Hi guys!

This is a really quick and hurried post because I'm actually in the library right now and the internet connection is sooo slow and I still have classes later. I'd just like to apologize for the lack of reviews and updates on the blog, classes just started a week ago and before I know it, I was sucked in. Plus, it doesn't really help that my apartment has no internet connection yet.

I'm working on it though and while I'm begging and convincing my parents that it's not really a bad idea, I plowed through my TBR. I've just finished 2 books and I'm close to finishing another 2 books. I'm just trying to find some time to finally go through my draft reviews and finalize them. I think they'd be ready by the end of the week.

So yes, I'm still alive guys in case you're wondering. And don't forget to enter the ongoing giveaway! :)

"Waiting On" Wednesday (5): UnWholly

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating. 

Book: UnWholly (Unwind Trilogy #2) by Neal Shusterman
Publication Date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Shuster Books for Young Children

In a society where unwanted and troublesome teens are salvaged for their body parts, Connor, Risa and Lev continue to fight against the system that would 'unwind' them. Thanks to their high-profile revolt at the Happy Jack Harvest Camp, people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of so-called troublesome teens might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question and a new law passed. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests, not to mention the illegal 'Parts Pirates', that want to see it not only continue, but expand.


Connor, Risa and Lev each struggle to rescue as many AWOL teens as possible and offer them sanctuary. But life at the Graveyard is hard, rivalries bubble under the surface and the cracks are beginning to show.


And then there is Cam, a teen who does not exist. Made entirely out of parts from one hundred other 'unwinds', Cam is a 21st century Frankenstein, a rewound, struggling to find a true identity and meaning, and a place in society. But when a sadistic bounty hunter who takes "trophies" from all the 'unwinds' he captures starts to pursue Connor, Lev and Risa, Cam finds his own fate inextricably bound with theirs… - Goodreads

Most of us can trace our dystopian reading roots from The Hunger Games or The Giver or Divergent (?) but I can trace mine from Unwind by Neal Shusterman. I read Unwind without any idea what it was about. I haven't heard of it, I wasn't even familiar about the dystopian genre back then. Never did I know that Unwind would blew me away and would end up in my fave-books-evuh shelf. I also thought that it was a stand-alone novel.

But look now, after 5 years, the next installment will be born! I couldn't be any happier. So if you haven't read Unwind yet, you have at least 2 months to do so before the next book comes out. Prepare for an epic ride. ;)

What are you waiting on?

Leave your link down below so I can check yours out.

PSST. I have a giveaway going on. You might want to head there for a chance to win. I know you want to. ;)

Random Ramblings (19): What Have I Been Up To?

If you haven't noticed the last review on the blog was last May 22. That's more than a week without a review here on the blog. So what have I been doing this past week?

Well, my schedule was in fact jam-packed. I have 2 days of completion in the hospital and then I have a bit of mourning time which consisted of me moping around. I swear I just lie there in the bed,watching How I Met Your Mother. HIMYM wasn't even successful in making me laugh but still I watched cause I feel like the whole gang were my friends. I switched my internet off and you know mope and cry. 

There was one thing I found out that day, I was a champion emo. I was a moper. But really, I looked into my reading schedule and I was way behind. Now that's university is starting (actually it's starting tomorrow. heh!), I'll do what I do best. And nope it's not moping but multi-tasking.

So yes watch out for the reviews of the following books:
-BaSatai: Outside In by Suzan Battah
-Kevin's Point of View by Del Shannon
-The Glimpse by Claire Merle
-Timepiece by Myra McEntire
-Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown
-Dust Girl  by Sarah Zettel
-One Moment by Kristina McBride

Since classes are starting my online presence will be very sporadic not that any of you would mind or be concern. I'll be getting back my commenting love hat on by the end of every week so I'd like to warn you all not to be frightened if I suddenly flood your blog with my comments. ;)

Over and out.

Owl Post (1)

Hello guys!  Today I'm introducing a new feature in the blog. This meme is created by Brodie of Eleusinian Mysteries inspired by In My Mailbox by The Story Siren. I've been meaning to do this since forever and I just love this idea of Brodie. I am such a Potterhead and I'm beating myself up for not thinking about this so kudos to Brodie!

Before I show you guys what books I hauled, I'll tell you 3 things first.

1. I'll do this on Sundays but not every Sunday. Most likely I'm going to have this every 1st Sunday or last Sunday of the month.

2. You can link your own versions of weekly haul at the end of my every Owl Post. I'd surely visit them, I love seeing new books!

3. Since I'm going to only post occasionally, my Owl Post will most likely be massive not because I am rich ( I wish!) but because the books just accumulated throughout the weeks.

So my first Owl Post is books I've bought and received in the month of May and the last 2 weeks of April. 

Here they are:

Bought

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, and the The Hunger Games: Tribute Guide by Emily Seife - already read this titles but I like to have my own copies. 

Away Laughing in a Fast Camel by Louise Rennison - I absolutely adore the Confessions of Georgia Nicholson series so I bought this one. This hardcover was on sale. :)

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - Browse through this one and I could say I was freaked out by the images. 

Divergent by Veronica Roth - Finally bought a copy. Will read this v. v. soon.

The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan - This is the latest installment in the Kane Chronicle's series.  

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan- I scored this copy on a sale. It was so cheap, it's like 75% off the original hardcover price.

Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Shroud - Bought this on a sale as well. A total steal, this one is.

***

Received

Won the Starter swag from Just A Girl Geek!

Bewitching by Alex Flinn (ARC) - I won this from Panda Reads.
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers - I won this from Making the  Grade.
Enclave by Ann Aguirre - I won this from The Nocturnal Library.

Thank you so much! :)

A closer look in my Grave Mercy copy:

***

E-galleys

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin from Razorbill
The White Oak by Kim White from Story Machine Studio
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry from Harlequin Teen
Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian from Simon & Schuster
Circle of Silence by by Carol M. Tazman from Harlequin Teen

Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley!

***

That's it! It was the summer and I am broke but hey we can never have too many books! :) I'll be very busy this whole year getting through all that books. My balloon owl was so exhausted I have to replaced him every now and then. 

How many owls did you get knocked out this week? C'mon share em! :D

Random Ramblings (18): My Hedwig

We all have Hedwig's in our lives. Beloved pets and home companions. It could be your goldfish, your cat, your dog, your parrot, monkey, toad, or whatever it is you keep at home well-fed and smothered with love.

Today is the saddest I've ever felt in my life. I was trying to distract myself tonight and I keep telling myself not to blog about it because it just hurts so much but I couldn't stop myself. 

Hegwig's 1st photo

Hedwig came into the family last May 12, 2012. I was so surprised to find her in the house that day because we already have 2 grown cats which made our lives very busy and it surprised me even more that mama was behind the adopting. She said we already reached our cat quota in the house. 

But here was Hedwig.  She was too adorable and charming; my mama didn't stand a chance. She was still a baby so she couldn't eat or drink anything yet besides milk. We were all up for the spoon-feeding challenge because my first cat, Miming, was spoon-fed as well. My dad and I took turns but mostly it was me who fed her because my dad's at work. 

I was rereading the Harry Potter that time and that's where I based her name, from Harry's snowy intelligent owl. I could tell she liked the name since she gets all excited and meowy whenever she's called. In the short time she was with us, I knew she already meant a lot to me, to us. She was very cute and sweet and she really liked to be cuddled.  

She loved the camera. This was
her last photo.

5 AM today, Hedwig watched me leave. She ran out of the house as I locked the gates and she just sat there outside. She didn't chase me around like she used to do, she just sat there and looked at me. It was the first time she did that. I didn't thought that was the last memory I'd ever have of her because tonight as I came home from my duty in the hospital, I was told the most devastating news ever: my little kitten, Hedwig, died. 

I thought it was a nasty joke but my mom really looked upset. My dad couldn't believe it either. She was run over by a tricycle. It was an accident but some irrational part of me still blames the driver. She was so tiny and she was just starting to learn how to handle her body, how would she be able to survive that? I wasn't there when it happened and I don't know if I should be grateful or not. 

It just wasn't fair. She was just starting to eat solid foods and bond with my other 2 cats. I just couldn't believe there'd be no Hedwig anymore. No more squeaky meow response whenever I call her. It really felt like I lost something really dear to me. 

I'd also like to  say thank you to all the thoughtful people in Twitter and my friends for all the hugs and support I got tonight. You are all so kind. 

Hedwig be safe wherever you are. You'll be missed.