TGIF! Buy or Borrow...

TGIF! is a bookish meme hosted by Ginger of GReads.

Where do your books that you read came from?

Do you prefer to own a book or have it on load?

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I never got an ARC from publishers or authors and is not in a hurry to get them. At the first place, I do not blog to get ARCs. I actually never knew them until I started blogging. So, most of my books I read came from bookstores, some were borrowed and rarely from the library. 

The Bookstores

There are only three bookstores were I get my books - National Bookstore, Fullybooked and Booksale. Among the three, I buy most from National Bookstore. I have this "Laking National Card" where every peso I spent in the store counts for 1 point and 1,000 points is equal to 10 pesos. Accumulate it all and I can buy a book! Second is Fullybooked. I love the interior design of each branch of this bookstore. You can really feel the books and the bookish atmosphere. Their branch in Gateway mall have floors with texts from different books. Last but not the least, Booksale. I rarely buy books from them as they are all second-hands. But when I'm short in budget I usually visit them. One book I was proud to discover in their store was Blackbringer by Laini Taylor, one of the best fantasy books out there.

The Library

Here in the Philippines, we do not have proper public libraries, mostly are school-owned. I rarely borrow from my school's library. That's a shame on me as I am second in position after the librarians there because I'm the president of the club that organizes the library. Shame on me! But yes, I rarely borrow. Most probably because the titles there are mostly deep and educational like The Illiad and the Odyssey, Beowulf and Sherlock Holmes. But when I as kid, I have my library card stamped all over from the tons of books I borrow from them. 

Owned or Borrowed?

I prefer to own a copy for myself. I like the feel of having something in possession. Yes, I also borrow books and I like doing it but I still prefer having my own copy. Not just to fill my bookshelf but I want to share it to my future to be wife and kids. I would like to sit in a couch while having coffee and say, "Come here my boy, it seems you have a little problem. Come and read this, it might help you." LOL, things like that. 

How about you? Do you like to borrow or own books? 

DISCLAIMER: TGIF image is owned by GReads. 

Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

If you were to ask me what I prefer, day or night reading, I would choose night. Why? Because it's the time where everybody is sleeping and everything is at peace. I can focus more on what I'm reading when it is night time. You see, I'm very easy to be distracted. I don't want the noise of the day when I'm handling a book.

However, reading horror books at night time? Oh my, that should have a consideration for day time reading. I just finished The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney at exactly 12: 36am. Not to mention the scenarios like me looking over the window to see if someone is looking at me from the outside, me covering my whole body with a blanket to be "ungrabable" by ghost. Revenge of the Witch can make the horror out, but it seems there's a huge problem. here....

For years, Old Gregory has been the Spook for the county, ridding the local villages of evil. Now his time is coming to an end. But who will take over him? Twenty-nine apprentices have tried - some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive. 

Only Thomas Ward is left. He's the last hope, the last apprentice. 

This a good book. But it can be better. 

Turning the first pages of the book, I was very delighted of the characters, the setting and their life style. They live in a farm. There are only villages, no cities yet. Have I told you that when I moved out of our house, I want to live in a suburban and near the sea? Neh? Now you know. 

The first part of the book was engaging. I learned the difference between a ghast and a ghost. Some scenes are very familiar with today's horror tactics - like creaking woods, walking sounds, thuds. But the book told it in some ways that make you feel the creeps.  

The culture was also very rich. I don't know what's the basis of Joseph Delaney for this book, but the way of life, the job of a Spook and how a Spook work, it's all perfect. It makes its world real. It's not just "Okay, to defeat a witch you must let her eat her own apple." It's beautifully crafted.

But I have some serious problems with the book. 

The character development of Thomas Ward was so weak. Though there are some, I see Thomas what he was in the beginning as the same as what he was in the end. He's brave from the start. There were clear text evidences that he has a strong personality and desperate when needed. He's clever but sometimes not from beginning to end. I don't know but I just can't see a new Thomas - shaped and molded by the hardships he have been through. 

The book also lost its momentum at the end. The ending was so easy and predictable. One factor probably was the very obvious clues that make you already know what's going to happen. And the book as so wordy. More on explanations rather than action. Maybe 3/4 of the book was only explanations. If you will say that "Well, because we are not familiar with it so they should explain and that's why." Well, actions can also explain. And much more entertaining. 

I know many enjoyed this book. I also enjoyed it but for the sake of criticism, we cannot let our emotions override the facts. We view things differently. 

I would like to give a four-star rating but the ending really disappointed me so I think three-star is more reasonable. Well, three-stars doesn't mean bad at all. For me, three-starts means "good". 

Yes, yes, I will try to read the other books in the series. I still want to get goosebumps and mini-heart attacks when reading this at night. 

Happy Reading! 

IMPORTANT

Not-so-positive reviews are not personal attack to the authors. Reviews are purely made for the criticism of the book and are base on facts.

DISCLAIMER: Book photo is owned by Goodreads. 

TGIF! Recommend it!

TGIF! is a bookish meme hosted by Ginger of GReads

Which book from the last 10 you've read would you recommend to a friend?

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Dear friend,

I cleaned and rearrange my bookshelf days ago and came across some books that I want you to read. I have two for you today and there are my personal favorites. Hope you like them, too.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 

This book really taught life. It's about growing up and how to understand the changes we are going through as we change everyday. It's a very motivating read and very inspirational. The writing is also a win - written in series of letters to an unknown recipient. This is also about "first-times." 

Matilda by Roald Dahl 

One thing we can treasure as we grow up are the sweet memories of our childhood. Good for you if you have a childhood not bounded by the internet as what we have now. Matilda reminded me of all the humors and pranks I did when I was still a small thing in this big world. I'm sure it will do the same to you, my friend. 

I really enjoyed them so I hope you, too

Love always, 

Ivan 

DISCLAIMER: Book photos are owned by Goodreads

Teaser Tuesdays: Revenge of the Witch

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB ofShould Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!]

The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch

by Joseph Delaney

"I snatched up the candle and shrank into the farthest corner. Thump, thump, nearer and nearer, came the sound of heavy boots. Who could have been digging down there in the darkness?"

page 45

This is really spooky! 

DISCLAIMER: Book photo is owned by Goodreads

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

There are some books that leave you to keep think about certain matters. About why the characters did that. About things that you have learned. About how beautiful the book is. I finished reading Perks at midnight and left me with those questions. To simply say, the book is one of those inspiring and beautiful read. 


Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie is navigating through the strange worlds of love, drugs, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", and dealing with the loss of a good friend and his favorite aunt.


I honestly don't know how will I be able to post an effective review for this one. This is always happening to me whenever I've read sometime worthy. I also learned so many things in this book that I will try my very best to apply it in my life.


First of all, as a growing teen-ager, I've been able to relate to Charlie. I hope I have a friend like Charlie. We all have gone through the times when we ask why and how things happen. It's a part of growing up. But there is a difference between growing up physically and growing up mentally. When was ask why and how things happen, what are their importance and why we should care about them, it's growing up mentally and that's the real deal. But when you just copy what the grown ups do and call yourself one, you never have grown up. You remain childlike. 


The novel was written in a series of letters from Charlie for someone who he doesn't know or met personally. He talks about his life and friends. Patrick, Sam, Mary Elizabeth, Craig and Brad. His family. These were the times we got to know Charlie and relate to his life even more. I know that not everyone can relate and that's normal. But for me, this book is something that grabs. 


It's full of thoughts and lessons. I already told you about one and here's another one. When the whole world seem to be against you and that no one is there to support you, keep hoping because it will be over soon. It will be. And friends. Yes we sometimes misunderstood them but they are actually a vital part in our growing up years. Without them we will not learn things that our parents and teachers don't want us to know. We will not be able to learn how to take risks and learn from it. 

But I don't understand Charlie why he always cry. I think it's part of his mental disorder that make him more emotional. 

Try to be a filter when reading. Do not just mind the character development and how grand the setting is. Mind also the thoughts that say something important. I'm not saying that development and setting is not important but they are just a part of the work, how about the other parts? We all should mind all the elements.  

Oh, I'm becoming wordy again. But that's it. That's what I think about this novel. I will certainly recommend this to everyone. I'm actually planning to give this to a friend that I know can relate to it very well. 

I heard that Perks was adapted to a motion picture and I can't wait to see it in the theaters. Especially that Emma Watson is Sam. I will definitely watch it. 

The top picture is a WIN!

(Book 3 of 2012)

TGIF! 2012 Must Reads

TGIF! is a bookish meme hosted by Ginger of GReads

Which books are at the top of your list to be read this year? 

(new or old releases)

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Most of my anticipated reads this year are old releases so please tell what do you think about them. 

The Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

I've been hearing a lot of readers saying that they cry buckets of tears with this book. So I want to try it. The synopsis in Goodreads didn't catch my interest, actually, but I know that there's more in this book. 

Finnikin the Rock by Melina Marchetta 

Readers opinions are divided in this one. They said that this book is very vague some said it very Marchetta and so it's good. I want to see it by myself.

Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta

In this book, they said that Melina Marchetta regain what's lacking in Finnikin the Rock. 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

OMG John Green! That's all I can say. 

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer Smith

The title really grabs my attention. And the fact that it was set in a 24hour airplane ride, it's very interesting.

************

and because it's 2012, I cannot let this post pass without me listing my... 

2012 Must Watch Movies 

Sherlock Holmes II

Last month, I went to Araneta Coliseum to watch Disney on Ice. Before the show, all I can see it Sherlock Holmes II trailer in the hanging screen. I watched the first one and I'm really eager to watch the sequel!

The Hobbit

I love Lord of the Rings. The Hobbit. OMG! I cannot wait for this especially seeing the trailer! 

The Hunger Games

What's new? All have been waiting for this one. I want to see Katniss fight.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower 

Emma Watson! Logan Lerman! Perks! This is MY most must watch film of the year!

Titanic 

I love Titanic. When I was a kid and that this film was still in VHS, I always watch it. Not to mention how hard it is since then to fast forward a VHS to the sinking part. 

Snow White and the Huntsman

This! I don't know about Kristen here but I want to watch it. 

That's it. So how about you, what are your must reads and watch for 2012? 

DISCLAIMER: Images of the books are owned by Goodreads. Images of the movies belong to their respective owners. 

Follow Me in Twitter!

Hello guys! This is just a quick post. I would like to say that I revived my Twitter account for this blog and you can now follow and have a chat with me!

Follow @IvanBookworm
Just click on the follow button and you're done! Thank you in advance. See ya'h there. 

Teaser Tuesdays: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB ofShould Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!]

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky

"So this is my life, and I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be."

This book is really a good one. You should read it.

Matilda by Roald Dahl

It's not my intention to but I find it interesting so I borrowed Matilda by Roald Dahl from a friend once she have brought it in our school. I said to myself, "Well, it's still not very awkward for me to read a children's book, right?" And as you might want to know, I really want to go back to my childhood and because it's very impossible, I'm doing things child-like. Actually, in the following weeks I'll be watching Disney on Ice. XD! Can't wait!!!

The Trunchbull is no match for Matilda! Who put superglue in Dad's hat? Was it really a ghost that made Mom tear out of the house? Matilda is a genius with idiot parents — and she's having a great time driving them crazy. But at school things are different. At school there's Miss Trunchbull, two hundred menacing pounds of kid-hating headmistress. Get rid of the Trunchbull and Matilda would be a hero. But that would take a superhuman genius, wouldn't it?

I haven't yet read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Dahl and they say that it's better than Matilda. Well, for me Matilda is a very nice children's book. It's fresh and full of wits. Matilda, especially, is exceptionally smart and can do telekinesis. Her parents ignore her and that's the most unwanted thing you want your parents to do to you. However, Matilda can manage and enjoy herself by making her parents crazy by putting superglue on his father's hat and more. 

I found myself laughing every time Matilda does something crazy that makes her parents jump and act childish. But the book is not just about making fun of people, it also discussed the problems of different people. It shows helping, caring and loving. But of course there's the Trunchbull to ruin everything. This headmistress is like an ex convict and turned to a school master the next morning. 

One thing that distracted me was the book seems to lose its momentum at the end of the book. The story becomes out of the nature of the book and becomes very predictable. But of course children will not know that. All they need is the fun of reading. 

The book has illustrations by Quentin Blake on almost every page. I found some of them ridiculous so I decided to share them with you. 

Look at how small Matilda is! The book is even higher than her! 

Ms. Trunchbull 

And Matilda and Ms. Honey live happily ever after. 

(Book 2 of 2012)

DISCLAIMER: Images used in this post are owned by the Ivanbookworm and blog. 

TGIF! Reading Resolutions

TGIF! is a bookish meme hosted by Ginger of GReads

What are some of your reading goals for the new year?

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I'm starting my 2012 pretty right and I have already finished three books! Wow! I think this year will be more reading than the previous one. Last year, I cannot have the time to read because of the hectic school schedules and a lot of exams. But this, I'm practicing Time Management to give way to free time. :) 

1. Be a filter not a sponge - It means to read with comprehension and application. Learn something deep and learn to extract what the story is trying to say indirectly. Not a sponge that let the water stay in for a while then drain it. It this case, let the thrill and excitement and the characters for a while then let the words be forgotten. 

2. Explore more genre - I like YA and Contemporary because I can relate to the stories they tell. However, life is too short to be locked on a single part of literature. I want to explore more like classics and historical. It seems that they are very interesting. 

3. Have more time to read - I spend so much time in the internet even though I know I'm not doing something. So this year, I will control myself to spend my spare time in books rather than the internet. (LOL, I really hope so!) 

4. Socialize more - I want to meet other bloggers. I'm very interested in learning about other people especially when we have something in common. I will try to "participate" this year. 

5. Not to judge a book by it's cover - I admit it! 

I will not have a very long list as I want to succeed to all my resolutions. How about you, what are your reading resolutions this year? 

Teaser Tuesdays: Matilda

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB ofShould Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda, holding the hat in one hand and a thin tube of Superglue in the other, proceeded to squeeze a line of glue very neatly all around the inside of rim of the hat. Then she carefully hooked the hat back on to the peg with the walking-stick

page 30

Look at how playful this little girl. Always making her parents go crazy. I borrowed my copy from a friend and as of now, I'm loving it!

Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor

To be honest with you, guys. I never heard of the Dreamdark duology before, not until now. It was Christmas last year when I went on vacation in our province. Luckily, there is one bookstore there so I marauded it. Dreamdark was one of my haul that month. It stayed in my shelf for months until another December has come and I decided to read it.

 When the ancient evil of the Blackbringer rises to unmake the world, only one determined faerie stands in its way. However, Magpie Windwitch, granddaughter of the West Wind, is not like other faeries. While her kind live in seclusion deep in the forests of Dreamdark, she's devoted her life to tracking down and recapturing devils escaped from their ancient bottles, just as her hero, the legendary Bellatrix, did 25,000 years ago. With her faithful gang of crows, she travels the world fighting where others would choose to flee. But when a devil escapes from a bottle sealed by the ancient Djinn King himself, the creator of the world, she may be in over her head. How can a single faerie, even with the help of her friends, hope to defeat the impenetrable darkness of the Blackbringer?

Magpie, together with her friend crows, roam the world to hunt for devils that had escaped their vessel. However, humans, unknowingly, open a vessel that contains the greatest of all evil, darkness. This darkness feeds on everything, faeries, humans and even devils. In her quest to return this Hungry One to its container, she met incredible people, including the dead, that uncover who she really is. Not an ordinary faery, they say.

Dreamdark is one of those works that are truly remarkable and magnificent. Laini Taylor is such a great author. She can weave a very interesting and effective plot that even the devils will like.

The world that Laini Taylor weaved is a true art. You can feel the world of Dreamdark as if it really exists. Though very magical, it’s very easy to say that this world exist. You will be left in awe on how the plot was magically interconnected. There are times when you encounter details that seem unimportant just to find out that it’s the golden key to the problem. Even I now that I’m writing this review cannot find a word that best suits to describe how artistic this novel is.

Her characters are not just characters to play the plot while it throws all the troubles to them. The story does not consist of only one or two kinds of being but many! Including a bald chicken, Strag, who was actually a slave of a warlock. If we speak of development, oh I very sure the development of the characters in this story is one of a kind. It’s not forced. It’s very humanistic, very real. The characters, though they are different from commons, act how an intelligent being should on every trouble they encounter. (The problem in most of today’s works is their characters acting inhuman. They act in ways that make them unreal and unbelievable.)  

To cut out the criticism, this is how I imagined those crows that are always with Magpie. And also Strag the bald chicken...

I know! I know. They're are not crows at the first place but man, that’s how I picture them. And they are cute in that form.

Did I already say something about the artistic illustrations in the book? Neh? Well, here they are. Admit it, you like a book with tons of pictures. 

And to summarize this rambling, I will say that Dreamdark: Blackbringer is a must MUST read. It is unique and gives new form to faeries we know. This is renaissance! 

{Book 1 for 2012}

Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge!

Hello guys! It's the second day of the year and so far so good. Regarding my blog, I already queued up reviews and memes this month. I am very well motivated to give life to this blog this year. As you might know, I'm entering college this coming June so I will have more free time between classes. That's ironic, isn't it? Mostly will say they will have limited time when they got into college. Well, I think Time Management skills can loosen up those hassle days to have more free time.

2012 Reading Challenge

Ivan has


read 1 book toward his goal of 50 books.

hide

1 of 50 (2%)

view books

Yes, that is correct. I will only try to read more or less 50 books this year. Why so few? You might ask that. Let me explain. Reading is my true passion and blogging is just an add on to it. It's very nice to voice out what you think about a book to people who also read. Have you ever tried to have bookish talk with video-gamers?

So why 50 books? As what I learned from The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, try to be a filter not a sponge when reading. What does that mean? You read not only to enjoy but also to learn. If you're a sponge, you are just letting the words pass in your mind without comprehension and application. When you're a filter, as what the word suggests, there are bits that remain in your mind as the words pass through. That's what we call learning. And those learning that you have gained by filtering should be applied to your life.

Phew! I hope I did not became a philosophical monk on the Himalayas with that paragraph. But it's true. So 50 books this 2012. That 4-5 books per month.

How about you? How many books do you plan to read this 2012?