Step Aside, All Other Literature, Clockwork Princess is HERE!

Alright. Here is the tale of my search for this book.

First, a little background. Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter Chronicles have been one of my favorite series since I first picked it up about two years ago. I've hated it, loved it, swooned, shipped, bonded with my best friend Samii over it, shouted for joy when news of a film floated around, gasped when I found out the cast, waited for the next book, and the next book, and the next book.

So when a couple of weeks ago Fully Booked put up posters that declared: Clockwork Princess-March 19, I jumped for joy. I didn't bother to reserve, because I thought, let's face it. They're not going to actually run out of copies, eh? So I just reserved on the 18th. Then the morning of the 19th, I stopped by the Fort branch before work to pick it up. I was literally there counting down the minutes till opening time. When I dashed in, they gave me the news: they only received 5 copies, so they would give it to the first 5 reserved. I went to Rockwell, checked National AND Fully Booked, and they gave me similar answers.

I even sent an ask to Cassie's Tumblr, and tweeted her.

Then today, when my dad got home, my mom tossed me a Giordano shopping bag.

And the Clockwork Princess novel was there!!!!!!!!!!!

Like my mom and my bestie Nicole said, "Dude. It's just like that scene from Devil Wears Prada."

Back To Reedley

Yesterday, I attended the high school graduation and awarding ceremony of my alma mater, Reedley International School. I ran into the best high school teachers you could ever ask for, and some of the undergrads. I tell you, it made me quite nostalgic for high school.

With one of the coolest, nicest Kuyas around, Kuya Ramil!

I was there to accept an award for attending the Obama Inauguration, along with 3 other Reesians. Just being with them brought back memories from the DC trip.

                                                

I was kind of going for a Duchess Kate engagement outfit thing, if you can't already tell by my blatant ripoff. 

:) 

Dress from Celine, shoes from Evernew, ring another ripoff of Her Highness herself. :)

                                                                 All I need is the prince.

I was also very happy that I finally received a statue-award, not a medal, not a piece of paper. I felt like I had just nabbed an Oscar

51-Day Book Challenge: Day 11, What Is Your Policy On Book Lending?

I actually love lending books; I want my friends to enjoy the books I've read as much as I do.

Right now, I've got one permanent lender from the Library of Salve, and she's one of my best friends: Samii Sarda. I got her into reading sometime in our junior year, and ever since, she's been borrowing my books. I completely trust her not to mess up the books; she takes really good care of it. And every now and then we do a Book Purge and Binge: She'll return all the books she's borrowed in the past 6 months (which usually literally arrives by the sackful), and load up again from my bookshelf. Together, we've joined new book fandoms like Divergent, Delirium, and The Mortal Instruments, and we're crazy excited for the film adaptations (on a side note, we were 100% disappointed with the I Am Number Four film. Alex Pettyfer, dear, you are a gorgeous example of male specimen, but you can't act for peanuts).

One person who I dearly love but will never trust with one of my books again (I'm...only half-joking) is Tippy dos Santos. She's got about 2 Book Body Counts on her, i.e, she's lost two of my books. I...kind of understand, because she's usually out taping, and stuff can get misplaced in the hustle and bustle of the show business world. But I've told her, and she totally knows too, that I will never lend her a book again. Of course, I still love her dearly.

So that's my policy, I guess. Lend to everyone except celebrities. :)

Putting Off The Book Challenge For A Week...

Because the next question is where my favorite place to read is. And I want to make that post worthwhile, pictures and all. So, I actually have to trek to my favorite place first.

51-Day Book Challenge: Day 11, Can You Read on the Bus?

In a moving vehicle, heck to the yes. In fact, I can't iPad, but I can read from Manila to Tagaytay.

Dear Friend

I just finished watching The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I surprisingly liked it. I thought it would be one of those hipster I'm-too-cool-for-you kind of things, but it was good.  Logan Lerman was perfect, and I cannot wait to see him back as Percy Jackson in The Sea of Monsters this May. He was one of those guys you really root for. Of course, I root for any pill-popping, mentally unstable-but trying to keep it together- character.

I could totally relate to this quote near the end: "I don't know how to not notice it. It never stops. Do you understand?" Charlie asks his doctor as he wakes up in a hospital room.

Another favorite quote of mine was: "There were some bad days. And some surprisingly beautiful days."

I guess I'm hoping for some surprisingly beautiful days in the future.

51-Day Book Challenge: Day 10, What is your reading comfort zone?

Like I said:

-A pint of dystopia
-About two cups of fantasy--one cup fictional kingdoms, one cup Greek mythos reimagined.
-Just a sprinkling of chic-lit
-A teaspoon of historical biography
-A quart of supernatural romance