[REVIEW] Unwind

title: Unwind (Unwind Dystology #1)

author: Neal Shusterman
genre: young adult, science fiction, dystopia
published: June 2nd 2009 by Simon & Schuster BfYR (first published November 6th 2007)
my copy: paperback, 335 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 5 / 5 stars
goodreads

Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives. 

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.

loved it then. still love it now.

This is a reread. (w o w. I've been rereading so much this year it's w i l d).

BOOKS FROM THE BACKLOG #15

i did a thing. i did an edit. i tried placing ebook covers to my photos to show my ebook backlogs. lmao.

Hi,

Books from the Backlog is a weekly feature hosted by Carole @ Carole's Random Life in Books.

[WEEKEND READS] where I participated in Dewey's #readathon and did a bit of Kindle cleaning

Hi,

So Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon happened and while work kind of interrupted the end of my readathon, I still think it was a success. I read almost the entire half of the readathon duration. And I finished 1 book then I cheated and did an extended readathon because, as I said, work interrupted me. I finished 1 more book then caught up with my buddy read book.

So all in all, I got through a total of 421 pages. I juggled among 4 books and ultimately finishing 2 of them. 1 of those I didn't finish is an ebook and I'm still far from finishing that one and the other 1 is my buddy read book which I had to stop because we still need to discuss that. BUT as I said last week, I did take videos of me reading so I'll have my actual wrapup for that probably next weekend of something. idk since I'm actually not a fan of video editing. lmao.

I'm Joining Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon!!!

Hi,

I am once again trying the 24-hour readathon. lmao.

I did an impromptu 24-hour readathon before and I enjoyed it. I got through a good amount of books and I was also impressed at myself for doing it. This time around, I'm joining the Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon (as long as things go according to plan because I heard my older sister will drop by probably on Sunday which will be most of the duration of the readathon for me) and I will try to take videos and do a "reading vlog" however that's supposed to go.

BOOKS FROM THE BACKLOG #14

Hi,

Books from the Backlog is a weekly feature hosted by Carole @ Carole's Random Life in Books.

[REVIEW] Nine Elms

title: Nine Elms (Kate Marshall #1)

author: Robert Bryndza
genre: adult fiction, crime fiction, thriller
published: December 1st 2019 by Thomas & Mercer (first published November 1st 2019)
my copy: kindle, 392 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 4 / 5 stars
goodreads

From the breakthrough international bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice, a breathtaking, page-turning novel about a disgraced female detective’s fight for redemption. And survival... 

Kate Marshall was a promising young police detective when she caught the notorious Nine Elms serial killer. But her greatest victory suddenly turned into a nightmare. Traumatized, betrayed, and publicly vilified for the shocking circumstances surrounding the cannibal murder case, Kate could only watch as her career ended in scandal. 

Fifteen years after those catastrophic events, Kate is still haunted by the unquiet ghosts of her troubled past. Now a lecturer at a small coastal English university, she finally has a chance to face them. A copycat killer has taken up the Nine Elms mantle, continuing the ghastly work of his idol. 

Enlisting her brilliant research assistant, Tristan Harper, Kate draws on her prodigious and long-neglected skills as an investigator to catch a new monster. Success promises redemption, but there’s much more on the line: Kate was the original killer’s intended fifth victim… and his successor means to finish the job.

your usual crime fiction.

I read a couple of books from Bryndza's previous series, his Detective Erika Foster series, and I really enjoyed them. So even though I haven't read them all (this cheap-ass me is waiting for further price drop on Kindle. I need books 3 and 5. lmao), I decided to grab this one when I saw it on Kindle Deals!

[WEEKEND READS] where I am enjoying my buddy reading!

Hi,

This week has been pretty okay. Nothing special about it. I was working throughout the week and I'm glad how things are progressing for me. I kind of need to adjust my body clock. I still have a bad habit of sleeping extra late (which is 2AM) then halfass-ly waking up at 7AM through my alarm then ultimately getting up at 9AM or 10AM sometimes. 

Late Friday, I am so glad that my best friend and I finally got through with our 2nd buddy reads discussion. It was fun a lowkey chaotic because it's just full of fact checking and wild speculations. I've got a bit of my theory but nothing really set in stone since it's just 40-ish percent of the book. We're going through 15 more chapter before the next discussion then one final go to the end of the book. I'm so excited! The next 15 pages are over 100 pages so it will be a while.

Also just something I've been considering a long time, I think I mentioned this before and someone said I should do it. But I want to do some sort of reading vlog. I'm thinking of trying it out for the next weekend which is the Dewey's 24hour read-a-thon. Lowkey hyped for that. So I'll probably try that and if I like how it turns out, I'll probably post it and I'll probably see how I feel about doing more of it 😅 Would love to know what you guys think of it by then 😅😅

10 Books I Got From Secondhand Bookshops

Hi,

I know I've been gone for quite a while with work adjustment and such but I'd like to believe I'm back 👀 I mean look at me posting 3 posts this week. lmao.

But for real, I took this photo before September ended generally because I set up my monthly TBR a day or two before the next month and I have personal monthly prompts since June (borrowed books, books on my TBR the longest, books I'm scared to read, and my MIBF hauls for the last 2 years). This month, I want to give some love to the books I got my secondhand bookshops / thrift stores or books I received from people that, from the looks of it, they got from thrift stores. So basically, it's the thift store books tbr!

BOOKS FROM THE BACKLOG #13

Hi,

Books from the Backlog is a weekly feature hosted by Carole @ Carole's Random Life in Books.

[REVIEW] The Couple Next Door

title: The Couple Next Door

author: Shari Lapena
genre: adult fiction, mystery, thriller
published: August 23rd 2016 by Pamela Dorman Books
my copy: hardcover, 308 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 4 / 5 stars
goodreads

It all started at a dinner party. . .

A domestic suspense debut about a young couple and their apparently friendly neighbors--a twisty, rollercoaster ride of lies, betrayal, and the secrets between husbands and wives...

Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all--a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.

Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they've kept for years.

What follows is the nerve-racking unraveling of a family--a chilling tale of deception, duplicity, and unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the final shocking twist.

desperation, pride, greed, secrets.

I was in a slump when I picked this up and boy did it help me get out of it! 

[WEEKEND READS] where I finally get back to office work

took this one while it was dark outside. there's so much rain recently.

Hi,

I got back to work last week. By work I man regular work stuff and w h o a but energy levels is starting to show and it's not good. Ever get that weird feeling of weird morning tiredness just because you have work to do then after the 8hrs of work, you suddenly get this wild bust of energy? That's basically me the entire week and I hate it. lmao.

Just gonna mentioned everything I can remember throughout last week:

(1) Yankees season ended so that's sad. It was also a horrible game for the team. Crossing my fingers that that wasn't DJ Lemahieu's and Masahiro Tanaka's last season with the Yankees.

(2) as I mentioned, I started work last Monday and it took out so much energy in me. Feels that my body isn't used to this anymore after almost 7 months of just doing whatever I like and sleeping whenever I can

(3) I started buddy reading with my book best friend and I'm having fun talking about my speculations and really understanding the world.

(4) my sisters and I are planning some art-based business and it looks fun but also a lot of work.

[WEEKEND READS] where things happen and I am busy!

here's a bookstagram outtake because I was not able to take a phot today. lol.

Hi,

I've been somewhat preoccupied this past week. Or my head's been all over the place this past week. idk. hahaha.

Just gonna mentioned everything I can remember (because my journal also blanked on me. lmao):

(1) regular season of baseball ended (it was a Monday for me because of time zone) THEN the wild card round started and the Yankees swept the Indians. On to the ALCS we go!;

(2) I started and finished The Couple Next Door. It was a random read for me. I was in a slump the entire September and I'd like to believe that this book is the start of my reading mojo again;

(3) my book best friend (yes, the book best friend I mentioned before 💖) and I are going to try buddy reading which surprisingly we haven't done. We're reading The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle;

(4) I'm doing #halftober so I'm trying to draw every day which is quite unusual for me. lmao. I'm posting everything on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (which reminds me I should work on the 4th prompt. ugh);

(5) After six months, I finally got my work back. I'll be working from home doing graphic design stuff again. I was able to talk to my boss, he talked to the HR regarding me working from home, and it's approved! I'm back to working and earning. It's not like before but all is good 😊

BOOKS FROM THE BACKLOG #12

Hi,

Books from the Backlog is a weekly feature hosted by Carole @ Carole's Random Life in Books.