Tales of Ever: Volumes 1-6 (2014)

Misha was a normal girl until she discovered she had a gift. she was a firestarter. learning about her ability lead her to understand their community as well. while men in their bloodlines were active firestarters, women were mostly dormant. those who were found to have active abilities were banished once found, saying to be highly unstable because of their emotions. Misha's father went missing 10 years ago, leaving behind a burnt car. after barely starting their fire lessons, Misha's mother died of cancer. before she was picked up by social services, Uncle Jeff appeared at her doorstep, claiming to be her father's brother. Misha was hopeful when she joined his family, but barely one day in their house, the community decided to banish her because of her active ability.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. it was such an easy and captivating read that i found myself flying through the pages in one sitting. Misha's growth made her a very lovable character. i especially loved how she played with her ability, which caused her to come up with something new and became even more impressive along the way. her coming across Jadus, Merrick, Shade, even Sage made it interesting. while she was often easy to trust because of her innocence, i found myself doubting each and every one of these characters, along with their initial intention towards her. the possibilities during each turning points were so expandable it was impossible to predict how their relationship would progress. while i was initially overwhelmed with the details and surroundings of Ever, i found it helpful as i remained longer in it. but most importantly was how Misha kept me interested in everything that happened around her. with how amazing the story went, it would certainly be the most amazing to find more continuations of it.

Spearwood Academy One: Episodes 1-5 (2014)

the story took place in a world where humans were given abilities to transform into dragons, helping them through the hard times. yet these humans grew greedy and started using their ability to threaten the villagers. a curse from the Queen caused all female dragons to experience pain during transformation and instead of obtaining the ability at the age of fifteen, they were forced to transform every night since birth. the cruel transformation killed many of the infants, eventually parents started killing their female infants before any transformation could take place. centuries later, Avalon was the only female dragon that survived the curse. she was brought to Spearwood Academy, where male dragons were trained and schooled. while she was overwhelmed seeing so many dragon candidates, she also had many questions that needed answers to.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. the first few pages frightened me as i was never a huge fan of the historical genre no matter how much i was obsessed with the paranormal. however, the moment Avalon came into the picture, it became crystal clear that she was going to be a character i will definitely love. a tough girl since birth, Avalon survived the daily transformation that was forced upon her. her down to earth personality and especially the grumbling made her believable and thus very relatable. i enjoyed the flow of the storyline, where Avalon was brought from one place to a completely different environment. i felt like we were adjusting ourselves together with her. being the only girl, she was instantly surrounded by a group of friends that tend to be overprotective around her. at some point, i found myself doubting these characters but didn't have enough depths to understand them. however, Mirren the bully and Bullock the tutor i had a clearer picture of, which made things even more interesting when these unlikely characters were forced into a group for a mission. i reached the end of the book without even realizing it, which made the cliffhanger at the end of the book a very cruel joke. now i desperately wanted to get my hands on the next installment!

Bleak Devotion (2014)

it had been too long since the monsters appeared. they looked like human but were void of any expression. they were determined to destroy all humans. to survive, Jessica forced herself to hide her feelings, appearing as emotionless as the monsters, just so she could scavenged for food among them. after her last remaining friend was killed, Jessica fled the city in hope of finding a place where she would be free of the monsters. she met Deborah, who led a group of humans into surviving the harsh situations by growing food themselves and generating electricity through windmills. just when Jessica thought herself free from the monsters, she discovered that the Deborah and the surviving humans were hiding a monster among them.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. when i first started reading, the book led me into feeling like i was reading a dystopian novel. especially when the zombies-like alien figure started appearing. as confusing as how it started, the story then took a huge turn after Jessica reached the hideout and i started to get what everything was about. at this point, i was pleasantly surprised with how straightforward and captivating the book had become. not being a huge science-fiction fan, i didn't expect myself to fall in love with Blade, but it happened long before i had a chance with Jessica. while it was easy to sympathize her misfortune, being with Blade truly made her a far more lovable character. i just couldn't get enough of them being together, also not forgetting the tears and goosebumps i happily enjoyed just by reading about them. i was glad to find a somewhat different dystopian plot that didn't end up being too much or too heavy along the way, restricting the boundary turned out to be perfect choice to explore the storyline, making it a welcoming and pleasant change.

Under the Never Sky #3: Into the Still Blue (2014)

with the worsened Aether storm, the Tides was forced to move into a cave. like Hess, leader of the Dwellers and Sable, leader of the Horns, the Tides were eager to find the Still Blue, a safe haven away from the destructive Aether storm. at some point, Hess and Sable decided to work together, trying to convince some of the Tides to come along as well. after rescuing a group of Dwellers that Hess left behind, Aria and Perry were determined to find a way to bring everyone, Tides and Dwellers, into the Still Blue. with time running out, they had to rescue Cinder, who was kidnapped for his special ability, while coming out with a solution to cross over to the Still Blue.

last book into the series, i was pleased to find myself having fun through the book. despite some parts that failed to have me absorbed completely, especially the initial fight against Hess and Sable, i was happy with how things turned out in the end. it was mesmerizing how everything eventually became perfect. i was thrilled to have laughed and cried along with the characters, welcoming the goosebumps more than once. it was a pity to have lost Cinder or not having more doses of Roar, but in overall, the series truly overwhelmed me. i was almost sad to have finished the books so fast. recalling its scenes, i believe the most alluring point of the series was having no idea how the story would progress. curiosity easily held my attention through the pages and before i knew it, it was already the last page. getting so used to its flow, i was still expecting another twist of events or simply, another page!

Under the Never Sky #2.5: Brooke (2013)

another side story of the series followed Brooke during the move, where the Tide abandoned their exposed land for a cave, following their Blood Lord, Perry's order. with the Aether storm striking their village more and more often, Perry didn't want to risk anymore of his people's life. while the cave used to only be a place where he hid out with Roar, Liv and Brooke, for some fun away from their tribe, it seemed like the safest choice since the Aether couldn't ignite the cave like it did houses. Brooke watched in jealousy as Perry showered Aria with his love, while she was still trying to get over their breakup.

i was never a huge fan of Brooke. in the main series she was filled with bitterness and jealousy like what was expected of her character. although in that situation it was understandable and definitely tolerable, it didn't help making her a more likable character. fortunately, it remained interesting watching her interactions with the three brothers as she tried to decide what she expect of them. it was somewhat unsatisfying that she didn't make a choice, making the read felt unrewarding, but still acceptable that she at least came to a conclusion that she could get over Perry. on the other hand, i got a chance to get to know the three brothers for a change, characters that seemed to pile together in the main series now had a uniqueness about them to finally feel different from one another.

Under the Never Sky #2: Through the Ever Night (2013)

months after learning about her mother's death, Aria trained herself to be a better fighter and Aud. Perry returned to the Tides to become their new Blood Lord after confronting his brother, their previous Blood Lord, who traded his people for food. before the duo was able to reunited after being separated for months, they came across more obstacles. when Aria made herself known to the Tides tribe, they despised her solely for being a Dweller. it also caused Perry to be targeted by his own people especially for being a new leader, also for bringing a Dweller among them. she decided to leave for the Horns with Roar, in search of the Still Blue, so she could trade the information for Talon, Perry's nephew that the Dwellers held captive. to make matter worse, they met Liv at Horns, who was Perry's sister and Roar's lover.

finishing the first book: Under the Never Sky (2012), i couldn't stop myself from reading the second installment immediately after. i was so absorbed that i found it surprising that i managed to finish it in two sittings. while i was frustrated of not seeing Aria together with Perry more often, i was pleased with where the story was heading. Perry's doubt made him less lovable compared to the previous installment, no matter how understandable it was, but their separation definitely made the twists tastier and very much satisfying after the wait. having read about Roar and Liv's romance in Roar and Liv (2012), i enjoyed their small reunion as well. there were so little time to get to know everyone among the increased characters, which was fortunate that the depth was already achieved in the previous installment. i was pleased to find the next installment ready in my stash, just so i can dive in immediately after this review is posted.

Under the Never Sky #1: Under the Never Sky (2012)

Aria lived in a protected dome. her world confined yet perfect, she never once thought of what was behind the doors. one day, her mother went missing after being sent to another dome. as slim as her chance of finding Lumina, she knew she had to risk it even though she knew nothing about surviving in the wasteland. then she met Perry, an Outsider. he was wild and bad tempered, angry with her that his nephew was caught by her people, the Dwellers. agreed to be allied until both their targets were found, the duo set out on a journey into the wasteland, surviving by all means.

when i first started reading, Aria's life in the dome was way too science-fiction to my liking. but the moment she set foot in the wasteland, i couldn't stop myself from turning page after page. i was glad that i forced myself through the difficult part and reached an overwhelming adventure that i would hate to have missed out otherwise. i had fallen for Aria and Perry, even Roar after halfway through the book. to make things even more interesting than some random adventure through the wasteland, their different abilities were an added entertainment. it was fascinating that their abilities made them so different, from characteristics to physical appearances. romance wise, i was pleased that the book kept it light, making it just perfect. i had so much fun reading the book that the moment i reached the end, i was somewhat lost, needing more doses of where the story would continue from where it left off, which made moving onto the second installment a definite for me.

Under the Never Sky #0.5: Roar and Liv (2012)

Roar had been travelling from places to places with her mother before they settled with the Tides. he became best friends with Perry and Liv, growing up with them and falling in love with Liv eventually. but when Vale, Perry and Liv's older brother became the Blood Lord of the Tides, he negotiated a trade with Sable, the powerful Blood Lord of Horns. to get enough food to last the Tides through winter, Vale had to give up Liv to Sable. the news shattered Roar and Liv's world. while she didn't want her people to suffer through the winter, Liv only loved Roar, marrying Sable would only destroy her.

being a side story to the series, the book was a short read. nothing much was revealed that i don't already know from the first book: Under the Never Sky (2012). however, i did get an up closer and personal exposure of Roar and Liv's emotional side of the story. their romance that tightened their bond furthermore. the story felt like an addition to the series, which would probably meant very little to those who haven't read Under the Never Sky (2012) and not know these characters beforehand.

Drowning in Deception (2013)

Clover lived in a beautiful city where its crime rate was so low. there was a Wall that ran along the city's boundary, ensuring its citizens that the monsters were kept out of their safe, perfect city. the citizens were kept content and happy, having the freedom to do whatever pleased them, also their daily needs readily provided for them. one day, Clover crossed the Wall and found herself meeting the so-called monsters for the very first time. even though they transitioned into a beast when their emotions went out of control, they were nothing like what she was made to believe. to make things complicated, Clover's father was in charged of getting supplies from the people outside the Wall. he treated them very badly and Clover decided that it was time for her to set things right.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. the book took me completely by surprise. it was simple yet mysterious enough to keep my curiosity wandering; it was somewhat political yet plain enough to not weight the plot down. it was absolutely enjoyable, with a little adventure and romance going on, and a whole lot of twists that made it perfect and mind blowing! i was impressed with Clover's character development as we joined her through her phases of finding out about the truth of everything that she was taught to believe. every truth discovered had me felt a sense of satisfaction. when the last truth was out, i was almost disappointed that the book had come to an end. i love the lightheartedness of the writings especially, making the book an easy read. it has been a while that i felt being pulled into a story so much that i didn't realize that i had reach the end, making it a very rewarding read.

The Six Days (2014)

Jamie, Callem and Danny had been left behind by their mother since childhood. 15 years later, they discovered the truth behind their mother's disappearance. the lighthouse had always been a ghastly place for the town, many version of stories were told since it never light up. but one night, it mysteriously light up. the very night they found out about their origins, Danny was kidnapped. with limited knowledge about their witch mother, Jamie had to go into another world through the lighthouse to save his brother. desperation drew the brothers into the political war between the Council of Witches and the rebel group Jamie's mother had led.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. the book started out being an easy read, however approaching the second quarter where they ventured into the witch world, i started losing interest, especially with the political war. the explanations seemed to go on and on that i had to force myself through it with the hope that i will reach the part where the story will finally grab me again. as much as i love the supernaturals, i couldn't grasped the beauty of scenery or buildings, or worst, armies. fortunately i did manage to reach the part where everything seemed interesting enough, making the wait worthwhile. with so many characters in the book, it was most intriguing who Nia would ended up with. at first it seemed obvious that it would be Jamie, but soon it became a puzzle when others were involved.

300: Rise of an Empire (2014)

the Persian Army won against Leonidas' 300 men army. with his father dead, Xerxes took over the throne, persuaded by Artemisia, a commander that twisted King Darius' last words. convinced, Xerxes then declared war on Greece. Themistocles tried to convince the council to provide him an army to fight off the Persians at sea. however, facing many obstacles, he only managed to form a small army with his old friends. they learned about Artemisia painful past and her hatred towards the Greeks, which was also the reason the war was declared.

despite the effort to perform better while still retained the visual of its prequel, Rise of an Empire (2014) only managed to to do the latter. it was almost empty plot wise, where the focus was on Artemisia and her frightful ways. she would do anything just to destroy Greece. Themistocles was nowhere a comparison to Leonidas, he didn't have the heroic aura nor fierceness expected in a leader. we were disappointed to see so little of Xerxes, especially after he dramatically emerged from the pond, looking so breathtaking. the most engaging person among all the casts, was Artemisia. despite being the bad guy, she stood out with her background introduced, where character development became possible. Themistocles on the other hand, was just another guy among the guys, whom we knew nothing about.

Angel's Edge #1: Gifts of the Blood (2010)

Caspia had the ability to draw the future. having only each other to depend on, Caspia feared for her brother Logan, who fought against his cancer, getting weaker and weaker by day. Caspia was an art student that did part time at the cafe. one day, she drew an angry stranger, whom she ran into later that day. she freaked out with Ethan's odd aura, who also knew things about her that he shouldn't have known otherwise. soon she found herself caught up in the fights among the Fallen, being kidnapped, and finally learned that the town she lived in had been a refuge for supernatural beings, both Light and Dark, since a long time ago.

i received a free e-book in exchanged for a review. the book was different. instead of explaining its way into Caspia's life, the plot sort of leap head first into everything. despite the initial confusion and seemingly ordinary happenings, it was a refreshing and welcoming change. Ethan, Caspia, even Logan were such strong characters that felt so tough yet so fragile at the the time. it was mesmerizing watching them defending each other, fighting off other Fallens, and still have time for romances. the book lost me somewhere during the second half of the book, but fortunately not too much that caused me to veer from still being interested. the unexpected twist at the end of the book was the most satisfying experience ever. no matter how long-winded the story went, that very cliffhanger had me wanting more from its second installment.

Elysium (2013)

the story took place int he future, where humans were divided into two classes, the wealthy who lived on Elysium, a man-made space station; and the poor, who lived on the ruined Earth. the people from Earth tried to get into Elysium by any means they can, therefore spacecrafts from Elysium were often hijacked. one day at work, Max got locked in the highly poisonous room, causing him to have only 5 days to live. while he couldn't do anything about his conditions, he was offered a chance to create equality for the poor.

not being a huge fan of science-fiction, i had a difficult time going through the film. the huge difference between the two classes of humans weren't exactly realistic either, making it hard to believe. Max character had no significant personalities, making him unrelatable and emotionless. to make matter worst, he was so sick when he discovered his condition and can barely walk, almost too soon later, he was all over the place, fighting off professionals even, all the way up into the space. other than the ridiculous contradictions, there were no character developments whatsoever. despite the effort, it was difficult to feel anything at all for any of its characters.

The Twelfth of Never (2014)

Presley was smart, but she couldn't handle pressure. the moment she felt the stress, she started alphabetizing. her mind would compulsively sorted out the letters. because of that, she constantly tried to stay out of the spotlight. however, her mom who was crazy over Elvis, was her school secretary. despite how the students teased Presley about her name and Elvis, her mom refused to let anyone interfered with her adoration towards the king. in the meanwhile, Presley's sister, Linda was about to give up custody of her 3-year-old child, Luke, whom Presley couldn't bear living apart with.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. the book was an awesome read, which i easily finished in one sitting. despite the unattractive cover, i was more than pleased to have requested for a copy of it. it brought me high and low following Presley's emotions, her stressful reaction highly and dangerously contagious. there were two plots, one focusing on Presley being involved in the committee in school, pulling her more and more under the spotlight; while another focused on the love and forced separation she had to endured with her nephew. i couldn't remembered tearing up for a book in quite a while. i fell so in love with Presley going through the pages, now that i finished the book it was somewhat sad to leave her behind. i wanted to learn so much more about her awkward life, her seemingly possible relationship with Conrad, even a few more goosebumps moments with Luke would be awesome. however, being a standalone book, i was thoroughly satisfied with the experience and would definitely start keeping my eyes open for the author.

Homefront (2013)

Phil was a former agent who resigned after his undercover case with a biker gang went wrong. he moved to a small town with his daughter, Maddy, hoping for a peaceful life. one day, Maddy defended herself from a school bully, whose mother returned the favor by asking her brother, Gator, the local drug lord for help. when they failed to scare Phil off, Gator started investigating about Phil's background. when he started to get the biker gang's involvement, things went out of hand, for both Phil and Gator.

we put the film aside when it reminded us too much of Safe (2012). however, when the chance came and we finally watched it, we found out how wrong we were. with Sylvester Stallone involved in the film making, the film seriously couldn't get any down time. it was intense and even surprisingly, very emotional engaged. it was actually fun seeing how Gator's gang fell apart, especially when he tried so desperately to stay off the radar. Maddy was a believing child, making it easy to root for her. her tough personality was an add, especially for her to be brought up without a mother. together with Phil, who did everything he could just to protect her daughter, the duo was simply lovable. with plenty of actions, the film was an excellent entertainment that we fortunately, did not missed out on.

Faustus Lupus (2014)

Faustus was a successful commander until he was ambushed. he barely escaped and was later bitten by a werewolf. the change caused him to lose his wealth, family and military rank. as much as he tried to discover how to stop the transformation and reverse the curse, he found out that he achieved in more ways than he expected.

i received a free e-book in exchanged for a review. the book started out being a difficult read as i wasn't a huge fan of battles or historical genre. i was attracted to the book merely because of my sentiments towards paranormal genres, especially vampires and werewolves that basically got me started in the first place. i struggled quite a bit in both reading and rooting for Faustus. being overly macho, i found it quite difficult to love his character. whenever the story started to evolve around political and military related situations, i would find myself lost and skipping lines soon after.

The Originals: Season 1 (2013)

The Originals (2013) series was a spin-off of the Vampire Diaries (2009-2014) series. the Original family consisted of the Mikaelson siblings - Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah. they were the first generation of vampires created. the story started with Hayley, a werewolf who got pregnant with Klaus child on their one night stand. despite his reluctant front, Klaus looked forward to meeting his first child. at the same time, he had to take back his kingdom, New Orleans, from his protege, Marcel.

surprisingly, The Originals (2013) series was so much more easier to watch than the Vampire Diaries (2009-2014) series. the pace was absolutely fast, from Hayley's pregnancy to the fights against Marcel, and not forgetting the seemingly inevitable and delicious conflicts between the Mikaelson siblings. it was so interesting to see a different light and knowing the true story behind the siblings, especially the misunderstood Klaus, always so blunt and so inconceivable, yet he was so full of emotions and longings he became one of the most lovable characters in no time.

Gateway to Faerie #1: Gateway to Faerie (2013)

200 years ago, a dimensional gate between the human and faerie world was open, causing a faerie invasion that destroyed the human world. some faeries earned for powers, intending to take over the human world. 200 years after the war, Fayth lived a secluded life with her father. one day, dark shadowy creatures name Skries killed her father in search of her. rescued by Rowan, also a faerie, Fayth learnt that she was the descendant of a powerful faerie, where they key to closing the gateway was in her blood. Fayth must find the Bell Stone in time to keep the human world from being destroyed again.

i received a free e-book in exchanged for a review. the book was an extremely fast read. despite the post-apocalypse backdrop, i was pleased to find the story wasn't as complicated. the excitement started right from the very first few pages and had me felt engaged throughout the book. the precise and straightforward plot came as a surprise to me, but all because of its simplicity, i was able to sit back and joined Fayth, Rowan, and Dillon on their long and dangerous journey. i was absolutely delighted with the amount of creatures the book introduced, i was constantly googling for a picture or two just to know what the trio were up against, making the read even more fun than it already was. seeing how the story played out, i was very intrigued with how the second installment would turn out to be.

I, Frankenstein (2014)

Dr. Frankenstein created a monster patched together with corpses, then rejected it later. the monster returned to kill his creator while being attacked by demons. gargoyles appeared, saving him and brought him to their Queen, who named him Adam. Adam refused to join the gargoyles, but agreed to banish demons from the face of the earth to protect humanity. Adam continued to do so throughout the centuries. one day, a police officer was accidentally killed and Adam was again summoned by the gargoyles. the Demon Prince heard of Adam's tale, employed a scientist to conduct experiments to reanimate corpses, while instructed an army of demons to capture Adam, so he could unlock the secret of giving life.

while we were already familiar with the idea of Frankenstein, the story took that knowledge and added some twists to it. in this installment, Adam was caught in the battle between the gargoyles and demons. the film focused more on actions that its dark theme reminded us of the Underworld (2003-2012) series, especially since it was from the same producers. unfortunately, with its short airtime, it didn't have as much character development as the previous series. it was difficult to expect more from the film, seeing that the character practically had no facial expression but constantly reminding us that he had so much anger and hatred buried within. the moment he started developing a seemingly impossible romantic feeling towards the scientist, he lost us all together.

The Indigo Trilogy #1: Indigo Incite (2013)

Tyler and Toby were twins who were able to communicate telepathically no matter the distant. it was a secret they shared and never revealed to their foster parents. after Tyler got sent to a rehabilitation school for stealing, he was worried when Toby haven't contacted him for days. when he finally heard from Toby on the third day, he found out that his brother was kidnapped by an agency that collected gifted children and they will soon be coming for Tyler. before they caught him, Toby instructed his brother to gather four other Indigo Children - Eddie, Liliana, Grace, and Sarah. to maintain their freedom, they had to work together.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. i was extremely pleased to find the book not repeating itself every single time the group made themselves known to another Indigo Children, a mistake many books often made. with so many characters involved, i was surprised that i had plenty of chance to get to know each and every one of them, even feeling some sort of attachment, eager to see how their combination would work out. i also didn't expect to find Eddie the leader of the pack, usually the lead would stick with Tyler since he was introduced first. but then again, i was equally impressed that the book managed to make everyone its main character, giving everyone their moment and still managed to make each and everyone memorable. other than being an absolutely easy read, their journey and adventure was so intriguing and fast paced, it was impossible to put the book down. now that i am so completely hooked, the second installment is going to be an agonizing wait.

Beauty and the Beast: Season 2 (2013)

the story continued after Vincent had been captured by Muirfield. Catherine continued searching for him until they were finally reunited. however, Vincent has changed. his scar was gone, so was his memory. he was now loyal to Muirfield, going on mysterious mission assigned to him, mainly to take out other beast. desperate to recover their romance, Catherine constantly approached the unfriendly beast with the hope of reminding him of their love. in the meanwhile, Catherine also discovered after her father's death that she wasn't his biological daughter.

the second season was faster with its pace compared to Season 1 (2012). it was relieving to get away from their cheesy romance for once and focused more on the mysterious background of Muirfield. seeing Vincent as a beast that was less attached to Catherine was very refreshing, making him more believable. while we expected Muirfield to be some huge complicated organization with a lot of people involved, it was somewhat surprising if not disappointing to find out that it was actually controlled by only one man, apparently someone closer to Catherine than she realized. in this second installment, JT and Tess had more airtime to grow on us, becoming officially our favorite characters, even though Vincent and Catherine were never their competition to begin with.

Shannon & Amanda: Bloodlines (2014)

Amanda and Shannon were best friends since they could remember, just as their parents were friends and neighbors. across their street was a house, vacant for 200 years that it was famous for being haunted. one day, the duo was forced to go into the house to retrieve their ball when they felt a presence. after the frightening incident, Amanda discovered that she wield telepathic ability; while Shannon became psychokinesis. soon, the duo discovered how their ancestors were linked, making Shannon the last of her bloodline, descendant of the presence they met in the haunting house.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. the book started out being an easy read. however, it started to lose me reaching the last quarter of it. the battle against evil wasn't as easy to picture as i would love it to be. after the promising start, i couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed with how complicated the dream or mental battle was, i found myself lost in it and after rereading it for a few times, wasn't interested in understanding it anymore. the irreplaceable friendship that Shannon and Amanda shared sort of come short of expectation as well. after being repetitively reminded of how close they were or how connected their future will be, i saw little resemblance of it, nor felt any spark or heartwarming bits about them. it was difficult to root for any of the girls, especially without much character developments, they kind of felt flat.

Beauty and the Beast: Season 1 (2012)

Catherine was a detective who witnessed her mother's murder years ago. she was saved by a beastly looking man. 9 years later, a case led her to discover Vincent, an ex-soldier who was supposedly killed in military action, was actually alive. from his DNA, she found out that he wasn't fully human. but after getting to know him personally, she started to find out more about her mother's murder and how Vincent was linked to it. Vincent was one of the enlisted soldier signed up for the Muirfield project, where else her mother was the scientist that came out with the vaccine to create soldiers with superhuman abilities.

the very idea of seeing a beast outside Disney movies was alluring. Catherine at first sight, was quite an eye-candy to look at, but along the way, her persistent attitude started to make her an annoying character, especially the way she seemed to throw herself at Vincent despite his reluctance to get involved. fortunately for her, Vincent finally gave up fighting her attraction and decided to fall for her, which made things even more delicious, especially when one of Catherine's colleagues, Evan, also felt an attraction towards Catherine. the love triangle barely had time to blossom when Evan started to investigate the DNA he came across when being rescued by the Beast. to stir things up even more, Vincent's ex-girlfriend started taking part after seeing him paying Catherine a visit in the hospital and found out that he wasn't exactly dead. the series started out being slightly frustrating to watch as we saw it traversed down the expected path, but when more casts were added, it turned entertaining and worth the wait.

EVE #1: Essence (2014)

Jocelyn lived a normal life until Jackson moved into the empty house across from hers. upon meeting him for the first time, she felt sick and dizzy. she was forced to retreat back into her house for a glass of water while the feeling slowly left her. when he tried to introduce himself to her again on the second day, she blacked out the moment their hand touched. having feelings for each other doesn't make it any more easier for Jocelyn. as she continued to experience it more frequently by having Jackson around, she started seeing visions of herself in another life.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. i wasn't a huge fan of historical genre novels. having the scenes switched repeatedly between the 90's and the present made the book a slow read as there were little connection to both the stories other than having its main character named Jocelyn. it was somewhat frustrating since obviously both Jocelyn were the same person, just living a different life, but it took her so much longer to move on from there. the story had a difficult time progressing further from her repetitive blackouts and explanations. fortunately after all those painful repetitions, the truth about EVE finally came out, making the wait so much more worthwhile. despite the flaws, it was the the intriguing plot that kept me turning the pages, nor does curiosity allowed me to give up on it without the mystery being solved. now that the story finally moved forward, i found myself eager to know how the second installment would turn out to be.

Voodoo Possession (2014)

Aiden witnessed the gruesome suicide of her mother during his childhood. grown up into a man now, he decided to make a trip to an insane asylum in search of his missing brother. when he arrived, he discovered that the inmates, even the hospital administrator were possessed by bloodthirsty voodoo spirit. Aiden was thrown into the spirit world again and again while he try to rescue his brother trapped within, or they will both be trapped for eternity.

the film was bad, seriously bad. there were so much dialogues, some amateur scares that we saw coming miles away. the characters were so bland that it was impossible to even remember their names. the plot was a mess, everything was everywhere and confusing. when the monster finally appeared, it felt like some man in an oily costume trying to strangle the life out of the characters. it was so difficult to focus or enjoy on the film. not to mention any good scares, even a good plot was difficult to find in the film.

Haunting Joy #1: Haunting Joy (2013)

Joy was an ordinary teenage girl whose grandmother loved to go to the thrift store for clothes. Joy was going through the latest pile with her best friend, Emily, when one of the dress held her attention. despite not being a girl who was crazy over dresses, she felt an unexplained obsession over the white dress with matching flip-flops and necklace. the next morning, she started to detect a presence in her room, demanding her attention. as eerie as the situation was, curiosity got the better of her and before she knew it, she was driving to places, uncovering the mystery of the ghost haunting her.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. i found myself reading more and more books from Lena Goldfinch even since The Language of Souls (2012), which was surprising since there were so many authors out there, it was rare to go back to the same author if it wasn't for some sequels. Haunting Joy (2013) was an absolutely easy read. Joy was such a spontaneous character that made her so much fun to watch, where she stumbled into one thing than another awkwardly yet at the same time, landed her in the perfect spot that favored her. her friendship with Beth, the ghost, was something so eerie yet unexpectedly heartwarming. even her romance with Nick, a guy that she had a crush on that happened to also had a crush on her, was fun to watch. i couldn't help wondering how the second installment would play out after skipping the except for book 2 attached to the end of book 1, knowing that i would be so frustrated with just a tease.

The Wait (2013)

Angela and Emma were two sisters who just lost their mother. however, a phone call from a psychic mentioned that their deceased mother will be resurrected. Emma believed it and was determined to keep their mother's body in their house; while Angela opposed it. she wandered about and encountered a chance at love. it gave her hope that everything was possible.

after reading the plot for the film, we held great expectant towards it. we waited for the resurrection since the very beginning, which was also what ruined the whole experience for us. the mystery kept the suspense high, but the plot kept veered off into multiple subplots, which turned out to be so frustrating. there were also other subplots that involved the neighbors' boys, which were equally unrewarding. at times they were haunting, but another time just some normal boys, the confusion never quite left.

The Scion Chronicles #1: Daughter of Nothing (2013)

36 gifted students were chosen to attend Scion. they trained and studied to become the best, preparing themselves for the huge responsibility of assisting humankind in one way or another when they graduated. the students were divided into 4 teams, 2 boys and 2 girls. for each team, its 9 members ranged from the age of 9 to 17, none repeating. Jacey had just became the oldest of her team when their previous leader, Sarah left after Scion's first graduation, making her their new leader. however, on the very same day, she and her fellow new leaders stumbled upon a conversation between the headmaster and his visitors. these visitors highly resembled the graduates, which they first suspected to be their respective parents. but to further complicate matter, all students who were chosen to join Scion were supposedly orphans.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. i was never a huge fan of science fiction. despite how the plot attracted me to request for a copy, i had my doubts when i began reading. however, only a few pages into the book, i was quickly absorbed and found it pleasant that it wasn't too technical at all. the book wasn't exactly what i expected, and definitely in a good way. Jacey was a character eerily favored by the old headmaster, her relationship with the other 3 leaders made it a delicious treat, even the bad one she had with Belle. the plot moved in such a fast pace that it was so intriguing to uncover the truth behind all the mysteries and lies the students were made to believe. not to mention the unique backdrop that the story was set in. it took a little getting used to, but its originality was refreshing for once. now that i had a taste of how the story went, i found myself eagerly waiting for the second installment.

Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border:2 Ghost Whispers 攻殻機動隊 Border:2 Ghost Whispers (2013)

second movie into the Arise series, the plot remained complex. a clear understanding of how the universe works in the series was an essential to being able to enjoy the story. this installment focused more on political and its characters than the philosophical part of it. Kusanagi underwent an investigation to discover some secret. while most of the time she was on the mission alone, her team was finally assembled and introduced. while the installment was beautiful to look at, it came in short compare to the first movie - Ghost Pain (2013). there were plenty of slow movements for the fights, which could turn out to be an on or off for its viewers.

Rouge #1: Rouge (2013)

Liz was making love with her husband Leo, when their apartment were engulfed in flame. while Leo burned to his death, Liz escaped completely unscathed. she ran to Joshua, her husband's best friend for help, found out that she was pregnant with Leo's baby. she gave birth to Hunter, a beautiful baby girl but almost immediately after childbirth, Liz died. Joshua became the sole guardian of Hunter, bringing her up like any parents would. 18-year-old, Hunter found out that she was a Pyrokinetic, having the ability to create and control fire. it explained the spontaneous fires that often happened when she was nearby. however, it became more and more dangerous as the fire went out of control following her emotions.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. it was impressive that the book jumped straight into the story in no time. it was insane how Liz got "infected" with the ability and i was constantly waiting for an explanation since the very first few pages, yet when Hunter inherited it from her mother, it was so believing that i no longer care about the cause but how she grew into it. Hunter was a blunt and awkward character, but with her unique background, i found myself rooting for her in no time all because of her loud personalities. after she fell for Eli, i expected the storyline to cool down as it focused more on romance from now onward, little did i expect it went the complete opposite direction, transforming Joshua into the big bad villain instead. it was a turn i definitely did not see coming and i was overwhelmed until the very end, making it so much more difficult to not have my hands on the second installment this very moment.

Hal (2013) ハル

the story took place in a world where robots were used in life and therapy. Hal and Kurumi lived a romantic life until a plane crash ended it. Hal woken up feeling dazed and confused, programmed through the robot with a new mindset to comfort. with some reluctant meetings, attempting to make Kurumi happy again, Hal found out various things Kurumi left behind as clues. they started to open up to one another, sharing their pain of losing their memories of once a happy life.

the film packed a whole lot of emotions and love into it, inclusive of both before and after the plane crash. while Kurumi locked herself in her room, she spent her time trying to fix a video camera that taped moments of her life with Hal. for the first half of the film, the plot was puzzling, leaving us as confused as Hal. with Kurumi's recordings, the details finally surfaced, came together forming an overwhelming conclusion. the film was visually entertaining, with plenty of sharp scenes to dive through.