From the Shelf: The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel book 2)

Title: The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel book 2)

Author: Michael Scott

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Magic, Mythology

Date read: May 23-31, 2013
Dawn Rates: ★★★★ (4/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

Ashes to ashes...

California:
In the hands of Dr. John Dee and the Dark Elders, the book of Abraham the Mage could mean the destruction of the world as we know it. The most powerful book of all time, it holds the secret of eternal life — a secret more dangerous than any one man should ever possess. And Dee is two pages away from the knowledge that would bring the Dark Elders into ultimate power.

His only obstacle? Josh and Sophie Newman — who are eight thousand miles away.

Paris:
After fleeing Ojai, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerge in Paris. The City of Lights. Home to Nicholas Flamel. Only, this homecoming is anything but sweet.

Niccolo Machiavelli, immortal author and celebrated art collector, is working for Dee. He's in hot pursuit, and time is running out for Nicholas and Perenelle. Every day they spend without the book, they age one year: their magic becomes weaker and their bodies more frail. For Flamel, the Prophecy is growing clearer and clearer. It's time for Sophie to learn the second elemental magic.

Fire Magic. 

And there's only one man who can teach it to her: Flamel's old student the Comte de Saint-Germain - alchemist, magician, and rock star. 

Josh and Sophie Newman are the world's only hope. If they don't turn on each other first.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

Okay so it took me another week to finish this book. I would've finished it sooner but to unforeseen circumstances I did not.

The second book compared to The Alchemyst, had more action as the group (Nicholas, Scatty, Josh and Sophie) went through the leygate off to Paris. This sequel picks up hours after they closed the gate. This grabbed the attention of another immortal who works under the dark elders, Niccolo Machiavelli (yep the's THE Magician being pertained) and alongside John Dee (which he isn't quite recognizing as his ally). There was quite a cat chase going on down the streets of Paris which was once Flamel's now being claimed by Machiavelli. There was the introduction of new allies in the form of Saint-Germain, Flamel's once student (now a self-claimed rockstar) and his wife Joan (yes, THE Joan of Arc). There Sophie would learn the elemental magic Fire. 

I was quite annoyed with Josh. I can sympathize that he feels his twin isn't his twin anymore because of the awakening and that there is a huge gap between them but he should not allow himself to think that. I think that is why John Dee got to him the last time. He is too jealous of all the attention thus making him vulnerable in the enemy's eyes which could be the trigger in controlling him and the start of his downfall. But I agree with Josh, it seems like Flamel has too many secrets. Finally, though Josh's awakening was done for the wrong reasons, him agreeing with Dee and Machiavelli, and I think there would be consequences; at last he got what he wanted. How he'll deal with it will maybe be found out during the next books. One thing I was curious though, what did Mars pass on to Josh? Oh, and I was disappointed that Mars was a human before thus he is an elder (not a god) *sigh* I've been reading too many Riordan books. Will I continue on to The Sorceress? Hell yeah! Especially that one of the reasons I loved the sequel is because of Perenelle's adventures in Alcatraz with the guardian ghost De Ayala. And I guess she's THE Sorceress.

Till the next read...

From the Shelf: The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel book 1)

Title: The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel book 1)

Author: Michael Scott

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Magic, Mythology

Date read: May 4-15, 2013
Dawn Rates: ★★★☆ (3.5/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on 28 September 1330. Nearly seven hundred years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life. The records show that he died in 1418. But his tomb is empty and Nicholas Flamel lives. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects - the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. And that's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it. Sometimes legends are true. And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

Don't judge me if I finished this in a span of 11 days...I was just busy. Normally I'm not like this. Anyway, I've been curious about this book before but there were too many in my queue so it was pushed aside until now. My brother TJ bothered me to buy the series because he had post-Percy Jackson syndrome so I did (yep, I did this while enduring the House of Hades wait...ugh, 5 months more).

This is the first installment of Michael Scott's Alchemyst series. As I said in my past reviews, the first book is the most crucial one. It can either hook and reel me in or me not giving the next book the light of day. Sophie and Josh Newman are protagonists of the book along with Nicholas Flamel and Perenelle and with the help of their magical friends they have to stop John Dee and other elders to lay chaos upon the world. Typical right? But the author added his own flavor to it. He made a big risk on entwining real and reel events and even mashing different gods together (egyptian, greek, roman and even norse). And I think that big risk was worth it. What I didn't like though is how the author constructed the main prophecy:

The two that are one, the one that is all.

There will come a time when the book is taken,

And the Queen's maid is allied with the crow,

Then the Elder will step out of the shadows.

And the immortal must train the mortal,

The two that are one must become the one that is all.

I mean, say what? While I was reading it...I thought, maybe he could get tips from Riordan or Rowling (I may be biased but for me they give the best prophecies so far) I don't know if this is his first major series (I have a feeling that it isn't) but I really didn't like the main prophecy...I figured it was self-explanatory. He wasn't subtle about it and the words he used were somewhat deep but if I were given that prophecy I might not give it a second look. I wish he was more cryptic about it in a creative way.

All in all, this book made me curious and yes, I'm hooked. I don't know if I'll be reeled in deeper (like Riordan's mythology series: Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus and Kane Chronicles) but I will definitely read the second book.

Till the next read...

From the Shelf: The Best of Chico, Delamar, and Gino's The Morning Rush Top 10, Book 2

Title: The Best of Chico, Delamar, and Gino's The Morning Rush Top 10, Book 2

Author: Compilation from The Morning Rush

Genre: Filipino Humor, Top 10 entries

Date read: March 15, 2013
Dawn Rates: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

They're baaaack!

And they brought the whole barkada! Get ready fr another round of pee-in-your-pants LOLz wth 100 more of the crazy lists from Chico, Delamar, and Gino's The Morning Rush Top 10, from the award-winning hit radio show on RX 93.1.

This follow-up to the bestselling book, The Best of Chico and Delamar's The Morning Rush Top 10, includes lists like:

- Top 10 Beki Problems
- Top 10 Bromance Rules
- Top 10 Date Fails
- Top 10 Nicknames for Your Naughty Bits
- Top 10 Fun Menu Entries 

The Best of Chico, Delamar, and Gino's The Morning Rush Top 10, Book 2 also comes with a set of stickers that you can use to pimp the cover and accessorize the Kikay Barkada!

My Review: (also in goodreads)

Chico Garcia and Delamar Arias, hosts of 93.1 The Morning Rush, is the most sought out tandem in the 90's. They have surpassed the 15 year mark and they are doing it so well that you couldn't even feel that they've been on air for that long. I used to listen to them back in elementary but stopped when I was in high school. I was a silent Rusher (that's what they call their listeners) and I came back listening to them, surprised that there was the Chichi and Gigi show...I was thinking, were was Delamar? It turns out she was on maternity leave and when she came back...the Chico and Delamar love team became the kikay barkada with the addition of Gino Quillamor...the show was never the same again, it became more kikay and gay (?)..lotsa laughs...included and it renewed my love for the show. I even laugh when on the road and in my cube at work. This book is the compilation of Rushers most hilarious entries for the out of this world top 10 topics. The first book was to commemorate the duo's 15 years on radio and this sequel one year later is as funny as the first one. The DJs even wrote each other's about the author (well technically the Rushers are the authors and they should be called compilers (?) but oh well...) pages and it is downright funny; more like what is this person in their eyes. And the cartoons in those pages...hilarious!

me at the book signing

me and my friend Arian at the book signing

finally meeting C, D and G

yay~

me with C, D and G

Arian with C, D and G (she even made them do a kikay pose...daya~ *inggit much?* haha)

my TMR Top 10 books..book 2 even have stickers for you to design your book...cool~

finally got my books signed.

Till the next read...

From the Shelf: Everything I Need To Know About Love I Learned From PAPA JACK

Title: Everything I Need To Know About Love I Learned From PAPA JACK

Author: Compilation from Papa Jack

Genre: Filipino Humor, Love and Relationships

Date read: April 30-May 2, 2013
Dawn Rates: ★★★★ (4/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

“Love is unpredictable.”

Even if you’ve fallen in love a million times, you can’t claim, “Alam ko na ‘yan!” And that’s because “Ang pag-ibig kapag sineryoso, nakakabobo.”

It’s really complicated, but you have to remember, “Sa isang relasyon dapat masaya ka, hindi ka stressed, hindi ka pressured.”

Because “Love is such a wonderful feeling!”

And to those who have not experienced what it is like to be loved, don’t worry, “Lahat ng kaldero, may nakalaang takip.”

365 quotes: Read one love quote a day to keep the love troubles away.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

I am a radio person, even back in elementary...I love listening to the radio. I do watch a ton of TV but when I'm bored, just needs to chill or in a cool-down I listen to the radio.Maybe that is why I know a lot of songs, even those that are already old. My siblings used to tease me that I came from another era wherein I even know the songs from my parents' generation. When I was on field or I came home late from the office I easily get bored...then my officemate told me to listen to 90.7 Love Radio and wait for Papa Jack's show "True Love Conversations" (from 9PM to 12MN) and Wild Confessions (12MN to 2AM)...and I was hooked ever since. That was 5 years ago. Papa Jack is a radio DJ whose show format consist of callers asking for love advices. There are callers that could touch your heart, you might sympathize with them and there are some who are downright idiots that even the DJ would scold him/her on air. He is very blunt and brutally frank that at first a listener would be irritated but you know that he is just stating the facts. He always tells the caller that the moment he answers the call, he will be very blunt and be a friend. This book is a compilation of the stories and quotable quotes he did say on air from the getting to know stage till the end of love. It has humor...mostly Filipino humor, so to foreign friends, they might not understand because of the culture (mostly in taglish format) but this is one feel-good breezy read.

Till the next read...

From the shelf: Second Chance Boyfriend

Title: Second Chance Boyfriend

Author: Monica Murphy

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Date read: April 24-25, 2013
Dawn Rates: ★★★★ (4/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

Lost. That one single word best describes my life at this very moment. I lost the last games of the season and both my team and my coach blame me. I lost the last two months because I drowned in my own despair like a complete loser. And I lost the only girl who ever mattered because I was afraid being with me would destroy her.

But now I realize how truly lost I am without her. She has become my story…and even though she acts like she’s moved on, I know she still thinks about me just as much as I think about her. She’s beautiful, sweet—and so damn vulnerable, all I want to do is help her. Be there for her.

Love her…

If only I could convince Fable to give me a second chance. Then I wouldn’t feel so lost anymore, and neither would she. We could be found together.

Forever.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

After reading One Week Girlfriend, I immediately wanted to know what happened when Drew abandoned Fable for her sake to clean up the mess in his life. Seriously, that was the noble thing to do but there was a part in the book where I wanted to smack him for doing it. I also wanted Colin to be the third guy in the relationship but it doesn't work that way. But I forgave him because of the fact that Drew Callahan is the sweetest guy ever and Fable is lucky to have him. Adele is the craziest bitch ever and I appreciate the fact that Drew's father sided with him rather with his wife. Things I wanted before it ended: Colin and Jen's relationship (another book perhaps?), and I wanted to see Owen's own story, I think he is Drew in the making ^^

"Loving someone is taking a constant risk with your emotions. When you find the right person, the one you know you want to be with, that person becomes worth the risk"

- Dr. Harris

Most of the time I'm thinking of you

All of the time I love you

Remembering the good times and the bad

So much has

Happened and

Maybe I'm moving too fast

All I know is I...

Love you. And want to

Live with you

Only you

Will you be my wife?

Till the next read...