P.S. I Still Loved You

"So much of LOVE is CHANCE. There's something scary and wonderful about that."

- P.S. I Still Love You

P.S I Still Love You is the sequel of the Jenny Han's New York Times bestseller book To All the Boys I Loved Before. Lara Jean and Peter K's love story continues as Lara Jean didn't expect to really fall for Peter. She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren't. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever. When another boy from the past returns to her life, Lara Jean's feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

To All The Boys I've Loved Before

"Do you know what it's like to like someone so much you can't stand it and know that they'll feel the same way?"

- To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Do you still remember the first time you fell in love? Are you the kind to confess your love to someone or do you just keep it inside yourself like Lara Jean? 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before is story of Lara Jean, who never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

I really like this book. When I saw it, I was first attracted by the title then the cover and then I got so curious I bought it. Reading the book, I was transported back when I was in high school when all the crushes with boys bloom. I remembered how I met my first love and what crazy things I did for him (that was quite embrassing, I tell you) just so he would noticed me. I can also relate to Lara Jean, how I used to write short letters or notes for him but then I never had the courage to give it. He was a popular guy at that time and I'm just a wallflower in a pilot section (in short, nobody). I got three crushes back then but I already forgot the other two. This book really got the soft side of me. Teenage love, innocence, curiousity, risk of being in love, family, sister's relationships and friendships; Jenny Han really hit all of these right on bull's eye. It gives you this tender feeling, joys and smiles you don't know your having or even doing when your reading it. Even the settings complements to the theme, which let you easily imagine each scenes without too much difficulty. I also like how she associates her own culture in her book. I love Korean culture, so when I read it I also got to learn more about it. It is really a must read book. Now that the sequel it out, I am reading it all over again but even if it's the second time it still have the same effect like I was reading it for the first time. 

These are my favorite lines from the book.

"Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That's the part of the risk. I don't want to be scared."

"Life doesn't have to be planned. Just roll with it and let it happen."

"I want to say yes, but I don't want to be with a boy whose heart belongs to somebody else. Just once, I want to be somebody else's first choice."

"What must it be like, to have a boy likes you so much he cries for you?"

"It wouldn't kill you to get out of your comfort zone a little bit."

Thank you for reading my blog. I hope you like it. The sequel P.S. I Still Love You will shortly come after this. 

THE ONE: The Selection Series Book Three

"This isn't happily ever after. It's so much more than that."

- THE ONE

The One is the 3rd book of The Selection Series. It was published last May 6, 2014. At the beginning of the book The Selection changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. It comes down to four in The Elite and now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen - THE ONE. 

The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illea, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen - and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice. She never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown - or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose - and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants. 


The One  is my favorite book of the Selection Series. Well, you can't blame me for feeling like a little girl who believes in happy ever after. Here, America will finally have her happy ever after with Prince Maxon. This book thought me how you have to sacrifice for the one you love and let them go to make them fully happy even if in the process of doing so you might get hurt and left heartbroken. The One is proves that happy ever after do exist and not just a mere fairytale that our grandmas told us. 

If you dont believe in happy endings this might sound cliche but love can really beat all odds. It may be a long, hard, rocky process with ups and down of a roller coaster but in the end, while facing your other half; you can really say it's all worth it. I may not find my other half now but I do believe that I have my own fairytale to share when the moment is right. And as I wait I'll have America and Prince Maxon's love story to moon about. 

These are my favorite lines in The One:

"Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway." - Prince Maxon

"This isn't happily ever after. It's so much more than that." - America Singer

"The best people all have some kind of scar." - America Singer

"When I'm with hime I feel like I'm America. I'm not a caste or a project. He's just him, and I'm just me." - America Singer

But as I approach the end of the book, I find myself wanting more. I have question that keeps on popping in my mind. How will America rule the kingdom of Illea? How would she act as queen to her people? What will happen to the caste system? How do America and  Prince Maxon's own family would look like? These questions will be answer on The Heir - the fourth book of the Selection Series. Check out the fourth book of the Selection Series. Happy reading.


Synopsis credits to: The Selection Wiki / theselection.wikia.com

THE ELITE: The Selection Series Book Two

"LOVE is a BEAUTIFUL FEAR"

- THE ELITE

The Elite is the second Book in The Selection Series, preceded by The Selection.  It was published last April 23, 2013. With the second book, the thirty-five girls was slowly diminishing until only six remains to compete in the Selection. Out of these six girls only one will marry Prince Maxon and will be crowned princess of Illea. America still isn't sure where her heart belongs to. When she's with Maxon, she's swept up in their new and breathless romance. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, she is overcome with memories of life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over - and time is running out for America to decide.
Just when America is sure she has made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she's struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.


The Book 2 of the Selection Series helds different emotions. I got so frustrated with America for he can't easily choose between the two men. I'm Maxon's avid fan, so sometimes I can't help but be bias if scene about Aspen came up. I can feel the love flowing and hearts popping out of the book when America and Maxon are together so why be straight forward to admit her feeling and to let poor Aspen let go, right? I also want to point out how the characters change in Book 2. They got mature to think the things that surrounds them. Even America got so fearless to act out her emotions which the readers (for sure; like me) got so affected by it. Though emotions are overflowing in this book it still held the serenity it started from Book 1.

Compared with The Selection Book 1, The Elite is not so appealing to me. I kind of feel deja vu with every page because the scenes are quite repetitive. Attacks from the rebel, hiding in the basement, America turn between Maxon and Aspen, other girls seducing Maxon, Aspen trying to win America back and the cycle repeats again. When I read it, I just want to finish every page not because I'm so eager to know what's next but because I already expected what will happen. The element of suprise is kind of gone and what is left for me is to skim which part of the book is exciting. Nevertheless, I still find part which I like that motivates me to read futher. It's quite an informative book that will lead you to understand certain things in Book 3.

These are my faovrite lines from THE ELITE:

"You've changed me forever. And I will never forget you." - Maxon Schreave

"Sometimes I feel like a knot; too tangled to be taken apart." - America Singer

"I want it to be as easy as breathing for you to say YES." -  Maxon Schreave

I may not super like Book 2 but still I'm going to give it a passing rate for being such a nice source of emotional wreck on me. It holds that impression of continuity with Book 1 though I really see the effort of holding back events to be part of Book 3 which was a good job. So what are you waiting for, finish up Book 1 The Selection so can get started with The Elite. Don't forget to prepare a tissue with you because it will make the waterfall effect broke.


Synopsis credits to: The Selection Wiki / theselection.wikia.com

THE SELECTION

"True Love is usually the most inconvenient kind."

- The Selection 

Last March 26, 2012, Kiera Cass published her first book of The Selection Series. This book is a young-adult, romance novel. It reflects the new face of fairy tale. It is a story of a America Singer and the thirty-four other girls who was choosen to be part of "The Selection". It is a chance of lifetime opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth by a Caste System. The palace will be there world for which they will act like a princess and dress like one in glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the place and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America, being a Selected is a nightmare. It means turning back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for the crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she made for herself and realizes that the life she always dreamed of may not comapare to futures she never imagined.

I really like fairy tales, princess story with a prince charming in a night and shining armor is one of favorite books to read. After reading The Selection Book 1 I got hooked up with the book. It's like a drug that you want to have more you got so addicted with it. The setting and plot of the story give a fairy tale effect but with a twist with all the competition being made. I also like America's character. It depects how love is so powerful even in midst of a forbiddenand secretive relationship. Every page of the book revels unexpected happenings which deepens your eagerness to read more. As a whole the book can be read by everyone. Words used in the book is not so difficult to understand. With the busy schedule, it just took me 3 days to finished it. Not so bad right? 

These are my favorite lines from The Selection:

"I hope you find someone you can't live without. I really do. And I hope you never have to know what it's like to have to try and live without them." - America Singer

"Listen to me, kitten. Win or lose, you'll always be a princess to me." - Mr. Singer

"So far, I had a solid collection of my honest opinions. . ." - America Singer

"You deserved to be loved. And I hope you go get to marry for love and not for number." - Mr. Singer

"Im going to stay no matter what." - Prince Maxon Schreave

So to all those hopeless romantic reader out there I highly recommend this is book for you to read. It will surely drive you crazy and cheezy but in a good way. 

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

"I was always hungry for love. Just once, I wanted to know what it was like to get my fill of it -- to be fed so much love I couldn't take any more. Just once."

- Toru Watanabe

Reading Haruki Murakami book for the first time creates a different refreshment to me. I've never read such sophisticated yet so delicate book like this, While reading the book I feel like being transported to the old Japan where love is evident and powerful. I got a lot of learning on how Japanese and perhaps each of us would do if Cupid's arrow would hit our heart. It depicts adolescence love showing ow vulnerable love is in youths and the effect we could all get. I admire how Haruki easily showcase the intense emotions each pages could give. This book give me edgy moments when I'm hang on unto some scene which gave me sleepless nights in a row. 

Another thing I find amazing in the book is how Haruki wrote the sexual scenes without malice. I don't find it disgusting nor malicious, rather I saw love and compassion. It expresses a great deal of passion between characters that you don't find but exciting anfd intriguing which you makes you want to read more. Norwegian Wood don't just stay in the old Japan setting it also depicts young love of our youths today. It maybe a nostalgic scene for Toru Watanabe but for me it's like a real life scene was set in front of me. 

All in all the book reach or even surpass critics eyes and judgement. Haruki is really a pride of Japan with evident writing and dedication with Norwegian Wood. What keeps me hanging is I WANT MORE. Funny it may seems but I hope Norwegian Wood would have a Book 2. I really what to know how Toru and Midori's life would likely turn out. I what to have more of their shared life moments and how would they face more of the future now that Toru has finally let go of Naoko and their past. Well, can't blame a girl for hoping. Having so many sleepless nights with book is worth it. I'm looking forward to reading more of Haruki's works.

Haruki Murakami's book on hand in the beach is a great combo.

P.S

I've heard reading Haruki Murakami's book is like solving pieces of puzzles. It makes you think hard which piece fits the other perfectly well. I then got so intrigued with his books. Luckily a student of mine sent two books of Haruki and one of those is the Norwegian Wood. I don't know what to expect on this book. I've never read Haruki's book in the past, I don't even know what's his style of writing. In the end I got so overwhelm. Yes, it made me do some scratching on the head trying to comprehend what the characters what to portray but I got most of the gist which makes me fell relieved and contented. Indeed, Haruki Murakami is one hell of great author!