both are really different. If you're looking for a fast-paced, thrilling read filled with space wars and theatrical adventures, this isn't it. The closest action in this book was at the end when they finally reached the "angry planet". And even then, it was still kind of mellow and slowed down. Even then, the book still centered on the Wayfarer and its crew. The story focused more on the characters, so I really can't say anything bad about character development because Chambers gave that a lot of thought and perspective.

Setting the Scene: Stars and Chocolates

© Bobbie Rebultan

Was it odd he loved this place so much? He knew not many six-year olds go here for fun, but it's quiet and it smells of chocolate and his dad's coffee. ☕ Certainly the adults don't mind, if the small smiles they gave him are any indication. 

Setting the Scene: The Trolley-Lady

© Bobbie Rebultan

She stacked a fresh batch of cauldron cakes atop her trolley, releasing a fresh smell of caramel and cinnamon. She strolled down the corridor, occasionally taking a peek inside the compartments. She was careful. With years in this job, the students are happy when they see her, but she doesn't want to be intrusive. Oh she loves these kids and they are well-behaved, but teenagers are capricious!

Setting the Scene: To My Darling Bookworm

 © Bobbie Rebultan

Specks of dust floated and danced in the light drifting through the clerestory. A smell hung in the air, of mildew and spring. A peculiar blend of old and new.

A girl, barely an adult, crossed the room. Her footsteps echoed with sadness and curiosity. She held in her hand a piece of paper. On it is her mother's round cursive. "To my darling bookworm," it read. "May you find home in these pages as I have." With dark, inquisitive eyes, she gazed at the bookshelf in front of her, age-old and imposing with the amount of books it held. But it welcomed her, creaking softly as her hand pulled open its glass doors.

The girl reached up and took a dog-eared book from the shelves. It rested in her hands with a sigh, the sound of a soul finding its way home. Its spine made fragile by time, and its pages smelled of memory.

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The Book Cellar candle from Frostbeard Studio (@frostbeardmpls) featuring the first favorites to occupy my shelves. What it reminds me: discovery of long-lived treasures.

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Notice: Words and pictures are mine. If you want to borrow them, please read my Content Usage Policy here. Thank you! :)

Review: Norse Mythology

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)

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Reading this book has been a most magical journey. A tale of gods, warriors, creatures, and giants. Of battles and tales of trickery and gods outplaying each other.

All the tales in the book were as delightful and intriguing as the next, but my favorites are:

* Thor's Journey to the Land of the Giants : Thor, Loki, and Thialfi's journey to Utgard was one of the most fascinating stories in this book, especially Utgardaloki's challenges to his visitors. These challenges, in hindsight, proved their strength.

* Ragnarok: The Final Destiny of the Gods : The only word I can describe this last tale on the book is epic . The narrative was short as far as battles go, but it gave leeway for scholars and storytellers to give it their own unique spin--a chance Gaiman did not waste. At the end of Ragnarok came the rebirth of the world, which filled me with hope, as Mimir's head filled Odin.

Setting the Scene: A Woman of Literature

© Bobbie Rebultan

It stands over me, bright and beckoning. Contemporary, but a little weathered. The facade is marked by a simple FULLY BOOKED sign in large block letters. Large windows give me a peek on the wonders within.

I step inside and I am greeted with both a rush and a hush--a feeling of thrill and peace only books can bring. The multistory shelters thousands of worlds and realities. Numerous floors and endless shelves lined, stuffed, and stacked with books. My eyes and heart leap from one shelf to the next. The crew, clad in their signature red shirts, smile warmly at the wondrous gaze of their visitors.

On the center, there she sits, grand and dominating with her infamous icy gaze--relaxed while she holds her pink cat. I look up at her and wish to be what she is: a woman of literature.

I step out, grinning from ear to ear and hugging to my chest the new stories I have adopted to fill the library I keep in my room, and the one in my head. I imagine myself trailing smiles, glitter, stars, and a faint smell of books as I emerge from the bookstore. ❤ It seems to me that the heavens noticed I was lonely, so they gave me the universe and called it a bookstore.

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This week's vignette will be about my favorite bookstore, Fully Booked (Happy 10th Anniversary, BGC branch! ❤) And inspired by the wonderful smell of the Bookstore candle by Frostbeard Studio (@frostbeardmpls).

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Notice: Words and pictures are mine. If you want to borrow them, please read my Content Usage Policy here. Thank you! :)

Review: Bone Gap

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 3.9 stars
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Magical realism confuses the hell out of me; I won't disguise that truth. I've had to research the difference between magical realism and fantasy, because as I was thinking of what to write in my review, I kept wondering why I'm not fond of magical realism whereas I love fantasy. The former is grounded on the world as what we perceive as real as opposed to the latter, in which the setting and characters are completely made up.

Surprisingly, Bone Gap was not as complicated as I thought it would be. I was able to enjoy and follow the story because it was still comprehensible. Yes, the circumstance was out of place because it was laced with fantasy. I found myself getting frustrated for any lack of explanation or background on the fantastical elements, and I desperately wished that it will be explained at the end. Of course it wasn't. This is magical realism after all--it's confusing and all that is magical will not be demystified. This may explain my aversion to the genre--I like things that make sense, that can be untangled to an extent.

Review: Murder on the Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)

Parts tagged with * has major spoilers. If you still want to read it, please do so on Goodreads here. :)
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This is still one of the most clever mysteries I've read. Unique and fresh even as I've only read it now in 2017. I suspect that I would enjoy this book immensely when I read it for the second time. However, I cannot put this on par with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, which in my view is in a league of its own.

However, one of the things I love about Murder on the Orient Express is how it seemed to be darker and more sinister. I'm attributing it to the fact that the setting was closed and secluded, and also because the weather here in Manila has been dark and gloomy recently--which is always an ideal background for reading mysteries. However, I often found myself confused and unable to recall the passenger names and details; I even mix them up even after finishing the novel. Unfortunately for an easily-distracted reader like me, some of the characters were not given enough particulars to stand out. The characters were mysterious, and this is partly to blame. The amount of secrecy behind each character became a nuisance. (view spoiler)*[But I guess, this whole affair lies on the mystery of these characters. All the lies behind each suspect muddled my perception of the crime. (hide spoiler)] Another thing I loved about this book is how it showed Poirot's ability to manipulate his suspects into revealing their little truths. His guesses were not absurd and they were always substantiated and shown (unlike some detective stories *coughdeckercough*).

Setting the Scene: Old Friend

© Bobbie Rebultan

Harry stared at the headmaster's chair. A year ago, a phoenix with intelligent eyes perched on it. Now, it looks bare. Around them portraits hung, their occupants peering down at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, some bored, but most are curious, wondering what brought the three students back to this office.

Review: The Fireman

The Fireman by Joe Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Note: Spoilers ahead in a 'general' sense, but nothing in detail. :)

Joe Hill always surprises me with how distinct his stories are. The plot, in forethought, sounds worn-out (I'm blaming it on the blurb). The Fireman, for example, introduces the readers to an apocalypse. A plethora of books have already been published introducing dystopian societies. But Hill managed to paint this world we're living into something so desolate and sinister. At the core of this book lies an outline of the rough edges of humanity: how our souls seek harmony, and how we thirst for religion. It shows that each human being has his own fire inside: whether it's compassion and empathy, or cruelty and violence. This book doesn't sugarcoat things. It's brutal, graphic, and good people die. At the end of the book, I was pretty much jaded as much as the characters. I was actually surprised I didn't die with the others.

Setting the Scene: Luna Lovegood

© Bobbie Rebultan

She stumbled and fell down on her knees, gasping as her stockinged legs came in contact with the snow. The warming spell she cast on her toes was starting to wear out. She remained seated on the crisp snow and looked up. The world was coated in frosting. The ground reflected the skies, she thought. It felt like she was sitting inside a hollow snowball. Luna Lovegood sighed again and laid down on the snow, her disheveled blonde hair fanning out under her. Her silver eyes on her pale face blended with her surroundings. She feels like snow herself. She reached up, her gloved hands outlined against the clouds. All around her fell a flurry of flakes--frozen stars, soft and sighing against her hair.

Setting the Scene: Her Companion

© Bobbie Rebultan

It was overcast, but for a moment the midmorning sun peeked through the clouds. Its rays fell through the large windows, bathing the tables and silverware in a muted glow, giving an illusion of open air. A figure sat with her shoulders hunched and brows furrowed in concentration, her eyes intently following the words on the book resting on the marbled table in front of her. Around her, glasses clinked and indistinct chatter rose and fell across the room. Outside the window she was leaning on, people in coats, ties, and heeled shoes walked briskly, gripping paper cups in one hand and black cases in the other. A sudden burst of high-pitched laughter shot from the table across hers, but she remained unfazed, completely absorbed in the story of a nurse with Dragonscale.

Setting the Scene: The Smell of Safety

© Bobbie Rebultan

The gargoyle looked down on me with distaste. In a huff, it stepped aside and admitted me to a room brimming with wonder. The walls were lined with huge, dusty tomes and moving portraits. Numerous tables--some seeming to hover, some seeming to gently rock back and forth--were strewn everywhere. Atop them are various devices puffing, whistling, and popping.

At the center, raised by a platform, stands a large wooden desk bathed in warm light. It was in disarray, but filled with curios--silver pendulums, more devices that whirred and twirled, a bowl with contents that glitter, and moving miniatures of each of Hogwart's founders arguing with each other. Perched over one end of the table is a beautiful bird--a phoenix, with dark eyes that watched me languidly. In the middle of the table rests a large open book. Intently poring over it was Albus Dumbledore, an elaborate quill poised in his hand.

When Fawkes blinked, the headmaster looked up and peered at me with twinkling eyes. "Ah! A visitor!" He exclaimed. He reached over the bowl and offered it to me, "Lemon drops?" I was greeted with a feeling of what I can only describe as 'safety'. ❤

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To practice my writing, I will start randomly creating scenes out of photographs. I may use the subjects of my photographs repeatedly, but the write-up will always be different. See label: "write".

Disclaimer: The words and pictures are mine (if you want to borrow, please read my Content Usage Policy here). :) The world is J.K. Rowling's. I'm simply borrowing from her.

Review: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Well…damn. I’ve finished this last Saturday evening, and I’m reeling until now. No wonder this is still considered one of Christie’s best, and remains to be controversial until now. This was truly superb and well-written. Each character was well developed. The flow of the story seems formal (as with Hercule Poirot), but in hindsight, it is a gripping narrative.

Review: We Are the Ants

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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The moment I read this line, I knew right of the bat that it's my favorite quote from this book: "Milk shakes make the world seem less shitty." - Zooey Denton nee Hawthorne :)

To be completely honest, three-quarters into this book, I'm considering giving this a 3-star rating. Only because I'm a snob and I felt duped into reading a YA novel, when I wanted it so badly to be a mature sci-fi. But who am I kidding, the last quarter of this book gave me all the right feels, and slowed the world down. My favorite character is Audrey. Sure, I like Henry because of his sarcasm, but Audrey is the smart girl with spunk. She's not as interesting and multi-faceted as Henry Denton, but this girl knows she has flaws, acknowledges it, and is an amazing friend.

Review: Confessions

Confessions by Kanae Minato
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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[WARNING: Contains strong language]

Let me just come right out and say it: holy...shit. That was so good! It was pretty horrific, but it was beyond good. The few people (hi Mom! hi boyfriend! hahaha) who follow my reviews know that I love reading gore and crime, so it might not come as surprise that I loved Confessions. The book does not lack troubled characters. In fact, all characters are troubled and each backstory justified it. They did not seem ridiculous at all. Some novels tend to overplay just to make the characters seem interesting, but Confessions had no problem with that. Or maybe I'm being biased. After all, I have been forever in awe with how Japanese writers excel at storytelling, especially when it involves mysteries and really fucked-up characters.

Minato wrote it in a prose so blunt and no-holds-barred. The story was made rich by how it was narrated. Each individual narrating it delivered his and her own unique dark and twisted voice. Despite the narrative revolving mostly around one scene with switching perspectives, the retelling by each character never became dull. The story took a lot of turns--it was quite a whirlwind to follow. And that ending, I looked up from the last page with a "Well...fuck!"

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Review: The Thing About Jellyfish

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
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I think this is what young adult novels should be like--real, but uplifting. The Thing About Jellyfish effectively unmasked the voice of the youth--timid but strong, reluctant but full of wonder. Suzy's strength is in how she fully embraced what she is and what she's not. She, despite all her strength, went through her own way of grieving and dealing with the guilt. What I love about this book is how it did not portray the mean girls as the hopelessly evil mean girls. I know I should not discount the possibility, bullies vary. But the story focused on how Suzy learned to forgive Franny and herself. Honestly, I never really cared enough for Franny. I'm sorry, but if you're a bully who, not only DOES NOT stand up for her best friend, but eventually bullies her, too, then you won't really get any sympathy from me. But Suzy...my dear, sweet Suzy. I want to hug that kid. I can listen to her ramble on about pee and Irukandji all day long and I would love that sweet, fragile, kid.

Review: Sleeping Giants

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 3.8 stars
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What I love about Sleeping Giants:

1) The premise is so interesting. It was fast-paced and it was filled with exciting twists. It has a lot of potential to be a full-blown sci-fi series that will reel in any robot-loving nerd next door. I can't exactly go into detail without revealing spoilers, but believe me when I say, I did not find anything predictable at all with Sleeping Giants.

2) It wasn't a lot of info dump as I expected. I've read sci-fis that presented a shitload of info within the narrative guaranteed to fry your brain, and this isn't one of them. The science was explained enough for the reader to understand.

Review: Memory Man

Memory Man by David Baldacci
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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I wasn't really planning on reading Memory Man any time soon. Yes, it was on my to-read list but, way down. I started reading this out of boredom during a four-hour flight and it was the only unread book that had a synopsis that's remotely interesting on my Kobo that time.

The book was...okay. It doesn't fall short of the gruesome and graphic details expected of murder scenes, massacres, and thrillers, but this "mystery" was a mess. The explicitness delivered a believable scene creeping me out when I'm alone and brimming with anxiety, but beyond that, I found the book too laid out.

Review: The History of Love

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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This is one of the most beautifully poignant books I've read EVER. There's a tightening of my chest as I finished it. The entire book is a mystery (on how each character is connected with each other) written in an ode so pure and sincere. The tone all throughout the book is melancholic with hints of death, loneliness, and loss, but that last chapter was the most heartbreaking. Each revelation is accentuated with a punch-in-the-gut sadness. How Leo constantly obsessed and watched on his lost son's life, and his constant reflection of his never-ending love for Alma broke and inspired me at the same time.

But oddly enough, despite the tone of the book--the story is strangely uplifting, leaving you gasping with the immensity of feeling. The writing is beautiful; I always highlight captivating passages I read on books, but with The History of Love, my hand wouldn't stop. It seemed like the entire book shone yellow with the admiration and awe I showered it. Each line on Krauss' novel will leave you breathless--constructed simply but laden with profound insight. After reading this book, I have fallen even more in love with stories and words--on how words create worlds and keep people alive. For me, they all come alive. Leo lives. Alma lives.

P.S. Oh, the injustice! This deserves a higher rating in Goodreads, people!

(To follow: most captivating lines from the book.)

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Review: The Mysterious Affair at Styles

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 3.8 stars
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To be completely honest, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I'd expected. I love mysteries and I love Christie (despite my still-limited knowledge of her works), but this book didn't really took hold of me, unlike And Then There Were None. As full disclosure, aside from the fact that this being penned by Christie, the only other reason I gave this book a try was because it served as an exordium to reading the book that completely changed Christie's career: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, a book awarded as the best crime novel ever.

Review: Neverwhere

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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I cannot say a litany of praises that hasn't been acclaimed to Neil Gaiman already.

I have always wondered what it's like to live in the mind of Neil Gaiman. He writes the most vivid and intricate stories. The magical elements in his stories are always so captivating, and never overwhelming. Paired it with my ultimate city-dream (London), and I am enchanted. Most people consider Neverwhere as one of his best and strongest works, and I completely understand why. It's not a perfect novel, but each character was so compelling, and London Below was just bursting with magic and potential. I would love to read more of it (which, I guess, would happen soon as I believe Gaiman is writing a sequel).

Richard Mayhew was an ordinary man living a mundane life in London. After rescuing an injured girl, an adventure of ultimate test of character began. After all, the best journeys begin with a surprise. The story delivered a well though-out character development for Richard Mayhew. The characters on Gaiman's novel are unique and they stand on their own. His words captivate the reader's imagination to form its own unique world laced with reality. There is no denying that I am in love with Gaiman's works. I see myself revisiting Neverwhere again.

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"So the day became one of waiting, which was, he knew, a sin: moments were to be experienced; waiting was a sin against both the time that was still to come and the moments one was currently disregarding. Still, he was waiting."

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Review: The Last Days of Jack Sparks

The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 3.8 stars
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This is one of the most disconcerting read I've had in my life. (I think I might be starting to develop a knack for buying very disturbing books on my Kobo.) It has all the elements to make the story morbid, unnerving, and scary, but with a fucked-up (but rather predictable) twist that got hard to follow and raised a lot of questions towards the end. (view spoiler)[That part revealing Jack as the Camera Boy (hide spoiler)] was predictable, the rest of the twists were truly crazy surprises.

Review: A Tale for the Time Being

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
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This book is one of the most well though-out and well researched book I've read. Ozeki expertly combined quantum mechanics and fiction in one heartbreaking tale. I have to be honest, I'd classify this as a painful read. Looking at the cover, you'd think it's a happy story. It's really not. If you're in this stage in you life where everything is hopeless, reading this might be triggering. The majority of the book is morbid, but beautifully so. If you do get to the last parts of the story, you would find yourself--oddly enough--lifted, as if you hadn't been reading a few hundreds of pages of loneliness, bullying, death, and suicide.

Review: The Girl Before

The Girl Before by Rena Olsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 3.8 stars
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First: This story is nothing like Gone Girl. I was right when I expected a different flavor between the two, and that was what I got. The Girl Before is so eerily realistic, because it can happen (or is already happening) in real life. And that's what makes it as scary (but not as amazingly deranged) as Gone Girl.

I went through a whirlwind of emotions as I read this book: scared and angry, wistful and teary. What Clara went through was painful. Even as the reader, I felt it. I marveled at how Olsen accomplished that. The book shifts between then and now--a technique that was so skillfully demonstrated by Olsen when she seamlessly chronicled Clara's story. The stark contrast between her Then and Now showed a life of love, sins, regret and forgiveness. Glen and Clara's relationship also provided a different insight as to what victims of human trafficking go through, with realities questioned, and normalcies shadowed with fear and doubt. I wanted Glen redeemed because Clara loved him so much, but I know if that happens, it won't be realistic. And it would be a slap to the faces of his victims when justice isn't served. Clara's "sentence" actually wasn't enough for me. I wanted her healed, but I also think she got off easy with the punishment. But at the same time, I know that her painful recovery and intense guilt is punishment enough for her. I don't know, I'm a bit undecided on what I want for Clara at this point.

Review: Lily and the Octopus

Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
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I almost didn't finish this book. Not because I was heartbroken from what was happening to Lily, but because Ted's fixation with the octopus and his bizarre (crazy?) interaction with it was just bewildering. Let me be blunt: the magical realism put me off. I am not a fan of it in books. For me, magical realism is better translated in movies rather than in my mediocre imagination. However, the end (Infinity) brought me to tears. It was written in the most fragile way. That was the only part of the book where I actually felt the "heart" of it, without the confusing imagery and delusions.