The Rule of Eleven (aka The Blue Sky Tag) Part 2

After answering the 11 witty questions via The Rule of Eleven (aka The Blue Sky Tag) from Jade her blog, my dear NJ joined in the fun and answered my questions! 😀 And to keep the getting-to-know-you posts, I will answer NJ’s questions too!

So…

1. What is your name and the name of your blog? Why did you choose it as your blog name?

I am Rosemarie Gonzales of A Reading Writer. My author name is R.C. Gonzales. My friends here fondly call me Rosey or Rosema or Rosemarie. (any will do :D)

A Reading Writer is a result of a random thought that struck me when I was thinking of a blog name. I do not want to try hard, thus, I resort to a simple phrase that constitutes my prominent interests, reading and writing.

It should have been A Reading Writer Who Sings, because I am a singer as well, but I thought that would be too long. I choose the article ‘A’ instead of the ‘The’ as I am not a ‘The’ yet. 😀

2. What, according to you, is your best quality? Why is it so?

For me…. *thinking*… I think it will be my being kind? I always get the comment that I am sweet but for me, I am just kind. There are too much hate and sadness on earth so I want to stay kind as much as possible. 🙂

3. Choose a movie that describes you and tell us how?

Tough question. HAHA. Hmm… I would pick Still Alice. It is an empowering story about a woman with Alzheimer’s and the main message is to make each moment count. And that is what I am trying to do. 🙂 (P.S. This is based on a novel by Lisa Genova and it is a great read, guys! :))

4. What’s your favourite dessert? And why?

Cheesecake!!!! Because I looove cheese and I loooove cakes and when you combine them we’ll get, tadah! Cheesecake! 😀

5. Are you a forest or a beach person? What is it about your choice that you like?

Beach! There is something calming about the cerulean sky and the deep sea. The way the waves hugs the shore. The way the birds sing. The way the sun sets as if it is being eaten by the sea…. (there. :D)

6. If you were born as a tree, which tree would you pick? And why?

I want to be a wisteria because it bloooooooms and ages beautifully. ❤

7. If today was your last day, name one person you’d like to say something to? What would you tell him/her?

I would like to say I love you and thank you to my parents. 🙂

8. Which is your favourite childhood game?

It would be………….. scrabble! 😀

9. If you could be an inanimate object, which would you pick? And why?

I want to be a pen! Because it’s a weapon that cannot kill but can breathe life back!

10. What is your favourite mode of travel?

Buses! It is where I do most of my writings. 🙂 (I wrote about it here.) 🙂

11. Who is your 3AM person? And why?

For now it is myself. But someday, *with dreamy eyes* I hope to share my 3AMs and beyond while ceaselessly sharing thoughts and banters with that someone. (Where are you? I’m waiting…)

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That’s all for now.

Please participate if you want. 😉

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Note: Photo and gifs are not mine.

TAGGED: The Book Cover Guessing Challenge

Don’t judge the book by its cover. But, can you ‘know’ the book just by looking at its cover?

I will actually try to do that after the overly sweet Dimple of enthrallingdimple tagged me to do this cool challenge that I really really want to do! Please go check out her blog. She has written a lot of interesting thoughts that book bloggers, like me, should read. 🙂

Why am I excited to do this? It’s because I actually, sometimes, judge a book just by looking at its cover. (Yep. I’m guilty.)

So now, let me try my wit and luck in this Book Cover Guessing Challenge. Here’s how this challenge works:

1. Pick a few books, typically well-known, that you know little or nothing about.
2. Guess what they are about, based on the cover and title.
3. Compare it with the actual blurb on Goodreads and see how you fare.

I picked five (05) books from Goodreads recommendations for me. 🙂

Let’s see how I’ll do this. I’m quite nervous actually. (laughs)

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Recommendation from my To Read shelf

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

My guess:

I think this story is about a girl (I think it’s a girl because the author is a girl 😀 ) who lives in Paris (because that’s Eiffel Tower!). That girl dreams to become a famous singer (because from what I know, a nightingale is a small bird that sings beautifully). The main character faces challenges just to make her dream come true (because there should always be a struggle in every story! 😀 )

Goodreads says:

The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France–a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women.

So…

I am so wrong! (facepalm) At least Paris is in France so I closely got that right! 😀

Recommendation from my Favorites shelf

The Summer Girls by Mary Alice Monroe

My guess:

Basing on the title and the cover, this book is set during summer (that was very obvious!). I also think that this book has female characters who have been friends from a long time. And then, one summer will somehow test their friendship.

Goodreads says:

In this enchanting trilogy set on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe captures the complex relationships between Dora, Carson, and Harper, three half-sisters scattered across the country—and a grandmother determined to help them rediscover their family bonds.

So…

There is indeed a summer aspect in this novel but that is the only thing that I got right! (Like, seriously! 😀 ) Those girls we’re not friends, they’re sisters!

Recommendation from my YA shelf

The Knife of Never Letting Go  by Patrick Ness

My guess:

A young man will try to wage revenge against his enemies (because he cannot let go). There will be some brutal scenes and I think the main character is somehow Dauntless-like (remember Divergent?).

Goodreads says:

Prentisstown isn’t like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee — whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not — stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden — a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

So…

I got it right, a bit. The main character is indeed a boy but the premise of this book is far from my guess. (Aww. I think I will not get anything right!)

Recommendation from my Romance shelf

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

My guess:

The two main characters are already a couple when they launched a space exploration across the universe. (I can’t say if they are humans or aliens, haha! ) As they travel away from the world, their relationship will be tested. They will also discover truths about their relationship and about themselves as they discover the universe inside a spaceship.

Goodreads says:

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone – one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship – tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn’t do something soon, her parents will be next.

So…

Okay. Okay. I’m luckless. (facepalm again) I got the spaceship right, though! 😀

Recommendation from my Romance shelf Mystery and Thriller shelf

Shoofly Pie (Bug Man, #1) by  Tim Downs

My guess: Maybe the name of the main character here is Shoofly Pie or Bug Man. 😀 He (I think the main character is a man) tries to uncover a mysterious murder than can either make or break his career. Little did he know that the secret towards solving the crime lies to the small details that he should see, (that’s my figurative interpretation of fly. Haha).

Goodreads says:

Forensic entomologist Nick Polchak (a.k.a. the Bug Man) is hired by thirty-year-old Kathryn Guilford, who is terrified of bugs, to solve her friend’s death. When Polchak stumbles into the mystery of how Kathryn’s husband was killed years earlier, the action kicks into high gear — and Polchak finds himself on the run with his client from someone who will do anything to keep a secret.

So…

Alright! I got the Bug Man right. But that was it. Haha

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Thank you again Dimple of enthrallingdimple for tagging me after I somehow asked to be tagged? 😀 I got no correct guess but I totally enjoy this challenge!

I am now sure that I cannot be a fortune teller someday! (final facepalm)

So guys, will you take this challenge?

• My Read of the Week
• Wandering Words
• You Know How People Talk
• KC of Fantastically Fiction
• Allison of Aliza Shandel
• Down the Rabbit Hole…
• Susan of ReadSpace
• Kelsey of TheresSomethingAboutMaine
• Charlotte of CharlotteBibliophile
• Stefani of Caught Read Handed
• Bernadette of The Book Mage
• Catia of The Girl who Read Too Much
• Brain Beauty Books
• Fatima of Book Whizz
• Sofia of The Reading Fan Girl

Please say yes! 🙂

Spread the blog-love!

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Tagged: The Emoji Book Tag

So I was tagged by Dimple of Enthralling Dimple with The Emoji Book Tag! So thanks Dimple! 🙂

This book tag is made by seven booktubers namely; Liz from lizlovesliterature, Jenny from Jellafy, Sanaa from InkBonesBooks, Dylan from dylanbooks, Max from WellDoneBooks, Vilde from vforvilde and Scott from Scott Place. 

The rules are simple, you just have to relate your five most-used or latest-used EMOJIs with your read books.

And because I am a certified emoji junkie, yes I love emojis, I am really giddy to do this tag.

So let’s start! ~

• Laughing Emoji 

Stupid is Forever by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 

“Of course, I make no claim to originality in this compilation of my epigrams. My supporters find them funny, and my enemies presumably find them revolting. That’s because those villains are hardwired only for self-adulation.”

Witty pick-up lines and funny yet factual political sentiments and observations from no less than the best Filipino Senator! This laughter-inducing book is amusing but it doesn’t mean it’s non-sense! It isn’t!

• Blushing Emoji

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

“Her smile put the sunflower to shame.”

“She laughed, and the desert sang.”

“She was bendable light: she shone around every corner of my day.”

Isn’t it just so sweet! (blushes)

• Screaming Emoji

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

“I felt a queasy mixture of relief and horror: when you finally stop an itch and realize it’s because you’ve ripped a hole in your skin.”

What’s creepier than a psychotic woman who kills?

• Sobbing Emoji

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

I kissed him, trying to bring him back. I kissed him and let my lips rest against his so that our breath mingled and the tears from my eyes became salt on his skin, and I told myself that, somewhere, tiny particles of him would become tiny particles of me, ingested, swallowed, alive, perpetual.

If you are not a crier, try reading this book. And then tell me if it was just me or this story is really heartbreaking.

• Winking Emoji

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

“It’s not a big thing, but I guess it’s true–big things are often just small things that are noticed.”

This is not a love story, so how is it related to the winking emoji? It’s because I fallen in love for Markus Zusak because of this book. Now I am reading The Book Thief! ❤

So there!

Now it’s your turn awesome bloggers:

• Teresa of Just Little Musings
• Jess of Jess Just Reads
• Morgan of Chapter One
• Kelsey of Don’t Shush Me
• Monica of Queen Nicay
• Kimberly of Over the Bookshelf
• Mallory of The Leaning Tower of Tomes
• The Adept Reader
• Arianna of The Daydreaming Bookworm
• Giovanna of Book Coma Blog

Spread the blog love!

~

Tagged: The Bedtime Book Tag

I am having so much fun with the book tags that I am currently doing. For this The Booktime Book Tag, I would like to thank Shivalike of Whimsy Journals for tagging me!

As a bedtime reader, I am really excited to do this awesome tag!

So here we go.

SIMPLE NOTE: I have mentioned a lot of Nicholas Sparks and Mitch Albom in this blog, so this time, I would like to give you guys a sneak peak to the latest novels and authors that I discovered and loved.

A Book That Kept You Up All Night Reading

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

Every Day by David Levithan is just so unique that it is really hard to put down.

A Book That Made You Scared To Sleep

When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer.

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (Pseudonym), J.K. Rowling is creepiness at its best. The way the victim was killed was just so gross. It will really leave you haunted.

A Book That Made You Go To Sleep

The title story is a moving account of the intersection, at a frozen lake in the woods, of a young misfit and a middle-aged cancer patient who goes there to commit suicide, only to end up saving the boy’s life.

Tenth of December by George Saunders is a bit ‘boring for me. I know it received a lot of good reviews but maybe this is just not for me.

A Book That Left You Tossing and Turning All Night in Anticipation of its Release

That will be The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom and See Me by Nicholas Sparks.

I know I said I have mentioned a lot about these two scribblers already but, what can I do? Their upcoming books are just so drool-deserving!

A Book That Has Your Dream Boyfriend

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts…

Landline by Rainbow Rowell is about a bit magical love story of Georgie and Neal. Neal understands, he forgives and he loves his kids and his wife. And I do think he is faithful. So yeah.

A Book That Would Be Your Worst Nightmare to Live In

I have a curse
I have a gift

I am a monster
I’m more than human

My touch is lethal
My touch is power

I am their weapon
I will fight back

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is the latest dystopia trilogy that I have read. So I would pick this book for this question.

A Book That Reminds You of Night time

After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they’re for him.

Paper Towns by John Green started with that epic night between Margo and Q. So I would say this book reminds me of night time.

A Book That Had a Nightmarish Cliffhanger

Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen.
Complete strangers since this morning.
He’ll do anything to remember. She’ll do anything to forget.

Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher for me has nightmarish cliffhanger. It literally left me hanging and waiting for more! I have read the sequel of this book and it is still a helluva cliffhanger!

A Book That You Actually Dreamed About

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

You by Caroline Kepnes has somehow left me haunted that I dreamed about it nights after I finished reading it. My dream was about an obsessed man like Joe. The funny thing is that obsessed man is actually obsessed with me. (laughs) Okay. Laugh now, dear reader. 😀

A Book Monster that You Would Not Want to Find Under Your Bed

The Lovely Bones is the story of a family devastated by a gruesome murder — a murder recounted by the teenage victim.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold has no literal monsters like dragons, ogres or any kind of that typical monsters. But I consider Susie’s killer the monster that I would never ever want to find under my bed. A man who can rape and kill children is worst than any monster.

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So there! I am done and I am giddy to share this book tag to you guys:

• Delise of Delise Coleman’s Views
• Ring around the Prose
• Jemma of Good Friends and Good Books
• Daily Dose of Reality
• Giovanna of BookComaBlog
• Syc of The Lit(erature) Mermaid
• Cathy of My Life as Cathy
• Annelise of The Book Adventure of Annelise Lestrange
• Enthralling Dimple
• Bianca of The Ultimate Fangirl
• Bianca of Rukhi.Me
• Frances of Bitter 20-something
• Anna of Books for the Trees

Spread the blog love!

~

Tagged: Reading Habits Tag

Hello everybody! I’ve been out since last week, I think? And I really missed blogging!

So now I finally can sneak some time to thank  my dearest Aetheristrux of The Amazing Life of a Bookworm for tagging me with this awesome Reading Habit Tag!

Without further adieu, here are my answers:

♥ Do you have a certain place at home for reading?

Yes, I do have a favorite reading place. And that is actually my bed!

I think I have already mentioned that I am a librocubicularist. I love reading books while I am on bed because reading is my form of relaxation. 🙂

♥ Bookmark or random piece of paper?

I prefer bookmarks. I am not really good in art but I love cute artsy bookmarks.

♥ Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter/a certain amount of pages?

It actually depends on the book that I am reading. There are books that are just so engrossing that I can’t sleep until 4 or 5 in the morning. But there are also books that made me sleep. 😀

♥ Do you eat or drink while reading?

It also depends on the book that I reading. If I am reading a physical book, I don’t eat or drink because I will never ever forgive myself if I stained a precious page.

But when I am reading an e-book, which I usually do now, I usually munch some treats and sip a nice coffee. 🙂

♥ Multitasking: Music or TV while reading?

Nope. I don’t do that. I can listen to music while reading. It works sometimes. But most of the time I really immerse myself into the book. It feels like I am part of the story and I am watching, or should I say ‘imagining’, how the story unfolds.

♥ Reading at home or everywhere?

I usually read at home but whenever I can find some time to read, I read, whenever I am. I usually read while I am on my way home.

Because the traffic here in the Philippines is really really bad that I can almost finish a 200-page book. Really!

♥ Reading out loud or silently in your head?

I read silently. I am actually annoyed when I hear someone reading out loud. Haha.

♥ Do you read ahead or even skip pages?

Yeps. I did that for some book that are just so boring. There are just some sentences, paragraphs and even pages that can be omitted actually.

♥ Breaking the spine or keeping it like new?

I have a confession here. I actually don’t open my physical books as much as possible. I usually read the ebook version then I would but the physical version and keep it as new.

♥ Do you write in your books?

No. I highlight some passages. I only do that with my physical non-fiction books like Joel Osteen’s.

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So it is now my turn to tag some awesome bloggers! I hope you will enjoy doing this tag as much as I do!

• PaperCat Novels
• Sydney of Books and Stuffs Blog
• Josie of Josie’s Book Corner
• Tash of The Bookie Monsters
• Gaby of Brilliant Buckets
• The Bookish Badger
• Amy of the Literature Life
• Kaitlin of A Comfy Chair in the Corner
• Just Bookish Thoughts
• Aentee of Read at Midnight

~

More Happy Than Not Book Tag

Hi guys! I am TAGGED again! This time, this book tag is from the lovely LovingYooChun of Bookland!

Honestly, I am a bit clueless on what this tag is all about. But according to Loving Yoo Chun’s blog entry, this tag was created by Shelumiel of Bookish and Awesome.

The idea though is based on a new book called More Happy Than Not by a new novelist named Adam Silvera. I checked out his profile and oh, he’s cute! (giggles)

So basically, this tag wanted bloggers to share what makes them happy and how they express their happiness.

In terms of rule, there are three simple rules:

1. Answer the question, “What makes you more happy than not?”
2. Thanks and link back this post to the person who tagged you.
3. Have FUN!

So now it’s my turn to have some fun so here are my answers:

I AM MORE HAPPY THAN NOT whenever…

• I read a good book, especially written by my ultimate faves Nicholas Sparks and Mitch Albom!

• I sip a great tasting coffee.

I own this photo. 😀

• I indulge into a decadent and oh-so-heavenly cheesecake!

I own this photo. 🙂

• I listen to my awesome favorite singers/songwriters, like Jason Mraz and Sara Bairelles!

• I travel with my bestest friends.

I own this photo. 🙂

I own this photo. 🙂

• I spend precious time with my whole fambam!

Now, it’s your turn to have some fun:

• Ninth Melody
• All my love, LJ
• Poppy of Pages by Poppy
• Caity of Meaning beyond Words
• Zoe of the Sporadic Chronicles of a Beginner Blogger
• Lola of Hit or Miss Books
• Jasmine of These Paper Words
• Beth of Veni. Vidi. Scripsi.
• HardworkBoulevard
• Meaning beyond Words
• Bella of The Amazing Life of a Bookworm
• Reinreads

TAGGED: ‘Would You Rather’ Tag

First of all, I would like to thank Aira of airareads for tagging me in this ‘Would you rather Tag’. I am sure that this will be fun. Yeah, I’m giddy. 😀 So here it goes…

• Would you rather only read trilogies or only read standalones?

Oh I actually preferred standalones. Why? Because I’ve been disappointed with some trilogies. Don’t get me wrong. I loved Hunger Games and I am a fan but the sequel novels are not as great as the first book. It’s not just Hunger Games actually. I have read several trilogies that have promising first book but disappointing sequels, like Shatter Me, Divergent and especially Uglies.

• Would you rather only read male or female authors?

Oh this is hard! But thanks to my Goodreads stats for showing me that 4 out of my top 5 most-read-authors are male! I am not actually surprised as my favourite authors are actually men. Some of you know them already, because I’ve been ranting about Nicholas Sparks and Mitch Albom throughout this blog. Haha. 😀  Plus Paulo Coelho and my mystery fave James Patterson!

• Would you rather shop at Barnes and Noble or Amazon?

Uhm. I am from the Philippines so I opt to buy books at Amazon, if I have some extra cash! Thanks to my awesome friends who share ebooks for FREE!

• Would you rather books were made into TV shows or movies?

Honestly, I would like to say nooooo to both TV shows and movies. Haha!

Though it’s actually amazing to see words transform into life, I have seen a looot of epic fail novel-based movie/TV shows. On the other hand, there are exceptions like the Breaking Dawn part 2 movie which is actually better than the novel.

So if I have to choose, I would rather books were turned into movies.

• Would you rather read only 5 pages per day or 5 books per week?

I don’t actually have target pages or books per week or per day. Yes, I do have a 2015 Reading Challenge but I don’t observe a strict no. of pages per day or no. of books per week.

Because for me, it actually depends on the book. There are books that can keep you awake until dawn and there are novels that are just so boring and take weeks to finish. In short, I just read. 🙂

• Would you rather be a professional author or reviewer?

If you have read my About page, you would probably know my answer. My biggest dream is to be a writer, in a major national newspaper here in the Philippines. And as a writer, I look forward in scribbling my own novel as well. So yes, I would rather be a professional author than a reviewer.

In reality, I am now a PR writer but becoming a professional author is still a far far far away dream. Let’s just hope I can make it come true. 🙂

• Would you rather be a librarian or a bookseller?

I am working as a Public Relations writer now but that doesn’t mean that I’m good in selling things. Haha! So I would rather be a librarian and be surrounded by boooooks!

• Would you rather read only your favorite genre, or every other genre but your favorite?

Thanks to my Goodreads stats again for showing me that I’ve been reading a lot of mysteries and romance novels and yes, these two are my favorite genres. On the other hand, I am now reading new genres and new authors because of my 2015 Reading Challenge. Luckily, I’ve read a lot of new awesome authors and books!

• Would you rather only read ebooks or physical books?

I’d be honest here. I am now reading a lot of ebooks because of two reasons: budget and convenience! Yeah I’m not yet so blessed with extra cash to spend to buy physical books so now I read ebooks. But I love physical books! I love smelling them! 😀

This is indeed fun! So I am sharing this awesome tag with these equally awesome bloggers:

1. Zoe of the Sporadic Chronicles of a Beginner Blogger
2. Lola of Hit or Miss Books
3. Jasmine of These Paper Words
4. Beth of Veni. Vidi. Scripsi.
5. HardworkBoulevard
6. Meaning beyond Words
7. Bella of The Amazing Life of a Bookworm
8. Reinreads

Enjoy guys! Spread the blog-love!

~