the day i went book reviewing

It’s my first time to write my own opinion on books I have happened to read. But where to begin? See, I haven’t been as much of a wide reader as I ought to be to entitle me to write this, but, here we go.

Currently, I have only read some fifty-three books, going fifty-five (if I could finish them both) and it only covers the popular teen series, a few fiction and a few couple of classics. The only thing that gives me the right to write this is the fact that I love books and reading.

For those who are sick of fictitious creatures falling in love with your regular human beings, then I’m sorry if you’ll have to bear with me for a bit here. At least for the first couple of times, then I'll try to reduce them as we go on. Anyway, shall we?

 

CRESCENDO

The latest instalment released by Becca Fitzpatrick in her Hush, Hush series. Girls who have fallen in love with the sexy and mysterious hot ex-fallen-angel-now-turned-guardian-angel, Patch Cipriano aka Jev (You have to read it through so you would see it) would know this book (and probably waited for months prior to its release), as well as those who felt they relate to Nora Grey.

A continuation of the story we all first read from Hush, Hush, Nora ploughed for answers about her father’s death, not to mention her growing feelings for her guardian angel, Patch, and the worsening situation between her and her arch enemy Marcie Millar.

After telling Patch she loved him (more the she should, according to her), Patch skedaddled and was not heard by Nora until Marcie told her she saw Patch standing outside her house and looking at her window, (good way to rub it in, Marcie). I saw Patch and Nora going down the hill after that. I had hoped my prediction was going to fail, but it didn’t. When Patch refused to answer Nora directly (telling her whatever was between him and Marcie is purely business) and gave her the ‘archangel’ business thing, and Nora thinking of avoiding Patch being sent to hell, she fired him as her boyfriend and guardian angel. (Never thought you could fire your guardian angel. That’s new.)

There were a lot of things going on in the book all at the same time but of course the main focus was Nora and her worsening dilemma with Patch, Marcie, her dad’s death, and her returning neighbour, Scotty (the Potty before, but now, the Hotty) whom she suspects to be a nephilim (which was confirmed by Patch later when they met at the Z). If that wasn’t enough, she was puzzled by the Black Hand, not to mention some crackpot has been pretending to be her dad, whispering in her mind during dangerous, if not deadly, situation.

For readers (who didn’t peek at the last chapter to find out what happened with the story), they might take guesses on who the Black Hand is or what might happen at the end of the book, some might guess it right, some may guess it wrong. (as for me, I cheated: I peeked at the last chapter). I know, I know, it was so lame of me to do that. But the story just wants you to discover more about the story and sometimes, the pull is too strong that you couldn’t just ignore feeling the pages of the last chapter (and then, give in altogether and read it). I wasn’t expecting the ending to be that soon, though. The way Becca ended the last chapter made me wish the third novel is at hand already. <3


I'll try to update later, when I've sorted my reviews. Ciao :)

P.S.
the picture is from google, all rights of the pic goes to Becca Fitzpatrick :)

the same day i went book reviewing

I am still writing reviews of books I've read lately or even books I've read some years ago. One of the best love stories I have ever read was from my namesake, Jane--Austen, that is. And her work? Let's just say darcy, Elizabeth, pride, prejudice; ring any bell? :)


Pride and Prejudice


At last, a classic. And a normal love story, too (that’s a bonus). The almost-two-centuries-old love story of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy is still captivating readers’ interest as it did on the time it was released. The timeless line “she is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me” started it all.

Lizzy’s family’s lack of propriety (excepting her sister Jane, and sometimes her father) and her prejudice on the misplaced pride of the wealthy and aloof Mr. Darcy constantly gets in the way of what could have been an acquaintance that would benefit them both early on.

The story has a simple plot with simple conflicts set in a time when everything was simple. The only complications provided (aside from one side’s pride and the other side’s prejudice) were from Miss Caroline Bingley and Mr. George Wickham (and Lizzy’s uncontrollable younger sister Lydia). Color was added to the story through these characters and by Mr. Darcy’s good friend, Mr. Bingley, Lizzy’s sister, Jane, and Mr. Collins, Charlotte and Lady Catherine.

But of course, all’s well that ends well. After everything that happened between them, around them as well as their circle of family and friends, and inside them, at the end of the day, they found their way to each other. The end of the novel showed us a married Mr. and Mrs. Darcy and one couldn’t help but believe in the fact fairy tales are real… sort of.

Of course, a lot found themselves either in love with Mr. Darcy and wishing they could find their own Darcys, or applauding the level-headedness and strength of Lizzy Bennet. It caused spin-offs in books, attempting to finish the just-beginning fairy tale of Darcy and Lizzy, as well as TV series and movies. I couldn’t blame them; I fell in love with the story as well and I have read some of the spin-offs, wanting to have an idea on what might have been should the author made this novel into a series (just like so many books today).

Oh well, the fact that the story still shines as one of the best love stories ever written in the two hundred years of its existence proves that love doesn’t really have to take that much effort, and so as a good novel.