Waiting on Wednesday (14): Isla and the Happily Ever After

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

Book: Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss #3) by Stephanie Perkins

Publication Date: August 14, 2014

Publisher: Dutton

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new. - From Goodreads

There are no words to express how excited I am with Ms. Perkins' latest book. I am lucky to have read an excerpt and it only fueled my obsession with having my grubby hands on this sure to be wonderful conclusion to the series we have loved since Anna and Étienne. Thank the lucky stars that the waiting is soon to be over. 

In related news, I will get a chance to meet Stephanie Perkins this coming Sunday. EEEEEEEP!

So what books are you waiting on?

Review: Pantomime by Laura Lam

Read from July 28 - 31, 2013 

Book: Pantomime (Micah Grey #1) by Laura Lam
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Number of Pages: 392
Genre/s: Young Adult, Fantasy
Source: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

R. H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass—remnants of a mysterious civilization long gone—are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide.

Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star.

But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada. - (source)

I went into Pantomime not knowing what to expect. I rarely read synopses and blurbs because as a reader I always want this element of surprise. I know synopses are definitely not spoilers but I still want to be as blind and as unbiased as I can. Now that I have finished Pantomime, I could honestly say that throughout my reading progress, I seriously had no idea it was the kind of story I would be getting. Until now, I'm still not certain what Pantomime really is.

As I read on, it's easy to envisioned what would come next but Pantomime manages not to stick to a straight path. It relishes on using the most unconventional route, and it makes for quite a slow, bumpy ride. Although I could clearly categorize Pantomime as a slow book, never once did I get bored or uninterested. I might have taken a pause once in a while, but there was always this urge to open the book again and find out what would happen next.

The story goes back and forth into the past and the present of one, woefully named, Iphegenia. A girl who doesn't seem quite able to fit in a society wherein balls and marriages determine a girl's success. Gene doesn't want any of it. She longs to climb trees and play with boys. She was different. But it's her physicality that really sets her apart from everybody else. So she ran away from the life she knew she would never be a part of, and she stumbled upon a place where her new destiny awaits.

Sometimes Pantomime reads like a mythology, sometimes fantasy, but even though I was not certain where this book was leading me, there's one thing I'm sure of, it's a story of a girl's journey towards self-discovery—finding herself, making her own decisions, and meeting people who would accept who she truly is.

Pantomime is a well-written debut. Lam has a vivid imagination, and I know she has plenty of tricks up her sleeves waiting to bedazzle her readers. If you want to be enraptured by a world of circus and magic, Pantomime might just be the book for you.

Cupid's Verdict:

4 Cupids

A copy was provided by the publisher at no cost via Netgalley
in exchange for an honest review. 

I am back!

Sorry for being weird.

HELLOOO!! I am back from my almost 1 year blogging hiatus. It's so unbelievable how much time has passed since my last blog post.

I've been planning on coming back since August, and it was not without serious thought that I decided to blog again. Keeping a blog is one thing, but running it is a different matter altogether. One of the most important realizations I had, while I was away, was I regarded blogging like a demanding, stressful job. As a result, blogging became a dragging commitment. That's why I decided to change my blogging perspective to keep the dreaded blogging burn-out at bay. I could still be overwhelmed, yes, but it will be totally up to me how I would handle it. So from now on, there will be no more pressure.

Now that I have my blogging mantra out of the way, let's talk about the modifications in the blog. Have you noticed the drastic change in my blog's design? From a dark, mysterious, edgy look, I opted for a lighter and cleaner color palette. This was how my old blog looked like:

In hindsight, it might've been quite difficult to read posts with bright font colors in a dark background. Yikes. I also changed my blog button to match my blog design, and I updated my Review Policy, Contact and About sections.

So what do you think of the blog's overall new look? Is it too girly or is the font too small? In my opinion, I think it's quite dainty and pretty, but then again I was the one who made all the customizations so you could say I'm a little biased. Ha!

I am so happy to be blogging again. I'm definitely excited to continue sharing the reading bug. Here's to keeping it fresh and fun!

Trying On My Blogging Wings Again

I've been trying to write something for 2 hours now. Frankly, it's not helping that I'm in an internet cafe right now and my creative juices just can't compete with all the smokes and craziness in here. Thank goodness it's quite peaceful right now because I'm one tick away from killing every self-righteous brat in this place. And although the girl beside me still keeps on reading what I'm writing, at least I can finally hear myself think. Hallelujah.

I’ve been planning to come back since forever. But something just keeps on happening it’s becoming next to impossible to really do it. So here I am now, just winging it. I don't know what to do from here but I just miss blogging so much I fear that if I don't take this chance, I might just not be able to return altogether.

One of the biggest obstacles that made it hard for me to start blogging again was my laptop's unfortunate demise. Since my laptop's death, I felt lost and debilitated. I feel like crying every time I remember all the review drafts that will never see the light of day anymore. It was more than my writing tool; it was my safe space.

It’s a testament to how much I really love reading and blogging that I’m trying to write in a noisy, public black hole right now. This is going to be challenging and I will have to remind myself every time I'm feeling annoyed or murderous or think that I'd die from lung cancer due to all the secondhand smoke I've inhaled, that this is not a permanent fix and that it won’t be long until I can finally buy a new laptop. All I ask of you guys is to just bear with me until I can regularize my posts. 

I miss blogging and I hope you guys miss me too. I simply cannot wait to fully resurrect this place one again. I hope you are all still there to support me and make it all worth it. So until then. 

A Quick Post from the Dead

Image from nekkedbeararmy.com

Hello you guys! Just typing this short post for everyone who's been asking about my whereabouts. I'm still alive, thank God! I'm currently preparing for my upcoming graduation this March 22 so I am every bit as busy as those who are taking their final examinations before the term ends.


Hopefully when all the crazy subsides, I could come back. But that's not for another 2 months, I guess, because I'll be taking my licensure examination this coming June. Maybe after that?


I hope you guys are doing okay. I can't wait to fully start reading and blogging again. My reading pile is in dire need of a reader and I wish that could be me soon. I wish to come back with a very good news and a fantastic giveaway to spark things up again.


That's all. Tata for now.