One of the things I resolved this 2017 for this book blog is to do discussion posts. It's actually my goal number two in my lunar new year's greeting and resolution post. I resolved to do this last year and even joined the 2016 Discussion Challenge but I failed terribly so I was a bit hesitant to sign up this year's challenge. Yesterday however, I was able to make this resolution a reality. Congrats, self! I talked here about the instances when I can easily spot an author lurking the pages of the books and decided to call my discussion features as "Wandering Thoughts". So now with one discussion post up and live on the blog, I feel more confident in signing up for this year's discussion challenge.

Wandering Thoughts: Instances When I Can Easily Spot the Author Lurking on the Pages

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Wandering Thoughts is where I let my mind stray, think and talk about non-routine things. This is Rurouni Jenni Reads’ avenue for bookish personal stories musings and discussions.

In a way, authors are like puppetmasters. The book is a puppet show. The stage is on the pages. The book’s characters are the puppets. An author pulls the strings and makes things happen. The author dubs dialogues and makes it appear that the puppets are saying the words.

A good puppet show is when the audience get absorbed by the story and forget that there is a puppetmaster behind the show curtains. One of the puppetmaster’s concern is not to be seen by the audience while the story is unfolding. So is also true with a good book. The author’s presence and machinations must not be felt by the readers in order for the story to build a strong sense of verisimilitude.

2017 Book Blogging Resolutions

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YES, WHY HELLO a very HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of  you my fellow book wanderers! I can sense those dagger stares from some of you right now, “What is this woman wishing us happy new year for when January is almost over?” So I am cleverly coinciding this long overdue post with the Lunar New Year so it’s still new year though lunar. I hope I am making sense here. Anyway I revisited my 2016 book blogging resolution post to check on how I fared on my previous year’s bookish endeavors. Fair warning: prepare to be extremely disappointed. And then I am also setting my 2017 goals because no matter how hopeless it is to find time to do it all, just keep on trying, right? So here goes:

Review: All My Lonely Islands by V.J. Campilan

All My Lonely Islands
by V.J. Campilan

Synopsis:

One crisp March evening, Crisanta and Ferdinand arrive on the remote Batanes islands for a mission: locate Graciella, whose son, Stevan, they saw die in a tragic accident a decade ago. But they need to confess something to her: Stevan’s death is not all what it seems. Oppressed by a decade of painful memories, Crisanta and Ferdinand must race against time—from the wild swamplands of the Sundarban forest in Bangladesh to the back alleys of Manila to the savage cliffs of Batanes—to offer Graciella the truth that they themselves cannot bear to face.

Stacking the Shelves (STS #7)

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Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. It's all about sharing the books added to our shelves, may it be physical or virtual.

What's up, book wanderers? I hope you are all spending the weekends having a nice and quiet reading time like me. I am currently reading All My Lonely Islands by V.J. Campilan, which is one of the bookmails I received this week, and I am loving it so far.

I am also sharing a haul from a book warehouse sale months ago. These books are actually not quite familiar to me until I bought them. While at the warehouse sale, I just piled all the pretty books, looked them up in Goodreads and decided to keep those with above three stars average rating. Come see and maybe you've read some of them.

Review: What About Today by Dawn Lanuza

What About Today
by Dawn Lanuza

Synopsis:

Aiden's stuck working for his family's amusement park, Funtastic World, for the whole summer. Nothing amuses him, until he met this terrified girl.

Gemma's stuck in Funtastic World thinking she could handle the park's rides. She couldn't. Good thing she met someone to guide her.

As the day comes to a close, Aiden and Gemma ask themselves if one day is ever enough to decide if they were better off as friends or strangers.

Review: Midnights in Bali by Carla De Guzman

Midnights in Bali
by Carla De Guzman

Synopsis:

Ava Bonifacio has always been the girl with The Plan —a life plan that would give her everything she’s ever wanted, including becoming a lawyer, a role she was sure she was born into. Sure, her determination may be seen as heartlessness, but Ava doesn’t care. What she does care about is getting into law school —but she doesn’t. She cares about her boyfriend Matteo—who breaks up with her.

In an act of desperation, Ava books herself a ticket to Bali and tries to get over her own failures. In Bali she meets Scott McLeod, a rude and grumpy Scottish traveler who thinks there’s a lot more to Ava than meets the eye.

Stacking the Shelves (STS #6)

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Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. It's all about sharing the books added to our shelves, may it be physical or virtual.

Hello, it's been a while since I did a book haul post. I mentioned on my The Philippine Readers & Writers Festival 2016 recap that Kate of The Bookaholic Blurbs handed me a tote loaded with books and I want to share them here on the blog today. Plus I got a #SparkNA novella for review that I am already currently reading.

Review: The Year We Became Invincible by Mae Coyiuto

The Year We Became Invincible
by Mae Coyiuto

Synopsis:

Dear Future Reader,

If you’re reading this book, it’s either:

1. You’re my future partner

2. I’m famous and my writings have been immortalized

3. You’ve violated my privacy and these are not meant for you

Let’s hope it’s not the last one. Before this year, I had my life all planned out. This book contains the story of the year that changed my life (well, my life so far). It’s the year I learned how to be invincible. That wasn’t really specific, but I guess you have to read on to see what I’m talking about.

Review: A List of Cages by Robin Roe

A List of Cages
by Robin Roe

Summary:

When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he's got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn't easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can't complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down the troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian--the foster brother he hasn't seen in five years.

Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He's still kind hearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what's really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives.