Book: All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

 ★★★★★/★★★★★

 Synopsis from Goodreads:

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

I fell in love with this book the moment I turned the first page. It's beautiful and I love how Jennifer Niven wrote it. The characters and the story speak to me in a way I can't explain. It's perfect and I think I just found my new favorite book! :D

 ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES 
FINCH
I am awake again. Day 6.
Is today a good day to die?
 ------- 

For a long time, I just stand there reading, and then I write: Stop being afraid. Stop thinking too much. Fill the holes left behind. Drive again. Write. Breathe.

Finch stands over my shoulder. He is so close, I can feel his breath. He leans forward and adds: Before I die I want to know a perfect day. He steps back, reading it over, and steps forward again. And meet Boy Parade. Before I can say anything, he laughs, rubs it out, and replaces it with: And kiss Violet Markey.

I wait for him to erase this too, but he drops the chalk and brushes the dust off his hands, wiping them on his jeans. He gives me a crooked grin, and then he stares at my mouth. I wait for him to make a move. I tell myself, Just let him try. And then I think, I hope he does, and the thought alone sets off the electric currents and sends them shooting through me. I wonder if kissing Finch would be that different from kissing Ryan. I’ve only kissed a handful of boys in my life, and they were pretty much all the same 

- Violet Markey
-------

He shakes his head. “Not here. Not now.” And then he jogs toward the car. I jog after him, and once we’re inside, and the engine and the music are on, he says, “Before you get any ideas, that doesn’t mean I like you.”

“Why do you keep saying that?”

“Because I see the way you look at me.”

“Oh my God. You are unbelievable.”

He laughs.
-------
I take a good long look at her. I know life well enough to know you can’t count on things staying around or standing still, no matter how much you want them to. You can’t stop people from dying. You can’t stop them from going away. You can’t stop yourself from going away either. I know myself well enough to know that no one else can keep you awake or keep you from sleeping. That’s all on me too. But man, I like this girl. 
-Theodore Finch
 -------
The Ultraviolet Apocalypse. I thank him, and on my way to the car, I remember the rock, which I’m still holding. I open my palm and there it is, the one he first gave to me, and later I gave to him, and now he has given me back: Your turn.

I'm not sure what to feel about this book but man, it is really good. The story is so real it makes me feel every emotion in me. I love how Finch saved Violet and made her live again even after losing her sister but it's sad that Violet can't do anything about how Finch felt. He was just so lost and tired that he chose to end it. It's also heartbreaking that Finch didn't find enough reason to hold on even after meeting Violet. :(

Am I ready to hear what he thought of me? To hear how I let him down? Am I ready to know exactly how much I hurt him and how I could have, should have, saved him, if only I’d paid more attention and read the signs and not opened my big mouth and listened to him and been enough and maybe loved him more?  
-Violet Markey

“Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”
08162015

August Reading List

Me, Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.

Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.

And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

(Goodreads)

 

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

(Goodreads)

 

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.

(Goodreads)

 

All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Grace Blakely is absolutely certain of three things: 1. She is not crazy. 2. Her mother was murdered. 3. Someday she is going to find the killer and make him pay.

As certain as Grace is about these facts, nobody else believes her -- so there's no one she can completely trust. Not her grandfather, a powerful ambassador. Not her new friends, who all live on Embassy Row. Not Alexei, the Russian boy next door, who is keeping his eye on Grace for reasons she neither likes nor understands.

Everybody wants Grace to put on a pretty dress and a pretty smile, blocking out all her unpretty thoughts. But they can't control Grace -- no more than Grace can control what she knows or what she needs to do. Her past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down.

(Goodreads)

 

The Fill-in Boyfriend by Kasie West

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend—two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party—three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

(Goodreads)

08082015

 

Movie: Paper Towns 2015

★★★★/★★★★★

Characters:
Nat Wolff as Quentin “Q” Jacobsen
Cara Delevingne as Margo Roth Spiegelman
Austin Abrams as Ben Starling
Justice Smith as Marcus “Radar” Lincoln
Jaz Sinclair as Angela
Halston Sage as Lacey pemberton

Director: Jake Screier

 Get Lost. Get found.

I didn't expect much from the movie since I've already accepted the fact that any book made into a movie is never going to be what we expect it to be. But the movie is good and funny and I love how Nat Wolff portrayed Q that I couldn't think of anyone who could do it better. I'm not sure about Cara Delevingne but she's good too. I like how she gave life to Margo Roth Spiegelman. :)

If you've read the book, then you already know the story. If not, here how it goes.

Quentin "Q" Jacobson liked Margo Roth Spiegelman the first time he saw her. He knew she was his miracle. She was smart and popular and they used to be friends until they weren't anymore. Then came high school. Q was fine just watching Margo from a distance until one night when she climbed into his room. She needed to borrow Q's car, technically his mom's car, because she had plotted a revenge plan for her ex boyfriend who cheated on her with her bestfriend. So they drove off that night, executing the plans she had for those people who hurt her. It was a crazy night for Q because he hasn't really done something quite like that before but with Margo by his side, he felt different. He felt his heart beating so hard for the first time like he was really alive. They had so much fun that they ended up at SunTrust building, looking out at the view of their town, where Margo told him about the paper town they're living in. 

Their adventure ended with Margo telling Q about how he should feel his whole life. That he should be having fun and having adventures and doing things he wanted. Then they said goodnight and that was the last thing he heard from her. 

The next day, Q was excited to see Margo thinking that something about their friendship might change considering last night. But it never happened. Margo didn't show up that day and not on the day after and not on the day after that. She was gone. And that was when Q started finding clues they thought Margo left for him. Together with his friends, they looked for Margo. They searched and after finding enough clues, they concluded that Margo was somewhere in New York, in one of the paper towns there. And so another adventure began. Q and his friends went to a road trip to find Margo wherever she was. 

The story basically tells us that Margo wanted something more. That she didn't want to get stuck in her little town because she knew there were so much more when she lets herself to explore. She wanted to find herself even if it meant leaving her family and friends and school behind. She was willing to do it just to find what she really wanted in life.

I really liked the story when I first read the book but I hated the ending! It was saddening and it sucked that Q had to let her go. :"( If you want to know what I mean, go read the book or watch the movie. :)

Based on a novel by John Green

Title: Paper Towns

PubDate: September 22, 2009

Page count: 305

 

Augsut 2015 Music Videos

She's Kinda Hot - 5 Seconds of Summer (Aug 3, 2015)

How Deep Is Your Love - Calvin Harris & Disciples (Aug 6, 2015)

Thunder - Leona Lewis (Aug 13, 2015)

Love Myself - Hailee Steinfeld (Aug 14, 2015)

Let's Love - Echosmith (Aug 14, 2015)


  Locked Away - R. City ft. Adan Levine (Aug 14, 2015)

Live Forever - The Band Perry (Aug 16, 2015)

Drag Me Down - One Direction (Aug 20, 2015)

Runaways - All Time Low (Aug 26, 2015)

Love Will Set You Free - Kodaline (Aug 27, 2015)

Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift (Aug 31, 2015)

Hey, August! :)

And of course, it's another month. 

Hello, August! 

Started the month right and I wish the rest of the month (year) will be the same. Lesser drama, lesser pressure and more blessings, please? :)

   08022015

TV Show: The Return of Superman

 

 I started watching this show because of Song Il gook and his triplets and now I can't stop watching it. I began liking the other kids too that I watch every single episode now. They're just so cute and funny and smart and I love it when they learn new things that it makes their dad teary and proud.

👶💪👶💪👶💪👶💪👶💪👶💪

*Uhm Ji on (2yrs1mo)

DOB: June 18, 2013

Dad: Uhm Tae woong

Mom: Yoon Hye jin 

*Lee Seo jun/ Lee Seo eon (2yrs4mos)

DOB: March 15, 2013

Dad: Lee Hwi jae

Mom: Moon Jeong won

 

*Song Dae han/ Song Min guk/ Song Man se (3yrs4mos)

 DOB: March 16, 2012

 Dad: Song Il gook

Mom: Jeong Seung yeon

*Choo Sa rang (3yrs9mos)

 DOB: October 24, 2011

Dad: Choo Sung hoon

Mom: Shiho Yano

👶💪👶💪👶💪👶💪👶💪👶💪

See how lovely they are? Ugh! They're so so cute I want to pinch their cheeks and kiss them and play with them! :D

If you also want to be captivated by these cute kids, watch them at KShowOnline.

Enjoy!! :)

Story: Finding Mr. Alexander - Chapter 31

***

Alex comes back after a while, a sweater on one hand and a coffee mug on the other. "Hey, this should fit you." he throws me the sweater. A big brown sweater. And it's so nice of him to think that I don't like coffee. "Shower's over there," he jerks his head across the room, "and I'll be here if you need anything else." He adds before settling himself on the couch by his bed. I head towards the door as I say with a laugh, "What else would I need from you?" I'm about to open the door when he blurts, "Well, just in case you need someone to scrub your back or something." I laugh again but this time I try to hide the growing smile on my lips. "You wish." I tell him. And just before I go inside I swear I hear him say, "Well, a man can wish, right?" 

Finally done writing Finding Mr. Alexander! :)

Upcoming Movie: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

 Once again, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is back to assemble his team and to give us yet another action packed movie. This time he and his team are going to take down the Syndicate - a group of assassins and rouge operatives - who is committed to destroy IMF. 

Here's a trailer that will surely want you to watch the movie. 

See? With that heart stopping plane scene, motorcycle chase and action packed moves, (and not to mention how handsome Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner are) I know everyone is excited to see the whole movie. And you might be one of the firsts to see it if you join ASTIG.PH giveaway.

For more details about the giveaway, visit their site at Astigdotph

Goodluck! :)  

CARLY RAE JEPSEN LIVE IN MANILA 2015

She's back! After a successful show two years ago, Carly Rae Jepsen is back to give us new music from her latest album Emotion. She is set to have a show on August 12th at Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

I Really Like You ♫♪

 Emotion ♫♪

LIFEHOUSE LIVE IN MANILA 2015

The band behind the hits You and Me, Blind, Hanging By A Moment and Whatever It Takes is set to come back to give us another show to remember. Lifehouse has been in hiatus for a while now but it's good to hear that they are back with new music, new album and new shows. 

It's gonna be their third time here in the country and this time they're going to rock the Mall of Asia Arena on October 8th. Hope to see you all there! :)

For more details about the show, visit Manila Concert Scene.

You and Me ♫♪

Hurricane ♫♪

Movie: Alex of Venice

★★★★/★★★★★

When Alex's (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) husband suddenly leaves, she is forced to change her life too. Because now that George (Chris Messina) is gone, she's all left to take care of her 10 year old son, her ailing father and household chores. She's busy enough being an attorney so it's really hard for her when Frank leaves especially when he's the one who takes care of those things.. Now she needs to find a way to balance things so that she can take care of her son, father, work, and so that she can enjoy life again.

It's a good movie about change and accepting that sometimes we need to do things on our own. It tells us that even if things are hard and we think that we can't do it, somehow along the way we will find something that will encourage us and push us to go on and find a way through it.

 

Have a big heart? Help A Cause! :)

Do you like to volunteer? Do you like to make people happy? If you have a big heart who loves to help people, here are some organizations that will gladly accept your generosity.

Greenpeace Philippines

Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace.

 Visit their site to know more about their great cause. Greenpeace Philippines.

 

Gawad Kalinga

  

 Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Inc., (GK) is a Philippine-based movement that aims to end poverty for 5 million families, by first restoring the dignity of the poor.

 Visit their site to know more about their great cause. Gawad Kalinga.

Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Inc. (GK) is a Philippine-based movement that aims to end poverty for 5 million families, by first restoring the dignity of the poor. - See more at: http://www.gk1world.com/love#sthash.ykEmhPcM.dpuf

Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Inc. (GK) is a Philippine-based movement that aims to end poverty for 5 million families, by first restoring the dignity of the poor. - See more at: http://www.gk1world.com/love#sthash.ykEmhPcM.dpuf

Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Inc. (GK) is a Philippine-based movement that aims to end poverty for 5 million families, by first restoring the dignity of the poor. - See more at: http://www.gk1world.com/love#sthash.ykEmhPcM.dpuf

Gawad Kalinga is a global movement of nation builders who are committed to expanding the work and advocacy of caring and sharing across countries, to build a better, safer and kinder world. - See more at: http://www.gk1world.com/love#sthash.ykEmhPcM.dpuf

Philippine Red Cross

 At present, the Philippine Red Cross provides six major services: Blood Services, Disaster Management Services, Safety Services, Health Services, Social Services, Red Cross Youth and Volunteer Services. All of them embody the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. These values guide and inspire all Red Cross staff and volunteers, to whom being a Red Crosser is more than just a philosophy but a way of life.

 Visit their site to know more about their great cause. Philippine Red Cross.

WWF Philippines 

 

 WWF is the world's largest and most experienced conservation organization, operating in over 100 countries through the support of nearly five million people worldwide.

 
 Visit their site to know more about their great cause. WWF Philippines.

Being generous never gets old so let's all help a cause! :)

Aly's 15th Birthday! :)

Happy Birthday to our bunso, Aly! :) Had a blast celebrating her special day even though our parents are not here. She's a year older now and I wish her good health, good grades at school and more birthdays to come!

 Hi Aly, always be a good girl and remember that we love you! :)

07172015