Dystopian Fiction: My Reflection

Ok, I know that dystopian fiction is the latest craze for book lovers (like me). There's always something that fascinates the audience about this genre of literature. Whether it's the environment, the characters, and even the way of living in the imaginary world coming alive from the minds of novelists, dystopian fiction never disappoints.

I know what you are asking. What's dystopian fiction? But before I can tell you that, let's read the definition of the word "dystopia".

A dystopia is a community or society, usually fictional, that is in some important way undesirable or frightening. It is the opposite of a utopia. Such societies appear in many works of fiction, particularly in stories set in a speculative future. Dystopias are often characterized by dehumanization, totalitarian governments, environmental disaster, or other characteristics associated with a cataclysmic decline in society. Elements of dystopias may vary from environmental to political and social issues. Dystopian societies have culminated in a broad series of sub-genres of fiction and are often used to raise real-world issues regarding society, environment, politics, religion, psychology, spirituality, or technology that may become present in the future. For this reason, dystopias have taken the form of a multitude of speculations, such as pollution, poverty, societal collapse, political repression, or totalitarianism. - From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

So there, dystopian fiction is all about enduring the life that is harsh, frightening and cataclysmic, mostly after a major catastrophe or a huge shift in society that defies normality that may be occur in the future.

So far, I have known two famous dystopian series, the Hunger Games Trilogy and the Divergent Series.

The Hunger Games Trilogy, penned by Suzanne Collins, takes place in a post-apocalyptic world of Panem, once part of North America. There's the regal Capitol, and then there are 12 districts which are poor, having to work hard for a living, each with a specialized field of labor. On an appointed day, as punishment for the rebellion mishap, one male and one female from each district will be chosen to become tributes, who will participate in the Hunger Games, a cutthroat competition that requires sheer will and determination to survive.

Then there's the rising star, the Divergent series by Veronica Roth. The story is set in dystopian Chicago, where society is divided into five factions, each with the purpose of cultivating a trait essential to the welfare of humankind: Abnegation, the selfless; Candor, the honest; Amity, the peaceful; Erudite, the intelligent; and Dauntless, the brave. During the ceremony, each sixteen year old must choose the faction that will become his or her way of life from now on, and pass the initiation that follows. If one fails, he or she will face the worst fate: becoming factionless.

For me, what dystopian fiction taught me is that no matter what the circumstances, you have to stay true to yourself, and fight for what you believe in. And that's why I adore Katniss and Tris. Plus, having a partner who will support you (Peeta and Four respectively) is an added bonus.

So, if you haven't tried that genre, it's never too late to start. You may get hooked, trust me. ^^

Jealousy: Love conquering all odds

Well, hello there, peeps. Time for me to pick off where I left off about Strange Angels.

Christophe and Dru are now the main stars in this installment  of Strange Angels

Jealousy is the third installment of the famous Strange Angels series, authored by no other than Lili St. Crow. It picks off where Betrayals ended, with Dru Anderson now in the confines of the Schola Prima, the real-deal training facility for vampires. But that's not all; it's also the headquarters of the Order, the so-called government of suckers.


And Dru's not the only female vampire-human hybrid ever existed. There is another sveotcha by the name of Anna, the red-headed rich kid who is the head of the Order. Spoiled and persistent to get what she wanted, Anna will stop at nothing to get Christophe Reynard back, even if it means to drag Dru down.


It's known as Jealousy, mainly because of Christophe's past with Dru's mom, with Anna being the unhappy girl who's always angry whenever she spots him with Elizabeth. And yes, even with Liz killed and her daughter now existing, she's still mad, this time about Dru's relationship with Christophe.


Well, all I can say is... try to dive in this book. It'll be one hell of a ride! ^^


Till next time :D

Strange Angels: Kicking butt in the Real World

My first post for 2012... ^^

I would recommend those who love supernatural and teenage stuff to read Strange Angels, one of the newest novels to attract attention to all novel enthusiasts everywhere. It had garnered a lot of praise from famous book critiques, and even bloggers are going ga-ga over this.

The kick-ass cover of Strange Angels, showing the main protagonist

Meet Dru Anderson, the typical tough girl who does travel from one place to another w/ her father who is a hunter, gifted with the sixth sense a.k.a "the touch". This "touch" allowed her to see and track down supernatural creatures, like vampires, zombies, werewolfs, etc. The turning point began when her father had gone missing for months, only to be turned into a zombie itching to take the life out of her. With a gun in hand, she killed the zombie, and with a gothic half-Asian boy who was bitten by a lycan and a handsome djamphir (human-sucker hybrid) as her only companions, she goes on a chase to find the culprit behind the incident that made her dad turn into one of the reanimated. But there will be more shocking secrets that she'll discover as the plot thickens. 


Sorry, can't spoil the rest. You have to find out on your own... ^^;

The introduction narrates the reader about the concept of familiars acting as guides or sensors whenever danger comes lurking, like the gray owl of Dru's grandmother. As the story progress, it incorporates the usual problems teenagers go through, but due to the main heroine's unique heritage, it's more than normal. It also applies the usual ideas of the lives of the otherwordly beings, and even the methods on how they can be slayed. As for the mood, it's more on the serious, ferocious side, though the story also includes humor (even sarcastic ones).

Strange Angels is just the beginning... for the saga ends with the 5th novel, Reckoning. Because of the content, it's PG-13 (because you'll see a lot of swearing, no joke).


Well, if you're the fan of supernatural novels, or just wanted to take a break from the usual plots, then try reading it. It may be worth it, and you may get hooked... ^^


Till next time, folks ^^

The 39 Clues: A dangerous hunt

 If you ever heard or watched The Amazing Race before, then you've been familiar with the scene: teams competing for clues which serve as keys to reach their destinations, accomplishing various tasks. It serves as a test to see who gets there first, because those who get left behind will be eliminated.

 But what if the competing teams are composed of relatives who will do more than just get the clues, obliterating every obstacle that comes in their way, even if it means to strangle their other relatives who aim for the same goal? After all, treachery and distrust are abounding in the competition, and that's what happens in the series entitled The 39 Clues, a series introduced by Scholastic Inc. 

The 39 Clues focuses about the Cahill family, the most influential lineage in the world. Yes, you may have heard of famous people like Benjamin Franklin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Washington, Edgar Allan Poe, and others, but in The 39 Clues, they all have Cahill blood. The family is split into 5 branches. There are four known branches: Ekaterina (scientists and inventors), Janus (artists, painters, composers, dancers), Lucian (leaders and spies) and Tomas (athletes and explorers). The remaining branch, the Madrigals, were a group of Cahills with unknown intentions as of now, although they are also involved to stop the other branches from getting the Clues.


But the main event commenced when after Grace Cahill died, during her funeral, it was stated in her alternate will that in order to find the secret to the Cahill lineage's ultimate power, one must accept in joining the competition to search for the 39 clues (hence, the title). But in order to do so, one must surrender the check containing $1,000,000. Among the group of people who were selected to hear the will, only seven teams accepted the challenge.

Amy and Dan Cahill were orphans under the care of Grace's sister, Beatrice, who was strict and overprotective. They were considered as the underdogs due to the fact that their competitors looked down on them, thinking that they're just a bunch of rag-tag travelers who won't stand a chance to survive in the dog-eat-dog competition. But still, it was due to their talents and strengths that they managed to overcome obstacles and go in the lead, accompanied by their au pair Nellie Gomez and Grace's Egyptian Mau, Saladin.


There will be 10 books that focus on the their adventures. Each book contains 6 cards that, if one types the code printed on the bottom, will appear on the online card gallery, and unlock the same clue mentioned in the book. Yes, one can also collect cards to unlock combos and get more clues, by buying more books and card packs.

If you want to know more about the series, and to see more of the good stuff, check out this site:


The 39 Clues Official Website


Oh, and in order to do the unlocking stuff, card collecting and all that jazz, you must register for an account there. It's worth trying it out.

So far, I've finished reading Book 1, and started reading Book 2. Gotta buy more books and card packs to unlock more combos and get more clues... ^^


That's all for now... Time to unleash the inner Lucian within me now! *evil laugh*