Books #Bookstagram Made Me Buy

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Bookstagram has been one of my favorite book communities in the past couple of years. It’s been alive for quite some time now, but I believe that it regained its peak during the pandemic. The book community as a whole is one of the most beloved community in the web because the people are just so kind and genuine, especially when talking about their favorite books.

With that said, I would like to dedicate a blogpost the the bookstagram community and share with you the titles that I’ve bought because of it. You may also check Fully Booked Online to find you next great read!

*Throughout this post, I’ll be including my affiliate links for each of the books in the list. Note that I earn a small commission whenever you use my affiliate links to purchase these books. Continue reading

Book Review: The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3) by Dan Brown

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Title: The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3) 

Author: Dan Brown

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Publication Date: September 15, 2009

Number of Pages: 639

Publisher: Anchor Books

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Adult Fiction, Crime

 

Synopsis:

In this stunning follow-up to the global phenomenon “The Da Vinci Code,” Dan Brown demonstrates once again why he is the world’s most popular thriller writer. The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling–a deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths . . . all under the watchful eye of Brown’s most terrifying villain to date. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbol accelerates through a startling landscape toward an unthinkable finale.

As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object–artfully encoded with five symbols–is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation . . . one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon’s beloved mentor, Peter Solomon–a prominent Mason and philanthropist–is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations–all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.

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Book Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1) by Jenny Han

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Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1)

Author: Jenny Han

Format: Paperback

Publication Date: May 5, 2009

Number of Pages: 276

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Genre: YA Contemporary, Romance, 

Synopsis:

Some summers are just destined to be pretty.

When each summer begins, Belly leaves her school life behind and escapes to Cousins Beach, the place she has spent every summer of her life. Not only does the beach house mean home away from home, but her favorite people are there: Susannah, her mother’s best friend, and her sons, Conrad and Jeremiah.

Belly has been chasing Conrad for as long as she can remember, and more than anything, she hopes this summer will be different. Despite distractions from a new guy named Cam and lingering looks from Conrad’s brother, Jeremiah, Belly’s heart belongs to Conrad.

Will he offer his to her?

Will this be the summer that changes everything?

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Five-Star Predictions

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I don’t think I’ve ever done one this kind of list before, so I decided to do one. As you all know, I have a ton of books on my physical TBR and though I have been slowly putting a dent on it, I have also been adding new titles every once in a while. Well, that’s quite the life of most bookworms, wouldn’t you agree so? Haha

So I took the time to stare at my bookcase and skimmed through the titles that I think (and badly hoping) would be a 5 star read for me. I chose these five books because I honestly have high expectations for them given that there have been quite some hype for them around the book community.

To my Filipino readers, you may check Fully Booked Online to find your next great read and avail their free shipping for orders P799 and above!

*Throughout this post, I’ll be including my affiliate links for each of the books in the list. Note that I earn a small commission whenever you use my affiliate links to purchase these books.

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Book Reivew: Dawwang by Gantala Press

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Title: Dawwang 

Author: Gantala Press, Illustrated by Nina Martinez

Format: Paperback

Publication Date: 2021

Number of Pages: 48

Publisher: Gantala Press

Genre: Comics, Non-fiction, Philippine Literature, Historical

 

Synopsis:

Si Leticia ‘Tining’ Bula-at ay mula sa grupong Naneng sa probinsiya ng Kalinga. Noong dekada ‘70, may bantang lunurin ng proyektong Chico River Dam ni Presidente Ferdinand Marcos at ng World Bank ang ili ng mga Naneng at iba pang ili sa Kordilyera. Dalawampu’t walong anyos si ‘Nay Tining nang dumating ang National Power Corporation at Philippine Constabulary sa kanilang bayan para simulan ang pagtatayo ng dam. Linabanan ito ng mga umili: nagtayo sila ng mga barikada, binaklas nila ang mga kampo, at direkta nilang hinarap ang mga sundalo. Sa kabila ng pisikal at sikolohikal na karahasan, nagpatuloy ang kilos-protesta ng pamayanan, at nakansela ang dam ni Marcos. Sa kasalukuyan, patuloy ang pakikibaka nina ‘Nay Tining at iba pang kababaihang tagapagtanggol ng Kordilyera laban sa mga korporasyon at mapanirang mga proyekto ng gobyerno sa Ilog Chico at mga karatig-lugar.

Ang DAWWANG (salita ng mga Naneng para sa “ilog”) ay bersiyon sa Filipino ng komiks na ito na nilathala bilang LET THE RIVER FLOW FREE (Ingles) at LASST DEN FLUSS FLIESSEN (Aleman) sa ilalim ng proyektong Movements and Moments: Feminist Generations ng Goethe Institut-Indonesien.

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10 Queer Books I Want to Read

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Howdy! And I’m back with another list for you. This time, I’m sharing with you some queer books that I would like to read. In recent years, the number of books relating to and/or about LGBTQ+ have grown and it’s something that we must all be proud of. I must admit, I haven’t read a lot of LGBTQ+ books and I promised myself to work on that this year and the succeeding years. With that said, I picked the top 10 queer books on my Goodreads TBR to create this list.

To my Filipino readers, you may check Fully Booked Online for their Pride Collection! Throughout this post, I’ll be including my affiliate links for each of the books I’ll be mentioning. Note that I earn a small commission whenever you use my affiliate links to purchase these books.

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5 Books I Love

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I’ve made another recommendations style entry, but in no particular genre — just a list of books I absolutely love and has stuck with me ever since I’ve read them. This list contains a variety of different genre and authors that you might want to add in your TBR as well. Without further ado, let’s dive right into the list:

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Most Anticipated Releases in June

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And I’m back with another listicles! Today I’ll be sharing with you some of my most anticipated releases this month and I’m extra excited to share them with you because they all sound interesting! Most of these are thrillers which is perfect for the rainy season here in the Philippines! Continue reading

Author Feature #1: Rick Riordan

Hi, everyone! I’m thrilled to announce a new feature on my blog called Author Feature where I give my favorite authors the spotlight that they deserve. Today I’m going to feature Rick Riordan because as you all know by now, I cannot stop raving about his books and through the years, he has become my most favorite middle-grade author. The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series not only got me out of a very long reading slump, but also helped me get through one of the darkest days of my life. Aside from that, these books are very special to me and my husband’s relationship as these books were one of the cornerstones of how we started as a couple. Books truly have a way of making my heart melt. So that’s the quick explanation of why his books have a very special place in my heart and in my life. Continue reading

Stuff I’ve Been Reading Lately #22

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BOOKS READ:

  • The Hidden Oracle (Trials of Apollo, #1) by Rick Riordan
  • Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
  • Desaparesidos by Lualhati Bautista

ONGOING:

  • The Secret Lives of Introverts: Our Hidden Worlds by Jenn Granneman (50% progress)
  • The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3) by Dan Brown (16% progress)

BOOKS BOUGHT:

  • Hollowpox (Nevermoor, #3) by Jessica Townsend
  • The Burning God (The Poppy War, #3) by R.F. Kuang
  • Contestable Nation-Space: Cinema, Cultural Politics, and Transnationalism in the Marcos-Brocka Philippines by Rolando B. Tolentino
  • A Time to Rise: Collective Memoirs of the Union of Democratic Filipinos (KDP) by Rene Ciria Cruz, Cindy Domingo, and Bruce Occena
  • Press Freedom Under Siege: Reportage That Challenged the Marcos Dictatorship by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo

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