Event Recap: Jenny Han Bloggers' Forum + Book Signing

As usual, Ge and I were up early to attend the Bloggers' Forum hosted by National Book Store. We got there before the malls opened so we had to loiter and look for places to chill at but of course, we were still prompt in registering for the forum. And for the first time in a long time, we got numbers 1 and 2. (Yesss!)

Lovely display of Jenny Han's books!

The forum was very prompt and we started without a hitch. We were all really excited to meet Jenny Han and discuss our mutual love for Peter Kavinsky. Chad, our favorite host, introduced Jenny and immediately proceeded to the Q&A. (They also mentioned that Jenny sent cups of hot chocolate to her first 30 fans in line, that was so nice of her!)

Our awesome host, Chad Dee. Love the shirt!!

Jenny Han waving. *waves*

Here are a few things we learned during the forum:

• If Jenny were to get stranded in an island, the three books that she'd bring with her would be I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith because it's her favorite book, the Bible because she's never read the whole thing, and an Encyclopedia to learn how to get off the island.
• When she writing the Burn for Burn books with Siobhan Vivian, whom she met in graduate school and have been besties since, Jenny writes most of the Lillia scenes. Jenny also mentions that she is better at writing characters while Siobhan is better at settings and details (she also mentions that Siobhan has a screenwriting history and that her editor is David Levithan).
• Jenny has a thing for nail art (she had Beyonce nails when we met her).
• To All the Boys I've Loved Before is a bit reminiscent of Jenny's childhood because she did write letters to the guys she liked and no, they did not get sent out, they are still safely in her hatbox.
• In regards to writing letters but not sending them, Jenny feels that it's a personal experience. You get to reflection on who you are and how you truly feel while writing them. And you don't need to send them because you aren't writing them for anyone else but yourself. Very similar to journaling.
• Fun question: Jenny Han's Top 5 Celebrity Crushes and who she imagines Peter Kavinsky as:
• Alexander Skarsgard (YES!!)
• Daryl Dixon from the Walking Dead (Redneck zombie hunters rule!)
• a cop from The Killing (I dunno who she was referring to, lol)
• Jamie Lannister, hand or no hand (we approve!)
• Jo In Sung (Dunno who this is)
• Seo In Guk (Dunno who this is again, lol)

             Last but not the least, young James Marsden as Peter Kavinsky. (We swoon!)

• Jenny also mentions that Lara Jean and Margot's relationship as sister is very similar to her and her little sister's. They're different but also manage to find similarities within each other.
• She also told us that her favorite book that she's written is always going to be the first and also the most recent, they're very special to her... the middle is special too, in its own way.

Well, that's it for the Q&A! Get ready to be photo-dumped, hehe.

Lyra, Jenny Han's #1 fan, fangirling.

A random selfie.

The Hardest Selfie Ever 4.0

Bloggers holding their books up!

With the insanely fab, Chad.

Me being cute with Kate, my Lady Love.

Ge and I with Jenny Han.

Random blogger picture.

I have formulated a theory that pictures with authors that are taken at the forum look way better than when they are taken at the signing. Check out exhibits A and B:

Exhibit A

Me with Jenny Han (at the forum).

Exhibit B

Me with Jenny Han (at the book signing).

Am I right or am I right? Moving on....

Photobombing JB.

This is what we do, take a crazy amount of selfies.

Bloggers holding their ARCs of Ashes to Ashes.

Wearing our "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" shirts. So fab.

Bloggers with Jenny Han!

After taking our fill of photos, we had some lunch and really delicious cheesecake, then we were off to the book signing! The event itself was craaazy, we literally could not get in. There were so many people. However, we tucked out tummies in, didn't breathe and tried to wedge ourselves into the event... and yes, we were successful. We were told that there were fans that camped outside of the store at 11 PM the night before just to meet Jenny Han. That is what you call dedication, seriously.

HOLY FRAPPE. SO MANY PEOPLE. I am tempted to crowd surf.

Four of Jenny's fans who were there at 11 PM, SO. CRAZY.

Bloggers amongst readers.

Jenny Han signing books.

After a really long but fun-filled day, we went home and just slept the four day weekend away. The End.

Signed books! Also got an ARC of Ashes to Ashes, yay!

In semi-related news, Jenny Han visited our school and I was fortunate enough to be asked to write an article about it in a national newspaper, Philippine Daily Inquirer. It was awesome, no words. Next time, it'll be a book deal, lol!

Hope to see you at the next event (which is next week, lol)! Don't forget to tweet with the hashtag #StephaniePerkinsInPH and follow @nbsalert and Like them on Facebook for updates!

A big thank you to the National Book Store team for the amazing and successful event! Had so much fun and looking forward to future events! Thanks, as always, to Chad and JB for rocking. Thank you, Jenny Han for coming here, meeting us and signing our books. Simon & Schuster for giving us ARCs. Also, Kate from The Bookaholic Blurbs and NBS for letting me use their photos. And of course, my parents for letting me go, hehe. We love y'all! <3 p="">

Stacking the Shelves (28)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews! It's where bloggers can share what they got for review, bought, borrowed, won or gifted (both physical and eBooks may be included! :D)

Here's what I got recently:

For review:

*ARC* Drowned (Drowned #1) by Nichola Reilly (Goodreads)

*ARC* Stone Cold Touch (The Dark Elements #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Goodreads) *DIES*

*ARC* Talon (Talon #1) by Julie Kagawa (Goodreads)

*ARC* The Return (Titan #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Goodreads) *DIES AGAIN*

*ARC* The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco (Goodreads)

Purchased:

*signed* Unteachable by Lead Raeder (Goodreads) (Review)

*signed* Burn for Burn (Burn for Burn #1) by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian (Goodreads)

*signed* Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn #2) by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian (Goodreads)

*not pictured/signed* To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1) by Jenny Han (Goodreads)

Gifted:

*signed ARC* Ashes to Ashes (Burn for Burn #3) by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian (Goodreads)

A ginormous thank you to Harlequin Teen, Sourcebook Fire, Spencer Hill Press and Kate Kaynak, Leah Raeder and Camille, National Book Store, Jenny Han and Simon and Schuster Asia, and last but never the least, my parents! Seriously, thanks so much, you awesome peeps!

What did you get in your mailbox this week? Leave us a link in the comments and we'll check your post out!

Goodbye, April May.

Hi guys,

I'm going to deviate from books in this post, so please bear with me. And this may get very weepy. So, warning.

If you're following me on Instagram, then I'm sure that you are familiar with my beautiful baby, April. She makes for very cute photos because not only of her really long tongue that makes her look like she's always in some kind of wacky post, but because she's also generally cute. The camera just loves her, and a lot of people do as well.

April sleeping.

We got April a couple of years ago, scrawny and mousey but as years passed, she gained a ton of weight thus the excess skin, but that only really added to her appeal. (She always got the munchies. Always.)

April eating a piece of pandesal.

April with her stuffed bunny, Lola.

I cannot express how much my family loves April. She's a constant in our lives. She comes to us for food even though she's already eaten (April is literally a bottomless pit), she snores like a sailor/grown man, sneezes a lot, has horrible breath, hogs a ton of bed space and is super clingy but we wouldn't have her any other way. It's those qualities that make us love her so much.

April yawning.

April wearing our school uniform.

April has been through a lot, she used to have seizures because of an infection but she made it through that. She has colds a lot but she made it through those too. But I guess this was fate talking.

April watching the scenery.

April had been feeling a bit under the weather the past few days so we decided to take her to the vet. And the results weren't that bad (this was just yesterday) so we were focused on getting her better.

April napping in her little house.

This morning, April stayed on our bed for a bit. We petted her like normal and cuddled her but she still looked tired. Her breathing seemed a bit labored and her tummy ached so we kept her in her cage to prevent more damage. And then it happened...

With just a little scream, April passed.

No one expected it. We all thought that she'd have a few more years with us. None of us were ready. Seeing her lie there, unmoving. It was terrifying and hearbreaking. How would we survive without her? A constant in our lives? How can I wake up knowing that she won't be there jumping to greet me? Or to see her "just woke up" face? Or even that really long tongue? How do you recover from losing a part of you? This is the very first loss I have ever experienced and I never thought that it would be this painful but it is. There's a crushing weight on my shoulders and my heart feels so heavy. I literally canNOT stop crying and nothing can make me feel better right now. (Yes, I am crying while typing up this post.)

April sitting up.

I want to ask God, why but I won't. I know that there was a reason she was taken from us and I trust God enough to know that He had a plan, that He knew what He was doing. So I can only pray that God will love her enough for us, that He will take care of her and let her be free. I hope that April will be happy and well-fed up there, and that's all we can hope for.

The very last picture I took of April on June 10th 2014.

We will always love you, April. No dog or animal or even human can ever replace you. You'll always be my Baby May. I am so lucky to have been a part of your life, to have been given the chance to be your friend and family. Thank you for sharing your light with us, you never failed to brighten our days. There are so many more moments that I wish I could have shared with you but I can't anymore... Sure, you never got to be the next Miley Cyrus but I think that you'll have other opportunities in Heaven. And I know that we will see each other again someday. I love you, April, and I don't know when I'll be able to let you go, I don't think it's anytime soon but I'll do my best to live on. We'll miss you. Thank you, April. Thank you. You will live on.

Goodbye, April. Paalam, aking kaibigan.

Always,
Louisse

Review: When the World Was Flat (and we were in love) by Ingrid Jonach

Title: When the World Was Flat (and we were in love)
Author: Ingrid Jonach
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Publication date: September 2013
Source: Received from the publisher (Thanks, Caroline!)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



Looking back, I wonder if I had an inkling that my life was about to go from ordinary to extraordinary.

When sixteen-year-old Lillie Hart meets the gorgeous and mysterious Tom Windsor-Smith for the first time, it’s like fireworks — for her, anyway. Tom looks as if he would be more interested in watching paint dry; as if he is bored by her and by her small Nebraskan town in general.

But as Lillie begins to break down the walls of his seemingly impenetrable exterior, she starts to suspect that he holds the answers to her reoccurring nightmares and to the impossible memories which keep bubbling to the surface of her mind — memories of the two of them, together and in love.

When she at last learns the truth about their connection, Lillie discovers that Tom has been hiding an earth-shattering secret; a secret that is bigger — and much more terrifying and beautiful — than the both of them. She also discovers that once you finally understand that the world is round, there is no way to make it flat again. 

An epic and deeply original sci-fi romance, taking inspiration from Albert Einstein’s theories and the world-bending wonder of true love itself.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

I am going to go ahead and break my rating down for you real quick: 1-teacup for the concept, 1-teacup for the cool science-y stuff and 0.5-teacup for the sweet ending. Yup. Now, moving on to the good stuff...

Any person with eyes and a beating heart would immediately want to read a book with a title: When the World was Flat (and we were in love). It just sounds so beautiful and mysterious at the same time, and it doesn't hurt that the cover is simple yet eye-catching, as well. There are a lot of great things going on for this book: gorgeous title, pretty cover and an interesting blurb that can draw a reader's attention but sad to say, its triple threatedness is really only for show. When the World was Flat (and we were in love) is actually just a one trick pony that started its routine okay, crashed and burned in the middle part and tried to save itself for the finale.

I am still on the fence as to what I feel about Lillie, the protag. She has a hippie mom who's obviously into New Age and from whom I got Renee (Bella from Twilight's mom) vibes from (but more about her later) and she really enjoys photography. Since I suck at photography, I was really impressed by her abilities and passion because if there's one thing I know, it's that if you aren't good at something, it's better to admire others who are good at that certain thing, haha. But seriously speaking, other than her semi-cool mom, her passion for photography, her really cliche friends and her creepy-ass dreams, Lillie is literally one of the most boring people I have ever read about. Lillie dreaming about her own death and hallucinating seriously seemed like the highlight of her life. Harsh? It's true though. Living in a tiny town like Green Grove really doesn't allow one person a lot of fun options. Poor Green Grovians, what sad, sad lives you lead.

Tom, Tom, Tom. Honestly, other than his good looks and his "secrets", he's kind of a Grade-A jerk. He literally doesn't talk to anyone and even though everyone is swooning over him, he acts like he has no social skills. Tom seemed like he spent his whole life under a rock and didn't know how to interact with other beings. I didn't connect with him at all. What a shame. And his name, Tom Windsor-Smith? So boring, seriously not interesting at all.

I'm going to talk about Lillie's friends before I mention the science-y stuff. Like I already said, Lillie has the most cliche friends ever. She has Slyv, the slut and Jo, the chubby, man-ish one. I don't even understand what their significance was! They didn't do anything. Sylv was literally just a slut who aspired to be a model and if someone even mentioned her sluttiness or her having no chance of ever becoming a model, she throws the biggest bitch fit you will ever see (as in White Chicks big). And all the obscene comments she made were so inappropriate and I'm not saying this because I'm a prude or conservative but because practically everything she says is crude. The only depth in her that I was able to see was at the very end. And Jo? I know I'm supposed to feel bad that her dad is dying and she's in love with her obviously married teacher, but I couldn't really bring myself to care. I couldn't relate myself to these characters and that made liking them so much harder. Their relationship is seriously so dysfunctional, I couldn't understand how they stayed friends for so long. And the thing with Lillie is that she's so non-confrontational, she just lets them do whatever they want without ever speaking up. She was so passive, ugh.

Now to the kind of cool stuff. There was a lot of science terms thrown around in this book. Lots of physics and theories were used. It all seems complicated once you read the book but let me simplify it for you: there are a lot of dimensions in the world and each decision we make creates different scenarios. Let's say I decided to drink coffee instead of chocolate milk, then two dimensions will be created, one where I will drink coffee and the other, me drinking chocolate milk. That's basically it. And there's also this thing called "merging", but I won't get too into it lest I spoil the story for you but since I know that everyone reading this is smart, I'm sure that you'll figure out how this stuff plays out in the book. Kudos to Ingrid Jonach for her thorough research because everything was well-thought out. So, yay!

I'm sure everyone is wondering about the romance in this story especially when the book's title is When the World was Flat (and we were in love) but unfortunately, it doesn't work out that way. The romance aspect of this book confused me. Yes, I get that Lillie dreams about Tom which is how she recognized him and that they're soulmates or something like that but my question is, how the heck did Tom fall in love with the Lillie in this dimension? He ignores her, he's a douche to her and they've had so little interaction which makes me wonder whether he stalks her and/or watches her from afar because I am still confused. If anyone can shed light on this, that would immensely help. I just didn't feel romance, you know? There were no sparks or even emotions, everything was flat. Mm-hmm.

To say that I am disappointed with When the World was Flat (and we were in love) would be an understatement. Its only saving grace was its ending and even that wasn't enough to save it, it tried and succeeded a bit but it didn't make it. The sad part is that I didn't even have really high expectations for this book and yet I still managed to be bummed out by it. It's not to say that it isn't a good book because I'm sure a lot of people would disagree and say that it is a good book but I guess it just wasn't for me. Oh well.

Rating:

.5

ARC Review: The Falconer by Elizabeth May

Title: The Falconer (The Falconer #1)
Author: Elizabeth May
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication date:
Source: Received from publisher (Thanks, Adam and Mia!)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



Heiress. Debutant. Murderer. A new generation of heroines has arrived.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844

Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s social events – right up until a faery killed her mother.

Now it’s the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughters faeries in secret, in between the endless round of parties, tea and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic facade every night to go hunting. She’s determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city’s many dark alleyways.

But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana’s father returns home, she has decisions to make. How much is she willing to lose – and just how far will Aileana go for revenge?

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

When I got my copy of The Falconer in the mail, I squee-d and did a little happy dance because ever since I saw its UK cover way back when, I knew that I needed to read it; so when I finally got it, I was more than excited. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to read it immediately because, well, my mom took my book and read it herself. And while she really enjoyed the book, she instantly regretted reading it so soon (ha! In yo' fezz, mama). So now that I finally read it... I understand what my mom went through and the only thing going through my head is "OH MY GAAAAAAAAAH."

Aileana Kameron used to be a normal debutante, a lady who cared about fashion and who the most suitable gentleman would be for marriage but after her mother is murdered in front of her by a faerie (the type whose name I cannot pronounce nor spell), all she cares about now is revenge and vengeance for her mother's death. She is then trained by Kiaran MacKay, another faerie whose type I cannot spell nor pronounce, to hunt faeries down and maybe even achieve what she's been longing for, to kill the faerie who destroyed her.

Aside from having an awesome name, that kind of reminds me of Celaena Sardothien, and a penchance for violent reactions, Aileana is a certified badass. Even though she is a bit impulsive and likes to disobey orders, that's just what makes her all the more exciting and aren't those qualities pre-requisites to becoming heroine? I love that even though she carries a crazy ton of weapons on her personage, she still manages to maintain a somewhat proper etiquette in regards to functions and also still enjoys dances because no matter how jaded and broken she may be, Aileana is still just a girl, only with a different perspective. Aileana starts off strong and the books ends with her becoming even stronger, more confident in her abilities but we also see a very distinct weakness when it comes to her memories regarding her mother's death. She still has much to learn and experience, and I look forward to seeing more of what Aileana has to offer.

Once you meet Gavin Galloway (or Stewart), you will may end up assuming that there will be a love triangle between Gavin, Aileana and Kiaran but it's really not what it looks like. It was clear to me that Gavin and Aileana only had a platonic relationship and that their friendship would only grow. I really liked the easy quips and banter between the two because of how familiar they are with each other, being childhood friends. It allows the reader to feel less tense especially with the very dark times ahead. I am very interested in seeing what happened to Gavin and Derrick in the next book.

Speaking of Derrick, can I please haz my own pixie? I absolutely loved Derrick, he may actually be my favorite character of the book. Fiercely protective and a whole lot of adorableness, Derrick lit up The Falconer and gave it its magic. I just loved the little fellow. I wanted to smoosh him throughout the whole book, seriously. I cannot get over how cute he is, hehe. But moving on...

At first, I really didn't know what to feel about Kiaran. I mean, yeah, he's naturally good looking thanks to his fae genes and is insanely powerful, but his distance and general stoic-ness made him feel cold. He clearly put Aileana at arms length throughout the year they were training but as the book went on, you could see him slowly thawing out. Sure, he still got her all riled up and challenged Aileana endlessly and was still vague in everything, but the little glimpses I got of him being vulnerable made up for it. I honestly felt that he had the best lines because even though they weren't a lot and they were brief, whatever he said held a lot of depth and emotion, my heart broke for him. Kiaran being an immortal went through a lot and that changed him, all I wanted to do was give him a hug and make him feel better but I honestly don't think that would have helped.

Okay, the tension between Kiaran and Aileana was so thick that you could feel it suffocating everyone. While I was glad that the romance aspect of the book was not prioritized and that Elizabeth May highlighted the action parts more, I wanted a little more from the two but of course, duty always goes first. Most of the time, I wanted to shout at the two to just kiss already!! But aww, the feelz. Seriously.

I was really impressed by the different fae that were introduced in the book because that added more excitement and depth to it. Anyone can see that Elizabeth May really did her research because the different terms that are used and pretty much everything feels so authentic and very well thought-out. It was great reading a book written by someone who really knew what she was doing/writing. Great job, Miss May!

The Falconer doesn't only pack a powerful punch but its different moves and skills will leave you completely blindsided. From a powerful heroine to heart-pounding action sequences to a plot twist you will not see coming, you will be left breathless reading The Falconer and in the end, all you can say is more, please. I cannot even properly express how much I need the second book right now. Right. Now. Dang, Elizabeth May, you have made a fan out of me. I loved this book!

Rating:

ARC Review: The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

Title: The School for Good and Evil (The School for Good and Evil #1)
Author: Soman Chainani
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: May 14th 2013
Source: Received from publisher (Thanks, Sarah!)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair, plucked from youth and spirited away.

This year, best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to discover where all the lost children go: the fabled School for Good & Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. As the most beautiful girl in Gavaldon, Sophie has dreamed of being kidnapped into an enchanted world her whole life. With her pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds, she knows she’ll earn top marks at the School for Good and graduate a storybook princess. Meanwhile Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil.

But when the two girls are swept into the Endless Woods, they find their fortunes reversed—Sophie’s dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School For Good, thrust amongst handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are…?

The School for Good & Evil is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale is to live through one.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

Middle Grade books have always been a hit or miss for me, some are a bit too kiddy for my taste but others are just perfect for me; and The School for Good and Evil definitely hit all the right spots. It was obvious that it didn't cater specifically to children even though it is an MG because most of the time I was reading it, I felt as if I was reading a YA novel, in a good way though. There was a level of maturity to this book that most MG novels try to capture but can't seem too and that made The School for Good and Evil appeal to me even more.

I have always been fascinated with fairy tales so when I read the blurb of The School for Good and Evil, I immediately knew that it was a book that I needed to read. I mean hello, the schools where princesses, villains and other fairy tale peeps are made? Too cool. Just reading the blurb of The School for Good and Evil will definitely whet your appetite and leave you asking for the real book. And that cover? Way too gorgeous for its own good, it easily draws the reader's attention and entices you to read it. Aesthetically speaking, it's very appealing to a reader but what's written inside will completely dazzle you. Seriously.

After spending a few minutes gawking at the super beautiful map inside the book, look at the pretty below:

Image from The World of DOT.

You will then meet Sophie and right from the get-go, you will know what kind of person she is. Sure, she's pretty and gives of "princess" vibes but that's all on the outside. Sophie's goal has always been to be taken by the School Master and being real life princess but while she may be good in the surface, her intentions are anything but selfless. Which is why she hangs out with Agatha, the kid everyone considers a witch in their tiny town. The one everyone expects to be taken as the bad. The two obviously have a very dysfunctional relationship, one is in it for the end game (having her very own fairy tale) and the other, wanting her very own friend (even though she pretends she doesn't want one). So when Sophie is taken by the School Master, Agatha makes it her mission to save her friend and keep Sophie with her, thus ending with both the girls being taken to The School for Good and Evil.

When Sophie is placed into the School for Bad and Agatha is placed into the School for Good, it comes off as a mistake which cannot be remedied for once they have been entered into their respective schools, they cannot leave. I knew that Sophie deserved to be put into the School for Bad but I was apprehensive as to Agatha's placing because I didn't really see much good in her. Being placed into the wrong school was a huge roadblock in Sophie's so proving she deserved to be an Ever became her goal while Agatha's was just to get her friend back, no matter what.

About 100% of the book, I wanted to strangle Sophie. A bit drastic? Trust me, once you read the book, you'll understand. I have never met a character so annoying, self-centered and so immature, really. I don't know if Soman Chainani made her that way on purpose or what but he definitely succeeded in me not liking her. Sophie's desperate attempts at trying to get into Good's side made me feel bad for her because she was so embarrassing. Especially whenever she would brush aside Agatha's efforts at trying to help her because Sophie thought that she knew better when she obviously didn't. I wanted to cover my eyes whenever I would read her scenes because I hovered between feeling bad for her and wanting to off her. Yup. Sorry, kid. But I do have to say her powers are cool, that is all.

While I may have completely disliked Sophie, I completely adored Agatha. As the book went on, I began to see why she was placed into the School for Good in the first place. Sure she wasn't most people's ideal image of good but her goodness was inherent and natural. Agatha was simple whereas Sophie was flamboyant, and her simplicity made me like her even more. She was herself throughout the whole book, she never tried to change her image and be someone else. But when she finally found herself I just wanted to give her the biggest hug and happy cry because oh my goodness, it was such a beautiful moment. Watching her free herself from her cage of insecurities and loneliness was amazing. The one thing that saddened me about Agatha was her selflessness, while it is a great trait to have, she took it a bit too the extreme. She helped Sophie a bit too much which you will realize yourself once you read the book, but other than, I loved her. Agatha's kindness astounded me, I am happy sighing right now. I would absolutely love to have Agatha as a friend, really.

Tedros, oh, Tedros. I love and hate the guy. It was amusing watching Sophie embarrass herself for him and the other girls pine for him because let's face it, when there's a really yummy prince in front of you, you'd want some of that. But while Tedros may be good looking, athletic, smart and pretty much everything you want in a guy, there's still a part of him that most people overlook because of his other traits. He's just a guy who wants someone who understands him and doesn't just see his pretty face and title but who he really is. So deep, right? All I will say is... Agatha + Tedros 5EVER. (Dang, these kids have a better love life than me.)

Other than having a great character line up, The School for Good and Evil also boasts not only a great story line but also the most beautiful setting evah. The way Soman Chainani describes the school grounds and even the forest surrounding the place will captivate you. If Disneyland ever ran out of ideas for their theme parks, they need to make a School for Good and Evil place somewhere in there because it's just gorgeous. You will fall in love with the place because of how intricate everything is and how even though the School for Bad is suppose to be ugly and whatever, it still comes off as beautiful. If there was a plot of land available for sale in that area, I would totally be all over that.

The line between good and evil is questioned in this book and you will be given the chance to see the two from different perspectives. Sometimes, being good doesn't necessarily mean you are and so is being evil. The dichotomy between the two is broadened and also narrowed because trust me, while you're reading The School for Good and Evil, lines will be blurred and things will get crazy, trust me.

Soman Chainani has written a beautiful and enthralling novel that will appeal to every age out there because it has a bit of everything, action, romance, the meaning of friendship and everything else in between. You will never read a book like this one, Soman Chainani has written a one of a kind novel that will amaze you. I just loved this book. Loved it. LOVED. IT. And can I just say, that ending made me cry. Real tears, yo. Real tears. Also... School Master, please take me, I don't even care which school I end up at. Just please, take meeee. *waves arms*

Rating: