Here's last month's round up of what I was up to and new discoveries in general. Read on below!

Books

Since I'm the worst reader awardee this year (don't throw stones at me huhu), I'm just gonna share with you the ones I'm interested in reading and the #Bookgasm content I posted this year (click the books to know more and the book names for the reviews).

So remember when I reviewed The Lost Dacomé Files: The Battle for Arcanon Major (you can read it here)? Alexandra May messaged me a while back and I think it was during my trip in Korea. I got excited because she kept tabs and would love for me to review her new book. It was out last March 01 and I can't wait! I'm looking forward to have her over Style Reader for an interview or a guest post. We'll see. I'll be putting some sneak peek information below, enough for you all to get pumped up to read her next novel. I really hope it's better than the first installment.

Hello everyone! I just got back from my recent trip and still recovering (and a bit lazing around, I suppose). I know it's not too late but I want to introduce you guys to this book by Zoe Cruz called Beastia. If you are one of those who love fairy tales and interested in reading the modern versions of it (like me), then this book is a cool addition to your TBR pile or your must-read list. Here's a brief background of the book and of course, an excerpt to give you a sneak peek on what's in store for you!

Summary:

The meanest of the mean girls, Rebekah Austin rules her Chicago school with sharp outfits and an even sharper tongue. She has a way of making even the most beautiful and brilliant girls in her class feel like dirt. But underneath the queen-bee façade is someone who feels ugly, repulsive…beastly.

When Rebekah falls prey to a madman, the bully becomes the bullied. Scarred and tormented, she abandons her previous life and adopts a new identity, but her ghastly appearance haunts her everywhere she goes. Only with the help of determined friends can she move past her horrifying experience—and maybe even let herself be loved.

And if the madman returns to finish what he started, will she be ready, or will she give up hope? (From Goodreads)

Excerpt:

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34451708-beastia

Get it on:
Amazon

Happy Reading!

Love lots, xx

Style Reader

Title: Did I Mention I Love You?

Author: Estelle Maskame

Release Date: December 1, 2015

Publishers: Sourcebooks Fire

Praise for Did I Mention I Love You?:

“Readers will root for them like they would with Edward and Bella—the mutual attraction and need for one another is palpable. It rings of passion, excitement, and first love.” – VOYA Magazine

“An edgy young adult romance with dark layers.” – The Examiner

“A believable coming-of-age story and an unconventional romance, set against a present-day California summer.... The fallout of divorce, the insidiousness of substance abuse and family secrets, and especially the pangs of first love drive this emotionally resonant tale.” – Publishers Weekly 

“Written in first person, Maskame’s trilogy opener is an excellent portrayal of a teenage girl’s life in the 21st century. Eden has to adjust to her blended family, try to feel pretty, be body conscious, and make friends, all while falling in love for the first time. She is someone all young people can relate to...Romance fans will be captivated by Eden and her journey to finding herself and true love.” –School Library Journal

Disclaimer: A lot of Spotlight Feature will be posted to make up for the lack of write-ups for a month.

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So here I am trying to fill in all the tasks due and tasks I need to do in advance this lazy and humid Sunday. I was actually answering some queries and trying to keep that red number on top of the page to a minimum when I was finally inspired to write this short post. I have to do this quick since I'm barely there yet and I still have so many things on my plate. Anyway, I'm sharing this quote which I feel like my current state is. I found myself in a recurring loop of striving hard and working too much. There's a thin line, eh? But these two dispositions are actually different. The former, being what I feel right now, means I still want to push myself and prove myself. I know there is more than I can do than this. While the latter just means you're letting your fire burn too fast that it will eventually reduce you to smoke and ashes if you're not careful. There was a time that I nearly finished the wick of my candle. But here I am trying to be more positive and sunny about it. I still believe that it's a matter of changing how you think about things, how you take them--if you will absorb the negativity or not--and balancing all your passions at the same time. It's finding that little light in every obstacle you encounter and every boss monster on that level of the game you face. If you need to take a break, please do. If you need to play a game, read that book, draw or paint, or even binge eat, you're welcome to do so. As long as you give yourself a breather once in a while. Heck, you can also give yourself that damn pair of shoes you've been drooling over or a rack of dresses. All that matters is you never lose yourself in the process and hold on to it through your favorite things. Thank you, Sound of Music for reminding me.

I just found out that this October 17 is the 24 Hour Readathon Day! Are you ready to have an intimate day with your book of choice? This is the perfect opportunity to do it so you better grab it! Since it's October, you can start reading your line-up of horror stories. You can also start removing books from your To Be Read pile bit by bit. But make sure to do your errands, shower beforehand, and have snacks with you. You can also take 5-minute break intervals for your mind to rest. Join me by participating in this readathon!

Happy Reading!

Love lots, xx

Style Reader

As a book blogger and a bookworm, I am encouraging everyone to read and write. It's a good practice for your vocabulary, for you to learn more facts, and to store more knowledge. For those who can read this, you are fortunate enough to have the resources to be able to access this post. It also means that you have enough means to write more or even just to read more. Whether it's just an article, an essay, or a novel, it's still reading which also proves that the digital age is also helping us by giving us millions of accessible reading materials.

But the sad truth is, we still have a long way to go. Even if you live in a first world country, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't be concerned. Illiteracy is still upon us and quite rampant all over the world. It's a clear indicator of poverty and disempowerment. We can still help by raising awareness about the importance of literacy. To see the statistics, here's the infographic from Grammarly:

Praise for The Dogs: 

“Stratton masterfully constructs a creepy gothic setting…A monstrous, stalking father, unhinging nightmares, a ghostly boy, wild dogs, and a moldy basement add creepy deliciousness to a murder mystery and tale of a boy who, in trying to solve a mystery, may just discover what a loving family might be. An engrossing blend of murder mystery and family story.” – Kirkus STARRED Review

"There’s fear aplenty in Allan Stratton’s The Dogs and a tantalizingly uncertain element of the supernatural… refreshingly like an old-fashioned mystery, but the passion and terror underlying (our hero's) own family give it emotional complexity and suspense." – Toronto Star

“A real page-turner... [The Dogs] stayed with me for days, author Allan Stratton having created an unsettled aura the likes of which Alfred Hitchcock and Stephen King routinely built into their work, too... Stratton’s depiction of setting and characters is masterful, and his ability to create tension and keep readers on edge is equally strong.” – Montreal Gazette

“A chilling tale of a mother and son on the run, from the author of the award-winning Chanda’s Secrets…Written in accessible prose, The Dogs manages to thrill while exploring the mindset of the victim in ways that are both insightful and affecting, artfully portraying permanent state of dread and a creeping self-doubt. This is an accomplished, gripping and thoughtful story, whose dramatic ending delivers on every level.” – The Guardian

“Brilliant, page-turning, and eerie. Had me guessing to the very end.” – Joseph Delaney, author of The Last Apprentice series.

“An Agatha Christie mystery novel on cocaine” – SLJ Teen Newsletter

Summary:

Constantly on the run from a dangerous father, Cameron’s used to pushing away the trauma of his past. But when his mother moves them to an old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, he discovers that there are some things you can’t escape. His new schoolmates taunt him about the bloodthirsty dogs that supposedly haunt the farm, and Cameron soon stumbles upon a child’s drawings in the cellar that depict a violent history. The line between reality and nightmare begins to blur as the house’s horrifying secrets mix with fragments of Cameron’s own memories—some best left forgotten.

Excerpt:

Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25496559-the-dogs

Buy Links:
Amazon
Barnes&Noble
Books A Million
iBooks
!ndigo
Indiebound

About the Author:

Title: The Suffering

Author: Rin Chupeco

Release Date: September 1, 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Praise for the Suffering:

"Rin Chupeco's The Suffering is a horror lover's dream: murders, possessed dolls, and desiccated corpses. I cringed. I grimaced. You won't soon forget this exorcist and his vengeful water ghost."

--Kendare Blake, author of Anna Dressed in Blood

“Chupeco deftly combines ancient mysticism with contemporary dilemmas that teens face, immersing readers in horrors both supernatural and manmade. The Suffering is a chilling swim through the murky waters of morality."

--Carly Anne West, author of The Bargaining and The Murmuring

Summary:

Breathtaking and haunting, Rin Chupeco’s second novel is a chilling companion to her debut, The Girl from the Well.

The darkness will find you.

Seventeen-year-old Tark knows what it is to be powerless. But Okiku changed that. A restless spirit who ended life as a victim and started death as an avenger, she’s groomed Tark to destroy the wicked. But when darkness pulls them deep into Aokigahara, known as Japan’s suicide forest, Okiku’s justice becomes blurred, and Tark is the one who will pay the price…

Excerpt:

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24789796-the-suffering?from_search=true&search_version=service_impr

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes&Noble

Books A Million

iBooks

!ndigo

Indiebound

New in Paperback from this Author: The Girl From The Well Praise for The Girl From The Well:

“[A] Stephen King-like horror story.” -Kirkus Reviews

“Told in a marvelously disjointed fashion.” -Publishers Weekly STARRED Review

“This gorgeously written story reads like poetry.” -Brazos Bookstore

“Darkly mesmerizing.” -The Boston Globe

“A superior creep factor that is pervasive in every lyrical word.” -Booklist

Summary:

The Ring meets The Exorcist in this haunting and lyrical reimagining of the Japanese fable.

Okiku has wandered the world for hundreds of years, setting free the spirits of murdered children. Wherever there’s a monster hurting a child, her spirit is there to deliver punishment. Such is her existence, until the day she discovers a troubled American teenager named Tark and the dangerous demon that writhes beneath his skin, trapped by a series of intricate tattoos. Tark needs to be freed, but there is one problem—if the demon dies, so does its host.

With the vigilante spirit Okiku as his guide, Tark is drawn deep into a dark world of sinister doll rituals and Shinto exorcisms that will take him far from American suburbia to the remote valleys and shrines of Japan. Can Okiku protect him from the demon within or will her presence bring more harm? The answer lies in the depths of a long-forgotten well

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25263927-the-girl-from-the-well

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes&Noble

Books A Million

iBooks

!ndigo

Indiebound

About the Author:

Despite uncanny resemblances to Japanese revenants, Rin Chupeco has always maintained her sense of humor. Raised in Manila, Philippines, she keeps four pets: a dog, two birds, and a husband. She's been a technical writer and travel blogger, but now makes things up for a living. Connect with Rin at www.rinchupeco.com.

Social Networking Links:

Website: http://www.rinchupeco.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RinChupeco

Get a chance to win a copy of The Suffering and The Girl From the Well By Rin Chupeco! Join through the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck and happy reading everyone!

Love lots, xx

Style Reader

Title: Girl World: How to Ditch The Drama and Find Your Inner Amazing

Author: Patricia Ottaviano

Release Date: August 4, 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Summary:

The guide every girl needs to survive the pitfalls of teen-dom Mean stares. Hurtful whispers. The cold shoulder. Being a girl is harder than it looks. In a world where gossip, drama, and rumors seem to be never ending, it’s not easy to navigate the halls of middle school or high school without earning a few battle scars. But what if you could change all that? With practical advice for how to fearlessly stand your ground, hold your own, and dictate your own happiness, Girl World will help you move beyond the bad attitudes and transform your insecurities into strengths. From friendship conflicts to the ugly side to social media, learn how to ditch the drama and kick your inner critic to the curb so you can truly start appreciating yourself. Every day is a new day. Embrace it!

Excerpt:

Goodreads Link:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25868559-girl-world

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books A Million

!ndigo

Indiebound

About the Author:

Patricia Ottaviano is the 23-year-old founder of Sister Soldier—Stand up for Each Other, a nonprofit dedicated to stopping girl-on-girl bullying in all of its forms through school assemblies and outreach. A graduate of Michigan University, she is currently pursuing a doctorate in Clinical Child Psychology at Yeshiva University. Learn more at sistersoldier.org.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://sistersoldier.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SisterSoldierStandUp

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sistersoldier_
Instagram: https://instagram.com/Sister_soldier/

Get a chance to win 2 copies of Girl World by Patricia Ottaviano! Join through our Rafflecopter here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

1. Advertisement

A medium through which people who truly care about your welfare (and not all about money) provide you with helpful, extremely subtle reminders that your bad breath, body odor, cell phone provider, and make of car all have to go.

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2. Anniversary

Try forgetting it, and you'll see what the hell it means.

(source)

3. Barista

A person highly skilled in writing your first name in sharpie on the side of a heat-treated paper cup.

(source)

4. Blinker

The turn signal on an automobile. It is unclear as to why this accessory was invented, since nobody ever freaking uses it.

(source)

5. Book

An object that confers upon its owner a certain air of attractiveness and unbridled sexual dynamism.

(source)

6. Celery

Despite a few pitiful attempts to make this flavorless plant edible by stuffing its crevice with peanut butter or sour cream and garlic dip, celery remains the most useless of God's creations and should be eliminated from the face of the earth.

(source)

7. Closet

Something that one flamboyant cousin of yours still refuses to come out of.

(source)

8. Excel
Confounding Microsoft spreadsheet application designed by a very cruel person who clearly wants a large percentage of its users to have an embolism.

9. Fat
What you don't realize you are getting until you have to suck in your gut even when you are lying down.

10. The Finger
Something you give to other human beings when you cannot find the right words to say exactly how much their very existence has so deeply impacted your life.

11. Fruit
Literally, the ripened ovaries of a seed plant. Gross. No wonder you don't eat as much of it as you should.

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12. Fruitcake
A gift given to you last Christmas by people who shrewdly anticipated your needing a doorstop this Christmas.

(source)

13. Galileo
Astronomer and physicist often called the father of modern science. Although he was condemned and imprisoned by Roman authority for his forward-thinking view of the structure of the universe, he did, many years later, end up as part of a song lyric in Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, so hopefully that makes up for it.

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14. Like
A word that somewhere in the late twentieth century began to be used as the connective tissue in all spoken sentences, despite the fact that the words on either side of it need nothing to connect them in the first place. Example: the following sentence functions perfectly well without the additional use of the word like. "And he was so, like, unreasonable, and I thought, like, Why are you all up in my face? and then, like, he just walked away." Hence, we prove that like is, like, totally useless.

"If you like Bernard Conwell's Grail Quest series, you'll love The French Executioner and The Curse of Anne Boleyn. To my mind Cornwell is good, but Humphreys is better."—Sally Zigmund, Historical Novels Review (UK)

From the masterful C.C. Humphreys, comes the captivating sequel to The French Executioner.

Nearly twenty years have passed since Anne Boleyn died at the hands of her slayer and savior, Jean Rombaud. All he wants is to forget his sword-wielding days and live happily with his family. Yet her distinctive six-fingered hand, stolen at her death—and all the dark power it represents—still compels evil men to seek it out.

When Jean's son, Gianni, joins the Inquisition in Rome and betrays all his father worked for, Jean discovers that time alone cannot take him—or his son—far from his past. But he never expected his whole family, especially his beloved daughter Anne, to become caught up once more in the tragic queen's terrible legacy.

From the savagery of way in Italy to the streets of London and Paris and the wilds of North America, The Curse of Anne Boleyn sweeps readers into a thrilling story that puts love, loyalty, and family to the ultimate test.

"With The French Executioner, Humphreys established himself as a quality purveyor of historical detail and vigorous action...This unusual story line is dispatched with consummate skill." —Good Books Guide (UK)

Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23413919-the-curse-of-anne-boleyn?from_search=true&search_version=service

Buy Links:
Amazon
B&N
BAM
IndieBound
Kobo

Author Biography:

We were all entitled to get a loot bag (4 random comics) and 1 #FreeComicBookDay piece. Then I got myself Wytches #3 to #5 and Jem & The Holograms #2. I'm so happy with my haul!

I can't wait to read them all and to share the stories with you! :)

Happy Reading Everyone!

Love lots, xx

Style Reader

Title: Making Your Mind Up

Author: Jill Mansell

Release Date: May 05, 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Summary:

International bestseller Jill Mansell delivers a hilarious and heartwarming tale about falling in love when you have opinionated kids.

Love is a complicated thing…

Lottie Carlyle is happy enough. Living in a beautiful cottage with her two adorable—sometimes—kids in an idyllic village, on good terms with her ex-husband, and with friends all around, everything is going just fine. But when she meets her new boss, her peaceful world is thrown into delightful, exciting, and frustrating chaos. Tyler is perfect for Lottie, but her kids do not agree. To make matters worse, the handsome and mysterious Seb appears on the scene, intriguing—and distracting—Lottie and charming her children, making it more and more difficult for her to make up her mind…

“Very nicely done… Jill Mansell’s chorus of sharp-witted youth, shaking sticks at the foibles of their elders, is delightful.” —Daily Express

“A smashing read that both delights and surprises the reader.” —The Sun

Praise for Thinking of You:

“Mansell is like a Michelin-rated chef: She may use common ingredients, but under her sure hand the results are deliciously superior.” —Kirkus

“Humorous, sometimes poignant... Her breezy style resembles that of Sophie Kinsella or Helen Fielding… readers will be delighted.” —Booklist

“Jill Mansell combines, humor, friendship, romance and betrayal... keeps you wanting more.” —Fresh Fiction

“Beyond the fun, faulted characters, Mansell has a gift for humorous and witty dialogue that will leave readers in stitches... Mansell excels at creating relationships that are dynamic and complicated.” —Savvy Verse and Wit

Buy Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
BAM
IndieBound
Kobo

Author Biography:

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Title: Meant For You

Author: Samantha Chase

Release Date: April 7, 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Summary:

She dares to dream...

Summer Montgomery wants to be taken seriously almost as much as she wants her brother's best friend, Ethan. But with a long resume of seemingly random career choices and a protective brother on watch, those things are nothing more than pipe dreams...

Does he dare to try?

Ethan Reed would like nothing more than to live by his own rules. Not wanting to disappoint his best friend Zach, or any of the Montgomerys, Ethan's had to push his long-denied feelings for Summer aside. But it only takes one night away from watchful eyes to make impossible dreams come true...

Hope you learned a lot today because I did!

Love lots, xx

Style Reader

Remember the book, Ripped by Shelly Dickson Carr? If you don't, let's refresh your memory with my review here. Anyway, here's another bookgasm post in which I will share to you what I have learned in that book particularly on the way of speaking. Ever heard of Cockney slang before? I'm surely a newbie here but I was pretty fascinated by how it was used by the characters (and of course, in the past by Londoners) in the book.

A disclaimer was written on the start of the book and also a brief introduction on the "language":

Hope you had fun learning these phrases and language with me!

Love lots, xx

Style Reader