Checked:A book you set in high school

Book title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Author: Stephen Chbosky

This book gives us a glimpse, or more of a throwback, into our adolescence. 

It starts with innocent Charlie, who has lost his bestfriend and impassive about two teenagers performing oral sex in his room.

The book is very honest, as honest as Charlie. 

Charlie knows Nothing from Shop Class. He befriends him, whose real name by the way is Patrick. Charlie also makes friends with Patrick's stepsister Sam. As the days go by, he discovers more. He gets stoned. He develops feelings for Sam. He goes out on a date with Sam's friend, Mary Elizabeth. He makes out with the girl. 

“Because I know there are people who say all these things don’t happen. And there are people who forget what it’s like to be sixteen when they turn seventeen. I know these will all be stories some day, and our pictures will become old photographs. We all become somebody’s mom or dad. But right now, these moments are not stories. This is happening. I am here, and I am looking at her. And she is so beautiful. I can see it. This one moment when you know you’re not a sad story. You are alive. And you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you’re listening to that song, and that drive with the people who you love most in this world. And in this moment, I swear, we are infinite.” 
― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I was planning to spend my Saturday just reading.

Unfortunately, it was just a plan which did not come to fruition. The Pope is coming to visit Manila, and my sister mentioned something about volunteering for a human barricade.

So, I googled it Saturday morning, called the office, and talked to some friends about this. As it turns out, there is an orientation for the human barricade that Saturday. My friends and I wanted to go, and all the plans I made fell to pieces. 

We went to Loyola Heights, then had lunch at Tapsi ni Vivian, then went to Divisoria.

By this time, I had already read about 30 pages (on my ebook); the Perks of Being a Wallflower had about 139 pages. I thought about two hours would be enough to finish the book, but, it had been around one in the morning and I haven't yet finished it. The book was enticing, yes. Unfortunately my lids was giving into gravity and to my body's needs. The next morning, I woke up at around 8:30am, and finished the book before 9. So, there I read the book in less than 20 hours, that has to count as less than a day, right? 

Check: A Trilogy---Anna and the French Kiss

Before you read my review, you should be forewarned that I am not a big YA fan.

Given as a recommended reading in a Young Adult Writing Class that I am currently taking, I never expected to fall in love with Anna (my katukayo, no less) and her wonderful story set in the City of Lights.

Enchanted by the first book, Anna and the French Kiss, I decided to read all three.

Anna and the French Kiss

Stephanie Perkins gives us a glimpse into the mind of an American teenager forced to study in Paris who ends up with a charming boy as her guide.

Does he like her or not? Always the question in play, which Anna always dismisses as St. Clair's sign of friendship. Even though they slept---and I mean slept, like two people snoring---together two nights in row and the way Anna keeps a mental calendar of how many days in a week she has been with the guy as opposed to his girlfriend (tee-hee).

Lola and the Boy Next Door

I was about to jump to the third book, as the two main characters of Isla had already made an appearance in the Anna and the French Kiss. Thankfully, Goodreads tells us that Anna and Etienne are in Lola's story. (I mean, why would you want to read a sequel if you're not gonna know what happens next in the first story.) So i sauntered on to reading Lola and the Boy Next Door,which is a decision that I won't regret.

Living with two gay dads and wearing wigs and statement outfits, Lola is not a caricature character. In fact, she dazzles with her flaws, such as the deal with Max (her boyfriend) and what's up between her and Cricket (the other titular character), and her talent, making a figure skater's costume in a day.

Isla and the Happily Ever After

Just like about every girl, she has a crush---a huge crush---on a guy. His name is Josh, and she has hid her feelings ever since her first year.  Because of that Isla is so relatable. I mean, I shudder when Josh and Isla has a moment, as it brings me back to old crushes.

However, Perkins fails to make me love Josh the way Isla does (unlike with Etienne and Cricket).

2015 Reading Challenge

Accepted.

Before 2014 came to an end, a friend shared this photo on her FB timeline.

I am a bookworm who has never had guidance. No favorite book blogs (though I should get more into this), no author who I follow (well except George RR and recently Cara McKenna), basically i relied on my friends or whatever I see pretty on the book stands (LOL).

So 2015, I am changing this mindset, to read more reviews, and to have a to read list.

If you have any recommendations, that would be a really big help. Just comment below. Thanks!

1

1.A book with more than 500 pages

2. A classic romance - 

3. A book that became a movie - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

4. A book published this year - 

5. A book with a number in the title

6. A book written by someone under 30 The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Wesiberger 

7. A book with nonhuman characters the death of Archie What, he's a teenager. 

8. A funny book

9. A book by a female author  Never Just Friends by Mina Esguerrs

10. A mystery or thriller Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan

11. A book with a one-word title -Creep by Jenifer Hiller

12. A book of short stories

13. A book set in a different country City of Thieves by David Benioff

14. A nonfiction book

15. A popular author’s first book

16. A book from an author you love that you haven’t read yet The Sword Sword by George RR Martin

17. A book a friend recommended Unbound by Cara McKenna and Black Lies by Alessandra Torre recommended by KC

18. A Pulitzer Prize-winning book

19. A book based on a true story

20. A book at the bottom of your to-read list

21. A book your mom loves

22. A book that scares you

23. A book more than 100 years old

24. A book based entirely on its cover

25. A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t  The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

26. A memoir Falling into the Manhole by John Jack G. Wigley

27. A book you can finish in one day- The Statisical Probability of Love at First Sight by Stephanie Perkins

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

28. A book with antonyms in the title The Princess and the Queen by George RR Martin

29. A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit -  A Week in Paris by Rachel Hore

30. A book that came out the year you were born

31. A book with bad reviews

32, 33, 34. A trilogy- Anna and the French Kiss series by Stephanie Perkins 

35. A book from your childhood

36. A book with a love triangle Black Lies by Alessandra Torre

37. A book set in the future

38. A book set in high school Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

39. A book with a color in the title

40. A book that made you cry

41. A book with magic  The Rogue Prince by George RR Martin

42. A graphic novel Hawkeye: My Life as a Weapon

43. A book by an author you’ve never read before Mr. Write by MD Balangue

44. A book you own but have never read The Hagette by Katrina Ramos Atienza

45. A book that takes place in your hometown Mango Bride by Marivi Soliven

46. A book that was originally written in a different language

47. A book set during Christmas

48. A book written by an author with your same initials

49. A play

50. A banned book

51. A book based on or turned into a TV show Dance with Dragons by George RR Martin

52. A book you started but never finished