The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Nine year-old Bruno knows nothing of the Final Solution or the Holocaust. He is oblivious to the appalling cruelties being inflicted on the people of Europe by his country. 

All he knows is that he has been moved from a comfortable home in Berlin to a house in a desolate area where there is nothing to do and no one to play with. Until he meets Shmuel, a boy who lives a strange parallel existence on the other side of the adjoining wire fence and who, like the other people there, wears a uniform of striped pyjamas.
 
Bruno’s friendship with Shmuel will take him from innocence to revelation. And in exploring what he is unwittingly a part of, he will inevitably become subsumed by the terrible process.

I liked the book in a kinda weird way. I don’t know what exactly I’m talking about because the ending got me really quite lost. I didn’t really understand, maybe I have to reread the last chapter or something. I actually did however, I still can’t comprehend what the ending’s talking about.

To be honest, I have to say I have to discuss this book if I meet my friend who suggested this book to me and I gotta ask why this is his favorite book and I’ll probably don’t get him his opinions either. I’m hoping I will.

It says about true friendships though. That, I truly get! if the author continued to write a few more pages of what really happened… I guess Bruno and his friend died together as a prisoners of war (POW). And I guess too that Bruno lived his life the way he would have wanted all along. Bruno probably did not care at all if he’ll be in danger so long he was with his best friend—through to the end of their friendship.

I guess is all. And that’s probably my understanding of the second and last chapter. And about his father, he knew but didn’t said a word. He accepted that Bruno rather be out there happy and maybe call it ‘freedom’ as long as he stays out there alive and well, not like himself full of misery that he had lost his position in the army.

Ok that’s a little spoiler. Those are only my interpretations of what maybe truly happened to Bruno and family, I just want to go to the bottom of it all. Elaborative ending is all I want.

68 Knots

“…a novel about adventure, exploration, self-discovery, teamwork and mystery.”

This edgy novel about a diverse group of teens who commandeer a sailboat and support themselves by pirating during one summer full of adventure and discovery, is also a subtle yet powerful novel of awakening, of coming to grips individually with the issues they face as they are on the cusp of adulthood. Written with restraint and authenticity, this powerful debut will appeal to older YA readers.

This book a whole lot of different to me and I love it because the plot is different from other YA novels especially when it’s about sailing. I don’t have a one tidbit knowledge on sailing but this book gave the imagination or at least a bit of what’s all sailing about. Literally. And I got something out of it and just beyond sailing.

It’s about life. Finding yourself in a vast ocean – just you, making your own decisions. The characters—I feel them. I someway or another I understand them because they have not experience what’s like to be on your own, having an “alone and just-do-it yourself time”. I figured out that once in a while, we should really have our own time to ourselves so that we know and we have a better understanding of who we are and how are we able to make things work out.

In my opinion, that’s what’s almost all the character learned and how, no matter what, has somehow satisfied their summer days in the Dreadnought.

And also, they discovered that deep inside them, there is something they have yet to know about themselves. They have an ability that they didn’t think they had before and have not able to use them—not for revenge or anything that comes down to bad things but they come to think that it’s better if they are happy and comfortable, confident as ever. That all because of their voyage or a little adventure around the coasts.

Met people. Different kinds of people. Same for us in reality. They had stories we’ve never heard of and would want to share with us.

Tough decisions, one friend’s betrayal. Love. Beliefs. Being dauntless. This book has got it!! This book can be a life changing to others because as I turned each of the pages and read them, there’s always a hidden message in it that I also think the characters in the book has understood. I didn’t really regret reading this book even if it took me a while finish it. I even came back to read when I abandoned it once, thinking I could not be possibly finish this. But I had. It’s wonderful!!!

Continue to sail our boats and search our dreams in this beautiful journey, and let’s get through every storm we come across and always look over the horizon of tomorrow for always future holds good things for us!! Ahoy!!

P.S. The mates the characters met in their adventure in the ocean, I think it in life it says a lot too. For me, I think, meeting and communication with people is important and that always welcome good people aboard will bring something good back to us after our hospitality to them and for letting them enter our ship—in reality that’ll be called blessings in our life.

How I wish i have a book club so I can have a discussion with them about the book. Here’s the website for the discussion questions: http://www.tanglewoodbooks.com/books/68knots.html

I was just thinking about The Cab’s song “Take My Hand” and this song reminds me of when the Dreadnought crew had to say their last words to each other, say their goodbyes before heading and surrendering the ship and meet Captain Fernandez and the rest on the shore. This reminds me of that. And – Arthur and Dawn together on shore saying goodbye to each other.

Take my hand and we will run away
Down to this place that I know
How did this night become the enemy?
It’s over, it’s over, it’s over

Another song that reminds me of Arthur and Dawn – “That 70′s Song”. It kinda reminds me of when Arthur and Dawn volunteered to stay the night on deck to do the look out.

You say the storm will pass, we’ll work it out
The road can get a little rough sometimes I’ll move it fast without a doubt
Our hearts will beat in separate rooms tonight, tonight

“The Way We Talk” by The Maine might be just the best song that fits for Arthur on Marietta, haha!! OR the first time he saw her or maybe the time when Arthur rejected her offer to stay on board and dive in the chilly water with the others, haha!!

Oh she’s fresh to death,
She’ll be the death of you,
Seduction leads to destruction.
Yeah she’s fresh to death,
She’ll be the death of me,
She’s fresh, she’s fresh but not so clean.

Past Perfect

Beautifully written by Leila Sales. She’s awesome for writing this!

I have a copy of this beautiful book given by Ms Leila Sales, herself and it's such great feeling to have received it from her and got a personalized autograph!! I love Ms Sales!

I can read this book over and over again :D :D
This book is amazing. Beautifully written. I love it! The song that it reminds me of so much is Someone Else’s Heart by Kina Grannis. I really adore this song! There’s history in it. I like history!

This book will be good to those who had been in a relationship where everything just didn’t work and broke up—can’t seem to move on. Obviously I haven’t experience any of the pain Chelsea Glaser felt but still I feel her and understands.

I am really fascinated about this book. It shows what truly LOVE is. Teenagers this days are different. Guys are treating girls like Barbie when girls really are not. Throw away..find someone new to toy around with.. I don’t understand any of these stuff either when you can only have one real love and not a few or lot of ‘em.

There are some quotes I really liked! A few quotes:

“What really happened doesn’t matter. What matters is how we agree to remember it.”

“A boy once told me that love without heartbreak is just a pretty myth.”

“History is written by the victors.”

“….he has the emotional maturity of a toddler…”

The book gave me hope to a guy that I’ll have a real love (in the future) and not looking at it through glass when it actually it’s not real but I want that guy to be REAL. Hope it makes any sense! Haha!

I came across my friend’s status on Facebook about Love and I actually learned something out of the book and commented: I guess when you love someone that easily, it’s not true love. But if it’s hard, that’s true love? *wild guess* LOL

I am so amazed at how wonderful book ‘Past Perfect’ is! I love it! Great job Ms Sales! Thank you for writing it!

Unraveling

Two days before her junior year, Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, her life flashing before her, then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And though it isn’t possible, she knows with every fiber of her being that Ben has brought her back to life. 

But her reincarnation, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI-agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened—the accident, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. As the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s needs to uncover Ben’s secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

UNRAVELING is a gripping story of one girl’s fight to save her family, her world, and the one boy she never saw coming.

Omg omg omg who is this kiddo, Ben Michaels??? this is a good book! It’s killing me!! #Unraveling

I have to continue reading. I just. I just have to!!!

Is Ben Michaels an alien or something? He might be disguised as a human, a teenager living a normal life & want to be hero of the world? LOL

I can’t help think though the 1stfew chapt. are like Twilight-y —the “Edward-saves-Bella-from-crashing-her-body-between-truck/car scene” lol But in truth I’m really curious, who is Ben Michaels.. wait, more of like, WHAT is he??? #Unraveling wth I don’t like suspense I’m so scared I dropped my iPod! at least Ben Michaels didn’t say he was an alien, only a freak! Hahaha omg how could you, Ben Michaels??? i wasn’t expecting it but then i know somehow the situation of what’s been happening around involves you! omh J heard it. why would Ben let his peers pressure him to do those things? it’s not like he can’t control what he wants & not to do lol lol ok i was correct maybe. Ben Michaels was.. well.. i can’t spoil it for the readers. no wonder Pittacus Lore gave it a good review but man, why does it have to be suspense, in my case. whenever i read a page, my heart’s pounding so fast and i’m holding my breath haha omh this book reminds me of Physics. time travel..& yeah the multiverse thingy we were discussing one day in school w/ a friend & 2 teachers. oh it could get this crazy in this science fiction world. like it!! i’m hoping for the sequel to this, it’ll be Ben Michaels’ POV. it better be his the next time lol only it wasn’t going to be! i thought this book has zombies in it that’s why my dreams last night became a nightmare, really and time travel included. sheesh twas scary idek why i was in “10th century” like – whut? but at least the time travel saved me from those grotesque-looking zombies Hmm if anyone at all survives going through a black hole…what’s on the other side? Future? Past? Or another world? I’ve completely lose it I just finished reading Unraveling!! HECK – it’s an incredible book!!! I NEED THE SEQUEL AND TELL ME,PLS BEN MICHAELS IS COMING BACK
APPARENTLY, those are my insane tweets, you’ll ever read and very bizarre too! And please mind a bit of a spoilers in those tweets – whoops. So each tweet has a meaning in them well, not EACH tweet but at least each, I guess haha. What surprises me now is that my dreams – it was really crazy imaginations coming out from head while I doze off at night. Zombies – that’s what I thought of this book. Zombies, zombies. So thrilling and full of suspense! I can’t – I just love it!

Janelle – i love how she really looks up to her dad because i do the same to my dad ! Most essays that I can include a family member – I’ll always write about my dad and that’s what most likely Janelle would do in school essays homework too. She’s intelligent and she has it in her head before things happen – she’s got it all covered. I like her that she is book smart too! How she would protect all that she loves. She’s a keeper, Ben Michaels!

I just wish it could hurry things up so I can read the sequel already!! I have a feeling about Ben Michaels!! Aaaah!!!

The science in it is so cool and it’s my favorite part of the book!! Good thing it didn’t turn out to be zombies in Janelle’s way or all the people in San Diego (setting of the book which I’m so happy because it’s in San Diego!! SAN DIEGO, BABY! Haha!! I was like that’s where head of Qualcomm building is located – almost all the time dad tells me about and… i don’t wanna spoil it but really, in the book, the author wrote Qualcomm!!!!) SOOOO HAPPY WITH THIS BOOK!!

I LOVE PHYSICS – AND THAT’S THAT!! It’s so interesting whenever my friends and science teachers have the time to discuss with us of what they know – any theory at all from scientist and stuff and omg i can’t wait for next year for more Science Advocacy in school! AND i’m thinking of participating in another Science competition if teacher has any competitions they would like to go for and have experience and the opportunity – we never know maybe we’ll achieve something because we know something… idk haha.

PHYSICS AND CREATIVITY RULES OUT THIS BOOK!! THANK YOU TO ELIZABETH NORRIS! <333 BEN + JANELLE = FOREVER AGAINST THE UNIVERSE, HAHAHA!

The Traitor in the Tunnel

Queen Victoria has a little problem: there’s a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace. Mary Quinn takes the simple case, going undercover as a domestic servant. But before long, a scandal threatens to tear apart the Royal Family.

One of the Prince of Wales’s irresponsible young friends is killed in disgraceful circumstances. Should the Queen hush things up or allow justice to take its course? Mary’s interest in this private matter soon becomes deeply personal: the killer, a drug-addicted Chinese sailor, shares a name with her long-lost father.

Meanwhile, James Easton’s engineering firm is repairing the sewers beneath Buckingham Palace. Trouble is, there’s a tunnel that’s not on the plans. Its purpose is unclear. But it seems to be very much in use.

These overlapping puzzles offer a perfect opportunity for Mary and James to work together again… if they can still trust one another. This is Mary’s most personal case yet and she has everything to lose.

I really love this book has not ended yet and it’s got a 4th book on the way to be published! Thank you so much Ms Lee!! It’s the best mystery historical book ever! And how lovely it is of James Easton in the book and has got some good humors as well!! I love it!!! Mary is just an absolute character we all should be looking up to! She’s got her moral correct and very reasonable and witty at the same balancing all her situations she faces in her life. She also prioritize her family her and herself in hand before others come in. I just love Mary. James too!!

Looking forward for another adventure with Mary and future husband James!! Whoops, spoiler me. Never mind.
LONG LIVE The Agency!
Ciao!

Shut Out

Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it’s a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy’s car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend’s attention.

Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all. She and the other players’ girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won’t get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don’t count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.

You can’t miss reading this novel!! I mean really. I find it pretty nice for especially teenagers, to go for this one!

I was curious when I don’t really know what the title truly means. And it’s amazing I learned something out of the meaning and that could probably use in sports whenever I watch it with brother or dad. I’m not really into one of those sports mentioned in the book – eg. soccer, (American) football. However, it’s a good book for my taste.

It’s a book for real teens but I can tell you the book says a lot about the main character and protagonist, Lissa. And the book is not those drama over the top, or too sugary-coated plots.
I learned from her of how to really be yourself when it comes to love. You have to be honest of how you truly feel of that person. You can’t avoid the fact that you are actually possibly in love. I guess we really can’t avoid love once it hits us. Even if we try to actually divert ourselves away from it, it’ll just keep going back to face you, where you are, this time in a different kind of way. It can be through the ‘hard way’. Eg. Someone getting hurt. Feel betrayed, etc.

You know like probably to be able to see it, love will actually find its way. Way no one else can.
Love is really powerful. I believe it. Yeah, I do. It just do amazing things even when we don’t realize it but we will eventually see it. That’s how I see the book is trying to send across the readers.

I especially love both Cash and Lissa. They are different people but when you measure the difference there’s actually just an acute difference. There’s much more similarities that connected both.

And Lissa, her mindset from other mindsets of protagonists I had read and explored so far, hers is not the type of drama-thinking-exaggerating one not like those contemporary protagonists I’ve read. Really. And I’m so proud of that! It shows Lissa is a mature young lady and that already showed when she takes care of her family and that she has responsibilities to put as the priority. I really like her in the book. She’s got leadership skills as well (which i would have to learn from her lol) And from what the girls did in the book, well, Lissa did looked out what is really important about herself and those around her inner circle—peers. Slowly, everyone will find it out for themselves how to end it all off with the rivalry. —YES, just READ the book!

To end this off, I would like to encourage you girls out there to read Shut Out and I assure you, you’ll not cry and feel like it’s drama, exaggerated plot with exaggerated characters—NOPE, not with this one, definitely not anymore!! Go ahead, and give it a shot!

P.S. Enjoy the 2 loooooong months of holiday, bookwormies! Read many adventurous and exciting books!!
Always smile.

Over out

The Fault in Our Stars

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs… for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Oh my gosh. Why John Green?? Why wrote this freaking novel when all it did is break my heart & ruin my eyes because I cry, cry cry cry.. :’( what happened to Alaska… she died in the book & I didn’t like it, because of that. Idk why she even did it to herself! I get it now! :’(( </3

Oh. I just can't. Can't handle this. *wipes tears*

"Sometimes people don't understand the promises they're making when they make them."

"Pain demands to be felt."

"The world is not a wish-granting factory."

I really should announce this – this is the first book from John Green that like!! It's such a heartfelt coming-of-age story of two cancer-plagued teenagers. I just cried :'). It's so beautifully written.
Many inspired quotes in the book. For both of the teens, it's all so challenging for both them. Hazel Grace Lancaster who was pretty negative about how will she survive while this boy is positive enough that if you look at him, he's such a happy normal living creature as if he has no sickness worrying him physically and especially mentally. Has kind heart this boy, Augustus. It's him who helps his friends and understands them better. I think he's one of a kind and i like his story.

Hazel Grace – i think she just want to live a normal life and it did when Augustus came into her heart. She found that this is for her and Augustus as well felt that this love is for him. There's a connection between them. I think Augustus really wanted to have true love- to have a one & only love before he leaves the world.

Because we don't know how much time we have left in this world and I'm sure Augustus doesn't want to waste his time not knowing how to love and be a sacrifice to all he loves. And I think that's basically what I get from the book. And there are probably more… and I'm sure they are all wonderful meanings.

This book deserves to win the Goodreads 2012 in category – Young Adult Fiction. I give you props for this awesome book Mr Green!! I'll sure to reread it soon! Thanks for writing TFIOS!!