Book: Every Day

“Every morning, A wakes in a different person’s body, a different person’s life. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with–day in, day out, day after day.“

Well, shit. Excuse the expletive, but there’s… I don’t know what else to say. Shit. This book–

This book killed me.

I’m not a very emotional person, if you get to know me. Which is why, I guess, it’s easy for me to react negatively to a lot of things. If I can take criticism, I’m sure other people can too. Which is why, when something does affect me, I am usually left at a loss for words.

Hence: shit.

To date, I can only recall three things that made me cry good tears: the first Swan Princess film I saw (when I was a kid); when I was writing for (and watching) One True Love; and, a show pitch my head writer presented back in 2011.

I can add a fourth thing to that list now.

David Levithan’s Every Day is a love story; but more than that, it’s a beautiful story about love–a love unchanging, a love unlimited.

Shit. Writing this; thinking about the book–it’s making me tear up again.

Whatever ill will I wished David Levithan for Every You, Every Me, I take it back. I take it all back. Every Day makes up for all the things I disliked about the author’s other book. And I can’t even form a complete thought without getting teary-eyed.

Every Day is a book that enforces my dream of being a writer. Because I want to be able to tell a story as beautiful as this. Because I dream of writing a story as touching as this, as powerful as this.

This book makes me want to fall in love. To take the leap, to embrace all the good things and all the bad about being in a relationship.

Every Day gives new meaning to the term ‘unconditional love.’

And if I never get to write something as beautiful as this, I’d be all right with falling in love the way A falls in love.

Every Day is definitely a book I’d be pushing for other people to read. And just in time for Valentine’s too!

And if I’m not enough to convince you, here are a few reviews that might make you want to give the book a chance:
A Good Addiction
The Bookish Brunette
YouTube Review: Katytastic

Press Release: Heart Evangelista, Geoff Eigenmann, and Ms. Gloria Romero banner GMA’s afternoon drama FOREVER

It’s only been a week since Indio premiered on GMA-7, but the network has one more ace up its sleeve before January ends with Forever.

I’ve always been intrigued with the premise of Forever. Love, time, all the pain that comes with it–and all the happiness… But before I go on, here’s the press release by the GMA Network about the show:

GMA Network rings in the New Year with the launch of its first afternoon prime drama for 2013 – FOREVER, which features riveting performances from some of the biggest Kapuso stars today. It will air beginning January 21 before 24 Oras.

Forever promises to steal the viewers’ hearts as it follows a captivating storyline that explores the enduring power of love between two individuals who will let fate determine if they are meant to be together despite time, distance, and the obstacles that conspire to keep them apart.

This original offering features the dramatic talents of prime Kapuso leading man Geoff Eigenmann as Ramon/Patrick, multi-award winning actress Heart Evangelista as Adora and the original Queen of Philippine Movies Ms Gloria Romero as Adora.

Forever begins with the story of Adora, the sole heir to a wealthy sugar plantation in the 1950s. Despite her social status, Adora falls in love with the poor and passionate Ramon, a farmer who works in their farm. Her domineering father Don Jamie strongly disapproves of Adora’s relationship with Ramon but the young lovers pledge to stay together regardless of Don Jamie’s objection. This forbidden romance eventually leads to Ramon’s death who vows to return to be with his one true love Adora.

Adora is devastated with Ramon’s passing and she realizes her life is now empty and meaningless without him. But she gets a second chance to be reunited with Ramon after an old woman gives her an antique pocket watch that could bring back her youth.

Fast forward to the present time where Adora will be reunited anew with Ramon but this time in the persona of Patrick, a painter who will form an unusual romantic connection with Adora. Will the promise of Adora and Ramon to rekindle their romance transcends time no matter where or when their paths cross? Can the ill-fated lovers fulfill their destiny to once and for all be together even in the next lifetime? Can anything or anyone still come between the two lovers?

Adding star power to this classic tale of undying love are Isabel Oli as Monique, Saab Magalona as Leila, Gian Magdangal as Rico, and Candy Pangilinan as Susie.

The special guests of Forever include Marc Abaya as Federico and Ronnie Henares as Don Jaime.

Forever, which is created by the GMA Entertainment TV Group, is another first in the television industry for its refreshing concept and production value.

Directed by acclaimed actor and TV director Ricky Davao, Forever is supervised by Lilybeth G. Rasonable as Over-all in charge of Production, Redgie Acuña Magno as Supervising Producer, Hazel F. Abonita as Program Manager, and Executive Producer Kaye Cadsawan.

The creative team is headed by Creative Director and concept creator of Forever Jun Lana.  It is composed of Roy Iglesias, Creative Consultant Des Garbes – Severino, Headwriter Kit Villanueva-Langit, writers Ma. Christina Samson-Velasco and Geng Delgado, and Brainstormers Reynaldo Leoncito, Jessie Villabrille, and Luningning Ribay.

The theme song, Together Forever, is interpreted by the King of Soul, Janno Gibbs.

Interesting, right?

I’ve always been intrigued with the concept of love–especially one that’s so epic and big that you would do anything for it. Like fall in love with the same person, who is already in another lifetime–while you’re still in your previous one. There are so many avenues of storytelling to go to. It’s all so very exciting.

Forever airs weekdays, starting tomorrow (January 21), every afternoon before the news program 24 Oras.

Book: The Lucky One

“After U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman buried in the dirt during his tour of duty in Irag, he experiences a sudden streak of luck, winning poker games and even surviving deadly cobat. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph–his lucky charm.

Back home in Colorado, Thibault can’t seem to get the woman in the photograph out of his mind and he sets out on a journey across the country to find her. But Thibault is caught off guard by the strong attraction he feels when his search leads him to Elizabeth, a divorced mother in North Carolina with a young son–and he keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate love affair, Thibault’s secret will soon threaten to tear them apart, destroying not only their love, but also their lives.“

That synopsis makes the story sound more dramatic than it actually is. But, compared to the last Nicholas Sparks novel I read, this one actually lives up to the hype. So long as we forget that the epilogue exists.

What I’ve noticed in the two Nicholas Sparks novels I’ve read, is that the author really does spend more time in the falling in love rather than the resolutions. True, in the case of The Lucky One, the conflict really isn’t that big of a deal. But as a reader, I was expecting the synopsis to just tease until the middle of the story–not reveal what happens until the end.

Yes, Thibault’s secret doesn’t come out until a few chapters prior to the end. And author Nicholas Sparks even writes in one of these remaining chapters that whatever brought the character to North Carolina is just beginning.

How can it be just beginning if you’ve already gone through 7/8ths of the book? Serious question.

That aside though, The Lucky One is one of Sparks better novels recently. If I’m to pick up another Sparks novel, it will only be if someone tells me that it’s at par with his older books. Where there are no promises of love and lives being destroyed. Where the promises aren’t dealt with in the last chapter, with barely any consequences addressed in the epilogue.

But that’s just me. Other people seem to be completely fine with the recent Nicholas Sparks books. Like these guys:
Just Bookin’ Around
Literally Jen
Bringing the Epic

Well, maybe not all of them.

Movie: MNL 143

“A long FX ride from Buendia to Fairview. Approximately 20 Kilometers on the road where different life stories race to be told: responsibility, morality, integrity and reality. Familiar stories, some you’ve already heard of on street corners from friends and neighbors. Stories of ordinary people as they struggle with hope, resignation and compromise.

They are people from different walks of life: a mother looking for validation from her family, a young couple dealing with morality, a small child with a simple joy. Manang Gloria and her prejudice; a woman who loves the absence of waiting, and the activist armed with nothing but principles and convictions. Then there’s Mila who strongly believes she deserves to have her happy endings back. Her story is nothing new. It has been retold countless times in movies and even in badly written love songs. Ramil her ex-lover, an FX taxi driver who never gives up searching for his true love. He’s not afraid to find the meaning of his life from his own sense of happiness. Hoping for the sense of stillness even as the world around him seems to be changing fast.“

When watching films, we can’t help but see two things on screen: our expectations–and reality. Yes, I went all 500 Days of Summer there, but it’s true. Especially with films you’re really excited to see.

That’s what happened when I caught a screening of MNL 143. I saw two versions–my expectations, and reality. Fortunately, the reality was not at all disappointing. Although, as you’ve probably gleaned by now, it was not what I expected.

Whenever people would ask me what the film was about, I’d say it’s about a man looking for the love of his life–and finding her. But, watching the film, that wasn’t what the film was about after all. It’s about the journey. The search. The process.

It’s about discovering who you are, while you try to discover what you want.

Our main character is Ramil, because it’s his journey we’re tagging along with. And, in a way, this is his story–his search for the woman he left thirteen years ago. The woman he’s spent the last five years looking for.

I would like to say the film was beautiful. If only because of the ending, which I particularly loved. But there are a lot of things I could’ve done without in the film. Seeing as I still found myself okay with the whole package, I’ll write these off as personal preference;

One, I wish the team behind the film could’ve cleaned the music up better. If Ramil is supposedly listening to the radio, it should sound like a radio–not of someone singing in a room full of people trying to keep quiet. Or, if there was really no way to produce radio-quality music, why not have the singers sound like they’re singing in a radio show? They were able to do the radio announcer thing without any problems.

Two, there’s the issue with fares. Some of the passengers paid, some didn’t. I know that it’s not really pertinent information, but when two of the characters revolved around the payment of the fares (the “religious” woman and the stingy man), it would’ve been a good idea to keep track (and show) which characters paid and which ones didn’t.

And then there’s the, supposedly, really dramatic turn of Alan Paule’s Ramil as he reflected on life inside his vehicle. I’m not going to pretend that I understood what that was about. All I want to say is–did it really have to be that long?

Even with these complaints though, I must say that I was not disappointed with MNL 143. It’s worth the price of the ticket.

Book: Flesh & Bone

“Benny Imura and his friends are reeling from the tragic events of Wawona and the second Gameland, but there’s no time to stop and mourn fallen comrades. Survival in the great Rot and Ruin requires movement, and so, with heavy hearts, Benny, Nix, Lilah, and Chong continue their quest to find the jet they saw in the skies months ago. If that jet exists, then humanity itself must have survived…somewhere. Finding it is their best hope for having a future and a life worth living.

But the Ruin is far more dangerous than any of them can imagine. The zoms seem to be mutating in terrifying ways that could change everything Benny and his friends know about surviving among the walking dead. And even worse, a death cult has arisen that is gathering new followers at a frightening rate and is devoted to sending every living person in the Rot and Ruin into the waiting arms of death.“

I loved it. Absolutely loved it. Which makes me happy after being dismayed by The Mark of Athena, which was supposed to be my happy read of the week. Thank goodness for Flesh & Bone then.

Jonathan Maberry is at it again with the third book from his Rot & Ruin series–the zombie story that doesn’t just scare you, but is also out to make you cry. And this book, while not as heartbreaking as the second book, will still make you… what’s the word? Feel like a friggin’ crybaby.

Now, I don’t know what it is about Maberry’s writing, but I love how he makes his readers feel the threat against all his characters. There is an actual fear for the characters you will most certainly love as you read on. As his characters confront death in different ways, you know that any which one of them is in actual danger of dying. Because Maberry doesn’t shy from killing off beloved characters.

Kinda like Joss Whedon.

But more than that, I think, it’s because Maberry was able to convince us readers of the actual dangers that the Rot and Ruin has in store for anyone and everyone.

I have to admit, compared to the first two books of the series, Flesh & Bone is the one with the least amount of character growth. Maybe it’s because the events of the book happen in a span of two days (less, actually), with a time jump at the end. Maybe it’s because we’ve already known the main characters we’re following for a couple of years now. Or it could be because most of the book is exposition, which set-ups the next book.

The intensity of the writing though, and the feel of imminent danger, completely makes up for it.

That’s not to say that Flesh & Bone is all action, all the time. It’s not. The theme of the book is actually grief, and the many ways people deal with this. But Maberry was able to infuse each chapter, each scene–each line of dialogue, with the foreboding sense of coming death that you don’t feel any lull in the action.

There’s a surge of adrenaline in every word you read. And I loved it.

It would be a disservice to the book though if I don’t mention how, even in the fast-paced events, Maberry doesn’t forget what makes his zombie stories special: the characters.

I already said that this book has the least amount of character growth. That’s not to say there’s none, because there is. Except, the previous books have already laid down the groundwork for these growths. Nothing comes out left of field, everything feels like they’re the natural progression of things.

My only gripe about the book is that it ended too soon.

And that there’s no release date for the next one yet. That the next one isn’t out yet.

I can’t wait for the next book–just like the following bloggers who loved the book as much as I did:
Christy’s Love of Books
Elitist Book Review
A Librarian’s Take