Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio both get a call from Death-Cast that they're going to die today. They don't know each other but they end up finding eaMateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio both get a call from Death-Cast that they're going to die today. They don't know each other but they end up finding each other with the help of an app called Last Friend. It's an app where you can look for a new friend on your End Day. They only have today to live without even knowing the exact time or how they will die. But they both know that they have less than 24 hours to live their lives to the fullest.
This book takes place within 24 hours which seems longer because there are so many things that have happened. Mateo and Rufus are both great characters. They have different personalities so it's interesting to see how they get along and learn new things from each other. I also liked that aside from Mateo and Rufus, we also get POVs of the side characters.
I don't know why I waited so long to read this. This was technically my first Silvera read and I really loved it and even cried towards the end. I normally don't like abrupt endings but this one worked out perfectly for me. We already know what will happen at the end because of the spoiler-y title but there are still a lot of unpredictability and excitement in the story.
What I didn't like was the romance because it felt forced. I'm totally fine without it in this book. Overall, this was a great read with a bittersweet story that will definitely stay with me for quite a long time.
I listened to the audiobook edition and it's perfect!
Merged review:
Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio both get a call from Death-Cast that they're going to die today. They don't know each other but they end up finding each other with the help of an app called Last Friend. It's an app where you can look for a new friend on your End Day. They only have today to live without even knowing the exact time or how they will die. But they both know that they have less than 24 hours to live their lives to the fullest.
This book takes place within 24 hours which seems longer because there are so many things that have happened. Mateo and Rufus are both great characters. They have different personalities so it's interesting to see how they get along and learn new things from each other. I also liked that aside from Mateo and Rufus, we also get POVs of the side characters.
I don't know why I waited so long to read this. This was technically my first Silvera read and I really loved it and even cried towards the end. I normally don't like abrupt endings but this one worked out perfectly for me. We already know what will happen at the end because of the spoiler-y title but there are still a lot of unpredictability and excitement in the story.
What I didn't like was the romance because it felt forced. I'm totally fine without it in this book. Overall, this was a great read with a bittersweet story that will definitely stay with me for quite a long time.
I listened to the audiobook edition and it's perfect!...more
*Thanks to Dutton Books for my free copy. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.
A prestigious university got hacked and all the e-mails o*Thanks to Dutton Books for my free copy. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.
A prestigious university got hacked and all the e-mails of the students, faculty, and everyone who is connected to the university are put on an online database accessible to the public. On top of all the rumours, affairs, and revelations that are surrounding the community, a doctor has been murdered and the killer is on the loose.
Reputation, Shephard's latest novel, kept me intrigued. I read 200 pages of this book in one sitting which says a lot. It was fast paced and definitely a page-turner read. The story is told in multiple points of view of five different women who are greatly affected by the hack and all their stories are intertwined. The characters are unlikeable and far from endearing but I still had fun reading their perspectives. Each and everyone of them has their own secrets. All of these were revealed towards the end which has led to an overwhelming amount of twists. Some of them were really clever but others are far-fetched. At some point, they became too much for me that it didn't surprise me anymore when the murderer was named. Also, I wasn't personally satisfied with the ending probably because I was expecting for a different outcome instead of a very conventional one. Overall, I enjoyed the drama and the mystery. The author mentioned that this book actually began as development for a TV series which somehow was quite obvious but still, this was a very entertaining read. Plus, the theme is pretty relevant....more
This book takes place in 1991 Baghdad during the Gulf War. It follows the story of two young girls in an air raid shelter who eventually become best oThis book takes place in 1991 Baghdad during the Gulf War. It follows the story of two young girls in an air raid shelter who eventually become best of friends. Together they dream of a perfect world as well as witness how the ongoing war affects their neighborhood and their own lives.
I really enjoyed reading this book and if I have my own copy, i'm pretty sure that it'll be filled with annotations, underlines, and highlights. There were so many beautiful lines! There were some slow-paced scenes but I though the writing was still captivating. I also enjoyed the addition of metaphors and magical element. I like that this book is written in the first person pov of the young protagonist. It's pure, innocent and honest. No pretentions. This is actually one of the reasons why I love reading middle grade novels. We see through our young narrator how their neighborhood continue their everyday lives despite of the war that is happening which slowly destroying (both physically and mentally) their community). The author focuses more on the devastating effects and innocent victims of the war instead of the act of violence and war itself. This book actually made me cry mostly because of Uncle Shawkat and Biryad the dog. This was such a thought-provoking and heartbreaking coming-of-age novel.
This book was first published in Arabic in 2016 and was translated to English by Luke Leafgren in 2018....more
Valerie's younger brother was killed by the Boars two years ago and she is determined to avenge tw: depression, PTSD, self harm, suicidal ideation
Valerie's younger brother was killed by the Boars two years ago and she is determined to avenge his death. Joining the Herons, the rival gang of the Boars, is part of her plan but she finds herself taken by a mysterious gang called the Stags. Jax, their leader, promises to help her get her revenge leaving her no choice but to stay in the gang and leave her family and friends behind.
The books started really strong but it went downhill so fast. It's upsetting because I really wanted to love this book. I personally liked Valerie's character except when she's around Jax. The other members of the Stags were interesting as well but we didn't get enough of their backstories. I didn't really care about the romance. Aside from Jax is a total creep, the romance felt flat and unnecessary in my opinion. I thought the foundation of the gangs were not that strong. I was under the impression that since they're teenagers, there would be so much angst and edginess. I didn't get any of these from this book. The plot was a bit predictable and the ending felt rushed and unresolved. I did like how gentrification and privilege were discussed in this book. Overall, I was disappointed that I ended up not loving this book as much as I had hoped. I'm still willing to give her next book a try though.
----- This was disappointing for me and I feel sad because the MC (and the author) is half-Filipino. Full review to come....more
I haven’t read any books from Rin Chupeco so I decided that it’s time to changed that. I immediately signed up when I saw the blog tour announcement oI haven’t read any books from Rin Chupeco so I decided that it’s time to changed that. I immediately signed up when I saw the blog tour announcement on . Honestly, I wasn’t expecting a lot from this book eventhough the premise sounds really compelling. But I thought this was impressive and now I can’t wait for the sequel.
This book is written in multiple first person POVs which I thought was the perfect way of telling this story. I know that this style is not for everyone but the author did a great job on giving each characters their distinct voices. The alternating POVs are from Odessa, a bookish goddess who is suffering from an unknown illness; Lan, Odessa’s protector and healer who is suffering from PTSD caused by her previous journey; Haidee, also a goddess, is a very talented mechanic and has a good heart; and Arjun, a snarky desert rogue and a fire-wielding amputee. It was hard for me to choose a favorite because I liked all of them. They’re all brilliant and unique in their own ways.
One of the things I loved in this book was the worldbuilding. Aeon is split into two after the “Breaking� that happened seventeen years ago. It stops spinning and a Great Abyss divides the two realms, Aranth and Golden City. There were mysteries surrounding this event and the characters have their own different sides of the story. We as readers have to experience what the characters are going through in terms of discovering the truth. It’s complex and can be confusing at times but nonetheless captivating. There will be a map in the final copy and this will definitely help a lot. We’re still getting a sequel so I’m really excited to know more about this world. I loved the addition of elemental magic system and horrifying but still adorable creatures.
The climate change theme in this book is pretty unique and fascinating in my opinion. It’s giving us important message that is really accurate to what’s happening right now in the world. Now let’s talk about the representation in this book because it’s worth mentioning. We have people of color (Asian and Middle Eastern), queer (bisexual and f/f romance), mental health (PTSD) which was handled very good this book, and persons with disability (amputee). Kudos to the author for having this diverse cast of great characters!
I had very minimal issues in this book. I thought the middle part was quite slow and there were terms (the mechanical ones especially) that I wasn’t familiar of. But overall, The Never Tilting World is a creative and truly engrossing young adult fantasy novel that I can’t wait for you to read.
Disclaimer: Thanks to the blog tour host, author, and Edelweiss for providing me an early digital copy of this book. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book....more
"People were messy. They were defined not only by what they’d done, but by what they would have done, under different circumstances, molded as much by"People were messy. They were defined not only by what they’d done, but by what they would have done, under different circumstances, molded as much by their regrets as their actions, choices they stood by and those they wished they could undo. Of course, there was no going back—time only moved forward—but people could change. For worse. And for better."
Nearly six months has passed and a lot of things has changed. August leads the FTF and continue protecting the humans of Verity. Meanwhile, Kate ends up in Prosperity and has become a monster hunter with the help of The Wardens. Kate finds her way back "home" after encountering a new terrifying monster lurking in the dark.
I was really pleased that I ended up loving this book. Most of the sequels I read this year were quite disappointing but Our Dark Duet is epic. I liked it even more than the first book. There were additional characters including a non-binary one and they're all amazing. Also, can we get a spinoff stories with The Wardens and Soro? Please! The new monster called Chaos Eater, who brings out the violence in people and feeds on the chaos, was insane. This book was definitely more bloody and action-packed. Schwab's writing is flawless and it never disappoints. It's one of the many reasons why I love her and her books. Morality is one of the themes in this book and I loved how she handled it flawlessly. The ending! I'm still processing it. It was poignant but inevitable. It hit me so hard that I ended up crying even after closing the book. I honestly can't think of any other way this book could have ended. This was a perfect and brilliant conclusion to the Monsters of Verity duology. I highly recommend it if you love books with fascinating concept, captivating complex characters, and engaging storyline....more
This one has a different kind of chilliness in the story and definitely more darker than the first book. Now I want to go back to Paris and visit the This one has a different kind of chilliness in the story and definitely more darker than the first book. Now I want to go back to Paris and visit the Catacombs. Can't wait for the next installment!...more
*Huge thanks to PRHInternational/PRHGlobal for my free copy. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.
Frank Li was born and raised in Southe*Huge thanks to PRHInternational/PRHGlobal for my free copy. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.
Frank Li was born and raised in Southern California. He’s a son of two hardworking Korean immigrants. His parents want the best for him including who he should end up with. They want him to date (and eventually marry) a Korean girl. The problem is, Frank’s dating a white girl named Brit and he is afraid to tell his parents about her especially after what happened with his sister who dates a black man. So he comes out with a “brilliant� plan to pretend he’s dating Joy Song, one of his Korean girl friends who is also dating a non-Korean guy, while secretly going out with their real partners. It sounds like a perfect plan, right? Well, it’s not.
I honestly have mixed feelings about Frank. I didn’t like him for the most part so I was really thankful that he has at least redeemed himself towards the end. Frank’s character is very relatable not only for Korean Americans but for all teenagers. I remember being in his situation before. I also grew up not telling my parents a lot of things especially when it comes to my lovelife. I didn’t question their decisions because it’s disrespectful so I just kept my thoughts to myself. They have their own ways of protecting and showing how they love us which was really infuriating that time but I’m way passed it because I now get it. My relationship with them right now is so much more better than before. I love my parents so much and I appreciate everything they have done (and are still doing) for us.
My most favorite character would be Frank’s bestfriend, Q. I wished there was more about him in this book because he’s really interesting and such a great friend. Same goes with Brit, Joy, and Hanna (Frank’s sister). They felt one-dimensional. Also, did David, Nicola, and their daughter made a cameo in this book? Because it’s so adorable.
I am personally not a fan of fake-dating trope especially when there’s micro-cheating involved. I also thought that Frank and Brit’s romance escalated too quickly. I have to admit that eventhough the writing is really good, I kept putting it down. It took quite awhile for me to get used to the writing. I’m not sure how teenagers talk nowadays but the dialogues in this book are quite strange for me. Some of them are really funny though.
There are some Korean language (texts) in this book and I thought it was clever. I had no idea what they’re talking or arguing about but it somehow put the readers in Frank’s shoes. One scene in this book made me teary-eyed because it reminded me so much of my relationship with my parents. It’s just heart-warming and full of love. I liked that this book is unapologetic. Because newsflash, Asian people can be (terribly) racist too. Not only to white or black but to fellow Asians as well.
Frankly in Love is a coming-of-age story about identity, acceptance, family traditions, and more....more
I was actually thinking of dnf-ing this book but i gave it a chance. Now i'm not sure if I did the right decision. lol *full review to come*I was actually thinking of dnf-ing this book but i gave it a chance. Now i'm not sure if I did the right decision. lol *full review to come*...more
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