I should schedule a reread of this one soon.

But then again, maybe not too soon, as I just might miss the years I used to travel a lot.

#adulting 😂 #petermayle #provence #france

"The first true intimations of spring came not from early blossom or the skittish behavior of the rats in Massot's roof, but from England. With ths gloom of January behind them, people in London were making holiday plans, and it was astonishing how many of those plans included Provence." #provence #france

"When I don't feel confident, one tactic I've learned is that it sometimes helps to fake it"

Finishing this book was a struggle this time, notwithstanding it used to be one of my favorites. I guess it's not much of a surprise anymore, considering that I barely liked the re-reading I did for the 1st 2 books. My main issue with this one is that there are too many deus ex machinae...which is kind of redundant as this is story about angels. I still think the whole premise of the series is good, despite the flaws in storytelling.

this is another re-read, following my re-read of the 1st book.
i guess it's different reading this now as more of an adult-er (well, i was already an adult before, so... 😂), but i've noticed all the inconsistencies in language and drama. now i'm trying to remember why i liked this series a lot before.
saving grace: i think it still has a very good premise. i'm just not too sold now on the way it has been told.

book #shopping #bookhaul

i remember liking this book a lot when i first read it a few years back. but now, after re-reading it, the "lapses" in wording have become obvious to me, and halfway through a number of pages, i would cringe at the lack of storytelling flow. nevertheless, i still think the plot is compelling enough for me to do a re-read of the 2nd and 3rd books in the series. crossing my fingers that the next 2 books will be as good as i remembered them.

quiet time #bookandcoffee

this is one of those times that the sequel became better than the 1st book. but then again, i was tepid on the 1st one ...
the writing is more cohesive, and the events flowed more fluidly here than in the 1st book. i'm not really a fan of putting a love triangle angle whenever the story revolves around a strong heroine, but for this one, the push and pull among the 3 main characters helped in driving several arcs in this particular story.

these are some of my well-worn books.i devoured these when it seemed that traveling to far-off places was a very remote possibility for me.though i might not have made a life for myself in France like him,i go back to his words every once in a while to feel that sense of purpose & possibility whenever i feel unanchored. RIP, mr. mayle. TY for showing me that a life lived simply and happily can be a life well lived.

i really wanted to really like this one, but it's just a meh for me. it has a good premise, and i like that it's adventurous enough, (pseudo sci-fi-fantasy-ish)...but it just jumped into the story with very few details on the world-building, and there were several times that i had to reread pages just so i can have clearer picture of what's happening. nevertheless, i've decided to continue w/the 2nd book, as i don't like leaving stories hanging.

this is an excellent "filler" book, esp. if you've been on your toes for the next installment in the ASOIAF series. it's a very easy read, with tales about the legendary Ser Dunk and Egg, and even if it's not directly related to what's happening in ASOIAF, it gives you your fill of chivalry, knights, bastard heirs, politics, ladies, and dragon eggs. it helps a lot that the illustrations are gorgeous too! #holidayreads

this time last week *sigh*

i was uncertain about this at first, bec. the sexual tension bet. Della & Moss just seemed too abrupt...but i guess you really can't gloss much about this when it's a novella. however, i loved how spunky Della was and how she didn't let her deafness define her, & i could imagine her surviving in colonial Philippines. the ending can be a bit over the top, but if you watch a lot of Filipino rom-coms (like me!), the ending is a perfect cherry on top.

I just finished re-reading this after so long...and it still feels like a first book to me :) Don't get me wrong, I love the story, but this is one of those books that show you a writer when he/she is just starting in their craft. Despite some story gaps and sometimes-it-feels-stunted dialogues, I would still recommend this, because it made me want to read the 2nd book. #litsypartyofone #holidayreads #bedtimereading

decided to go through this series again after realizing that i've never read the final book, even if i've had it for ages! #litsypartyofone #bookandcoffee

This unfolded like a song. It's not exactly a retelling, more of a Gaiman-esque interpretation of what mythology should feel like...and it's beautiful. The stories are familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, but the way they were written made them seem all new. This is one of those easy reads, but that doesn't make it any less epic. And look at that gorgeous cover!

this is one of those books that you just can't put down. i loved the 1st 2 books, and this one didn't disappoint. it's like reading through a TV series, except everyone is sooo filthy rich AND everyone is Asian. you'd think i won't be able to relate to the story, but strip away the money factor, the whole book can just be the perfect anecdote for my family (which means everyone is crazy!). #bedtimereading

What's not to like about this book? Nothing! It just keeps getting better! I like the plot, back story, quips and all the supporting characters, but Nevada was really the best story element in the series. She's smart, kind, witty, independent, and she doesn't need rescuing--you know you've encountered similar characters from other books, but Nevada just doesn't feel like a cliché (w/c says a lot about the brilliant wordsmithing in this book)!

to make the reading pleasure all the more worthwile, i've decided to re-read the 1st and 2nd books of this series LOL! #bookandcake #bookanddessert

Rarely do I enjoy sequels (except for Harry Potter, LoTR, Shadowhunters..ok, fine), and this is one of the few that made it to my favorites. The universe-building is not as epic as my usual fantasy series, but it works well because the focus of the series is really on Nevada and Rogan. Sure, there are enemies and explosions and lots and lots of sexual tension, but all of those are secondary to N&R's story. Can't wait to start on the 3rd book!

Still can't believe how this book slipped under my radar for so long. It was so hard trying to get myself away from finishing this as fast as I can, but alas, I have work to do. I'm assuming this is a YA series, since the main characters are barely in their teens, but the impetus for the whole book seems so complex for a YA story. I love the #daemon concept! Can't wait to finish all 3 books! #bookandcoffee

i finally followed through @Chachic 's recommendation to read this one...and it didn't disappoint!
it has magic, action, romance, mystery, and a feisty, uber-capable heroine that you just can't help rooting for. almost all throughout the book, my mind was screaming "i wanna be like Nevada Baylor!" the dialogues were some of the best i've read too, like they're-so-real-you-won't-even-realize-you're-reading-fantasy level.

been reading Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series. so riveting. i don't know why it took me so long to start on these books. #bedtimereading

i have high hopes for this one.

It wad so hard putting this down in between meetings, & adulting. I'm sort of torn about the release date of the 3rd book: on the one hand, i need some time away from shadowhunters; on the other hand, that ending was such a cliffhanger that i want to know what happens next!

it's not perfect, and it does have some gaps in storytelling, but overall, this is a series that has really well-developed characters, not just the main ones. #sundayread

Compared to the 2nd book, this one has much less whining lol! It started out slow, jumping off from Mare finally being captured, but what made the slow slow interesting was how it showcased Maven's twisted mind. The battle scenes were glorious, exactly how you would imagine people with super powers battling each other. The ending though was heartbreaking, but it should provide a really good start for the next book. #bookandlunch

"My patience has worn through yet again. I already had to deal with the whining of a walking lightning rod. I'm not going to tolerate the attitude of a mopey matchstick prince."

I laughed out loud when I read this. This is exactly how I felt about the 2nd book in this series. Is VA playing meta here? hahaha!

Another reread. As much as I love the 1st installment, this one is a meh. I couldn't wait to get to the end, because the protagonists became so whiny! I wish I can skip this and go straight to the 3rd book...but unfortunately, book series just don't work that way, so you'll just have to bear with all the whining. #bookanddinner #readingdate

I had to reread this because I recently bought the latest installment to this series. I got hooked to the story of Silvers and Reds because of this very compelling first book--think of it as the Hunger Games with super humans. Considering that I had to work long hours while rereading this, it's amazing that I was able to finish my 2nd read in one day!

I had high hopes for this one, esp. since The Historian has been one of my faves. But sadly, this fell on the mediocre range. Kostova writes lyrically, and I like the way she uses words, but I feel this could have been much better of half of the back/origin story were taken out. The book started really slow and only started picking up 2/3 in. Although the main story is compelling, it's not enough for me to add this in my re-read pile.

I'm actually on the fence about this book, but since I enjoyed it, I'm giving it a thumbs up. It's a good read if you're a fan of #BatgirlOfBurnside ...but not so good if this is your first encounter with the new Batgirl.
Pros: The story is literally a mini jaunt across Asia, so you can bring this along in your #Asia adventure. :) Lots of action too!
Cons: Several gaps in the storyline...you need to be familiar with BG Burnside story arc.

It can be confusing at times, and the language might get too flowery for some of the characters (sometimes!), but this book kept me hooked from beginning until the end. This was completed in the late 90's, but the political scene tackled in the plot is still very relevant until now (much more so). I've been a #Manfredi fan since reading his Alexander trilogy, and this one did not disappoint.

I would love to give this book a thumbs-up...but I just can't.

The prose is too flowery for my taste (translation perhaps?), and even if there were a lot of beautiful phrases and quotes, the storytelling just didn't go as smoothly as I wanted it to be. It really has a beautiful plot, but the way it was told wasn't compelling enough for me.

It did make me want to go back and explore Provence more next time...hence, the so-so rating.

The trouble is that so many people, most of them women, think they have to have a perfect body to be loved. But all it has to do is be capable of loving--and being loved.

I'm so glad that I got this as a #birthday present, since I've been a fan of #LaurenGraham ever since #GilmoreGirls started. LG (in reel & real life) is like the mother-woman I aspire to be, and this book shows you all the reasons why you should too. I've caught myself LOL-ing in public while reading this. Everything is just so very personal, and this makes up for the lack of "concreteness" in this book.

Now this is how you start a series! I wasn't really keen on reading this, because I felt like it would be just another Shadowhunter story. It's a good thing then that I decided to buy this when it went on sale. It has all the elements I loved in the Mortal Instruments series: strong characters, lots of magic and action, and a very compelling story. I liked too how the "Annabel Lee" poem became entangled in the plot. Can't wait for the 2nd book!

- take it from #LoreleiGilmore #LaurenGraham

When you love someone, they become a part of who you are...And you don't think they're perfect, but you know their flaws, the deep-down truth of them, and the shadows of all their secrets, and they don't frighten you away; in fact you love them more for it, because you don't want perfect. You want them."

doing my best to NOT do anything work-related today for my birthday #birthdayread

This is one of the most thought-provoking novels I've ever read. On the surface, it's a story of non-believers persecuting the Catholic faith, but if we go deeper, it's a story about our personal struggles against our faith (regardless of what religion you belong to). The book tries to answer the question as to why God stays silent amidst all the suffering in the world. There are no clear answers...and that is what makes this novel so beautiful.

"Trample! Trample! It is to be trampled on by you that I am here."

I badly want to give this book a thumbs-up, since there were so many beautiful thoughts contained inside it. But I just can't :( The writing seems disjointed, and the language just doesn't seem to flow as it should. Mata Hari's story is certainly enticing enough to be made into a book, but I had a hard time following the scenes and story line because of its "disconnectedness."

Might have been better in its original Portuguese language?

"Love is the act of faith and its face should always be covered in mystery. Every moment should be lived with feeling and emotion because if we try to decipher it and understand it, the magic disappears."

Pre-Valentine's Day #readingdate with @theblast #date #love

It was a strange business, this hatred for people just because of their religion. I saw it with the Jews, but even earlier, when I was in Java, I heard about the army massacring people just because they worshipped a faceless god and swore that their holy book had been dictated by an angel to some prophet whose name I also can't remember...

i rarely get to read during the weekdays because of work...so the few times i get to do so must be documented in some way #thespy #paulocoelho

I had high expectations for this book. It started off really promising, despite the slow pace, but near the end, everything just felt really rushed and undeveloped. I wanted to be part of India's adventure in delving into the world of magic, but the build-up was insufficient, and the reader is just plunged into magic without enough details. Too bad because I loved India as a character!

destressing #bookworm #afternoonreads

This book kept me from concentrating on work for the past few days!
It started out slow, and it took me some time to get used to the prose (can be long-winded at times). But just like the old magic pertained in the book, it slowly grows on you, and you get used to it to the point that you won't want to put this book down until you finish it. My ling weekend was well spent just trying to finish this one.