Becoming a Superhero [Book Review]

 
Title: Becoming a Superhero
Author: Oliver Galang
Published: October 4th 2012
Source: Paperback
Genre: Non Fiction 
Amazon • Goodreads
 

Synopsis:

 Oliver was a lost child. Even though he had a good background, he managed to screw up his life. He was a military brat. His father served 24 years in the US Navy. His mom was loving and kind, but very strict. Maybe too much discipline was too much for him?

He also had a good education. He was taught in DoDDs (Department of Defense Dependents Schools), similar to private schools, in Portugal and Panama. He even earned a bachelor's degree in Business Management from the renown San Diego State University. However, after all that, it was all downhill.

Oliver was a nerd. And he was determined to become a superhero to prove to all the bullies wrong. He worked out hard, even up to five hours a day. He told his psychologist that the reason why he worked out so hard was so he could become a triathlete. However, his real goal was to become a superhero.

Unfortunately, Oliver took a wrong path in life. He got mixed up in women, money, and gambling. He had a theory: To think like a criminal, you must act like a criminal.

See the adventures of our young superhero as he turns his life around....

Review:

Becoming a Superhero is a story of Oliver Galang, a story that tells us no matter how hard your life may get, just move on. He tells us his story growing up as a military brat, about his life living in different countries, he also tells us his ups and downs, his problem in gambling, relationships, and money, most of all his dream to become a superhero.

Everyone of us is a hero, we all have it inside, not a hero with supernatural powers or a hero with super-fighting extraordinary skills, we are a hero by means of saving others by helping, giving, and by caring. From his childhood dream of becoming a superhero Mr. Galang soon realized that he's a superhero by means of giving love to those who he thinks need it most, and most of all he's a superhero who needs to save himself.

I adore this book, it was simply written, it proves that you don't need a help of a great editor to let the people know your story. I adore Mr. Galang for being brave to let the people know his deepest stories. And especially I adore his parents for letting their children experience the culture of a Filipino, which many Filipinos who just stepped on a foreign country forget nowadays. I had fun time reading that. I definitely recommend this book who enjoys reading a memoir.

Ratings: 3.5/5

About the Author:

Oliver Galang lives in San Diego, California. He was a military brat and traveled all around the world. Oliver has three sisters and no brothers. He graduated from the renown San Diego State University with a bachelor's degree in Business Management and a minor in Industrial Organizational Psychology. When the author is not writing, he is either running, boxing, kickboxing, or playing the piano. 

Gone by Michael Grant [Book Review]

Title: Gone (Gone #1)
Author: Michael Grant
Published: June 24th 2008 by Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Paperback

 Summary from Goodreads

In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.

Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents--unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers--that grow stronger by the day.

It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

Review:

If you're looking for a book that will creep you out, stay you up all night, get paranoid, and sleep with lights on (that's the exact thing happen to me). Then grab and read this book.

Gone.
The book started with Sam wandering at his school then suddenly in an instant his professor has gone, everyone 15 and up has also gone.

What will you do if you were trapped inside this dome which they called the FAYZ? With no way out, with no elders for guidance, bullies do rule, with kids starting to mutate, not just kids but also animals do mutate. Everything is just getting worse.

The greatest thing I love about this book is responsibility. Everyone needs a leader, a protector, someone who will tell them the best thing to do, and they see Sam has a potential for it, but Sam didn't want to, yet he grabbed it and defend those who are in need. And there was these characters like Mary who takes care of the infants, Albert who runs a fast-food restaurant, and Dahra who takes care of the injured, they take those responsibilities to help, no one told them to do those things, and when things got worse, they can't complain but they can quit, yet they didn't. Every one of them have responsibilities to give strength and hope to one another.

Michael Grant style of writing is great, it was clearly written, shifting from one person's story to another, and it's not confusing. The book doesn't focus on Sam's story alone, yeah he's the main character so he gets the main attention, well except from Sam there was also (as far as I remember) a story of Albert and Mary at Perdido Beach, Lana at the wilderness, Caine the antagonist, and some story happening on Coates Academy and Perdido Beach. The book was written in 3rd person.

The plot is amazing its so different, I can't think of a book that is a bit similar to this one. The world-building is also amazing, you'll feel like you were part of the book seeing everything in front of your eyes and kicking Drake's face (he's the most arrogant, brutal, worst antagonist I've ever read). The fighting scenes are very well written and when things gets into the peak point you'll read with an open mouth and a big eyes, that's how amazing this book is. There's no big changes on character build-up, 'cause its obvious that there's still 5 more books. Definitely it's a page turner, it has over 500 pages that I didn't notice at first, but it doesn't matter. It's a great read you'll never regret it.


Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Michael Grant (born July 26, 1954) is an American author of young adult fiction, the co-creator and co-author of the Animorphs and the Everworld book series, and also the creator and author of Gone and The Magnificent 12 series.
Grant was raised in a military family, attending ten schools in five states, as well as three schools in France. As an adult, he became a writer in part because "it was one of the few jobs that wouldn't tie him down to a specific location." According to the back flap of one of his books: "He lives in California with his wife, Katherine Applegate and their two children, and far too many pets." He currently lives in Irvine California. In the Gone series, there are currently five books: Gone, Hunger, Lies, Plague and Fear, but there will be at least one more, Light, which the author has said will be the conclusion to the series. It is supposed to end up on the market in 2013. A new book called BZRK was released in 2012.

http://www.facebook.com/authormichaelgrant

Stacking the Shelves #4

 Hosted by Tynga's Reviews
Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! 

 

It's been a while since my last book hauling. I haven't did a book haul last month 'cause I really got nothing. Usually I will post this at the end of the month but I guess I will not add a book anymore this month. So, this is all I got.

BOUGHT:

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

Goodreads Best Historical Fiction for 2012

Bought this for about $3. It's a great deal and it's on Hardback, and it's been on my wishlist since the first it came out. Hoooray for me!

Gone (Gone #1) by Michael Grant

Special edition of Gone. I saved a lot of money. This book is part of my Catch-up reading challenge on Books ,Bones, and Buffy.

A World Without Heroes (Beyonders #1) by Brandon Mull

This was not planned, but look at the price, who's not gonna tempt by it. In fact  I want to read his Fablehaven series.

WON:

Becoming a Superhero by Oliver Galang

(Won on Goodreads)

My first Non-fiction book. It's a memoir of Mr. Oliver Galang about his childhood growing up as a military brat up to the difficulties on his life like gambling, etc.. He even wrote a note on it.

Hunger Games Magnetic Bookmark Set 

 Won from Helena @ Accepted Wisdom

May the odds be ever in your favor! I was really thrilled, for 21 years I existed in this world I haven't knew that there was a magnetic bookmark created. I was so happy that I finally introduced to it, plus it's Hunger Games. Helena even put a letter on it which I so much appreciated. She's really a nice lady. Thanks Helena! :)

That's it folks! Thanks for dropping by.

What's New - Graphic Novel Cover Art Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Wow! I was surprised, my favorite book Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is going to have its own "Graphic Novel" (well, I found out this was a news a year ago). But yesterday  Ransom Riggs posted on his Tumblr account about the upcoming of his graphic novel has now officially have its cover art.

Cover art for the upcoming Miss Peregrine graphic novel! 

The cover looks awesome, isn't it? I finally known what a Peregrine looks like, and Jacob, and the peculiar children, I can Identify them. And the photos they were on the book.

I haven't bought any graphic novels or manga, this one will surely be my first. And oh, take note, the sequel of Miss Peregrine will be published on January 2014.

Read more at http://ransomriggs.tumblr.com/post/45201884937/cover-art-for-the-upcoming-miss-peregrine-graphic

Blood Red Road [Book Review]

Title: Blood Red Road (Dust Lands #1)
Author: Moira Young
Published: June 7, 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

Summary from Goodreads:
 
Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back .

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization. 

Review:

At first I was struggling to read it because of the misspelled words that was written intentionally to make it kinda slang. I have to repeat those words, sometimes I correct it, and thought that it's endless, I got irritated, then I gave up. After a month I decided to read it because my Goodreads friends enjoyed it they even wrote a great review, and that makes me think that there's something in this book that will keep me reading, so the secret is - just ignore those words and eventually you get used to it. Gawdammit, It's really a great read.

Follow the adventures of Saba on her search for his twin brother Lugh that was captured by those horsemen that came right after a huge sandstorm, she have to travel the dessert with her pet raven Nero and her younger sister named Emmi whom she blames for their mother's death. On her way she got captured, she got slaved, forced to be a cage fighter which she handled easily 'cause she's tough, she was born to be a fighter. And there she meets Jack, and the Free Hawks, then she managed to escape with a very great plan, then made an alliance with Jack's old friends.

The protagonist Saba, she's fierce, she's tough, but sometimes she's kind of irritating, she's always like, I have to save Lugh, I have to save Lugh, but I understand her, they were just four of them in SilverLake, her father is almost out of his mind, and she got easily irritated to her sister Emmi. Lugh is the only person that she can lean on. And they were twins, twins are always connected, they were bond together.

I love the world building, men and woman are all equal, it's just the power and the wealth that makes them superior. The scenes was described very well. The characters are all great. Not so good ending it was predictable, and the last fighting scene i think was overly used. Nevertheless It's really a great read, the hype when you're reading it was superb. Highly recommended.

Rating: 4/5



About the Author

Moira Young has been by turns an actress, dancer, and opera singer, but her first loves are books and writing. A native Canadian, she now lives in the UK with her husband. Blood Red Road is her first novel.

Hush, Hush [Book Review]

 
Title: Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush #1)
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Published: October 13th 2009 by Simon & Schuster

Summary from Goodreads:

A SACRED OATH
A FALLEN ANGEL
A FORBIDDEN LOVE

Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

 

Review:

This book took me by surprise, I really have no plan to buy a book that day, but when I saw this one lurking at the side with $4.99 price (that's P175.00) who cant resist? I'm running like hell, I immediately bought it.

I think everyone of us believes in angels may it be a guardian angel, or a fallen one, as long as its angel. I believe they were there following us and protecting us. But what if that angel is in human form, we maybe even encounter them but we just didn't notice who they are.

This is my first angel/nephilim book. I even don't know about these nephilims thing, so now I know, half angel + half human = nephilim. Great!

Patch and Nora, I love them, I love Patch doing those thing to Nora, although it turned out that his intentions are not that good, I really like Patch character you will really think that he's hiding something and that's the one thing that keeps me reading 'cause I want to know what it really is. And Nora, the name feels flat for me, but she's sexy, she know she's attractive and beautiful but she don't want to get noticed, I can't find anything wrong about her character.

This book is surprising, and intriguing at the same time. At first it was this man who got close at this girl, that revealed he is a fallen angel and there's a story behind that, on why he want to get close tho this girl, on what his real intention is, and there was this mysterious characters that wants to get revenge and the other that wants them to get separated, and so on. I was bit surprised that these angels have some abilities rather than to fly. And that thing makes you keep reading. The ending was just OK, no cliff-hangers, it feels like it's not a series and have no sequels, it makes a good stand-alone. After reading this I really have no idea on what will happen to the next book. Definitely I will still buy the sequel.

That's it, for those of you who have no interest in reading this book just like I do, you should give it a try. You won't regret it. I promise. Thanks for dropping by.

Rating: 4/5


About the Author

Becca Fitzpatrick grew up reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden with a flashlight under the covers. She graduated college with a degree in health, which she promptly abandoned for storytelling. When not writing, she's most likely prowling sale racks for reject shoes, running, or watching crime dramas on TV. She is the author of the bestselling HUSH, HUSH Saga. HUSH, HUSH Saga are in stores everywhere! Worldwide.
 

www.beccafitzpatrick.com

Catch Up Reading Challenge [Update]

I'm going to add more books to my Catch Up Reading Challenge. As of now I haven't read any books from my first list, but I already ordered 2 books and hopefully I will start reading them by May. So, here are the list of books that I really need to catch up.





1. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
2. Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
3. Shatter Me bi Tahereh Mafi
4. Legend by Marie Lu
5. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
6. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
7. Gone By Michael Grant
8. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

If I still have a time and money of course, I will read the Harry Potter (yeah you read that right Harry Potter), and Percy Jackson Series, and the Lost Hero both by Rick Riordan.