Donuts, Books and #CatchingFire

Okay, I know I implied I would be updating more often and I intended too but as always, (brace yourselves, you're going to hear my most frequently used alibi yet) I was too caught up with RL (real life, cutie pies). Last week was a very busy week for my city, thus my Cagayan de Oro-niche blog, CDOSocial. I attended two Pre-Openings and a Presscon thing. Okay, that doesn't seem that much, but those filled my afternoons while school filled my mornings and Church, my evenings. But I'm glad I have something to do, beats being bored any day!

Check it out, I just made myself KK's self-proclaimed ambassador

One of the events I went to is Krispy Kreme's Opening in our city. I loved their marketing staff and their cards (which entailed a free signature coffee on every card). They were really generous and blogger-lovin'. Because of their perception of life, I can now believe that the world is truly a happy place (lol) but seriously, they made this little lady's day. I've been loving the brand for years! At long last!

Anyway, this week is all about catching up with my reads after I realized how behind I am on my Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge (check the rightmost sidebar, folks). After failing last year (49 out of 50 books, the most dreadful way to fail), I have decided to redeem my geekishness by completing it this year. So within this week alone, I read four books (though I finished only two). Let me tell you all about them.

A Match Made In High School - Kristin Walker

The story's about this girl who's crushing on this jerk (but you don't know that in the beginning, main girl led you to believe that the jerk's a prince because of own disillusionment--Oops!) and she gets paired to the worst jerk of all (or so she thinks) for their Marriage Ed. class. Yep, you heard me right. Marriage Ed. Teaching YOUNGSTERS the way of the marriage people (of course, without condoning them to practice pre-marital sex--this was an actual line in the book to which I loled but agreed to: NO TO PMS!). It's an actual class that their recently divorced principal mandated them to complete in order to graduate. I definitely give it an Eight out of Ten for its interesting plot, funny characters and wit. It's a very light read, meant to make you laugh and not to be compared to The Time Keeper or The Great Gatsby or anything.

Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell

This is simply amazing. A solid Nine out of Ten from me. Rowell has never failed me, I enjoyed Fangirl just a week before and now this. Simply put, this is an first love story back in the 80's (but trust me, it's totally relate-able). It's a simple story but it's totally got me under. I liked the line from the back of the book, "the story of two star-crossed misfits - smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try." I can't tell you how wonderful it is without revealing anything but I can tell you that the build up to them holding hands was so great that it took me 5 minutes to recover when they actually did. I am definitely recommending to all of my friends!

Every Day - David Levithan

I have been reading this book for 2 weeks. No, it's not 1000+ pages long, it's just that I didn't find it as interesting as the other books that I read. Hopefully, I'll finish it next week but so far, it's boring and draggy for me. Maybe the writer's making it more realistic and whatnot but there are some days in the book that just feel like a filler (in other words, unnecessary). The story's about this guy / girl who calls himself / herself A who wakes up in a different body every day (yes, since [s]he was a baby). One day though, [s]he wakes up in a certain Justin's body and falls in love with his girlfriend Rhiannon and it's become messy since then. I mean, how do you expect to nurture a "love" that blossomed in a day? (I'm sorry, if other people think Eleanor and Park's romance happened quickly--a year--then what do you suppose I call this?) Yeah but it's not something I always see in Young Adult (the body switching I mean, the one day romance has been covered quite generously in the history of the genre) and I'm waiting to find out what'll happen in the end.

Insurgent - Veronica Roth

I like the concept of the first book, Divergent, having first read it in November 2012 (Goodreads keeps track for me nyahahaha). But I am not a fan of Roth's writting, and sometimes I find her abusive use of the active voice (see Grammar) downright offensive--that's why it took me this long to read the next book. But so far, I've been tolerating it and made a seven-chapter progress in one sitting (not because I read slow but because I'm trying to endure the mediocre-writing for the good story-line, only grimacing a little here and there). Expect me to finish the book on Monday or Tuesday though, I'm really excited to read Allegiant.

Okay, too much rant about books, I especially made a book blog to take my book-ranting business there but I'm too lazy to update the layout and the content for you to actually find something of use in there. I promise to make it usable by December though, to avoid blood bath from those of you who don't want to know about my geekishness.

Speaking of geeks, I watched Catching fire with my sister Deb and our neighbors IJ and Dale yesterday. It's a good thing that the last time I read the book was when it was released four years ago. I've already forgotten the minor details so I simply loved the movie (this is a great tactic so you won't hate a book-turned-movie). Great animation in this one and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark is finally warming up to me, either that or pity has blurred my emotions. Jennifer was awesome as always, Liam was revolting, especially as Gale so I've finally come to accept their casting. And hot Finnick Odair! Almost exactly like how I imagined him! GAAAAH! Has anyone else seen the movie? How was it for you guys?