Goddess Offerings (52) / Stacking the Shelves (34)

I am back after a long time!

Here's what I got for the past week and a half or so. Bought a couple of books as well!

Stacking the Shelves hosted is by Tynga's reviews! So leave a comment below and share your own haul!

For review:

Half Wild by Sally Green
Man in the Shadows by Chris Morphew
Flywheel by Erin Gough

Between the Notes by Sharon Huss Roat
Proof of Forever by Lexa Hillyer

Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman

Sophomore Year is Greek to Me by Meredith Zeitlin

Bought:

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
The Heir by Kiera Cass

Thanks so much Hardie Grant Egmont, Penguin Teen Australia, Meredith Zeitlin, HarperCollins International and Harlequin Teen!

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Goddess Offerings (51) / Stacking the Shelves (33)

Wow... I didn't realize it's been 2 months since I last made a Stacking the Shelves post! I've been a little bit busy, but I'm trying!

So these are the books I got over the past week, they're a pretty awesome stack so you should check them out. :)

Stacking the Shelves hosted is by Tynga's reviews! So leave a comment below and share your own haul!

For review:

Carousel by Brendan Ritchie
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid
Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry (2 copies)

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
Finding Mr. Brightside by Jay Clark
Dream A Little Dream by Kerstin Gier

Swapped:

The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine

From the Lockhart signing:

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Fly on the Wall by E. Lockhart

Thank you very much Mira Ink, Harlequin Teen, Penguin Teen Australia, Macmillan, Fremantle Press and Walker Books UK for these wonderful books!

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Waiting on Wednesday (155): Made You Up + Hello, I Love You

This week's WoW picks has a theme: Blue. And, well, gorgeous covers.

Just check them out below! :D

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: Made You Up by Francesca Zappia
Release Date: May 19th 2015
Published by: Greenwillow Books

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary:

Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.

Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up.

Why I'm waiting for Made You Up:

For some reason, I am really in love with the cover of this book. I can't put it into words but after I've finished reading the summary and I looked at the cover closely, I felt like it fits the story.

What is reality and what isn't? That phrase just got me. And who is Miles? I like that I'm going to think real hard while reading this book, guessing what is real and what isn't. And I've never read the Silver Linings Playbook, but Made You Up just makes me want to read it now. There's something about Alex being an unreliable narrator that gives this book so much appeal. I need it!

Title: Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout
Release Date: June 9th 2015
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary:

A teen escapes to a boarding school abroad and falls for a Korean pop star in this fun and fresh romantic novel in the vein of Anna and the French Kiss.

Grace Wilde is running—from the multi-million dollar mansion her record producer father bought, the famous older brother who’s topped the country music charts five years in a row, and the mother who blames her for her brother’s breakdown. Grace escapes to the farthest place from home she can think of, a boarding school in Korea, hoping for a fresh start.

She wants nothing to do with music, but when her roommate Sophie’s twin brother Jason turns out to be the newest Korean pop music superstar, Grace is thrust back into the world of fame. She can't stand Jason, whose celebrity status is only outmatched by his oversized ego, but they form a tenuous alliance for the sake of her friendship with Sophie. As the months go by and Grace adjusts to her new life in Korea, even she can't deny the sparks flying between her and the KPOP idol.

Soon, Grace realizes that her feelings for Jason threaten her promise to herself that she'll leave behind the music industry that destroyed her family. But can Grace ignore her attraction to Jason and her undeniable pull of the music she was born to write? Sweet, fun, and romantic, this young adult novel explores what it means to experience first love and discover who you really are in the process.

Why I'm waiting for Hello, I Love You:

If you've been following me for quite some time, then you know how much I love Kpop and the Korean culture and this book felt like all my dreams come true and then some. Finally, someone wrote the book I've been wanting to read for a long time!

And to mention Anna and the French Kiss (but with an Asian twist?!) is making me all the more curious about this book! I have never read any book that includes Kpop, idols / superstars, fame, the music industry like this book suggests, so I am eagerly waiting for the release of Katie's book. It's just something I need to read, both because I'm a Kpop fan and I'm an avid YA reader, and this just sounds like a really good combination I can't wait to get my hands on!

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So what are your WoW picks? Share them with me, please!

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Waiting on Wednesday (154): From Where I Watch You by Shannon Grogan

How are you all? The weather is still somewhat chilly (in the mornings, at least) which is a plus. Okay, I am not sure why I'm talking about the weather, but yeah, my 1st WoW post of the year!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: From Where I Watch You by Shannon Grogan
Release Date: August 4th 2015
Published by: Soho Teen

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary:

16-year-old Kara is on course to be a superb professional baker. Perfectly designed and piped, her cookies are masterpieces, but also her route out of the rainy streets of Seattle. Winning a prestigious culinary contest could take her away from the misery that is her home life since her widely hated big sister Kellen drowned. Now Kara's dad is gone, her mom has turned from high-powered attorney into nutty holy-rolling Christian fundamentalist who sells Soul Soup in the family café, and Kara is left with memories of better times.

As Kara pieces together the events that led to Kellen's death, she starts seeing her out of the corner of her eye: an unwelcome ghost in dirty Ugg boots. And then there are the notes. Someone is watching her, knows exactly where she is and what's she's doing. If she doesn't figure out who her stalker is, she could lose everything. Her chance of escape. The boy she's beginning to love and trust. And even her life.

Why I'm waiting for From Where I Watch You:

I wasn't at first, actually. I mean okay, a YA contemporary story about baking, happy family. But everything changed as I was reading the second paragraph. I've always loved a good YA thriller / mystery story and I haven't read enough of those so I'm definitely intrigued with this book after reading about the notes. Stalker? Someone watching?

(And hopefully it's not the boy she's beginning to trust.) So excited to see how the story plays out!

And that gorgeous cover! You actually wouldn't think this was a thriller based on that.

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What are your WoW picks for this week? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

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Goddess Offerings (50) / Stacking the Shelves (32)

Would you look at that... this is the 50th Goddess Offering post, and this is my first Stacking the Shelves post for 2015. I might've been a little too caught up with other things that's why I rarely post. I will be more active in the blog in the next few weeks though! I've got some interesting things in store for my readers, so watch out for that!

Stacking the Shelves hosted is by Tynga's reviews! So leave a comment below and share your own haul!

For review:

Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits #1.5) by Katie McGarry
Goodhouse by Peyton Marshall

From Scholastic:

Ignite (Defy #2) By Sara B. Larson
Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood #2) by Victoria Scott
Limited edition Mockingjay movie-tie in edition bookmark
Scholastic desktop calendar

Bought for the signing:

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Bought:

Soulbound by Heather Brewer
Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin
Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook
Crewel by Gennifer Albin
My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

Thank you so much to Mira Ink, Penguin Random House and Scholastic Philippines!

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Goddess Offerings (49) / Stacking the Shelves (31)

Oh my gosh, what a nightmare shopping for Christmas presents! Will add my video later. Sorry in advance for looking horrible.

Stacking the Shelves hosted is by Tynga's reviews! So leave a comment below and share your own haul!

For review:

The Walled City by Ryan Graudin
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black (ARC)
Idols (Icons #2) by Margaret Stohl
Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #3) by Laini Taylor
The Last American Vampire by Seth Graham-Smith (ARC)
Golden Son (Red Rising Trilogy #2) by Pierce Brown (ARC)
The Here and Now by Ann Brashares (ARC)
Rogue Wave (Waterfire Saga #2) by Jennifer Donnelly (ARC)

Revolution (Replica #3) by Jenna Black
Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater (ARC)


Won:
Gilded by Christina Farley (German edition, signed)

Bought:

Sublime by Christina Lauren
Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart
Fall Like Rain by Ana Tejano

Thank you so much to Tor Teen, Hachette Book Group USA, Christina Farley, Scholastic Philippines, Penguin Random House and Hachette UK!

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Waiting on Wednesday (153): The Grace of Kings + Mind Games

This week's WoW picks made me go "Okay Kai, what were you thinking? It's like you're in this place one second, and then on another the next.". Yes, they're vastly different books, but they currently tickle my fancy, so I chose them.

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: The Grace of Kings (The Dandelion Dynasty #1) by Ken Liu
Release Date: April 7th 2015
Published by: Simon & Schuster

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary:

Wily, charming Kuni Garu, a bandit, and stern, fearless Mata Zyndu, the son of a deposed duke, seem like polar opposites. Yet, in the uprising against the emperor, the two quickly become the best of friends after a series of adventures fighting against vast conscripted armies, silk-draped airships, soaring battle kites, conspiring goddesses, underwater boats, magical books, as a streetfighter-cum-general who takes her place as the greatest tactitian of the age. Once the emperor has been overthrown, however, they each find themselves the leader of separate factions—two sides with very different ideas about how the world should be run and the meaning of justice.

Why I'm waiting for The Grace of Kings:

Aside from that awesome title? I'm currently reading Pierce Brown's Golden Son (*gasp* IKR?) and there's just something in my current reading experience that made so attracted to this novel. They're not even in the same genre, but there's something oddly magnetic in the way this story is set up. Two people who became friends, brought together by war and when it ended, found themselves standing on opposite sides instead of being together. Conflict! Danger! Feelings! Something tells me this is going to be epic.

(Also, for some reason that cover makes me think of Gladiator.)

Title: Mind Games by Teri Terry
Release Date: March 5th 2015
Published by: Orchard Books

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary:

Luna is a no-hoper with a secret: in a world of illusion, she can see what is real. But can she see the truth before it is too late?

Luna has always been able to exist in virtual and real worlds at the same time, a secret she is warned to keep. She hides her ability by being a Refuser: excluded by choice from the virtual spheres others inhabit. But when she is singled out for testing, she can’t hide any longer.

The safest thing to do would be to fail, to go back to a dead-end life, no future. But Luna is starting to hope for something better, and hope is a dangerous thing...

Why I'm waiting for Mind Games:

It's no secret that I love Teri Terry. Slated is one of my favorites and I was so happy and excited when I found out she has a new book coming out and then I read the summary and I just love her even more. Mind Games sounds amazingly intriguing with that sci-fi vibe from the get go. It's got that Divergent + Glaze feel to it and the combination just makes me more eager to read her book!

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So what are you waiting for this week? Share your links below!

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Waiting on Wednesday (152): Crimson Bound + Becoming Jinn

Wow, it's been so long since I last made a WoW post! I miss it terribly!

These books will not be released until after a good 5 to 6 months have passed, but still I am very excited to read them! Wanna know what these books are? Check out my post below!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
Release Date: May 5th 2015
Published by: Balzer & Bray/Harperteen

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

Why I'm waiting for Crimson Bound:

Even though Cruel Beauty was a wee bit underwhelming for me, I became a fan of Rosamund Hodge's writing because of the e-novella Gilded Ashes, which made me realize how good of a writer she is and that made me so excited for Crimson Bound. It's inspired by the story of Little Red Riding Hood, and it just sounds dark and sinister, intriguing and fascinating all at the same time, which I think is amazing. Oh the anticipation!

I can't believe I still need to wait half a year to read this book. *sigh*

Title: Becoming Jinn (Becoming Jinn #1) by Lori Goldstein
Release Date: April 21st 2015
Published by: Feiwel & Friends

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Forget everything you thought you knew about genies!

Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit.

To the humans she lives among, she’s just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she’s learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny.

Mentored by her mother and her Zar “sisters,” Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn . . . and that her powers could endanger them all. As Azra uncovers the darker world of becoming Jinn, she realizes when genies and wishes are involved, there’s always a trick.

Why I'm waiting for Becoming Jinn:

After Exquisite Captive, here's another tale of genies/djinns that sounds like something I'd like to read. Don't you just love it how imaginative and creative people can be and manage to reinvent, rewrite and reimagine ideas and give birth to something like this one?

Being a genie who can't grant wishes to just anyone and is instead being controlled by a class of people as their servants? Done. Sign me up for this book.

Also, how gorgeous is that cover?

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What are your Waiting on Wednesday picks this week? Do share them with me!

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Goddess Offerings (47) / Stacking the Shelves (29)

Amazing book haul this week! There are quite a few books I am excited to read and I am so glad I got them! Thank you to my wonderful book fairy for these!

Stacking the Shelves hosted is by Tynga's reviews! So leave a comment below and share your own haul!

For review:
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton
King Dork Approximately by Frank Portman
The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey

Borrowed:
Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios

Won:
Endsinger by Jay Kristoff (Signed ARC)

Shade series by Jeri Smith-Ready (signed)

Bought:
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Thank you Louisse of The Soul Sisters, Random House Teen, Penguin Australia and Jay Kristoff!

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Goddess Offerings (46) / Stacking the Shelves (28)

So here's my book haul for the week! I'm so excited for the Jen E. Smith and Lissa Price signing happening today (and tomorrow!) here in Manila. Watch out for my recap soon! In the meantime, check out the pretties I got in the mail. And bought. I might've had a wee bit of a problem controlling myself and ended up buying more books. And then there's also MIBF so... watch out for my haul. :D

Stacking the Shelves hosted is by Tynga's reviews! So leave a comment below and share your own haul!

For review:

The Memory Keepers by Natasha Ngan
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas
The 100 Society by Carla Spradbery

The Dolls (Dolls #1) by Kiki Sullivan
Messenger of Fear by Michael Grant
Feral by Holly Schindler

Bought:

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall (Kindle ebook and paperback)
Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Red Rising (Red Rising Trilogy #1) by Pierce Brown

* This copy had a 7 page excerpt of Golden Son (!!!!!) and my IG posts, which Pierce Brown liked. Day. Made.

(From National Bookstore's sale)

Dualed by Elsie Chapman
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jen E. Smith
Geography of You and Me by Jen E. Smith
Starters by Lissa Price

Habagat and Typhoon Mario struck the greater part of Metro Manila and nearby provinces yesterday, I hope everyone affected are staying warm and safe. Take care, guys!

And thanks very much to HarperCollins International, HotKey Books, Bloomsbury UK, Hachette UK!

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Goddess Offerings (45) / Stacking the Shelves (27)

Whew. Okay, I haven't done a Stacking the Shelves post in a loooooong time, so I'm just gonna list the books I got over the past few weeks. (There's supposed to be video but Youtube upload is taking forever, so I'll just photos instead.)

Which of these have you read? Are they good? Yes? No? Why?

Stacking the Shelves hosted is by Tynga's reviews! So leave a comment below and share your own haul!

For review:

The Three by Sarah Lotz (signed)
The Reckoning by Kerry Wilkinson
True Fire by Garry Meehan

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Soulmates by Holly Bourne
The Manifesto on How to be Interesting by Holly Bourne

The Only Thing to Fear by Caroline Tung Richmond
Bungee Cord Hair by Ching Yeung Russell
Hidden in Plain Sight by Su-Lin Ang
Not in the Stars by Pauline Loh

Asylum by Madeleine Roux
Sanctum by Madeleine Roux

Better than Perfect by Melissa Kantor
The Pretty App by Katie Sise
Sorceress by Claudia Gray

The Amazing Wilmer Dooley by Fowler DeWitt
Maid of Deception by Jennifer McGowan
Magnolia by Kristi Cook
Play Me Backwards by Adam Selzer

Bought (from the National Bookstore sale):

Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini
Etiqueete & Espionage by Gail Carriger
The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth Laban
The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

Thanks so much Penguin Teen, Pan Macmillan Australia, Usborne, Sarah Lotz, awesome publishing friends, Simon & Schuster and Scholastic!

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