I Write What I Read

The eight-part drama, which will launch on Hulu in October, is based on John Green’s eponymous novel and stars Kristine Froseth, Charlie Plummer, Denny Love, Jay Lee, Landry Bender, Sofia Vassilieva, Uriah Shelton, and Jordan Connor. x

Plot:

Ruth Young and her widowed mother, LuLing, have always had a tumultuous relationship. Now, before she succumbs to forgetfulness, LuLing gives Ruth some of her writings, which reveal a side of LuLing that Ruth has never known. . . .

In a remote mountain village where ghosts and tradition rule, LuLing grows up in the care of her mute Precious Auntie as the family endures a curse laid upon a relative known as the bonesetter. When headstrong LuLing rejects the marriage proposal of the coffinmaker, a shocking series of events are set in motion–all of which lead back to Ruth and LuLing in modern San Francisco. The truth that Ruth learns from her mother’s past will forever change her perception of family, love, and forgiveness. 

Thoughts

This was not my first attempt in reading an Amy Tan book. The first time was when I was in college, I saw The Joy Luck Club in our library. I was not able to finish it. I feel that I was not mature enough to have related or understood the story at that time. I would have wanted The Joy Luck Club to be the first book to read from the author but alas The Bonesetter's Daughter was the one on sale.

This took me a while to finish as the story only started to take off midway for me, but once it got my attention I was there with LuLing and Ruthie all the way. It's special since it revolves around the story of mother and daughter, as well as family-centered - as is expected  from books that is Asian-themed.

It was so gratifying that in the end, all Ruth's questions about her mother were answered, most of it. Millions of people around the world go through life without really knowing who their parents were. I would love to know more about the history of my own family. It would be so dramatic to have a family secret, but even if we had, no one in my family would have cared. It feels like I have never belonged to a family that has a solid root. We are drifting, I don't know where. I have my own family now though, I'll make sure we get some roots.

The background story felt like it stretched a life-time but it was definitely necessary and not overly done. The portrayal of their family was on point. I could relate to some extent, especially on the heart breaking parts. Family is family. We don't get to choose them, but we will never want to be a part of any other family than our own, am I right?

Rating

3.5 stars

WHAT IF DAMNATION IS THE PRICE OF TRUE LOVE?
Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the disease that is destroying the race of warlocks. Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined. Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.

Thoughts:

As I was reading, I still couldn't believe it was the last part of the series. Three books just flew by so fast! I know that there are more series coming from the Shadowhunter universe... let me cope in my own way okay. 😭

This book definitely took me forever to finish!! It's so freakiiiin' looooong! But I really loved every part of it. There were chill parts and there were intense ones and I wouldn't want them any other way. Wait, this book could have been two books right? What do you guys think? 🤔

The story picked off from where it left off in Lord of Shadows. So of course we start the story brokenhearted. 💔 Livvy is really gone. Deym. And Robert Lightwood. Ugh, not his biggest fan but it hurt me that the Lightwoods were hurt yet again. Everyone was just so broken at the beginning of the story. I didn't know what to do with myself.

Was the ending good? Yes and no. I love the epic fight. I always do in all of Cassy Clare's books. How Julian and Emma end up was sort of convenient. Since it was the end of the series an explanation should have been in order. I don't like that I have to wait for, who knows how long, for an explanation on what happened to them, or worse there won't be one.


Emma was so good in this book, she really showed why she was called one of the greatest shadowhunter that lived. She remained resolute even when Julian had lost his common sense.

Julian was the worst. Yeah he's hurting but I know him to be stronger than that. It was such an off thing to do for his character. With all things considered, he would always put his siblings first before his goddamn pain. he'd fight on because he was a Blackthorn and he was a great shadowhunter. That's how I know him.

Bad call on Magnus' part too. I just can't believe he would allow it. For such an old warlock, he made such a noobie mistake. It was out of character, and done for the sake of plot lines.

Kieran, Mark and Crisitna - they were my salvation! When everything downhill for all the other characters I look to them for inspiration and happiness.

I don't know who was the greater mess, Ty or Julian. Ty is Ty. His reaction was so unlikely that it was so Ty-like indeed. He didn't allow himself to grieve yet because he was so sure that Livia will be with him again. And I want to knock Kit down. What the hell. It was his opportunity to protect Ty, but he failed miserably.

Dru is another saving grace in this book. She was being bratty in the beginning, but she had every right to be. She's the most unappreciated sibling and she could have been so much more. Many things could have been written for her but no, she was always kept in the shadow.

The other Blackthorn siblings were just there for decoration. LOL just kidding. All of them deserved a happy ending and I'm happy that all of them got together in the end. I was afraid they'd be like the Stark kids from GoT. 😥

Quotes:

“Sympathy is common. Knowing the exact shape of the hole someone’s loss leaves in your heart is rare.” 

“As long as you exist and I exist, I will love you.” 

 Rating:
5 stars

Read my other reviews for Lord of Shadows.
I think I forgot to write about Lady Midnight review? 😑

 

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.

Thoughts:

In the middle of it, I wanted to put the book down for good and move on with another title, but the thing is, the way that it's artfully written; how it captures melancholy and memories. So even though it was making me so sad, I went on with it because I wanted to be there with Marin when she sees light again.

Marin basically disconnected herself from every thing that she knows and love. Her family, her best friend, her town... we could also say she was disconnected from herself. Discovering long ago secrets are always hard. Plus her grandfather's death, he was her only family but she felt that he was a stranger all along.

Mabel, her best friend (lover?) will be staying with her for a few days. I felt the awkwardness between them, but also their love for each other. It is clear that they miss each other as well, but after many months of no communication, where will they begin again? The whole story has been slow-burning, but a good kind of pace. Just right in step with the melancholy it gives off. In the end, you feel satisfied.

Rating:
3 stars


Have you read this book? What did you think? Please say hi on the comment box. :)

LIKE WOW! I never post about blogiversaries, but I think 5 years is a big deal huh?

So glad I'm still at it. Though poorly, but I'm still there. I don't even know if I have readers LOL but I made this blog as sort of my reading journal. Here I write my thoughts about the book, it was never really a full-blown review, just my thought ad my feelings about on that certain moment. It's one of those gifts in life that I'm thankful for that I am able to do.



Warm hugs,
Bang Bang

PlotTrixie Watson has two very important goals for senior year: to finally save enough to buy the set of Doctor Who figurines at the local comic books store, and to place third in her class and knock Ben West--and his horrendous new mustache that he spent all summer growing--down to number four.
Trixie will do anything to get her name ranked over Ben's, including give up sleep and comic books--well, maybe not comic books--but definitely sleep. After all, the war of Watson v. West is as vicious as the Doctor v. Daleks and Browncoats v. Alliance combined, and it goes all the way back to the infamous monkey bars incident in the first grade. Over a decade later, it's time to declare a champion once and for all.
The war is Trixie's for the winning, until her best friend starts dating Ben's best friend and the two are unceremoniously dumped together and told to play nice. Finding common ground is odious and tooth-pullingly-painful, but Trixie and Ben's cautious truce slowly transforms into a fandom-based tentative friendship. When Trixie's best friend gets expelled for cheating and Trixie cries foul play, however, they have to choose who to believe and which side they're on--and they might not pick the same side.

Thoughts

Wow this book was really awesome! I can't believe I didn't know about it before. It's been out for more than two years already. The characters are unforgettable. They weren't too overdone. Keeping in my that they are, first, teenagers and not made out to be robot-like geniuses. All those geeky references! So cool!! I admit I was clueless for most of it, so boy was it pure joy every time I get some of the references. I don't have one favorite character because ALL of them are my favorite character! They're all just so adorable. <3 p="">
Though the story didn't really have a concrete conflict, the mysterious hacker was very intriguing and really made you think to go against some of the characters, because after all, they are geniuses. Any one could go to the other side and be an evil genius muhahaha! Props also for showing the pressure teens are under, genius or not, in school and how parents can still be oblivious to it though try as they might to keep tabs on their kid 24/7.

I really want to see this made into a TV series! School for geniuses... it's a whole new world if they are portrayed in comedia!

Quote:

All of the clichés about electricity and drowning and falling and other sinister metaphors for a kiss all swept over me. It was nuclear fusion. It was the door to Narnia. It was a cacophonic wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey symphony regenerating us into a spectacular and overwhelming new form.