Despite the clamor of the memes and articles being posted in various social media websites, I never really planned on watching Heneral Luna with the reason of expensive cinema tickets. All of that changed when my Sociology professor required us to watch it and create a one-page essay regarding the said movie. I thank him for that as having watched Heneral Luna, my patriotism came to a point where my indifference to society turned to frustration and annoyance.

Frustration because, truth be told, the issues tackled in the film which was set during the Philippine-American revolution still exist today. The self-centeredness of the Filipinos were pretty evident as depicted in the film especially when Pedro Paterno and Felipe Buencamino expressed their support for the Philippines to be an autonomous region under the American regime. According to them, trade and economy will boom thus, paving the way for them to be richer and richer. This was even solidified when Luna screamed, "Negosyo o Kalayaan? Bayan o Sarili? Pumili ka!"


Self-centeredness of then Filipinos were also shown during the piyesta shown in the film wherein the rich and powerful gathered for an evening of food and festivities while the entire country is at war. One of the scenes that really struck me was when the ladies were talking about leaving the Philippines for Paris after being married. This scene may be small for some but this particular event shows how easy it is for Filipinos to turn their back on the land that fed and care for them for easy security and easy wealth.

Another issue shown in the film that exists today was how the government officials butt heads for power and prestige. It was as if that one meeting that Antonio Luna attends to will not be complete without shouting and arguing. Well, I guess it is okay to argue and share one's personal opinion on a matter but when the argument is so far-fetched to the real issue, it seems like we're only wasting time. The worst part is that it only seems like everyone is yelling and screaming for attention and not to truly come up for a solution for the problem at hand.

Lastly, I am totally annoyed because it is as if the Filipinos never learned from their mistakes. We never learned that assassinating the best was completely stupid. We never learned to work not for ourselves but for the Mother Country. Most of all, we never imbibed the fact that, as Antonio Luna said, "Walang naka-aangat sa batas. Kahit presidente." I guess it is definitely true that "May mas malaki tayong kalaban sa mga Amerikano-ang ating sarili."


Now that we've learned a lot from Heneral Luna, what are we going to do then? That is the challenge.

The first thought that came into my mind after reading Gayle Forman's I Was Here was a disconnected line finally coming together. Why? Well, because Gayle Forman was able to plant what I would like to call as little seeds that would be so significant in the conclusion of the book. It was as if Gayle Forman made it sure that every single detail said in every chapter would be so useful and so helpful in finding out the real reason behind Meg's death but most of all, Gayle Forman was able to show that sometimes, all you have to do in order to move on from a tragic event is by forgiving. Forgiving yourself, that is. And she was able to do that through Cody.

c/o @tinelemos

I Was Here is not a story of a broken girl having the push and pull conflict of committing suicide because in the story, the broken girl was already beyond saving. Meg already committed suicide. She is already dead in chapter one and the entire succeeding chapters shows the remnants of her death. This leads us to her best friend of several years, Cody, who, like everyone else, is in shock of Meg's death.

For Cody, Meg is the strong, amazing and adventurous one and Cody is well, Cody. She was just Meg's best friend. The other half of the Pod. That's the very reason she could not help but blame herself for not knowing Meg's problems causing her to take her own life. This is the very reason why when she left to collect Meg's things from her college dorm, she took her own journey of finding out the real reason why Meg took her life.


To be honest, I don't have an initial reaction or expectation for the said book. All I know was the book is unlike any other because based on the summary behind the book, it does not promise any smoochy love story. What it promises is a journey of finding out not only the reason behind her best friend's death but also a journey of finding and forgiving herself.

Forgiveness. I think that that was the best lesson that you can get from the story. Cody needs to forgive Meg for what she had done, she needs to forgive her father for not being there, and most of all, herself for not figuring out what was wrong with Meg and for having a twisted life that she did not really signed up for.


That was the biggest thing or lesson that you can get from any book because at this era where young adult books ranges from sci-fi to dystopian to romance to everything combined, it is very easy to forget that one book can change ones life forever. And that's exactly what happened to me. I don't know what's with Gayle Forman and her books but she never fails to touch the smallest nerve in my heart, in my mind and in my body. So, if you want something that is so out of the box, give I Was Here a chance. I guarantee you that it is worth every money you spend.

Have a good life.

I first stumbled upon Amy Zhang's Falling into Place on Goodreads and after reading its synopsis and the reviews about it, I am a hundred percent sure that I have to get the book and read it. Unfortunately, it was just released back in September in the US thus, making it more difficult for me to get a copy of it here in the country. I tried pre-ordering them on Fully Booked but to my surprise, it will cost me more than Php 1000 to get the book! So, I immediately cancelled the order and moved on. By reading other books.


But, who would've thought that I will find a copy of Falling into Place displayed on the window of a National Book Store branch that is only kilometers away from our home?! Of course I bought the book without any hesitation.

So, what's the thing about Falling into Place that almost made me spend Php 1000?


Well, Falling into Place is Amy Zhang's first novel and it revolves around the life and (almost) death of Meridian's most popular Liz Emerson before and after she decided to crash her car and die. The entire story shows how empty and volatile one person can be. It shows how life and society can destroy even the purest and most innocent hearts. Liz is the perfect example for this. She's a great girl with the biggest heart but after suffering a great loss, the little girl which Liz once was dissolved. Forever. Or so she thought. 

Falling into Place is not cookie cutter perfect wherein you can know for yourselves that you're at the climax of the story or you're about to resolve the problem. Falling into Place is told by a mysterious narrator that is both familiar and strange to Liz but it is this particular person that definitely knows Liz inside out.


I completely recommend this book to those who are great fans of Gayle Forman's If I Stay series since it is also told in nonlinear manner. It is filled with flashbacks and memories of not only Liz's but also her friends, Julia and Kennie, her mother Monica and a special boy named Liam. These are the persons that loves Liz very much but these are also the persons that Liz destroyed. Or should I say one of  the many persons that Liz destroyed. 

Liz Emerson is definitely not the best person in the world. She may even come across as seething and loathsome but once you go deeper in her story, you will know that even the most perfect person in the world is also filled with dirt and darkness. Her own personal hell. And even yours too. 


In my opinion, Falling into Place lacks the attention that it needs to be given. It is not monotonous and definitely not predictable. It isn't one of those love story wherein the girl needs to be saving of the man she loves because in this case, Liz needs help and she knows it but the only thing getting in her way is herself. This story will show you how one can only be saved if that someone knows how to ask for help and not cry for help. There is a difference. A huge difference.

After watching If I Stay with my sister, it is imperative that I should blog about it. Yeah, it was that amazing! If I Stay is based on the novel of the same title written by American writer Gayle Forman who has also written beautiful novels such as Just One Day, Just One Year and If I Stay's sequel, Where She Went. The movie is directed by R.J. Cutler and stars Chloe Moretz as Mia Hall, Jamie Blackley as Adam Wilde, Liana Liberto as Mia Hall's bestfriend Kim Schein while Mireille Enos, Joshua Leonard and Jacob Davies stars as Kat Hall, Denny Hall and Teddy Hall respectively.

The story revolves around cello prodigy Mia Hall who, together with her parents and brother, met a car accident. Later on, Mia found herself in a state of comatose and weird enough, she can see and hear everything that is going on around her but no one can see and hear her. It was then described as an out-of-body experience and throughout the movie, Mia flashbacks her past showing the ups and downs of her life and her relationship with rockstar boyfriend Adam Wilde.

What I love about the movie is that it stays true to the book and to be honest, I am not a huge fan of the book itself. It was okay for me but in a weird and strange way, I fell in love the story when I watched the movie. The movie brought about emotions that didn't came out while I was first reading the book. Maybe the reason is that, in the movie, you can literally see every scene that is happening. It clearly shows the transition of the present and the flashbacks while in the book, it is very easy to be confused with the past and the present.

I also appreciate that Gayle Forman and the directors and producers of the movie was able to come up with a great cast that would make Forman's character be immortalized. Moretz' acting skills was undeniably good while British actor Jamie Blackley is the kind of actor that is very easy for girls to fall in love with. It also doesn't hurt that Blackley has a to-die-for voice. I also love Mia's parents' words of wisdom. It is both inspiring and quirky at the same time.

On the other hand, I didn't understand why the movie decides to turn the name of Adam's band to Williamette Stone from Shooting Star. It can be a minor change but I really like the name 'Shooting Star' since it was inspired by Gayle Forman's husband's band named Redmond Shooting Stars.

All in all, I really love the If I Stay movie and this is one of the rare instances where I love the movie better than the book. Some may say that the movie is cheesy and boring because of the numerous voice-overs and quiet moments but I guess those who said that kind of negative comments are those that doesn't really understand or read the book. If I Stay is not a typical chronological book/movie. It is set in a very sad present with flashbacks of both sad and happy moments of Mia's life. So, if you're planning to watch the movie or read the book, you have to be prepared for an unconventional ride but I can promise you that taking the ride would be worth it.

If you stumbled upon my tweet last April 6, you would have known that I have done great lengths just to get my hands on Wendy Wunder's The Probability of Miracles. I first saw it sometime in March and unfortunately, every time I want to purchase the said book, it is always not available. It was frustrating and extremely annoying but I know that I want to read this book not as a PDF file but as a real book. And so, when I received the e-mail from Fully Booked Taft saying that they reserved me a copy of The Probability of Miracles, I grabbed the chance. I traveled all the way from Laguna to Taft in order to buy the book that has been so elusive to me. Finally, I was able to buy the book.

The Probability of Miracles is Wendy Wunder's first book. It is about Cam Cooper, a sixteen year old girl who is diagnosed with cancer. Cam's condition was no longer curable so her mom, Alicia took her to Promise, Maine, a place famous for its miraculous events. It has pink flamingos and an everlasting sunrise and sunset which always happens behind the lighthouse. Most of all, Promise, Maine is where Asher lives, a handsome boy who is afraid to leave the island who taught Cam the essence of real love. Over her stay in the said island, Cam was able to learn the true meaning of family, friendship and hope.

The Probability of Miracles is not another The Fault in Our Stars. Even though both of them talks about teenagers diagnosed with cancer, The Probability of Miracles is quite the polar opposite of TFIOS. Unlike TFIOS, The Probability of Miracles is not a love story. It is a story about self development and growth. It is about embracing life to the fullest and living in the present rather than in the past and the future.



The plot of The Probability of Miracles is very dynamic. One chapter could be very comedic while the other could be very dramatic and the other would be romantic. I believe that this is the perfect way to tell the story of Cam because Cam is a teenager who is a whirlwind of emotions so it feels good that as a reader, I was able to interact with Cam and her story and most of all, to evolve with Cam as the story goes on.

Honestly, I am still thinking about the ending of Wendy Wunder's book. For me it is vague in a good sense because, that is what writers do: they let the readers think although it can be frustrating for me as a reader. I am not going to talk more about the ending as I do not want to spoil you but this is what I can guarantee you: after reading the last chapter, you will no longer know what is real and what is not.

The Probability of Miracles is another good take on teenagers with cancer or teenagers who are dealing with death. I do not know why but this is the kind of genre that I like to read right now. Although, one comment for The Probability of Miracles is that it took too long for the plot to reach its climax. There are many scenes that can be perceived as boring or unnecessary and this could hinder the readers to truly feel the real essence of the story.



All in all, Wendy Wunder's The Probability of Miracles is a great book for persons who want to grow and find themselves. It helps the readers to appreciate life and love the way one should. It is a great book and you should find time to read it as well.

This blog post is my third Christmas special blog post and looking at my past blog posts, I realized that I don't know what to say anymore. I even found it difficult to think of a good title but I guess inspiration comes when you least expect it and this time, this inspiration came in the form of a homeless man I saw as I was walking home from my morning run.

The truth is I always see him when I'm on my home after school and I always wanted to help him but I never knew how. This time, it was the same case. I do not have any money or food with me. I watched him walked down the streets and wondered how could a man so old walk kilometers.





After observing him, I thought how life could be so unfair to some people. You and I all have the means to celebrate Christmas in a very grand manner. We have heaps of food and towering mountains of chocolates and deserts while some persons does not even have money to buy water or a simple can of sardines. I felt ashamed and sad though I am not saying that we should not celebrate Christmas. I am just saying that this Christmas we should be thankful that we have a good life and we have our families with us. Christmas is not about the food, the clothes and the parties. It is about realizing all of the blessings God has given us and thanking Him. Let us also not forget about those who are in need. They too deserve to celebrate Christmas.

Also, I see Christmas as a sign of hope for everyone. It is very known to all of us of what super typhoon Yolanda did to our country. Millions of Filipinos died and lost their homes and possessions. It is quite easy to just give up and stop trying but let us not forget that God never gave up on us. He gave His only Son to save us because He believes in us.

Thus, we should also not give up because this Christmas, despite the tragedy and losses we experience, our country is still alive. Philippines is a strong country and I am not giving up on our country and so should you. Christmas is hope and hope is Christmas and despite all of the trials we have to face, we can overcome it because God believes in us. He is holding on to us because if not, Philippines may not be in the map anymore.

Christmas is a very special occasion for all of us. It is a time to celebrate and let loose but let us not forget those who do not have the means to celebrate it in a huge way. Let's be simple and if we can, let's reach out to those who are in need. Let also see Christmas as a sign of hope because Jesus has finally arrived to save us. Let us not loose hope because we still have each other and we still have our country. God will never leave us and so should we.
HAVE A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS!! :D

The 21st of November was a very special day for all The Hunger Games fans because this is the day that its sequel, Catching Fire will be released all over the world. Though Gary Ross made a good job in the making of The Hunger Games, acclaimed director of Water for Elephants and I am Legend Francis Lawrence took over for Catching Fire and in my opinion, I think Francis Lawrence made an awesome job in creating Catching Fire.

Catching Fire is the second installment of The Hunger Games trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. It follows the journey of Peeta and Katniss after winning the 74th Hunger Games and later on participating in the 75th Hunger Games or most popularly known as the Quarter Quell. A Quarter Quell is a special edition of the Hunger Games which only happens after twenty-five years thus, making the 75th Hunger Games the 3rd Quarter Quell after the rebellion years ago. The story revolves around Katniss trying to please President Snow and keep the other districts from rebelling against the Capitol. Also, Catching Fire begins the real love story of Peeta and Katniss and Katniss's confusion with Gale whom she loved as a brother all her life.

I am so satisfied with how the movie adaptation was created. The movie was so true and loyal to the books that made the movie fuller and livelier. I was also amazed with how Francis Lawrence portrayed the over the top lifestyle of the Capitol. I salute the make-up and costume artists of the movie because they did not only made the persons come alive, it made the Capitol, all of the districts and Panem come to life. Every inch of detail was so precise and accurate. Even Effie's hair looks better and crazier than before.
Since Catching Fire is a fiction-slash-dystopian movie, it has the huge responsibility of creating movie effects that will satisfy the movie-goers and yet again, Catching was able to do it flawlessly. The architecture of the arena and especially the trials in it was perfectly made. Nothing was out of place in the movie. It also made the death and the fighting scenes of the tributes movie-goer friendly. Nothing was too gruesome and at the same time, very entertaining.

And finally, the actors and actresses of Catching Fire! I am so turning into a JLaw fan! She was able to portray Katniss Everdeen not only as a strong woman but she was able to present the soft and somehow crazy and overprotective part of Katniss.When I first watched JLaw and Josh Hutcherson as Katniss and Peeta respectively, I was kind of unsure because there was no spark or chemistry among them. I don't know if it was meant to be that way or it was not just a perfect casting of characters but, in Catching Fire. I finally saw it! Josh Hutcherson was amazing! He turned into a man from a young boy and I can finally say that Josh is cut out for Peeta. Their scenes together, Katniss and Peeta, are so sweet and somehow, heartbreaking since they are to believe that one or even both of them will die in the Games.

Lastly, my favorite character <drum roll please!> is Johanna Mason played by Jena Malone! I loved Johanna since I read the book and I am very, very please with how Jena played Johanna. She was able to make the audience love and hate Johanna at the same time which is the true personality of Johanna Mason. Of course, who would ever forget the infamous elevator scene of Johanna Mason! Yet, I was a little bit disappointed with Finnick Odair. I wasn't really sure if Sam Claflin is the perfect choice. Yes, he is good looking but I think he is not the perfect choice for it but I guess we should see how Sam will do in the Mockingjay! Maybe, I put too much expectations for Finnick Odair since he is described as very handsome in the book. Just maybe.

If it is not yet obvious, I truly adore Catching Fire! It was able to keep the momentum of the first movie and somehow, in my opinion, top The Hunger Games. Catching Fire was not, fortunately, infected by the sequel fluke wherein the sequel is not as good as the first. The movie was clearly made from the book which gladdens me since I read the three books by heart and I would be greatly disappointed if some scenes and events are cut out or changed. To those who have yet to see Catching Fire, I am pleading you to watch it! It is a great movie with the best cast and the best director! May the odds be ever in your favor!

My main goal this sembreak was to catch up on my readings since the only thing I manage to read for the
past months was textbooks and to be specific, Accounting books so to release some steam and let my mind escape for awhile, I decided to read once again. However, even though I am so eager to read, I could not seem to find the perfect book worthy of my time and money (I had been relying on ebooks for months and this time, I want to read from a real book). I found it difficult to choose until I managed to read the beginning passages of Divergent. In that moment, I knew I found the perfect book.

©imyr

Divergent is the first of the trilogy written by Veronica Roth released in 2011. Divergent tells the story of another post-apocalyptic world wherein men and women were divided into factions namely Abnegation which values selflessness,intelligence for Erudite, honesty for Candor, Amity values kindness and Dauntless which values bravery. The five factions were created to retain the peace and order of the nation. According to Roth, the world in Divergent was inspired by the city of Chicago because of the trains connecting the five factions.

The story was told in the perspective of Beatrice "Tris" Prior, a sixteen year old girl who needs to choose which faction she wants to be in. She undergoes an examination to help her make decision however, the results of the exam was inconclusive meaning, she possesses a combination of the factions thus, making her Divergent. Becoming Divergent is dangerous so Tris was not allowed to say anything about it. In the end, she chose Dauntless. She and her fellow initiates must pass the initiations in order to be truly called a member of the Dauntless or else they will become factionless.

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Divergent is not just any ordinary dystopian novel because I believe it is also a coming of age story. Being only sixteen, Tris was thrown into a world foreign to her. She always felt out of place in Abnegation and being in Dauntless shows her how life truly works. Tris learned to fight, literally and figuratively; make friends and even love. Tris is a perfect example of teenage girl trying to work into the ropes of adolescence and being Divergent does not make things easier for her.

After I finished reading John Green's The Fault in Our Stars and even making a review about it, I found myself looking for more of Green's works. I was quite unsure of reading his other works because the bar was already set high because of TFIOS. I was not sure if it will live up to my expectations or it will only leave me disappointed. Sure enough, I took the gamble and began reading more of Green's works and fortunately, I was not disappointed. Because of that, I am going to shed the light to Green's other bestselling novels such as An Abundance of Katherine, Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska.

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An Abundance of Katherines

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An Abundance of Katherines was first published back in 2006 and was awarded as 2007's Michael L. Printz Honor Book Award.

The story revolves around Colin Singleton who always, ALWAYS fall in love with girls named Katherine not Kate or Kat. Always Katherine. But after breaking up with Katherine XIX, he was certain in finding his Eureka moment which led him in a road trip with his best friend Hassan. Colin eventually met Lindsey who, incidentally, always date guys named Colin. The story continues with the push and pull between the interesting connection between Colin and Lindsey. It also shows the entertaining nineteen love stories of Colin and his Katherines. This book is not your typical love story because in the If you are into light romantic novels with a dash of Mathematics, An Abundance of Katherine is a perfect pick.








Paper Towns

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Paper Towns was the third novel by John Green and it was first published October 16, 2008.

I believe that Paper Towns is not actually a love story. It was never clear or mentioned in the course of the story that Margo cared and loved Q as much as Q loves her. Paper Towns was a story with an air of mystery mixed with a hint of romance and friendship and freedom. Margo, being an it girl, was never settled in her life. She decided to make things right after she found out that her boyfriend Jase was cheating with her friend, Becca. Margo pulled a stint together with Q as her revenge on them but after that, Margo disappeared and that led Q, together with his friends Ben and Radar, on a manhunt to find Margo. After finding and searching clues of Margo's whereabouts, Q finally found Margo. Yet, instead of Margo going home with Q, she decided to go to New York. They said goodbyes with a simple kiss and a tight hug.

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For me, that was the perfect ending. Somehow, I knew that Q and Margo would not have a happy ending but I also knew that they felt something for each other and that was the only thing that matters. It was a beautiful and correct conclusion for their love story.


Looking for Alaska 

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Published in March 2005, Looking for Alaska gave John Green's second Michael L. Printz Award.

Looking for Alaska was a lot like Paper Towns. It was also mystery novel mixed with romance and friendship. It revolves around Miles and his hidden feelings for Alaska who has a boyfriend at the time. They became friends through Miles's roommate Chip or "Colonel." Miles feelings was never a secret. It was pretty evident that he have an attraction

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to Alaska who brings an air of mystery and secrecy. The climax of the story was the sudden death of Alaska which led Miles and Chip in search for Alaska's so-called suicide. I was sad and surprised when Alaska passed away because I thought that she and Miles would have a good relationship at the end of the story. It was a cliff-hanger since the cause of Alaska's death was never clearly stated. All of the causes were inferences. I just hoped that Green specified why Alaska died and what was Alaska's feelings towards Miles.

After reading the three books, I could not pinpoint a single favorite and the reason is each of them was distinct and unique from one another. Nothing was static with John Green. He always takes his readers in a wild hunt for answers and conclusions and that is why I both love and hate John Green. He always brings a cliff-hanger. An air of mystery to every story. In a writer's view, it is a positive thing because you can make your readers stop and think and make a conclusion. On the other hand, in the reader's view, it can be annoying because the answers were not directly laid before you. Hate it or love it, John Green and his works are amazing. It is unique and filled with surprises. This I can guarantee with you: you can never go wrong with a John Green novel.

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"You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your friend’s nose" 

So here's the thing, two cancer patients-slash-survivors fell in love with each other during their stay in a cancer support group and their future is as unknown as the cure for their sickness is. Quite depressing right? NO. I was completely wrong about saying The Fault in Our Stars is depressing because the correct adjective to describe it is the very opposite of the word "depressing." TFIOS is uplifting, full of emotions and very alive.

The Fault in Our Stars is written by John Green who is an Indianopolis native and the writer of Looking for Alaska, Paper Town, An Abundance of Katherine, Will Grayson and one of the writers Let It Snow. To be honest, I was not aware that these books actually exist prior in reading TFIOS. I was as innocent as a young baby and it was so unfortunate that I haven't met this very talented and awesome writer over the years or at least his books.
TFIOS, as I said, is a weird yet unique love story. Hazel Grace Lancaster is battling thyroid cancer since she was thirteen while Augustus Waters had his leg remove after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Their story begins and ends with a novel entitled "An Imperial Affliction" written by a drunkard named Peter Van Houten. Augustus fell head over heels to Hazel after meeting her during support group. He was enthralled by Hazel's wit and strength while Hazel was just in love with this charismatic one-legged seventeen year old boy.

It wasn't easy for both Hazel and Augustus and their families. This lovers are always on the verge of dying and every day they met is a blessing so as their plot moves on, it gets deeper and deeper to the reality that, yes, they are both sick and their time together is limited. This will be the end of my synopsis about the book since I do not want to spoil you about the ending which I skimmed before reading the whole book which is a mistake.

For me, TFIOS is a dark story wrapped in glitters. Why do I so? Obviously, the relationship of Hazel and Augustus will not be forever due to their sickness. It will be probable that one of them will die before the other but this reality is concealed by Green's ingenious technique of sarcasm and romance. He let both characters to grow not as cancer patients but as teenagers who fell in love with each other.

This book is not static. It is alive and very unpredictable. Green's use of metaphors and other philosophical themes added more spice to the plot. The story is not only focused on Hazel and Augustus. Green was able to share the limelight to Peter Van Houten, Isaac, a good friend to them who has eye cancer; Mr. and Mrs. Lancaster and the family of Augustus. All of them created more conflict and drama to the plot. They depict the real situation of the families who have cancer patients in their family.



TFIOS's ending, is well the end. According to John Green, himself, "My thoughts about the world outside of that text are not any more informed or authoritative than yours." The characters ended as the story wrapped itself up which I disagree with because for the readers, the characters live on until they draw their last breath. On the other hand, I have no comment regarding the end of TFIOS. I think it is the perfect way to end a tragedy.

TFIOS is a heart-breaking and life-giving story. It manages to make the readers laugh, fall in love, get angry and frustrated and cry. This novel is, personally, a break for me from all of the fictions stories I have read. I can say that this particular book helped me grow not only as a person, but also as a reader and writer. To John Green, who haven't yet answered to my e-mails, you are a man of such great talent and amusement. I salute you and to you my readers, do not let yourself pass by the TFIOS. If you haven't read this, you are seriously missing a lot. So, get out of your chairs and read The Fault in Our Stars.

2 best friends trying to outshine each other + 1 troubled rich boy + 1 scandalous boy trying to break free from his father's image + 1 outsider who will do whatever it takes to get his girl = DRAMA And when there is drama, there is GOSSIP GIRL.

Gossip Girl had been around for about six years now. It is one of the longest running show in the U.S. to date and since it aired last 19th of September 2007, Gossip Girl had created a whirlwind of scandalous events and had already produced its loyal followers and these followers had already found themselves at the edge of their seats as the phenomenal series comes to an end.

The last episode of Gossip Girl was entitled "New York, I Love You XOXO" and as a Gossip Girl addict myself, I wasn't disappointed. This episode finally concluded the dramas and the scheming and for once and for all, everyone was happy.




The episode began with Blair and Chuck trying to run away from the police after Bart Bass fell from the building. Surprisingly, Jack Bass was the guardian angel of the two lovers. He helped them hide for awhile and suggested that Blair and Chuck should get married in order for Blair not to be able talk against Chuck since he is her spouse. And so, the Waldord and Bass nuptial was held not at a church with all of the magnificent flowers and designer gowns but at the park by a fountain with all of their friends and families. The wedding was not followed by a reception but it was followed by the police taking the newly weds. In the end, they were set free because there were no evidence of Chuck killing his father. They even had a son named Henry!

As for Serena and Dan, well, after being on and off for about the whole series, they landed with each other. Serena did not continue her plan of leaving for LA after reading the other version of the "Serena Chapter." They talked and figured things out and at the last few minutes of the series finale, they were married. That's two weddings in one episode!

I am satisfied with the story lines of Blair, Chuck, Serena and Dan but I am quite disappointed with Nate. He wasn't imprisoned and he was obsessed in finding out who Gossip Girl is in order for the Spectator to survive. Talk about selfish! Just kidding. Anyway, they did not specified if Nate and Sage ended up together. It just presented that Nate was at the top of his game.Well, at least Nate had a great future ahead of him.

Then the climax of the episode and the climax of the whole series itself is the big reveal. And Gossip Girl is none other than Lonely Boy. Yes, Gossip Girl is Dan Humphrey. I wasn't exactly surprised and at the same time, I wasn't expecting it maybe because it is given that Gossip Girl is within the circle and Dan was always there.
So, that's it. Gossip Girl is over and it is bittersweet. I was actually expecting the show to end by Season 5 and I think Season 6 was just made to end the series and it did not disappoint. Season 6 only had 10 episodes but it is packed with the scandalous event in order to wrap everything up. I was happy that Eric Vander Woodsen and Jenny Humphrey was back for a cameo. Juliet Sharp was there and even Little J's conspiring frenemy in Season 2! Kirsten Bell and Rachel Bilson was even there.

It was a series filled with stars and scandals and that's why I'm going to miss Gossip Girl. I am going to miss the quirky quotes of C, the ever changing hairstyles of Lonely Boy, the clothes of S, the adorable eyes of N and the infamous B's Blairbands. And for the last time, I quote, "You know you love me. XOXO, Gossip Girl."

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"Gossip Girl is dead." -Dan Humphrey aka Gossip Girl