ENTWINED WITH YOU by SYLVIA DAY

There’s Bared To You then Reflected In You; now here’s Entwined With You.

The third installment in the Crossfire series, Entwined With You is the turning-point chapter for the kind of people Eva and Gideon have become as they pick up the pieces of their relationship after such a character-defining incident in the previous book.

Day One of my life was the day I met you. – Gideon Cross

First things first, the romantic gestures, both the simple and the grand, are a foolproof winner for me. I’m a sucker for such things which this book has plenty of. It kept my grip of the novel tight.

Favorite part would be the wedding at the Caribbean. That would be every cheesy girl’s dream, and it couldn't have gotten any better than that. Hearts all over the place! It was more of the intimacy of the ceremony and the purity of each other’s intentions that made it a very fitting wedding for Eva and Gideon.

If souls could be mated with wishes, ours would be inextricably entwined. – Eva Tramell

Now onto the criticisms.

Entwined With You felt more like just a continuation of book two, in a way that I didn’t actually open up a new book, just a new chapter covering a very long denouement.

There was nothing in particular that stood out for me. Sorry but I think the first half of the book could have been skipped without missing much. I mean, most could have just been mentioned in passing, not combed through, because they somehow took the life out of the story gradually. What’s that word again, dragging.

Worst of worsts, I was not satisfied with the ending. It was too abrupt! It could not have ended right there and then, but it did. Whaaaaat? I was left hanging at the last page of this book and not in a crap-that-is-a-killer-ending-i-need-to-read-the-next-book-asap kind of way, but in a what-is-it-really-the-ending-it-does-not-seem-likely-it-is-too-soon kind of way. Yes, there were many issues such as Eva’s video, Anne Lucas’ surfacing, Cary plus Tatiana plus baby, Corinne minus the baby, the secret marriage, and Eva’s clash with Gideon’s mother which all feel like a lot but are actually not that much. Frankly, even when combined, they still did not suffice to awaken the excited reader in me. Book two’s climax was a real climax; this wasn’t.

Angel, a crowd of millions couldn’t hide you from me. I found you once. I’ll always find you. – Gideon Cross

In general, I guess I was more disappointed than thrilled with how the story went down. As it turns out, Crossfire is not just a trilogy, which I initially thought, but a five-part series. Rumor has it Captivated By You and the last book have yet to be released on November this year and sometime around 2015 respectively. And because I went through the first three books, I might as well read the remaining ones for closure’s sake.

Are you done reading this book? Share your thoughts!

xx

Photo source: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15731779-entwined-with-you

Foodgasmic!

To be with friends. And to be with food.

Aaah, life!

In celebration of Ago’s 22 years of fierceness and ingenuity in this world, last Saturday happened!

We were in luck knowing that the celebrator herself is very good in cooking and recreating recipes. All we had to do was wait to be served and filled.

Forget the hot weather and the traffic jam, that weekend food feast was so gooooood!

Here’s a photo collage of food and friends and food and friends.

And food. J

To a fiend who not only believes she can do things but also acts on said beliefs, to a person who enjoys creating and recreating, to one whose imagination is unfathomable, happy birthday! Keep your drive and inspire. Love you, man! Love you, sugar!

Belated happy birthday also to Roc! Beast bod!

xx

*Thanks to Ago and Kreng for the photos!

The Happy List: Random List #3

So many good things have happened lately. And though it may feel a little too soon for another Happy List (since there have only been two posts since the last one), I am so happy I got to let the emotion out.

1. Setting aside my laptop, for once, to actually write on my personal leather journal because: (a) my penmanship’s already getting bad and I don’t like my crooked handwriting and (b) it’s sometimes more stimulating to the mind to have a pen in hand to stroke on paper
2. New Vans sneakers with gum sole
3. Potatoes with melted cheese x pancakes with chocolate syrup
4. Ice creams and chocolates
5. Riding the penny board farther than two meters without falling. Achievement!
6. Weird as it may be, the smell of gasoline filling the tank, sniffs with eyes closed
7. The motivation that results to daaaaays of no softdrinks in my system
8. Randomly hugging the taller and bigger pamangkins despite their being against it (Haha!)
9. Suits S03, so much drama going on in this season but so much happiness in being able to catch up on where things stand with Harvey, Mike, Louis, Jessica, and Donna.
10. Plans that make me look forward to the coming days
11. Ber months! The sight of Christmas displays brings nothing but joy to my heart
12. Days that are just so perfect – because I am lucky enough to have them

In the many random, uneventful, ordinary days lie little things, which when collectively thought of, make the heart skip a beat in delight.

REFLECTED IN YOU by SYLVIA DAY

Reflected In You picks up where the story of Eva and Gideon left off with Bared To You with more outside forces – their families, friends, shrink, and mainly previous relationships – and more action and more drama getting involved along the way.

This sequel digs deeper on the effects and repercussions of the traumatic sexually abusive pasts of both central characters, acknowledging the fact that in the first novel said history was only introduced and barely discussed. In great connection, trust issues are brought up once more. But above and beyond all their problems, this book shows how deep their love for each other has gotten into them physically, emotionally, mentally, and romantically.

“You’re the greatest risk I’ve ever taken. And the greatest reward.” – Gideon Cross

First off, this book is too graphic! There was too much sex happening! And it did not fail to document every detail of how things went down where that aspect was concerned. Haha! I mean I knew what I was in for, but it still surprised me when I read line after line after line of raw and carnal sex. Haha!

“Because of you, the world makes sense to me in a way it didn’t before. I have a place now, with you.” – Gideon Cross

If Eva and Gideon have proven anything, it is that them holding on to the love they have for each other, no matter how quirky and crazy it is, is worth everything. Though their appreciation for and treatment of each other are quite hard to dig and relate to, the resulting actions of their extreme degree of love is still pretty romantic stuff. Indeed, love knows no bounds.

Talking about quirks and craziness, their fights became tiring at times. It was sometimes hard to empathize because it felt more like an exhausting game, going from attachment to detachment and back, between Eva and Gideon with all their trust issues and lack of communication and impulsive reactions all throughout the story. And I was just helplessly observing and there was nothing more I could do.

Truth be told, it took me a longer time to finish reading this one because I paused for moments since apparently the hassles of their relationship got into me, and I just felt tired after every heavy argument, which was the least of what I’d wish to feel while into a book.

Halfway through Reflected In You, I realized it was not as romantic and tear-jerker for me as it should have been. Sure, there were sweet exchanges of promises and acts of love but they did not overshadow nor equal to the stresses and problems of them as individuals and as a couple.

“People get over love. They can live without it, they can move on. Love can be lost and found again. But that won't happen for me. I won't survive you, Eva.” – Gideon Cross

This was why I was surprised to be facing suspense near the end of the book. It was in the last pages leading up to the murder and investigation when I regained my interest to continue with it. I had to find out what had happened, and when I did, I could not believe it. Damn. Now, there really is something to look forward to in the final novel.

I didn’t expect that the plot would build up to such conclusion, and it left me intrigued enough to want to get started with the last book of this trilogy asap. I’m ready!

Are you done reading this book? Share your thoughts!

xx

*Photo sources: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13596809-reflected-in-you

The Happy List: Random List #2

1. My birthday! Best thing about July! How did it go you ask? Pretty awesome I must say. J Celebrated simply but made memorable by the presence of and thoughtful greetings from loved ones. Actually, said birthday had been celebrated, as I would like to see it, in a series of dates with different sets of people. The happiness in my birthday couldn’t be contained in one day because I couldn’t accommodate all loved ones in one go, as I would always want to make sure to spend real quality time with each. But hey, don’t get me wrong, nobody’s complaining. Here’s a #1 fan of socials. Haha!
2. Pandin Lake! Pandin Lake! Pandin Lake!
3. Vertical Horizon x Blink 182 x Third Eye Blind x Semisonic x Puddle of Mudd first thing in the morning, before bed or just about anytime I feel like it, while finishing chores or while drinking something with my back on the set. Nothing like the 90s alternative to get all the senti feels going.
4. Quality time. *winks*
5. Sisig. In which I have developed some unexplainable craving that I luckily get to satisfy just in time for the unluckily next craving. Oh, tummy.
6. Getting back to reading again finally! After monthsss of being on a reading slump. Currently re-reading Bared To You in preparation for the two sequels.
7. Cupcakes and pixies.
8. Sbarro, Transformers 4 and really comfy seats and floors. (Successfully trumped up all the hassles.)
9. Openness to friends and the overwhelming acceptance and happiness from them.
10. The resilience and optimism of Filipinos during and after GlendaPH. 

It gets easier to overlook chaotic times, dark nights, peeled roofs, and fallen trees knowing that the likes of the abovementioned little things matter more.

Life is always worth living.