Deleted Books from my TBR :)

I decided to look at my to read list in goodreads and I realized that there were books there i'll probably end up not reading anymore because I've lost interest or one of my friends read it and did not enjoy it.

1. Every Day by David Levithan: I wanted to read it back when I was in high school but almost 3 year have passed and I still haven't gotten around to it. My friend tried to read it last year and she didn't enjoy it that much.
2. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han: I wanted to read this because I read To All the Boys I've Loved Before and I loved that but when I decided to read this, I ended up just reading the first few chapters and I didn't enjoy it. I didn't like the writing and the characters and the love triangle. 
3. Matched by Ally Condie: I was really intrigued by this when it first came out but I never read it. I own Reached (because I saw it in a warehouse sale for a cheap price) but I'm really not in the mood to read Dystopian books and it has mixed reviews.
4. Assasin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers: I do not remember where I saw this and I do not remember what it is about. I read the summary and did not really like it so not going to read it.
5. Crewel by Gennifer Albin: Another Dystopian i'll probably not end up reading anymore. Mixed reviews. I think I just added it to my TBR because the cover is really pretty.
6. Half Blood by Jennifer L Armentrout: I wanted to read this before because it's based on Mythologies and I really like books based on that but I'm really not in the mood to read books that has more than 3 books anymore so yeah.
7. The Maze Runner by James Dashner: Another kind of dystopian (?) book series. I liked the movie (Dylan O' Brien <3) enough but it did not motivate me enough to read the book.
8. I Was Here & If I Stay by Gayle Forman: I read the Just One Day duology by Gayle Forman but I didn't enjoy it enough to motivate me to read another book by her. 
9. Evernight by Claudia Gray: I wanted to read this back when I was in High School and right now I'm thinking I'll never read it. I'm really not in the mood for Academy or Boarding School based fantasy books anymore. Plus, 5 books.
10. Half Bad by Sally Green: I'm really not fond of witches story so I'll end up not reading this ever.
11. Frostfire by Amanda Hocking: I read Wake by Amanda Hocking and ended up not enjoying it that much. I did not like the summary of the book and now I'm thinking why was it in my TBR in the first place.
12. Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout: I was excited for this book before it came out. I was interested because I liked the summary but when I read it, I probably reached until the first 50 pages, I didn't enjoy it. The main character was really whiny and annoying. She keeps complaining about being in Korea when it was her choice to move there, not knowing anything about the place and the language. It was really annoying and the male characters weren't that interesting too. Especially the lead one, he was really arrogant and snobbish.

Lucifer S01EP1 :D

I saw the trailer for this before and I found it interesting.  When I saw that it was available, I decided to watch it. I really liked it. I found Tom Ellis as Lucifer quite fun. He was really sarcastic throughout the episode. Plus, his accent. It was quite weird watching a Lucifer that was kind of nice and merciful though but I liked it. I'm excited for the next episodes!

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SUMMARY (SPOILER): The episode revolved around Lucifer who left hell and decided to live in Los Angeles. He kept rejecting Amenadiel about going back to hell. Meanwhile, a friend of his, Delilah, gets killed and he decides to go and search for the one who paid the guy who killed her. He tags along with Chloe, a detective, after she caught him looking for suspects himself and together they looked for the guy who wanted Delilah dead.

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THINGS I LIKED (SPOILER):

• I really like the animation with Amenadiel's wings. It looked so cool.
• Tom Ellis really portrayed Lucifer in a interesting and fun way. His humor and lines were funny and he was such a badass character during serious scenes. You would really feel scared when he was mad.
• I like Chloe and Lucifer together. They got attached to each other easily even though they had nothing in common at first. I find their relationship interesting and fun to watch. 
• I like the scenes where Lucifer interacted with Trixie. She really liked him and it was fun watching him act towards her because he didn't like children.

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SOME OF MY FAVORITE SCENES (SPOILER):

Shadowhunters S01E03 :)

I really enjoyed this episode. I still had issues with the graphics because it kind of looked ridiculous (especially with the burning of the vampires) but overall the episode was fun and entertaining. The twist they did to the plot was alright and I'm excited to watch more. Camille and Meliorn were introduced earlier than the book but it made sense as to why they had to appear. I'm really excited for the next episode because of the preview at the end of this episode! So excited for Magnus Bane. I was really happy when Camille mentioned Magnus in this episode.

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SUMMARY (SPOILER): The entire episode revolved around the how they were going to rescue Simon from the vampires after Clary's begged them to help her. Camille wanted the cup for herself because she wanted to be more powerful and wants to trade Simon for Clary. She enchants Simon in order to find out where the cup is but he did not know nothing. Meanwhile, the Shadowhunters plan on how to find an entrance to Hotel Dumort and where to find weapons because they're going on a mission that was not Clave approved. They found weapons from a church cemetery but Alec went back to the institute because there wasn't a bow there. They separated from each other, Jace taught Clary basics on how to handle a seraph blade and they stole a modified vampire motorcycle, Alec went to get a bow, and Izzy went to Meliorn to find out how to enter Hotel Dumort discretely (apparently he's been seeing Camille too). Izzy and Alec entered through the secret entrance and distracted the other vampires while Jace and Clary entered through the rooftop to find Simon. Raphael told Camille to run so she wouldn't get caught and he threatened to kill Simon if the Shadowhunters didn't leave. He set Simon free and Clary was glad that he was brought back to them safely. 

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PROS / THINGS I LIKED (SPOILER):

David Castro as Raphael Santiago: I really like him as Raphael. I really liked Raphael in the book (even though he's kind of evil at first) and he was able to portray him as the Raphael I liked. I just feel bad now because I know what happens to him in the book. I was really happy with him except for his make up.

I like Izzy's interactions with Alec was really fun to watch. 

I still can't see the sassy and fierce Izzy I want but I'm beginning to like Emeraude. I really like how her whip moved during the fight scene but where's her ruby pendant! I also liked seeing Meliorn. I liked seeing them together even though they kind of just have a fling.

I fangirled a lot all throughout the episode because Matthew Daddario is really really handsome.

Simon pretending to be drunk (or was he really drunk?) was really adorable. He was so cute.

Alec's sassiness. That eye roll towards Izzy was perfect. Siblings.

He was so happy when she said, 'I couldn't live without you Simon' but his sudden change in expression after she said, 'You're my best friend' was truly heartbreaking.

I really like Clary's hair even though it's not the red I wanted at first, it's really pretty and bright. It's so wavy too and nice to look at. 

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CONS/ MY ISSUES (SPOILER):

• There was something weird with Raphael's make up as a vampire at some point of the episode. The first scenes were alright but the next ones were kind of scary and looked wrong. 
• The graphics when a vampire was killed or burned because of sunlight was also weird. 
• Kaitlyn Neeb as Camille Belcourt: I find Kaitlyn Neeb pretty but I really imagined Camille as a blonde, british woman. 
• There were many steamy scenes. There wasn't anything wrong with it but I really didn't feel the need for it. 
• I don't get why Camille can stop Simon from moving. I get that vampires can enchant others and such but why can they stop someone from moving? Shouldn't warlocks be the ones able to do that?

Unpopular Opinions Book Tag

I saw this on youtube and I wanted to give it a try.
Creator: TheBookArcher  and her video.

1) What's a popular book or series that you didn't like?
- Divergent: I mean, I liked the first book but the second one, not so much.
- A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin: I have been trying to read this for almost a year now but I can't seem to finish the first book. The story is great but there's too many characters and some of the POV bores me.

2) A popular book or series that you loved but everybody else seems to hate?
- Twilight, Fifty Shades, Fallen, The Selection: I know it's not the greatest series in the world but there's something addicting about it.

3) OTP that you are just not a fan of?
- Sydney & Ridge from Maybe Someday: I don't like how their relationship developed. The cheating and the stuff.
- West & Maggie from Until Friday Night: I would've liked it better if they just stayed friends who comforted each other.
- Isla & Josh from Isla and the Happily Ever After: I did not find their relationship healthy and I was kind of annoyed because of Isla throughout the book.

4) A popular book genre that you hardly reach for?
- Science Fiction books.

5) A popular or beloved book character that you did not like?
- Four from Divergent: Tbh, I liked him in Divergent. He was badass there but in Insurgent he was kind of whiny and annoying.

6) A popular author you can't seem to get into?
- George RR Martin: I mean, I like the tv series of Game of Thrones but I just can't seem to feel the same way for the book. I like the story but I got bored while I was reading the book.

7) A popular book trope that you're tired of seeing?
- The quiet and shy girl falling for the bad boy.

8) A popular series that you have no interest in reading?
- The Maze Runner: I really have no interest in ever reading it. I liked the movie but it did not motivate me enough to read the book.

9) The saying goes that the book is always better than the movie, what book to movie or book to tv adaptation did you like better than the book?
- Paper Towns: I like them both but I liked the movie better because they included Angela! And they did not ditch high school events for Margo.
- The Green Mile: The book was great but there were boring scenes which were not included in the movie. The actors in the file were really great actors and they portrayed their characters well.

Books/ Book Series I Probably Won't Continue Reading :/

I've been thinking about what to post because I really didn't finish reading anything last week. I started reading Sense and Sensibility & Lips Touch: Three Times but I'm really not in the mood to read so not much progress there. So I'll just post about the books or series I started reading but gave up on. It's not really an original topic but I just wanted to share my list of those books.

This is arranged in no particular order.

1. Allegiant by Veronica Roth: I have read Divergent and I loved it but because I didn't love Insurgent and because my friends and my mom didn't like this book I have no plans on reading it. 
2. A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin: I have been trying to read Game of Thrones for almost a year now. I'm 500 pages in but I'm really not that much interested in it. Don't get me wrong, I liked the tv series but the pacing of the book doesn't really work much for me. I'm getting confused by the abundance of characters and I got bored by some of the characters point of view so as of now I have no plans of reading the second book even though I own it.
3. Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella: I have read the first book of this series but I'm really not interested in continuing it because I got bored. I love Sophie Kinsella so I don't know why I did not enjoy the book. Maybe because I really didn't like the lead character.
4. The Escaped by Kristin Cast: Amber Smoke really annoyed the hell out of me. I really didn't like the plot and the characters from story. 
5. Young Love Series by Amanda Heath: I've read 2 books from this series, the first and the last. I didn't know it was a series when I read it. They're not really that connected if I remember much but it was still kind of confusing. I'm not planning on continuing/reading book 2 and 3 because the 4th one was kind of disturbing. I really didn't like the plot much.
6. The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy by Jenny Han: I've read only the first 30 pages of this if I remember correctly and I did not enjoy it. I got bored and the plot involving a love triangle where the two guys are brothers really annoyed me. Plus, my best friend told me she read it and wasn't happy with it. 
7. Fifty Shames by Fanny Merkin: I did not find the first book hilarious and was seriously annoyed by it. 
8. Paper Gods by Amanda Sun: When I first read the premise of the series, I really liked it but after reading Ink I was seriously disappointed. There was so much potential but it did not deliver well. The story was weird and confusing and the characters weren't that likable.

Reading Slump :(

Currently kind of in a reading slump right now. I've tried reading books but my brain doesn't want to accept information and details about them. I hate reading slumps. So, instead of feeling very terrible because I don't want to force myself to read, I just decided to watch some stuffs. Plus, our new semester will begin soon (January 18th) and I have a pretty hectic schedule, maybe my reading list won't improve much soon but I'll try because there's so many books I really want to read and I should probably start reading some while it's still early in the semester.

PS: I decided to create a page dedicated to all the series, anime, movies, and possibly kdrama's that I watched/will watch because I also really want to share my thoughts about those too.
MOVIES | SERIES | ANIME: There's really just 2 reviews up at the moment though. I just decided to do this earlier this day. I'll probably add more later.

Shadowhunters EP1 & 2.

So, the TV Series adaptation of The Mortal Instruments premiered the other day plus the second episode. I waited for that for a while and finally decided to watch it.

When I first watched it, I was truly disappointed. It didn't follow the timeline of events in the book and kind of diverged from the plot entirely. However, I tried to give it another chance and re-watched it without the mindset that it follows the books and it became kind of alright to me. It wasn't that great but it wasn't bad (Like Vampire Academy movie bad). I kind of didn't like the plot reveal at the end of episode 2 because it was too early for that. I felt it was kind of rushed.

Acting: 6/10
Cinematography: 6/10
CGI: 6/10
Story: 7/10
Props: 6/10
Overall Rating: 6/10


BEWARE: Contains spoilers.

MY THOUGHTS ON:

1) Kat McNamara as Clary Fray: Kat is really pretty but at first I did not like her acting but when I re-watched it my thoughts changed to kind of alright. There were still some scenes where I did not like her acting because it kind of felt and looked awkward. Plus, I did not like her outfit after the Ravener Demon scene - it did not feel like something Clary would wear. Too sexy. I like Lily Collins more.

2) Dominic Sherwood as Jace Wayland: I liked Dom in Vampire Academy. He's the only one I liked there but I kind of don't see him as Jace yet here. He's not really that much sarcastic as Jace is in the book and he's too touchy with Clary. I don't feel their chemistry yet. I prefer Jamie Campbell Bower at the moment. I like that they included their fear of Izzy's cooking though.

3) Matthew Daddario as Alec Lightwood: Matthew is really really handsome and tall. I like him so much. Some of his lines are pretty mean but kind of funny. I like his sibling relationship with Izzy. Still, I liked Kevin Zeger's acting a little bit more though.

4) Emeraude Toubia as Isabelle Lightwood: I find Emeraude really pretty and sexy but I don't feel her as Izzy yet. She's like the happy, friendlier and kind of too flirty version of Izzy. I don't see and feel her fierceness. Where is Izzy's ruby necklace?

5) Alberto Rosende: I really like him as Simon. He's got the awkward and funny personality of Simon and he was really entertaining in the first two episodes. The only time I ever laughed out loud was during one of his scenes. I really like his friendship with Clary and I loved the scene where he covered Clary with a jacket when she wore that revealing outfit.

6) Harry Shum Jr as Magnus Bane: I really like his hand gesture. I found Harry awesome as Magnus during that scene. Magnus in EP2 wasn't really the Magnus from the book. They made him run. Magnus wouldn't have run. He would have stayed and fight. But seriously that line. Why haven't they met yet!

7) Alan Van Sprang as Valentine Morgenstern: All I wanted was a Valentine who wore suits. I'm so happy. I find Alan's acting really great. I could feel her devotion to Jocelyn during the scene where they took her. I wish he had more hair though. I really didn't like movie Valentine.

8) Isaiah Mustafa as Luke Garroway: I find him as a badass character but I think his other expressions aren't really that profound. I can't really compare him with book and movie Luke because they're too different.

9) Maxim Roy as Jocelyn Fray: I find her alright but kind of dry. I liked Lena Headey better.

OTHER ISSUES:

1) I did not like the mood of the series. I preferred the one in the movie.

2) The CGI looked kind of fake (especially the monsters) and the weapons looked plastic. 

3) The institute - how it contained modern equipment and gadgets. It looked wrong. Plus, there's too many people there.

4) Valentine's men, the circle members, didn't look badass and frightening. They looked pretentious. I preferred the Pangborn and Blackwell in the movie.

5) The involvement of mundane police. I don't get why they need to add that.
6) Magnus Bane's party was not there. Malec haven't met yet.
7) Alec's eyes are supposed to be blue. Like Will's.
8) Jace's eyes are supposed to be gold. That means something in the book.

Overall, I think I would still continue watching it in the future but I wouldn't really feel to depressed even if it's cancelled (Opposite of what I felt when Constantine and The Player were cancelled).

Dead Upon a Time :)

Title: Dead Upon a Time by Elizabeth Paulson
Pages: 139

Summary: Kate's grandmother went missing. She and Jack decided to search for her along with the other missing people from their village.

Rating: 3.5/5

I decided to read this book because it's a fairy tale retelling and it's so short. I read this within a day and I quite enjoyed it. The mashup of the characters from different fairy tales - Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty - was really unique. The different nightmares in which they were stuck in was quite on point with their characters although Rapunzel's was kind of vain.

Elizabeth Paulson's writing was alright. The story she created was fun and the plot twists were interesting. There were some that I did not see coming and some that I saw. It's just too bad that the story felt too rushed due to how short it is. There are some questions that are left unanswered like: What happened with the Queen and her daughters after they got back? Why did Katie's parents left her? (It wasn't really explained properly). And a what if: What if Cecilia decided to help and free her mother?

BEWARE: The following will kind of include spoilers.

Another reason why I enjoyed the book was because of the characters.

• I like the development and friendship between Jack & Katie - the two outcasts. They're kind of cute together. Their interactions and conversations were really interesting to read. 

He had described the two of them as disposable orphans. But they'd become irreplaceable to each other. At least, she could not replace him.

• I like that Jack's sassy and sarcastic. He's a fun character to read and you would really pity him for how the village treated him in the beginning. I get that it's his fault, but he tried to make it right. He was just desperate.

"Your friends?" Sterling snorted. "The ranks of your friends must have thinned a bit after you taunted a maleficent giant until he all but destroyed your home village." 

"Really? Is that why no one came to my birthday party this year? And I thought it was the lack of proper refreshments."

•  I like how Katie's so confident with her self even though she was kind of bullied in her village. They treated her as an outcast because they were afraid of her grandmother and blamed her for the disasters that happened in their village. I like how she would have sacrificed herself for the people who were kidnapped and gave Caterina mercy.
• I like Katie's grandmother she was badass near the end even though she just used a needle. 

Plus, the ending was really fun to read. They got along with each other and became friends and Jack finally named the horse.

RIP Alan Rickman :(

I don't want to believe it. Everything hurts. I’m crying. WHY. We just lost David Bowie and now him…

Goodbye to a very talented actor. Alan Rickman, you will be missed.

The Demon in the Wood :D

Title: The Demon in the Wood
Pages: 30 (Ebook)
Series: The Grisha #0.1

Summary: A backstory to the life of the Darkling during a time where Grisha's were not accepted in the society.

Rating: 4/5

The world wasn't safe for Grisha, but it was particularly dangerous for the two of them.

I have only read Shadow and Bone but I loved the Darkling in that. I liked finding more about his story even though this novella was just a really short one. I like the writing in this one more because it's in the third person point of view.

It's heartbreaking to see that at a young age the Darkling already had to kill to protect himself from the people who wanted his powers for themselves. You would understand why he became the person he is in the the Shadow and Bone. He just wanted a place where Grisha's don't need to live in the shadows.

PS: I have only read Shadow and Bone this review is only based on that book and this one.

Kisses from Hell :)

Title: Kisses from Hell
Page: 165 (EBook)

Rating: 3/5

I liked the collections of stories from Vacation from Hell more than the collections in this book. All of the stories here have Vampire based stories and some were interesting but some were really confusing.



1) Sunshine by Richelle Mead
Summary: A group of students from St Vladimir Academy went to an island owned by the father of one of their classmate.
Rating: 4/5
Review: Of all the authors in here, the only one I read a book written by her is Richelle Mead and I loved all of them. I liked seeing how Rhea and Eric met in this story although if people who read this haven't read Vampire Academy yet they won't appreciate it as much. The story was simple and their meeting and interactions was fast but they were cute together.

2) Bring Me to Life by Alyson Noel
Summary: Dani went to England to attend a school that would enhance her painting skills but a mysterious mist began surrounding the area.
Rating: 3/5
Review: I kind of liked the story though it was kind of weird. I kind of got somewhat bored before it got the climax part. Also, I felt that the ending was kind of rushed.

3) Above by Kristin Cast
Summary: A girl wanted to escape from the abuse she experiences Below and move Above.
Rating: 2.5/5
Review: I thought this had potential but it just made my head hurt. The writing was really confusing. It kind of tried to do some poetry type of writing but it didn't work. From what I understood from the story though, I kind of liked. It's too bad what happened in the end. That damn guy from Below.

4) Hunting Kat by Kelley Armstrong
Summary: Kat, a genetically modified vampire, is being hunted by the Edison Group. She escaped the experiment with the help of Marguerite.
Rating: 4/5
Review: The plot of this story is really interesting. I liked it for the action and the suspense part. The scenes in the books were really engaging and I would have probably read it if it had it's own book.

5) Lilith by Francesca Lia Block
Summary: Lilith decided to help Paul Michael.
Rating: 2/5
Review: It was just a really fast story about a guy who was helped by Lilith. There's nothing really interesting in it and I just got bored. I also thought there was no point to the story. It was a short read though.

Vacation from Hell :)

Title: Vacation from Hell
Pages: 156 (EBook)

Rating: 3.5/5

I found this randomly and since I like short stories I decided to give this a try. It's also great that I know 4 out of 5 (Bray, Clare, Gray, Johnson) authors of the short stories in here. Though I haven't read any books by 2 (Bray, Gray) of those 4.

The stories in this book are really interesting. There's only one that I didn't really like that much but all the others were alright.


1) Cruisin by Sarah Mlynowski

Setting: Cruise to Nowhere
Summary: Two friends went on a cruise where they met another girl who told them about the news of people missing from cruises.

Rating: 2/5
Review: The writing was alright. The plot was not really that interesting for me and I did not like the lead characters. I thought they were kind of annoying. Plus, I did not think the plot twist matched the actions and other random information in the book.

2) I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray

Setting: North Carolina, USA

Summary: Cecily, a teenage witch, suspects that her rival, a mean girl named Kathleen is up to bad things on their family's yearly reunion. 

Rating: 3.5/5

Review: The story was simple but entertaining. I kind of liked it even thought I usually don't like books/stories with witches in it. I liked the plot twist but the outcome really sucks for Cecily. I like her with her brother because it's true to life. Kathleen was really such a terrible and selfish person. 

Lesson: Don't abuse the power given to you. Don't use it for your own selfish desires.

3) The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson

I'm loggin off now and going back to my room. And I am going to ask them to up my meds. I like it here, nice and safe, with no sharp things and everyone all locked up. It is, sa Gerard would say, better than the alternative.

Setting: Provence, France

Summary: While Charlie and her sister MaryLou were waiting for their cousin, Charlie wanders around in Provence looking for a signal when she meets a weird guy looking for his dog who tells her a story that's supposed to make the person who hears it commit murder.

Rating: 4.5/5
Review: Out of the five stories, this is the one I liked best. The start was kind of dull but the story gets interesting after a while. The plot twist and events was really suspenseful and creepy. It was also kind of gruesome. I found the characters interesting and really weird. The ending made me laugh even though it sucks for Charlie. Stupid MaryLou xD.

4) The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare

Setting: Black River, Jamaica

Summary: Carol and Phillip went to Jamaica for their honeymoon, they brought their children, Evan and Violet for family bonding. Whilst there, Evan and Violet met a mysterious woman named Anne Palmer who lives in a house decorated with mirrors.

Rating: 3.75/5

Review: Even though it's written by Cassandra Clare, I did not love it but I did like it. The story was simple but interesting. I liked the ending because it brought justice to a character that abuses women. Anne is really just someone who believes in her twisted beliefs. She thinks and does what she thinks is best because of her experiences. Violet did have a point on who she should just target.

5) Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray

Mrs Smith bristled. "I can tell your fortune right now without even consulting your palm. 

"You can?" 

"Yes. You are an idiot. You will always be an idiot."

Setting: Eastern Europe

Summary: A group of friends decided to visit a mysterious town in Eastern Europe known for their dealings with the devil for their good fortune and survival. 

Rating: 4/5

Review: This story was weird but good. It was entertaining and suspenseful. Those guys were really stupid because who in their right mind would think about going to a devil worshiper town. That premise alone wouldn't make me want to go there even if it's not real. A lot of things happen for a short story and it really fun. The ending was kind of abrupt thought but the format of the story was really great. I liked the characters. They had funny interactions. Mrs. Smith for the win! I love that old fortune teller.

Lesson: Don't go to creepy and remote towns.

Shadow and Bone Review :)

Title: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Pages: 215 (Ebook)
Series: The Grisha #1

Summary: A girl discovers that she has a power that could help in making the lives of the citizens in their country better.

Rating: 3.5/5

"They are orphans again, with no true home but each other and whatever life they can make together on the other side of the sea."

I decided to give this a try after reading Leigh Bardugo's short story, "The Witch of Duva" in the Fierce Anthology which was really good.  However, after reading this book I was kind of disappointed because I had high expectations. It wasn't bad but I wasn't amazed. I actually don't know why I didn't enjoy it that much because I found the world, story, and character fascinating. Maybe it was because I wasn't in the reading mood or something.

Writing: Leigh Bardugo's writing is pretty good. Although, there were times were I kind of felt bored - about midway in the book. My brain didn't want to process the different types of Grisha's (even though there were just three) and the color of their kefta. The only one I remember is the Darkling's color. Black. Maybe I would've enjoyed it better if it wasn't on the first person point of view.

World & Story: The Grisha world is really a unique one. It's the first time I read a book that uses Russia as the basis and I liked it. The twists and turns of the plot did a really good thing for the book. It kept the story really intriguing.

BEWARE: The following sections will kind of include spoilers.

Characters: 

• Darkling: I know he's the villain but I can't help but like him. I want him to redeem himself in the next books! Did he really just trick Alina? 
• Alina: "I’m sorry, I whispered to it. I’m sorry I left you so long in the dark. I’m sorry, but I’m ready now."
  I found Alina kind of whiny in the beginning but she was alright in the end. I felt bad for her when she couldn't access her power on her own and when she figured out why. 
• Mal: Like with Alina, I didn't like him at first. I thought he was kind of a playboy but I did like their friendship. I liked him well enough in the end.
• Genya: I really admire her fierceness. Even though she's technically a servant, she doesn't really let it bother her. I like that her skill is really unique. It may be somewhat useless in the battle but hey maybe you could use it to trick your enemy that you're not tired during a war. HAHA. Also, I wanted her to remove my eye bags xD 
• Alexei: “Peasant,” Alexei said, and dismissed her with a wave.
  I really liked Alexei even though he had a short appearance in the book. I found his characteristics funny for some reason. It's too bad he had to go.

Friendships:

• Alina-Genya: I like how Genya stayed with her when she arrived in the palace. I like how they got along. How Genya told her about David (I still find it funny that he's the only named like a normal character) and when she warned her about the Darkling.
• Alina-Mal: I liked their friendship even though at first they had issues. I like how well they know each other and even though they had issues, they resolved it in the end. 
• Alina-Alexei: For some reason I liked their interactions. How Alexei gave her drawings for stories. I felt sad when Alexei got taken by a Volcra and Alina wasn't able to save him.

Relationships:

• Alina-Mal: “I’m sorry it took me so long to see you Alina. But I see you now.”
  It's a great thing too that they got together in the end because they're cute together. 
• Alina-Darkling: I really shipped them at first. When Baghra told her what the Darkling planned, it was a heartbreaking moment because I didn't want to believe it.

2016 New Release Challenge :D

So, I found a reading challenge I want to join this year:

The 2016 New Release Challenge (click to find out more about the challenge)

1-15 books per year - New Release Newbie

16-30 books per year - New Release Pro

31-45 books per year - New Release Veteran

45+ books per year - New Release Enthusiast

 I plan to just achieve New Release Newbie because I don't want to be ambitious but maybe I will be able to read more! Let's just wait and see.

As of now my most awaited books of 2016 are:

1. Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard (January 5, 2016)
2. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard (February 9, 2016)
3. A Gathering of Shadows by VE Schwab (February 23, 2016)
4. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare (March 8, 2016)
5. The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead (April 5, 2016)
6. The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan (May 3, 2016)
7. The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh (May 3, 2016)
8. The Crown by Kiera Cass (May 3, 2016)
9. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (June 7, 2016)
10. Up in Flames by Abbi Glines (June 14, 2016)
11. Summer Days & Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories by Stephanie Perkins (June 14, 2016)
12. City of Demons by Richelle Mead (July 26, 2016)
13. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (August 2, 2016)
14. The Burning World by Isaac Marion (August 9, 2016)
15. Under the Lights by Abbi Glines (August 23, 2016)
16. The Bronze Key by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare (September 2016)
17. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor (September 27, 2016)
18. The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan (October 4, 2016)

2015 Reading Challenge :D

I was able to finish 44/50 of those challenges. I tried to finish it but I got lazy towards the end of the year and last semester was hectic.

Here's what I was able to finish:
PS: Click on the titles for reviews of those book.

1. A book with 500 pages - Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
2. A classic romance
3. A book that became a movie - Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
4. A book published this year - Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella
5. A book with a number in the title - November 9 by Colleen Hoover 
6. A book written by someone under 30 - A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab
7. A book with nonhuman characters - The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead
8. A funny book - Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes by Rick Riordan
9. A book with a female author - Unforgiven by Lauren Kate
10. A mystery or thriller - Far Far Away by Tom McNeal
11. A book with a one-word title - Confess by Colleen Hoover
12. A book of short stories - The Fierce Anthology
13. A book set in a different country - Soundless by Richelle Mead
14. A nonfiction book - Yes, My Accent is Real by Kunal Nayyar
15. A popular author’s first book - Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
16. A book from an author you love that you have not read yet - Until the End by Abbi Glines
17. A book a friend recommended - I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson 
18. A Pulitzer Prize winning book
19. A book based on a true story - Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
20. A book at the bottom of your to-read list - Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
21. A book your mom loves 
22. A book that scares you - Slasher Girls and Monster Boys by April Genevieve Tucholke
23. A book more than 100 years old 
24. A book based entirely on its cover - My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga
25. A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t - El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal
26. A memoir - You're Never Weird on the Internet by Felicia Day
27. A book you can finish in a day - The Best Goodbye by Abbi Glines
28. A book with antonyms in the title - Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
29. A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit - Just One Day by Gayle Forman
30. A book that came out the year you were born The Green Mile by Stephen King
31. A book with bad reviews - Life and Death by Stephenie Meyer
32. A trilogy - Angelfall, World After, End of Days by Susan Ee
33. A book from your childhood - Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden by Yuu Watase
34. A book with a love triangle - The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh 
35. A book set in the future - The Selection by Kiera Cass
36. A book set in high school - Promposal by Rhonda Helms
37. A book with a color in the title - Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier
38. A book that made you cry - When You're Back by Abbi Glines
39. A book with magic - Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard 
40. A graphic novel - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Graphic Novel by Cassandra Jean & Ransom Riggs
41. A book by an author you’ve never read before - We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
42. A book you own but have never read - Misfit by Jon Skovron
43. A book that takes place in your hometown 
44. A book originally written in a different language Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier
45. A book set during Christmas - Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle
46. A book written by an author with your same initials - Ignite by Erica Crouch
47. A play 
48. A banned book - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
49. A book based on or turned into a TV show 
50. A book you started but never finished - This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith