An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

After being engulfed in externally flawless Fae and their internally flaw-filled courts, Sabaa Tahir’s dark and gritty dystopian fantasy was a refreshing read.

Laia and Elias, our titular characters, lived in a totalitarian world focused solely on gaining and keeping power and control, even if it meant taking liberties from other people. Laia was an ordinary Scholar girl from an oppressed and conquered nation of skeptics while Elias was a graduating student of Blackcliff, the unforgiving military school. They were on the opposite sides of the spectrum of social circles but circumstances and choices – theirs or otherwise – had brought them together.

"Life is made of so many moments that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every second that comes after. Such moments are tests of courage, of strength."

An Ember in the Ashes began with action and intended to keep that pace. It was fitting, to say the least, given the respective situations the two protagonists were in at the beginning and all throughout the novel. The plot itself was intriguing and well-written. Despite being action-packed to its core, there was a balance of moments that provided breathing room for the reader and created dimensions for both titular and supporting characters.

Having dual POVs, Laia and Elias were bound to meet and interact. Oftentimes, this becomes a hindrance to the story as the relationship between the main characters become either forced or dependent. However, with Tahir, she was able to create three-dimensional characters, not just Laia and Elias, who can exist – and who did – without each other. Dire circumstances, not some instant romance or whatnot, eventually brought them together, and because they have their own motives and beliefs, strengths and weaknesses, there blossomed a fruitful relationship that I am excited to be further explored in the sequel.

As aforementioned, every character are their own person. They have their own histories and demons. With that, Tahir formed clear arcs and development throughout the book, which provided a simple yet in-depth context to follow.

"There are two kinds of guilt: the kind that drowns you until you’re useless, and the kind that fires your soul to purpose."

An Ember in the Ashes was set in a dystopian world that you know from the beginning was a hellhole. As we followed characters that were victims of their own form of oppression, we witness the power-driven and sadistic culture that revolved around their world. Political dynasties promoted unforgiving violence to gain titles. There was adamant slavery and no equal justice. It was interesting how Tahir set Laia and Elias – characters in search of their identity, of their moral purpose – against a cruel and flawed world that wished to strip them of exactly that.

This series starter began after a war of nations and states and thus featured other cultures and societies that were grazed but left unexplored. There were moments that included otherworldly beings that simply took me by surprise as we were given only an introductory sentence as premise. However, the way lore was glossed over was quite understandable to maintain the focus of the plot on the characters and their decisions. I can only hope the sequel delves into these deeper to anchor the concepts in such a rusted and skeptic world.

There’s an almost constant dimness when imagining Serra as it stemmed from the grave tone of both protagonists’ perspectives. While other settings were easier to visualize such as barren deserts and damp and dangerous forests, grasping on to physical settings was like holding on to slippery slope. One second you’ve got a tight grip, the next you’re fumbling for support. An Ember in the Ashes had a solid atmosphere but lacked in finite solid structures to build settings. There were still scenes, nonetheless, that proved otherwise.

"All the beauty of the stars means nothing when life here on earth is so ugly."

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed An Ember in the Ashes. Consistent tone and pacing as well as clear and genuine character development carried it through and through. There was an unpredictability to it, having been set in solid dark and grit and experiencing through growing and distinct characters. It kept me at the edge of my seat and equally eager for the sequel.

Illuminae by Amy Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

This is the second book I just randomly grabbed off a shelf and I. LOVED. IT. (First was Six of Crows and look how that turned out.) Conclusion: do that more often. Even before, especially around its release, I’ve heard a lot of affirmation around Illuminae but given that the hardbound costs around P900 and I am usually poor, I’ve never included it in my to-buy list. But then Christmas came and so did cash and after around an hour of contemplation around Fully Booked, I just finally did a grab-and-go. No regrets.

Illuminae was aesthetically beautiful outside and inside. The narrative was presented through a dossier of confidential files, IMs among subjects, transcripts and the like. It was creative, to say the least, and presented a different perspective to the whole story. Set in the future, we mainly follow Kady Grant and Ezra Miller aboard the spaceships (think Star Trek’s Enterprise and Across the Universe by Beth Revis) Hypatia and Alexander respectively as refugees from a massive terrorist attack on the planet they were residing in. While they take great sums of the narrative, we still get a look at important characters aboard the UTA (United Terran Authority) spaceships such as the commanders and even, their AI named AIDAN and their positions on whatever’s happening. I had told Julienne that Illuminae reminded me of a Nolan movie and the different POVs was one of the many factors.

Illuminae was fast-paced and action-packed, decked with mystery, from the beginning. You think you know what’s happening then it twists and turns in a direction you didn’t even know was possible. There were many times I caught myself in a movie gasp (legit) or rereading a certain page, or even just a line, to convince myself that actually happened. There was consistency with the hype of the story as it went, making you eager to flip to the next page and never stop. (I finished this 800+ pages wonder in less than 24 hours, folks. I was sick a good part of that, too.)

The layout of the book clearly had a big part in the storytelling. Since what we get were transcripts of conversations, unanswered emails, casualty lists, there’s the opportunity to piece the story and the world through context clues, even side by side with the people living it. Through this, I was also able to connect with the characters even if they are from the future with different lives and personalities. We got to know Kady, Ezra, even Byron and McNulty with their cards laid out there in the open; how else will you know someone as real as that, even without a direct physical description or a paragraph of adjectives. Personally, I enjoyed Ezra and McNulty’s friendship a lot. There was a lot of real-life humor to it, presenting a needed comic relief. It made you love these characters and feel so much pain as they went through difficulties.

I got to be honest here, though. Fair warning: the names were a headache at first. Since the book immediately throws you into action – and as I said, context clues, you basically have to bookmark every name and add it into your own encyclopedia in your head. Fortunately, you get used to it of course.

Overall, I loved Illuminae. It got my heart from the start, played with it all throughout, and it still has it until the acknowledgements. I gave it 5/5, people…FIVE-OVER-FIVE. (Julienne is judging me for rating it higher than SOC. So am I.) The presentation of the story was different and creative and enjoyable. It was refreshing to read and also had the right balance of humor from the characters and gravity from the plot.

I am itching for Gemina. However, I’ve read the synopsis and this time, we’re getting new characters. This honestly made me double-think because I have fallen for Kady and Ezra and they’re dynamic that it feels wrong to want more of them but end up with another set. I don’t want to say goodbye to these characters, albeit temporarily. I guess we’ll have to see.

P.S. Through the influence of Christine Riccio in my life, I am currently listening to the audiobook. I have never tolerated audiobooks until I met Illuminae. Thoughts? Plenty. Must you wait? Probably.

Duology: Six of Crows + Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

After reading books that didn’t really satisfy, it felt so good to finally read something that has completely blown me over. Declaring that now, I’m slightly regretting it (in a good way) because goddamn, it fucking hurts. (This was post-SOC. Just multiply that pain exponentially after Crooked Kingdom.)

I bought Six of Crows without expectations and even as my friend, Julienne consistently assured its good graces, I didn’t look into it much. I didn’t know if doing so made me extra emotional throughout these books though based on others’ reactions, I wasn’t the only one. Leigh Bardugo’s second series in the world of Grisha definitely got some balls to play with our hearts.

After SOC, with the first chance I got, I bought myself Crooked Kingdom. (That should be telling you something: me, someone-who-hates-using-my-own-money-to-buy-expensive-books, buys the sequel without question.) I’m beyond triggered.

When I was bawling after Clockwork Princess, I didn’t expect any other literature to have its characters hold me the way Will, Jem, and Tessa did. (Still do.) For Saints’ sake, I was so terribly wrong.

Kaz, Inej, Nina, Jesper, Matthias, and of course, Wylan. These characters, each of them, have a special, individual place in my heart and even as the crew, as the Six of Crows collectively, they’ve got a penthouse. It’s what, or rather who, I love most about the entire duology and one of the many aspects Leigh Bardugo created tremendously well. I was blown away, especially after dealing with 2 subpar books beforehand.

"He'd started to think of Jesper as fearless, but maybe being brave didn't mean being unafraid."

They are each their own unique person from their history to their personality. Yet at the same time, they managed to complement each other in ways I didn’t expect from anti-heroes. The entire crew may not all be cruel but they’re definitely not innocent. They each have their own demons to fight and vengeance to pursue and not just the external forces stirring them together and apart. Leigh Bardugo managed to string those pieces together perfectly – the humanity and the monsters in all of them – so it was without a doubt that I fell helplessly in love with them all. 

Yes, fictional places, fictional world, but it sure as hell felt like I’ve been to Ketterdam. It was home as the Bastard of the Barrel; a nest of worms as a foreign soldier; a skyline of rooftops and smog as the Wraith – a manufacturer of demons and curses. Different for every perspective but still somehow encompasses the capital of Kerch. 

“My mother is Ketterdam. She birthed me in the harbor. My father is profit. I honor him daily.”

I’m declaring it, Leigh Bardugo is a damn good travel agent. Even if her destinations are quite shady. Her world building appealed to all senses that I can actually imagine myself walking the dark streets at night with Kaz, or scaling the roofs with Inej, and even shiver with the crew at Fjerda. 

Her descriptions put greater emphasis on the story and their characters, especially their flashbacks. It’s not just there to be a background set. I was traumatized of closed spaces, violated in shipping docks, and comfortable at home in the snow, as they were. The countries and cities, even the safe houses and rooms, were living and breathing with the crew. 

One of the many things I love about this duology, particularly in the Six of Crows, is how the crew aren’t consisted of flat characters. As you get to know them one by one, learning their whole story, you see their growth to who they are at present. They are all born of tragedy and it’s so interesting to discover how each of them either branched out or moved forward from that. 

"But what about the rest of us? What about the nobodies and the nothings, the invisible girls?...When the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway." 

Their development didn’t just stop there. The rope of their lives wasn’t all unraveled at Book 1 and I enjoyed how Leigh Bardugo continuously pulled them apart throughout Crooked Kingdom, slowly but surely. Brick by brick. 

There was a common theme in Crooked Kingdom where, in the mind of one character, Bardugo would insert someone else’s line into the context. It was a simple, elegant move, showing how much the members of the crew affect one another than they did before and the bond they have forged. 

“I would come for you,” he said, and when he saw the wary look she shot him, he said it again. “I would come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way together – knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.” 

Also, I cannot go on with this review without taking note. Dark humor is the best, especially Brekker’s. 

Plot-wise, Leigh Bardugo did not lack. These people are criminals – some, on their journey there – led by the infamous Dirtyhands, the ultimate thief, Kaz Brekker with his right hand Wraith, Inej. I wouldn’t spoil the heist and schemes that surrounded both books, but needless to say, you might as well call the Six of Crows magicians in their own right. 

"We can endure all kinds of pain. It's shame that eats men whole." 

I’m a sucker for action and suspense and even a well-delivered law-breaking *cough* White Collar feels *cough* and Leigh Bardugo delivered. It was a fast paced thrilling ride, especially in Crooked Kingdom, pausing at the right times just to get you holding your breath in anticipation and replacing with scenes that will either get your heart beating faster or laughing yourself giddy. There are, of course, times when we’re going through a tunnel of dullness with too much technical information or slight drag but it’s quickly repaid with good and good-bad heart-wrenching moments, may it be through Kaz’ steely cruelty or my ships sailing. 

Without a doubt, the Six of Crows duology finds itself on my favorites’ list beside the Infernal Devices. It tells a story that grips you until the last word with 6 people you won’t expect to love with all your being. I sure do. Fair warning: I bawled my eyes out in Crooked Kingdom. 

"No mourners. No funerals. "

Moondust by Jaymes Young

  I'm a cast away, and men reap what they sow And I say what I know to be true Yeah, I'm living far away on the face of the moon I've buried my love to give the world to you (Remind you of a certain cane-wielding, leather-wearing boy?)

Bout of Books 13.0: Favorite Read Photo Challenge + Review

A photography challenge. About books. I couldn't resist. Hosted by Stephanie of Once Upon a Chapter.

Seconds after reading the explanatory post, I literally got my camera and grabbed The Lover's Dictionary - my fave so far - and went to work.

The Lover's Dictionary told the love story between two unnamed people who go through the rollercoaster of a relationship. It was raw and riveting and my heart smiles and aches for them. I love how their gender weren't disclosed - they could easily be anyone.

abberant, adj. 
"I don't normally feel this good about what I'm doing." 
Measure the hope of that moment, that feeling. 
Everything else will be measured against it.

No one can't deny that it isn't phenomenally written. Because it is. The story telling concept was very unique and it captivated me all throughout.

My only discomfort was having to return to my phone to search the word in the dictionary every few pages. There's no given definition and I'm not an expert in vocabulary. I do think that having the meaning printed would further deepen the reading experience.

yearning, n. and adj.
At the core of this desire is the belief that everything can be perfect.

Still, it was a book, absolutely worth flipping to. Every moment of their relationship felt real, especially with a single word capturing it all. How much I was magnetized by this book is simply indescribable.

The Heir by Kiera Cass

Goodreads

I have grown an odd sort-of love for this book, despite not having read any of its prequels. (Yep, you got that right.) The main reasons being Eadlyn and the storyline.

The next queen of Ilea lived and loved the luxurious life of being a royal. However, all the expectations and workload both made her distant and isolated that affected people's perceptions of her. She's a brat, insensitive, and selfish at times, we cannot deny that, and I can see how some can get pissed by her attitude. But for me, those are the qualities, along with her inner kindness and struggles with being the heir, that made her whole. Kiera Cass gave us a real, imperfect character who's undergoing these difficulties just to remain strong and I love her for that. If you actually look at it from Eadlyn's view, you'd see where she's coming from. It really is not easy being a princess, let alone shouldering a country. (I acknowledge you, Princess Mia of Genovia!)

"There are some things you don't learn about yourself until you let someone else into the intimate places of your heart."

As Eadlyn undergoes her Selection, a love story is to be expected, but I was surprised to find more than one. She had set her mind on postponing the idea of marriage as much as possible and had thought of ways to get rid of all these strange boys in her home. It was refreshing how it's not your typical I'm-looking-for-the-one romance. Her relationship with each (chosen) Selected developed a deeper meaning as a piece of her true self slowly shows to the world. It was well paced and Kiera Cass made it completely not overwhelming by focusing too much on the romance aspect. I enjoyed the political side, too, and that baseball game. (Never let a dress - and a crown -  stop you from having fun.)

Eadlyn's relationship with Kile confused me a lot, though - friends with benefits? -  even though t I ship them, while moments with Henri and conversations with Erik were adorable. My heart flutters.

The Shreave family was awesome whenever they appeared. Even though Eadlyn has three brothers, each were featured one way or the other, showing enough of their personality to know them. And of course, America and Maxon. Their love is so everlasting, I'm jealous. I seriously adore all the little snippets of their Selection.

"When you know who matters most to you, giving things up, even yourself, doesn't really feel like a sacrifice." 

The ending was another surprise and a jolt to the chest. (Pun intended?) One half of me wanted to slap Ahren in the face so bad and the other wants to hug him for following his heart. But seriously, look what you've done!

I also want to scream at Kiera Cass for leaving us for with such a cliffhanger and give her kisses on the cheek and a million bear hugs for adding more to this trilogy.

Can someone please fast forward me to the release of book 5?

Isla and the Happily Ever After

Anna and the French Kiss was dreamy and I liked it very much (*cough* Etienne *cough). Lola and the Boy Next Door was cute and I enjoyed. But Isla and the Happily Ever After was amazing and I looooooove.

Goodreads

Isla as a character was perfectly-written. She felt real and ordinary and completely relatable with her shy yet strong willed personality and all her little flaws. She was a teenager, surviving through highschool and hormones. And I can safely say, she was exactly that.

The book was written only from Isla's perspective but even though we're looking from the outside, Josh as her love-interest was as thoughtfully constructed as much as she was. He was perceived as untouchable - the hot bad boy that seems to always get away with anything. Yet as their interactions increased and deepened, he turned out to be an adventurer, a hopeless romantic, and of course, an artist with vulnerabilities as the rest of us, that added depth to his character. (Josh and Etienne are fighting for #1 now. Look what you did, Stephanie.)

Their love story wasn't the fluffy and cringe-y kind. It was grounded and real. Every trial Josh and Isla underwent made my heart ache for them and every blissful moment they had together made me smile like a freaking weirdo while I read this in public.

There is so much to love about this book that I can't form into coherent paragraphs so for our convenience, bullet points:

• Kurt, Hattie, Sanjita, etc. - The way Stephanie Perkins wrote their roles as supporting characters, actually justified the title. They're not just the people Isla had bad history with or was friends with. The plotline wasn't too overly focused on romance that it neglected other platonic relationships and I'm glad for that. 
• Barcelona and what happened in Barcelona 
• life lessons (ha!) - See quotes below.
• Anna and Etienne + Lola and Cricket + Isla and Josh + Meredith + in one place + at the same time = I. CAN'T. EVEN. EXPRESS.
• And of course, Etienne's little surprise. (Ultimate giddiness moment.)

I put off reading Isla and the Happily Ever After because I was scared to feel "meh" like I did with Lola (sorry, it was still nice though) It was my greatest regret. I really should've read it sooner.

I'm sad that this series of adorable relationships and swoon-worthy fictional boys and Paris is over but also glad that it ended with it's the perfect happily ever after. (God, those final moments.)

STEPHANIE PERKINS, PLEASE WRITE AN EPILOGUE OF THEIR LIVES. 

SOON. 

LIKE. NOW.

Quotes that stabbed my heart (in a really good way):

"Take a fucking risk. If you keep playing it safe, you'll never know who you are."

"I've learned that if I never leave those areas of my life that feel comfortable, I'll never have a chance at a greater happiness."

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

To the reader who hasn't read this book, I wholeheartedly suggest that you go open that paperback -are there any hardbound copies? - and finish its 500+ pages without any external influences. Head on blind for a better experience.

But if you insist on hearing my opinions, be my guest.

Warning, I have them vague. ('Cause seriously, I know I'll end up spoiling if I don't.)

Gillian Flynn wrote one of the most mindfuckingblowing books I've ever read. And I don't think my words will justify how much it distressed and impacted me.

Gone Girl made my breathing raspy, my heart skip a beat. It made me think, made me assume, made me confused, made me suspicious (very). It made me hate this character, be impressed by that character, be disgusted by this, pity that, and all this other emotions. (To those who read, you know what I mean.)

At some point, it even got me scared of getting married.

It was a rollercoaster ride of a novel, with well-written protagonists/antagonists - they were created so realistically that you tend to feel a certain emotion towards them, as stated above - an unconventional, driven storyline, and a very good prose - you can easily distinguish the narrator, without forgetting who's talking.

I only wish the supporting characters were a bit more fleshed out though, especially Go, Amy's parents, and even, Desi. 

All in all, Gone Girl is one of the books I'll never forget. And it's definitely not for kids. 

We Were Liars

This book is
about strong coffee and fudge
about three princesses fighting for the throne
about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
about roses and Legos
about little mice taking over the world
about purple rocks and graph paper.

The TRUTH. We Were Liars is one of the best suspense books I've ever read.

It will lie and cheat. It will make you swoon and make your blood boil. It will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Goodreads || E. Lockhart 

5 stars - Boy Nobody (I Am the Weapon)

Boy Nobody is a highly trained assassin. 

He's given assignments on a pretty regular basis and finishing them has become a routine.

Get close the the mark, kill the target, then disappear.

Follow orders. No questions asked.

That is, until the mayor of New York becomes his target and the daughter as his mark.

Goodreads || Allen Zadoff

I absolutely love this book - the characters, the plot. Boy Nobody deals with a cold hearted killer and that is something you'll never forget.

He thinks like an assassin, moves like an assassin. Indifferent to emotion, always calculative. And I love that. His voice is strong and seemingly unbreakable - at first - and I'm impressed at how Zadoff was able to keep it both humane and inhuman.

The plot line was quite common in the teenage-killers genre but when you start to predict what happens next, it completely swerves from your guesses. (Oh my god, the ending.)

My only dislike is Ben and Sam's "love story" that was only a span of four days. It was too fast to be even called love (on Ben's part). But then again, he was deprived of any personal emotional connection for so long.

Boy Nobody is an action packed novel full of unexpected twists and turns that will keep your at the edge of your seat.

And I can't even begin how coll those iPhone apps are!