I am doing this in between reviewing my slides for my exam paper tmr on Foreign Policy and Diplomacy. Honestly, I dunno what kinds of questions they will ask, but I am hoping to pass that module 'cos HELL NO am I gonna take it again. It was by far one of my least favourite 'cos I felt like I learnt absolutely nothing.

Also I felt the need to ease myself into blogging regularly again now that the holidays are coming up. I CANNOT WAIT OMG. CANNOT. I have a huge huge list of books to read and review. Also, I wanna go shopping and watch movies and do all the fun stuff I hardly get time to do as I am working and schooling at the same time.

I thought maybe I should start with a book haul. But when I looked at all the books I bought (thanks to tons of sales and warehouse clearances for MPH and PageOne bookstore), I realized WHOA. WHOA WHOA, that is a helluva lot. I have managed to fill out the two new shelves that I installed last year and now, I am using my study table as a makeshift shelf. I dunno if I can put up another one. I have limited wall space. Okay, I will just list out and talk about the books I have accumulated over the months. I won't go too into detail 'cos this post will be agonizingly long.

Let's Get Into It:

This one has been in my To-Buy list for forever. I heard lots of good things about The Iron Fey series so when I saw it at a school book fair, I decided to pick it up. This one is the first book in the series, I am pretty sure. The story is about Faeries. I never delved into this genre before, thinking that it was probably lame. But apparently this one is pretty good. If I do end up liking it, I might continue with the series. I will show you the synopsis,

"Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart."

*The icy heart part is KINDA LAME. But oh, well~ How typical of YA books. 



Okay, this one was a bit of an impulse buy. But I did hear lots of good things about it and I am so so so in love with the cover. It's so pretty. Also, it's written by the writers who wrote Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, which I had read and sort of liked. Well, to be honest I liked the movie WAY more than the book. This one looks more promising though. The premise of the story sounds interesting. A notebook filled with dares and dreams that two unlikely pair take on. Sounds like something I can sink my teeth into and have a good cry about at the end. 


" “I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?"



ANOTHER Sarah Dessen book. Honestly, I will probably just end up with the whole collection of her novels, because I am a girl. And girls just love reading about these sorts of things. Yes, I do agree that her storied get a bit formulaic at times. YET I STILL LOVE IT. And I do get cravings for her stories. They are just so easy to pick up and read through in a day. This one sounds funny 'cos the girl is the jaded and cynical one. I dunno how good this will be as jaded girls tend to get really whiny about life in general. But I would end up liking it anyway, 'cos Sarah Dessen can do no wrong in my eyes. 


"When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn't mess around. After all, she's learned all there is to know from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. But there's something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy's rules. He certainly doesn't seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can't seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy's starting to understand what those love songs are all about?"




The next bunch of books are books in a trilogy or series that I picked up at a warehouse sale. This one is the third book in the 'Darkest Powers Trilogy'. Soooo, yeah, I have to pick up the first two before I get into this one. BUT IN MY DEFENCE, I was gonna check out this trilogy anyway due to the good reviews it got on Goodreads and Youtube. It is a paranormal YA, which makes me abit worried 'cos we all know how they can be like. *cough*Twilight*cough* I still will check it out seeing as it is all about magical powers and not just about the whole vampire-werewolf thing. I am hoping it might even turn out to be a mix of magical YA and zombie-apocalypse type of story.


"Chloe Saunders is fifteen and would love to be normal. Unfortunately, Chloe happens to be a genetically engineered necromancer who can raise the dead without even trying. She and her equally gifted (or should that be 'cursed'?) friends are now running for their lives from the evil corporation that created them.

As if that's not enough, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she's leaning towards the werewolf...

Definitely not normal."

*LOL @ the last line of synopsis. In my head I'm like, "YA' THINK??"





This one is also the third book to a very popular series. It's the "Gone series" by Michael Grant, which I heard was bring turned into a movie. The story is set in a dystopian world where there are no adults left in the universe. OBVIOUSLY, I need to check out the first book before I jump into this one. Especially since dystopian series are usually the types that cannot be read out of order as things happen chronologically. And if you miss out on a book, you miss out a chunk. So here's just a synopsis of this one,


"It's been seven months since all the adults disappeared. Gone.
It happens in one night. A girl who died now walks among the living; Zil and the Human Crew set fire to Perdido Beach; and amid the flames and smoke, Sam sees the figure of the boy he fears the most: Drake. But Drake is dead. Sam and Caine defeated him along with the Darkness--or so they thought.
As Perdido Beach burns, battles rage: Astrid against the Town Council; the Human Crew versus the mutants; and Sam against Drake, who is back from the dead and ready to finish where he and Sam left off. And all the while deadly rumors are raging like the fire itself, spread by the prophetess Orsay and her companion, Nerezza. They say that death is a way to escape the FAYZ. Conditions are worse than ever and kids are desperate to get out. But are they desperate enough to believe that death will set them free?"



This one at least, is the second book to a series, so I just have to get the first one. It's from the "Wings Series" by the same author. And it is ALSO about faeries. Yes, I am really getting into this genre. (Actually I am also looking to get into Tithe by Holly Black, 'cos I heard it was a good dark faery series) But The premise of the story is about the same. I am forseeing a love triangle like majority of the YA novels would have. an effective cliche, I guess. I don't really have much of an expectation for this one. I got it at the warehouse sale as well. I really like the cover art though.

"Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.

When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?"



ANOTHER Faery Tale. The third book in the "Wicked Lovely Series". Apparently, I must have gone on a faery themed book hunt. I had no idea I got so many of those until I am reviewing all that I got through this blog post. I am kinda creeped out by my self. The Iron Fey series is still top on my to-read list but I dun mind jumping into this one too. I heard this one is action packed though.


"In Marr's third tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos."


This one follows the story of four teenagers and the point of view switches among the four so that we get a peek into their lives. I think this one is just a typical chick lit. It's about how their lives get entangled with one another, hence the title. But I got this hardback at the incredible price of A DOLLAR. So hollaaaa~~






OMG, The cover just gives me that fluttery feeling at the pit of stomach. Does it not look so amazing? I have a good feeling about this one. Eventhough I know nothing ofo it and have never heard about this book before. There isn't as much hype on this one as the other books I purchased. 


"Maybe it was wrong, or maybe impossible, but I wanted the truth to be one thing. One solid thing.
 
Quinn is surrounded by women who have had their hearts broken. Between her mother, her aunt, and her grandmother, Quinn hears nothing but cautionary tales. She tries to be an optimist -- after all, she's the dependable one, the girl who never makes foolish choices. But when she is abruptly and unceremoniously dumped, Quinn starts to think maybe there really are no good men.

It doesn't help that she's gingerly handling a renewed relationship with her formerly absent father. He's a little bit of a lot of things: charming, selfish, eccentric, lazy...but he's her dad, and Quinn's just happy to have him around again. Until she realizes how horribly he's treated the many women in his life, how he's stolen more than just their hearts. Determined to, for once, take action in her life, Quinn joins forces with the half sister she's never met and the little sister she'll do anything to protect. Together, they set out to right her father's wrongs...and in doing so, begin to uncover what they're really looking for: the truth.

Once again, Deb Caletti has created a motley crew of lovably flawed characters who bond over the shared experiences of fear, love, pain, and joy -- in other words, real life."



FINALLEH~ A historical novel. I was kinda shocked that I didn't get any, seeing as historical novels are my favourite. But I realized I got this one. ALSO, sidenote, AMAZING COVER. Seriously. I wanna do my hair up like that, in that colour as well. PLUS, the setting is in Victorian London so haaayyyyy~ I am excited about this one.

"Grace Parkes has just had to do a terrible thing. Having given birth to an illegitimate child, she has travelled to the famed Brookwood Cemetery to place her small infant's body in a rich lady's coffin. Following the advice of a kindly midwife, this is the only way that Grace can think of to give something at least to the little baby who died at birth, and to avoid the ignominy of a pauper's grave. Distraught and weeping, Grace meets two people at the cemetery: Mrs Emmeline Unwin and Mr James Solent. These two characters will have a profound affect upon Grace's life. But Grace doesn't know that yet. For now, she has to suppress her grief and get on with the business of living: scraping together enough pennies selling watercress for rent and food; looking after her older sister, who is incapable of caring for herself; thwarting the manipulative and conscience-free Unwin family, who are as capable of running a lucrative funeral business as they are of defrauding a young woman of her fortune. A stunning evocation of life in Victorian London, with vivid and accurate depictions, ranging from the deprivation that the truly poor suffered to the unthinking luxuries enjoyed by the rich: all bound up with a pacy and thrilling plot, as Grace races to unravel the fraud about to be perpetrated against her and her sister."



This is the last book in the LUXE series. Which is basically the historical version of Gossip Girl. Also known as Gossip Girl in Corsets. That right there is ENOUGH. Two of my favourite things. I dunno what this one is about, but I will just provide a synopsis of the series in general,


"Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.
Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions.
White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups.
This is Manhattan, 1899. 


 Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan's social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City's elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone--from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud--threatens Elizabeth's and Diana's golden future. 

With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city's gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan's most celebrated daughter disappear... 

In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent."

*SOUNDS SO GOOD HOLY GUACAMOLE



The cover just scares the begeezus out of me. I don't even KNOW what that thing on the cover is. BUT the story sounds absolutely cool. It is another fantasy YA novel. I do have high hopes for this one 'cos I heard that the author is particularly good at world building. Also, it is the first book to the Reckless series.

"Ever since Jacob Reckless was a child, he has been escaping to a hidden world through a portal in his father's abandoned study. Over the years, he has made a name for himself as a finder of enchanted items and buried secrets. He's also made many enemies and allies--most important, Fox, a beautiful shape-shifting vixen whom Jacob cares for more than he lets on.

But life in this other world is about to change. Tragedy strikes when Jacob's younger brother, Will, follows him through the portal. Brutally attacked, Will is infected with a curse that is quickly transforming him into a Goyl--a ruthless killing machine, with skin made of stone.

Jacob is prepared to fight to save his brother, but in a land built on trickery and lies, Jacob will need all the wit, courage, and reckless spirit he can summon to reverse the dark spell--before it's too late."





This one is a story inspired by Cinderella. And once again, THE COVER. Sooo, pretty omg. I heard mixed reviews on this one so I thought I would pick it up when I saw it at the book sale... HOLY CRAP! I just read the some of the reviews on goodreads. Apparently, this is a LESBIAN retelling of Cinderella. Whhuuuuutttt~!! Okay, interesting and KINDA freaking me out abit. I mean, this is a pretty famous fairy tale and one of my fave ones too. Hate to think that Cinderella was running away from the prince at the ball because she hates boys in general.


"In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted. 


The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love. 

Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief."



CRAP! I didn't realize this was book 2 of a trilogy. But the story sounds so good. AND it's historical fiction so hayyyy~ I think this one I might be able to read a stand alone though. That is what I gathered from the synopsis.

"Asking for the truth can be as painful as telling it. . . .

Anselm Andros has clearly defined roles in his family and they are roles he plays very well—he is confidante to his mother, Maria. He is the confessor to his stepfather, Leo, a man haunted by the secrets of his past. And Anselm is also the patient, caring brother to his precocious sister, Jasmine. When the political landscape of Malonia starts to shift, this unassuming family begins to unravel. Even though they’ve spent the past fifteen years leading a quiet life, Maria and Leo’s actions are forever linked to the turbulent history of Malonia and its parallel world, modern-day England. With so much uncertainty at home and in his world, it is more important than ever for Anselm to put all the pieces of the past together. He must listen to his own voice and acknowledge his fears and desires—whatever the cost."

*CANNOT get over how weird the protagonist's name is. Seriously WTF? LOL



TRES EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE!! This is MY kind of story, truly. I mean the COVER and Tagline just says it all. And I see horses and knights. BRING IT BITCHES~~ 


"A story of persecution and poetry, love and war set in 13th century Southern France. As crusaders sweep through the country, destroying all those who do not follow their religion, Bertrand risks his life to warn others of the invasion. As a troubadour, Bertrand can travel without suspicion from castle to castle, passing word about the coming danger. In the meantime Elinor, a young noblewoman, in love with Bertrand, leaves her comfortable home and family and becomes a troubadour herself. Danger encircles them both, as the rising tide of bloodshed threatens the fabric of the society in which they live."




First of all, lemme just say that the book itself is absolutely beautiful. I got this in hardback. Secondly, the entire story is told through poems. So it is not at all your usual narrative and this excites me to no end. I LOVE POETRY. And finally, the story is super intense. I can only imagine it to be one of those books that sticks to you long after you turned the last page. 


"Twelve-year-old Hope's life is turned upside down when her older sister, Lizzie, becomes an elective mute and is institutionalized for trying to kill herself."

UH-HUH. I will need to read this on a day when I am not too depressed. 



And how for a proper adult book. I think I have been delving into the YA section abit too much. It's just that Adult books never get the hype that YA novels get. But I came across this book while I was browsing at Popular and it got tons of good press reviews. And then I read the synopsis and it got me hooked. Probably 'cos I am an insomniac myself and these things just intrigue me. 


"'As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I'm still a child. Thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me ...' 

Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story. Welcome to Christine's life."


WHOA. Intense.






HELLS TO THE YEAH!!! I FINALLY got my hands on this one. I have been WAITING for Kinokuniya to stock this one for AGES. I feel like everyone has read this except me. The last book to the series was just released late last year, I think so I am very excited to get into this one. I heard NOTHING but good things about this book. It has the similar feel to Hunger Games, so it definitely sounds like my cup of tea. =)


"When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind."






This is another one that I have been itching to get my hands on but I've been waiting for the paperback version to be released. LOADS of rave reviews on youtube especially by all my favourite booktubers. I just realized that this too has something to do with memory loss. I dunno why I tend to buy books in themes subconsciously. Haha! I swear I had no idea. 


"Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. 

It can. 

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed. 

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. She's wrong."


*BTW, another amazing cover art. 






THIS IS THE BOOK I AM READING. Or I will be, once my papers are done. Though I did sort of cheat and started reading a little. The sequel to Delirium, which was one of my fave books EVER last year. Words CANNOT express my how excited I am to read this one. I have no idea how they will continue the story after the way things ended in the last book but I am curious to see. The synopsis doesn't really tell you anything. And it's one of those books that you have to read in series order to understand. 


"I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame. 

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite."

Lemme just say... OH MY GOD. I might DIE of anticipation for this one. 

*****

HOKAY, that is it for me. I think that was all that I got. I may have missed out one or two, but I think that was my collective haul.

CONGRATS AND THANK YOU, if you have stayed with me till the end. I realize this is a ridiculous amount of books. But I justify each purchase as they were made on sale!! This is probably my largest book haul EVER. and I doubt I will purchase this much again. It's kinda crazy. LOL!

I can't wait to start reviewing them.

More to come from me. =D