F | Read this for wikathon and a buddy read with Mari (macnbooks) and Justine (morenamonologues). I came into this book with low expectations, but I dF | Read this for wikathon and a buddy read with Mari (macnbooks) and Justine (morenamonologues). I came into this book with low expectations, but I didn鈥檛 think it would be this bad.
B+ | Book was great. I really can鈥檛 complain about the characters, the romance, or the sex. Plot wise things moved along in a decent pace. UnfortunateB+ | Book was great. I really can鈥檛 complain about the characters, the romance, or the sex. Plot wise things moved along in a decent pace. Unfortunately, I read this when I was not in a mood to read romance so that impacted my enjoyment of the book.
Still, you should definitely check this out if you鈥檙e looking for a good contemporary romance novel....more
A+听| Lush, breathtaking, show-stopping, splendorous, marvelous, decadent, exquisite. These are just a few words that I can use to describe Janella AngA+听| Lush, breathtaking, show-stopping, splendorous, marvelous, decadent, exquisite. These are just a few words that I can use to describe Janella Angeles鈥檚 debut novel. Many of the reviewers I trust have described this book as something akin to a dessert. You know what? I agree. It鈥檚 a salted caramel cheesecake. It鈥檚 that Bake Cheese Tart from Japan that I adore so much. I have not fallen in love like this with a book in a long, long time. There are some things that I hope Janella improves upon in the second novel. However, these issues did not take away from the fact that I absolutely enjoyed everything that this book offers.
Read this for Wikathon w/ Rose, aka听, and you should absolutely check out her听.
For the full review, head over to my blog, !
-------------------- A++++ | AM I REALLY SUPPOSED TO WAIT HOW LONG FOR THE NEXT BOOK?????
A | If there鈥檚 one word I can use to describe this book, it鈥檚 鈥渕elodic.鈥 Now, if you asked me which musical piece this books reminded me of, I would sA | If there鈥檚 one word I can use to describe this book, it鈥檚 鈥渕elodic.鈥 Now, if you asked me which musical piece this books reminded me of, I would say, 鈥淪ibelius鈥 Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47: I. Allegro moderato,鈥 which is one of my favorite pieces. Strange? Perhaps. However this was the first came to my mind after I finished the book.
I adored this book. If this book could talk? It would stand up tall and proud and say, 鈥淚 am proudly Filipino and you can鈥檛 take that away from me.鈥 It is a rich Filipino inspired world that is teeming with Filipino mythology and folklore in every page. And yes, this does include the not so great sides of Filipino culture like the way men are uplifted while women are put down and blamed for any and all issues arising.
Oh, how I wish this book existed when I was a child.
But I am thankful for its existence now because it means Filipinos in the diaspora can finally read about a world inspired by our culture and filled with characters based on our myths and legends.
And this book is even more special because of Lalani.
What really made me fall in love with Lalani is that she is not the chosen one. She is not a special little girl destined for greatness. No. She is simply a twelve year old girl whose heart is full of generosity, selflessness, bravery, and resiliency.
It鈥檚 great when books allow kids to imagine themselves as superheroes. But it鈥檚 also important to show kids that everyone 鈥 even those without special talents or abilities 鈥 can make a difference in society. Resilience and bravery go a long way and even those without magic an accomplish great things....more
A | I usually don't start reviews like this but I feel the need to warn any potential readers of what you'll see in this book, especially since I knowA | I usually don't start reviews like this but I feel the need to warn any potential readers of what you'll see in this book, especially since I know a number of people who are reading this for Wikathon.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It's not for people looking for a warm, fuzzy, and cozy mystery/thriller. No. This book is brutal and gut-wrenching. It doesn't hold back at all. There is abuse, violence against women, murder, and multiple rape scenes. Please remember to take care of your own mental health.
Now, I enjoyed the book a lot. From the start, the book gripped me and refused to let me go. I know. I got through the book so fast. I sort of wished I used Bookly to find out exactly how many hours it took me to read the book. But I just couldn't stop. Had it not been for the fact I was determined to play video games last night, I would have finished this book in one sitting. It's that good.
But you know what? Despite the fact that I enjoyed it, the book unsettled me, specifically because of the rape scenes. I was not at all prepared for this, especially because none of the reviews I saw mentioned them. I think what's making it worse to the point it's lingering is the fact that the scenes were so raw and brutal.
Still, I would absolutely recommend this book to those who can handle reading this. It's a good book. Even though we know what happens to Angela in the end, it's learning about what lead to her death and the immediate events after that kept me going. It was also the mystery of those dead women and their kids. Even though I ended up guessing the twist at the end, Jennifer still managed to surprise me.
Again, give this book a shot if you are okay with the above warnings because it is absolutely worth picking up....more
A+ | Have you ever read a book so good that it left you numb afterward because your brain legitimately cannot process how amazing the book was? That'sA+ | Have you ever read a book so good that it left you numb afterward because your brain legitimately cannot process how amazing the book was? That's me right now with this book.
This book is a masterpiece. It is an absolute must-read for everyone, regardless of their ethnicity or nationality. But it is especially important for us Filipinos in the diaspora to read this book. I have never read a book that has left me like this: in total shock and awe, ready to cry but also jump into action. I have never read a book until now that has left me breathless but also left me nodding my head along because everything said here?
I felt it right in my bones.
I'll be writing a full review for this when I've fully processed this awe-inspiring book, but I want to leave you with this quote that hit me right in my face and then stabbed me in the heart (but in a good way):
"It strikes me that I cannot claim this country's serene coves and sun-soaked beaches without also claiming its poverty, its problems, its history. To say that any aspect of it is part of me is to say that all of it is part of me."
Ok, I will be writing a more in-depth review later, but can I just say that this book DOES NOT deserve such a low rating. A+ | WHERE IS THE SEQUEL???
Ok, I will be writing a more in-depth review later, but can I just say that this book DOES NOT deserve such a low rating. People are saying that it's hard to follow but it's not? The worldbuilding was so easy to follow.
Y'all just don't like the fact that it's filled with Filipino characters, worldbuilding, and is unapologetically Filipino.
Veronica 馃嚨馃嚟馃ゥ
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