CATCHING FIRE

There have been a great number of books that have given me sleepless nights.  The very first that I can remember was way back in high school when I first read the Amityville book; and that because of the horror that my vivid imagination gave me.  After that, there have been an innumerable string of titles that I can barely remember the titles of, simply because I could not put them down as soon as I started reading.  But then, I can remember reading something that I had to pause in between chapters and think about what I have just read - that is, not until the second book in the Hunger Games series; Catching Fire.

After i virtually devoured the first of the series, I was totally prepared to be taken into the whirlwind of Panem after Katniss' and Peeta's victory.  As expected, the book delivered the twists and turns that though some have been forming at the back of my mind while reading the first book, others have totally unnerved me, but, totally in a good way.  If I though I was addicted in the first book, i'm totally much worst here in the second staging of the Hunger Games.

Katniss as always is the girl on fire.  The other cast of characters have been totally hard to hate and its hard to root for the main characters when some of the other tributes are equally as appealing.  Finnick, Johanna and the rest have given me stunned minutes as I imagine how they might look like.  The ending is as always a bomb!

I still can't wait to see the first of the titles on screen as Hunger Games open in theaters March 23, 2012 but now I have something else to watch out for, Catching Fire, out in theaters November of 2013.

Now I'm on fire as I am immersed in the third and final installment.

HUNGER GAMES

I have heard a lot of good things about the HUNGER GAMES trilogy by Suzanne Collins but for some reason, I did not have the push to read the book when I started by YA bookfest late last year.  It was only when I had nothing else to read that I finally got down to haphazardly read the first book of the post apocalyptic series.

And boy was I blown away.

The Hunger Games series is set in the future where the continent of North America, or what is left of it has been taken over by what is known as the Capitol; a pseudo-communistic government that is led by the snake and rose smelling President Snow.  The center, Capitol, is home to the rich and privileged while the rest has been divided into Districts.

In "celebration" of Capitol's win over the people, the districts are made to "sacrifice" two of its teens every year in a reality-television game of survival where the lone winner must kill each and every other tribute in the arena.  In its 74th year, the Hunger Games pits 24 youth whose cunning, skill and sometimes luck will eventually decide the victor.  It is a story of Katniss, of Peeta, of Gale and the rest of the cast who though some are silent in the book have made what could only be one of the most exciting premise I have ever read.

I was so immersed on Hunger Games that I lost tract of time and am currently devouring the next book.  Sad, I may be as the pages I have yet to read gets thinner, I hunger for the third book and am eagerly awaiting the movie coming out next year.

For those who wish to see the movie and is excited on how they look, here are the main cast of HUNGER GAMES coming out March of 2012.

KATNISS EVERDEEN

PEETA

GALE

PRIMROSE

CINNA

THRESH

RUE

GALE during the District 12 reaping

Katniss and Gale at the forest near District 12

Katniss as District 12 tribute

Peeta at his family's Pastry Shop

a series begins

about a year ago a friend lend me a copy of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time book 4, The Shadow Rising.  i have seen copies of this particular series for years now but since the book is really thick, i was not all that interested to follow the titles one after the other.  in fact, a cousin who is an avid fan of the series had been telling me to go and read since according to him its a really cool read.  well, having nothing else to read at that time, i read my friend's copy.  and i only read until about a quarter of the thick book.

i did not finish the book not because i did not like it but simply because i liked the world that it introduced to me so much that i never wanted to experience it like a stranger suddenly thrust in an unknown world that would only confuse me and not allow me to get the most of my visit.

at this time, there are already 13 books in the series if we include the prequel, Robert Jordan wrote.  so what i   did is begin my quest for all the titles and promised myself not to read a single one until i have all available titles.  

it took me 6 months to complete the first thirteen books and as soon as i was able to purchase the last one i started my journey to the land of Aes Sedais and the Dragon Reborn.

so far, i have finished the prequel and is halfway through the first title.

in the Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan has created a whole history of intrigue, suspense, adventure and magic that has captured my fancy since the very first time i read a part of that fourth book.  not only will you feel the tension of each of the seemingly real characters but you get to understand all that pushes them to do the mounting action upon action that propels the reader to move on from one page to the next.

after finishing New Spring, i feel the magic of Jordan's world grip me.  immediately, i grabbed the first official book of the series and continue my journey this time in the company of the main characters that will show me why we need to at least in our lifetime share in the intricately interwoven tale that could have been reflection of our very own.

19

nineteen

the number does not describe my age but counts the number of books i have read so far this 2011.  This is in my quest for 100.  I recently finished the last two books, one the ending of a trilogy and the other the second book of one of Raymond E. Feist's numerous series.

the Amber Spyglass ends Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, a story of Lyra Belacroix, a young girl on the verse of adolescence as she moves from world to world in an adventure that will ultimately save the world.

this third book for me is the most thought provoking.  No wonder it was questioned by the Catholic church in some countries as a book not fit for young readers (as it rightfully is).  It presents the story of paradise lost in an entirely new vision.  Not only that, but it also questions the very basis of the catholic faith.

but remember that this is fiction and along with the premise and the superb writing of Pullman, I truly believe that this book is a must read.  Adventure, magic, suspense and the ultimate sacrifice that will always mean that good will always prevail.

lately, i have noticed that i have been reading a lot of Feist.  and with this title, the second in the Serpentwar Saga, i again realized why.  Raymond E. Feist presents young out of the way characters as the main personalities of his adventures.  what started with Pug and Tomas in the Riftwar Series, this story now has a different cast of characters in a setting that to me is almost more familiar than my own.

rise of a merchant prince is truly the story of Roo, an ambitious criminal turned soldier turned merchant as he rises from non-existence to that of being an important figure in Krondor, set of the story. with equal amount of wit, adventure, danger, and sexuality this is one novel that is truly Feisty (pun totally intended).

a compass & a knife

back in 2007, i got pretty interested in a movie called The Golden Compass.  not because i knew at the time that it was from a book, but because of Nicole Kidman whom I am forever in love with.  the movie was about a world that was like our own but entirely different.  for one, all the people there had a daemon, or an animal spirit that stays with them and is much like a conscience or a soul is to us.  I thought the story was different, interesting but different.  And since it had the right amount of fantasy and effects that made it a good watch, i considered it a success.

since then, i found out that the Golden Compass is the first book in a trilogy written by Phillip Pullman.  An award winner and bestseller, it has since then been completed with the next two books which I have only recently acquired.  in fact, I have only read the first one a couple of months ago.

however I liked the movie, I found the novel way better and totally satisfied my expectations and more.  not really meant as a standalone, it proved to be an effective introduction to the characters that will propel the story forward into places and ideas that you would not have thought possible in a YA book.  the main character, Lyra Belacroix is a young girl much too strong willed to be anything but a heroine.  the action, the suspense and her journey across what would be the Europe of another world will leave you breathless and asking for more.  the movie, in comparison is child's play.

its a totally great thing that I decided to read this series after I finally completed the three books in the collection.  after the last page of Golden Compass, all I needed was a few books as to debrief and I was back on Lyra's tail/tale (pun totally intended).

if the Golden Compass happened in a world much like ours but different, then the Subtle Knife happens in our very own world and a few others.  taking off right where the previous book left off, its a seamless adventure that introduces new characters and give old ones a lot more solid personalities.

from the very first pages, it will take you through twists, turns and unpredictabilities that one cant help but read it in one seating.  but then again, it also gives rise to a lot of questions.

i grew up in a christian country.  now, as the story of the Dark Materials become clearer, it shows a direct link to beliefs and religious ideas that I have found disturbing.  maybe because it questions a lot about things that might have reached my mind back then, or it could be a whisper of what i must have felt subconsciously.  

the thoughts are neither bad nor good.  in fact, it leaves a vague feeling that things are not what they should be.  maybe, an author's trick to read on to the next book.  

for all its worth, i truly enjoyed the book and would probably read it again soon.  too bad, the fate of the second film is still in question.  recommend the book? probably! but only to minds that are quick to judge what is fiction and what could be a voice that should have stayed hidden.

*The Subtle Knife is book 13 on the 100 books in 2011 challenge

witch and wizard

i totally love james patterson.  years before, i read some of his more mature works.  what initially got me interested were the titles that were borrowed from children's rhymes or stories.  those earlier works were full of mystery, action and suspense that stirred my adrenaline as if i was one of the heroes within the novels.

years after knowing his works, i found maximum ride and like his adult novels, i was hooked to his YA titles.

yesterday, i was fated to have a copy of his WITCH & WIZARD series.  and excited as i was with a new book and an opportunity to once more savor a world that patterson has designed, i read it like there was no tomorrow.  finishing the whole hardbound copy almost straight from page one to the last page.

the story is great.  a pseudo x-files, sorcerer's apprentice come xmen type of story where a brother and sister were taken from the comfort of home and sentenced to die only to find out that they have powers beyond their understanding.  it grabs the interest.  but i believe it only stops there.

the chapters shift from both the character's point of view.  the only problem was i failed to distinguish one from the other.  i believe the personalities of both were not truly developed as to be distinct.  in fact, i find myself flipping back to the beginning of the thankfully short chapters to find out which was one speaking.  also, some of the situations were comical if not downright silly.  predictable in some places, absurd in some.  

but you truly can never take anything away from patterson.  maybe because he wrote this for the younger ones; but then again, there was something totally absorbing with the max ride books that i failed to see here.

all in all, the WITCH & WIZARD book was a respite.  a rest from the more slowly paced epic-fantasy that i have been known to get addicted to time and again.  the descriptions are good enough, the characters are there if a little 2 dimensional.  it all feels like an invitation to read further, like an introduction of sorts.  

for sure I'll get a copy of the next book in the series.  as usual, a good story needs to be given another chance to grow.

one hundred

starting a blog from scratch can be a daunting task, especially if one wants to be followed.  so what i did was google and google for existing blogs that shared my interests.  that is, reviews of books, films and any whatnots that i deem interesting.  well that is a very broad range of subjects indeed.  but during one of these "quests" i chanced upon a book blog that got me really really interested.

now, i've always loved books. but before, i lived in a province that gave me limited access to the books that i really wanted to read.  in fact, i used to find myself reading through my grandfather's stash of outdated novels about cowboys and indians set in prairies and fields that were totally uninteresting for me.  but then, there were times that i could grab on some book that i cherished each second of reading.  books lent to me by friends and relative who had ways of getting them.

the situation changed when i moved to the "big" city last year.  since then, i have accumulated titles and titles of the books that set my mind on fire.  devouring each chapter and pages like wild fire.  

the start of the year, i promised my self to read the most number i have within a year.  lo and behold, a challenge has presented itself through this 100 Books in a Year 2011 hosted by Book Chick City.  

nope, i'm not a chick.  but i am a reader.  so from now on, i'll count and tally all the books that i have read since january of the current year and show the girls out there that yeah, we read too!

i accept the challenge and happy reading to all of us!

_________________________________________________

so far:

Eragon by Paolini

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riodan

Sea of Monsters by Rick Riodan

Titan's Curse by Rick Riodan

Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riodan

Last Olympian by Rick Riodan

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

Prince of the Blood by Raymond E. Feist

King's Buchaneer by Raymond E. Feist

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye

and is currently reading:

Witch & Wizard by James Patterson

thats almost 12...88 more to go... loving this!