UDD

(late post)

I had and have always been a fan of Up Dharma Down. More so now that I have already seen them perform in the flesh. I had long wanted to watch them live. I couldn’t be more stoked.

Everything started with Pag-agos. Then there was Oo. I knew right then just how unique and indie-ish the band’s genre is. And those were exactly the reasons I listened to them in the first place. I did not grow to love the songs. I just happened to love them right away.

It was a laidback gig – intimate. Purely about UDD’s music. I was so happy that it turned out close to how I imagined I wanted it to be. There wasn’t so much jumping and screaming because they weren’t necessary. Just a little acknowledgment from the crowd, through cheers and applause, was enough to ensure that everybody was having fun. Well, that was how it was supposed to be.

Their live set sounds just as good as their recording. I am in awe. Armi’s voice is literally music to my ears. She sings with so much subtlety that she gives their every already emotionally deep song even more depth, how so admirable.

Oo and Turn It Well were the highlights of the more or less two-hour set. Those were the songs in which the crowd’s participation was loudest. I myself admit to feeling all too connected and alive when both songs were played. The intros were enough to raise my energy through the roof. I just had to sing along. All the fans just had to. Oo, being their claim-to-fame hit, was unsurprisingly when everyone let it all out. Turn It Well was the perfect song to end the night, with all the crossing fingers waving in the air. Beautiful.

I hope to witness another live set. I hope. And with this, I cross my fingers.


Photo sources: Antoniette Pulutan
                            LPU-Laguna Official Facebook Page / Clarize Battad

Bon Voyage!

Faith is set to leave for States to have her internship. How so mature and gutsy of her, right? J Although it will just be for a year or so, we will surely miss her. She has always been present in all the friendly gatherings we hold, sometimes even taking over the laborious duty of being the organizer. And most importantly, she’s my confidant. She knows the most about me. I tell her things I am somehow uncomfortable telling others. My gaaawd, how am I gonna survive without her?*tears* Harhar. Her absence would totally be felt. But I, we, can’t be too selfish. If it’s for her own growth, then who are we to stop her, right?J

We couldn’t let her go without having the chance to say goodbye and good luck, so we had this quick date last weekend, our last date with her this year. Huhu. Haha. J

Bru,

Good luck out there! I don’t know what awaits you, but I’m sure you’ll get by. You’re fearless enough to consider going away, so living and surviving there shouldn’t scare but excite you instead.

Live the dream! All of us somehow dream to be somewhere else for a while too—to know what it feels like being on our own, to do things on our own, to explore and learn life by ourselves. But you... well, you’re not just dreaming it but living it! We’re thrilled for you! Live your dreams, not just for you but for us too! Huzzah!

Take good things with you; leave the rest of the unnecessary baggage you have brought with you there when you go home here ha.

We can’t wait to see you again, in the flesh! (‘Cos physical presence will always be the best.J)

And I can’t wait to hear your new Tennessean accent when you go back!

Gosh, we’re all excited for you!

Bye for now.J

See you soonest!

xx,

Nona

*Big thanks to Froiland Pajutan for the photos!

CONFESSIONS OF A MURDER SUSPECT by JAMES PATTERSON and MAXINE PAETRO

(Late post!)

Tandy Angel and her siblings have become suspects of the alleged murder of their very own parents. To prove her innocence as she was the primary suspect, Tandy conducted her own investigation which revealed a lot of discoveries about not just the deaths, but also about each family member. Tandy was surprised that she knew less than she thought about her parents and their means of nurturing their kids.

I’ve always enjoyed James Patterson's works because though they are all very easy to read and fast to finish, they still manage to give the readers excitement and keep their interest for long. This novel is no exception to that magic.

Though I said that Confessions of a Murder Suspect possesses some characteristics that are usually Patterson's trademark, I still somehow don't see this as a James Patterson classic. I’m not saying I’ve read a lot of his books, but I’ve already read some. If I were to compare this one to his other novels, I’d say this was different because there wasn't really a murder, which is basically what I always find in his books. Also, here, a teenager was the lead character and the primary investigator of the crime, not some adult cop. There wasn't also a series of death or killings which was common in Patterson’s previous works.

The play between science and crime in the plot was cool! Patterson integrated science by using human experimentations to show the parents’ frustrations for their kids’ perfection. I thought it was a pretty good touch to add to the plot. I mean, it was one good way of showing the depth of human’s behaviors and emotions. I found the motive very deep and intriguing.

One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters. – George Herbert

The fact that the narrator kept on addressing the reader was very nice. It was like having a casual conversation or confession. By doing so, the readers would easily be attached to the story and would feel like they were really part of the story. I also liked the idea that the author kept on stating directly that she was delaying more details while talking to the reader. It was about just as annoying as it was exciting. Haha!

Though I liked the story, I was still not satisfied with the ending. You see, there wasn't a closure to everything. I understand that sometimes we, the readers, should draw our own conclusions to the story, but it just didn't feel right with this one. A clearer and more-detailed ending could’ve been better. Tamara Gee's death for instance, was it really Matty's doing or not? What did it have to do with the story? I thought it shouldn’t have just been added to the story since it didn’t really help.

It’s one thing to ask someone if they’re guilty. It’s another to be asked. I was nonplussed. – Tandy Angel

Also, why was it that I often imagined the lead character as a guy and not a girl? Was it just me? Haha! In my opinion, it would be more effective and believable if the narrator were a “he.”

All in all, it was a nice and enjoyable book. This is a nice read if you just wanna pass the time. It’s something thrilling enough to make you want to finish it, but not too heavy to rob you of a relaxed mood. J

Are you done reading this book? Share your thoughts!

*photo source: http://crazyredpen.blogspot.com

THE BIG BAD WOLF by JAMES PATTERSON

Because I kind of missed reading a Patterson, I clumsily rummaged through my brother’s pile of books and randomly picked a paperback from the Alex Cross series – The Big Bad Wolf. Having a brother who likes the same author has its upsides, yannow. So happy! J

So here goes the story…

A delicate case comes up while Alex Cross is still in the process of wrapping his head around the job endorsement he got working from the Washington D.C. Police Dept. to the FBI and a family issue regarding his beloved Little Alex. There have been a number of abductions. It is believed the people who disappeared are being sold in the market. A Russian mystery mobstar named Wolf is suspected to be behind all the madness. Apparently, the Wolf has no plans of negotiating and surrendering. Alex and the FBI have to get to him first before he can strike back.

I have always liked Alex Cross because he’s a cop with good character. He has been such an accomplished guy professionally, what with all the criminals and socio/psychopaths he has already put behind bars. I admire the fact that he really is good-natured personally but can also be sneakily genius and ruthless when the need arises. I think James Patterson has done a great job of establishing a strong and relatable personality for the Alex Cross character, hence the series’ success.

As with the plot, I think there was an air of predictability in it, though there were still lots of surprises, one great reveal after another. There were parts where I could just tell it wasn’t what the FBI had been looking for yet. I couldn’t really pinpoint but that was just how I felt about it. I still liked it anyway.

The Big Bad Wolf showed the intricacies every Patterson book has. As a crime mystery case, it was able to play well with its cards. It used every possible hole and means to make the plot more complex than it already was, and that’s kinda cool. J

I especially liked the climax. The chapters close to the end when they got Pasha Sorokin in their hands was where the excitement got really pumped up. Wooooooo! It was when I just had to keep on turning the pages. The Wolf was too sneaky! Haha!

If anything, I wish the novel further discussed Alex’s personal issues. The thing about who gets Little Alex’s custody was brought up, so I think it should’ve been given enough attention in the book. The few chapters were not enough. I felt like it was just talked about in passing.

Bad news: the Wolf hasn’t been captured yet, and I still don’t have the next book, London Bridges. Not cool! Can’t contain being left hanging in the end. Haha!

Overall, I believe he still sealed this book with the classic Patterson signature. Surely, you can never go wrong with James Patterson. J

Photo source: http://www.reviewcentre.com/

NORWEGIAN WOOD by HARUKI MURAKAMI

Norwegian Wood is a twisted, sad love story.

Shocked by the sudden death of Kizuki, both Toru (the bestfriend) and Naoko (the girlfriend) took it hard on themselves. Toru realized how much of his life depended on his dear companion. He eventually fell in love with Naoko, but she had to leave and be in a sanatorium because she was sick. While trying to keep his promise of patiently waiting for Naoko to get better, Toru met Midori whose company he truly enjoyed. When it had sunk into him that Naoko chose death over his love, he decided to move on and pursue a relationship with Midori.

Death exists, not as the opposite but as a part of life. – Toru

I am not a fan of serious and sad love stories. I try to avoid novels with such theme as much as possible because sometimes they’re contagious. I get so affected and sad as well. Haha. Surprisingly, though, I enjoyed reading this one. J

Norwegian Wood is definitely not a chick-lit. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not intended to make readers giggle. The characters were not in a good place during the entire story. They were broken and incomplete. They’ve all been struggling for love. There really was no chance for twitterpatting moments.

There were also many accounts of death here, most of which were suicide. Aside from love, this novel also talked about death and how people who were left behind deal with it, suffer from it. At this point, I believe this part is what made the book a deep one.

When your feelings build up and harden and die inside, then you're in big trouble. – Reiko

The characters’ experiences were just so sad and terrible that I sometimes thought it was just too much for their age. Their lives, at such a young age, had been that toxic which only made it more distressing for the readers. You see, if I were in their position, I think I would’ve done crazier things. Haha!

It’s nice that the novel has side stories about other characters. It provided avenues for the readers to understand where the other characters, like Nagasawa, Midori and Reiko, are coming from and why they’re such and such. This provides readers the chance to enjoy and like the other characters more.

You can’t expect thrill once you open this book. Norwegian Wood doesn’t have that kind of kick, none of anything that’ll make you want to flip through the pages faster. It’ll only invite you to go with the flow and just be with the characters, instead. This is not to say that the book is boring or anything like that.

All in all, the book was a serious but still enjoyable one. It somehow taught me that we should not let the sad experiences drag us down. People deserve a chance to move forward, but it doesn’t mean they’ll forget the ones who left.

When you're surrounded by endless possibilities, one of the hardest things you can do is pass them up. – Nagasawa

FYI, guys, this book’s title, Norwegian Wood, is taken from a lovely song of The Beatles from their Rubber Soul album. The song goes like this.

Are you done reading this book? Share your thoughts! 

Photo source: http://thebookstop.wordpress.com
Video source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY5i4-rWh44