#READINGWITHLUIGI1STANNIVERSARY : CELEBRATION AND GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

Hello to all of my awesome readers!

So weeks ago, I've informed you guys that this month, I will be having my First ever Blog Anniversary!

It happened last July 27, 2015! 

To celebrate that, I have conducted my first ever giveaway!

If you don't know what's that and all, I don't know where have you been for the past weeks. Lol. But if you want to re-read that post or read it, click here.

So, Shall I announce the winners?

Let's do it!


The winners are:

Before, announcing the winners I'd just like to explain to you guys how I picked the winners. So basically, I selected three random lucky readers who entered my giveaway with the help of rafflecopter and random.org. I then listed there names on a list randomizer on random.org and no. 1 gets the grand prize and so on. 

Wanna know the winners?

The three lucky readers are:

Anne Valencia

Bianca Lynn Osteria

and Jelo Francisco!

With the help of the List Randomizer, I was able to randomly pick which prize a person gets. I used the List Randomizer since I had to disqualify a lot of people for not complying with the rules. (Sadly)

And the prize that they'll get are:

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY : SIX OF CROWS BY LEIGH BARDUGO!

Hi Readers! Today I'll join the Waiting on Wednesday (that every book blogger seems to do.)  sort of craze. Hahaha.

As all of you know, I've finished Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo weeks ago and I am dying to read another Bardugo book next!

And so, when I found out about Six of Crows a new book by Leigh Bardugo. I was and until now dying to get my copy.

I'll also say some initial thoughts about the book at the later part of this post!

Details:

Title: Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Number of Pages: 480

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Release Date: September 29, 2015

Format: Hardcover

Price: 480
*Prices may change due to different sales/offers

Pre-order the book at:

Book Depository * Amazon

*I am NOT paid for endorsing these 

Synopsis:

"Game of Thrones meets Ocean's Eleven in this brand-new book in the world of the Grisha by New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo.

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone... 

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. 

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first."

About the Author:

Leigh Bardugo is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Grisha Trilogy: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising. She was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Los Angeles, and graduated from Yale University, and has worked in advertising, journalism, and most recently, makeup and special effects. These days, she’s lives and writes in Hollywood where she can occasionally be heard singing with her band. Her new book, Six of Crows, arrives fall 2015. 

Reach the author at:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Goodreads

My Initial Thoughts:

First of all, Let me tell you that I am a huge Leigh Bardugo fan so expect great expectations and some comparisons with her first successful trilogy.

Let's start with the cover. I'm really intrigued on what the cover reveals. It seems like a wing of a crow. (TBH, I thought, it's Nikolai's wings, lol.) I think it has a pretty big significance as the title states, Six of Crows. Having mentioned the title, I think that the cover's too faithful to the title, it's to predictable. Not that it's a bad thing, but some of the best covers gives something more than the title. The synopsis aside, the cover tells something deeper, from what I can identify, the ambiance and the world in this book is a little bit darker. I think that the characters may be coming from pain, chaos, and their own labyrinths in life. I'm not that fascinated and amazed on the cover and I like the Grisha Trilogy's cover more, it seems like this cover lacks something but I'm still contemplating on that. Let's see if my opinion will change when I get hold of this book.

Now, the synopsis or the possible story. I really like this new way of how a Bardugo book is summarized. I mean yes, the Grisha trilogy's synopsis are great but I think it gave out too much information about the story that made it a little bit less exciting. This time, it just gave information about the main objective in the story, the main characters, and the main setting on the world. I really really like this improvement, two thumbs up! Now on the teaser story, I like that Leigh did this sort of introduction to the event place in the story. She also introduced what I think is the leader, Kaz. I loved how she told the different purposes, characteristics, and description of the six characters that made the story much more interesting and more exciting. I am really excited on what the story brings!

Lastly, on the characters. Just telling from the synopsis, I can tell this book has very awesome kick ass characters. Their characteristic seems to be different at points, which will hopefully, make the story interesting. Knowing that the characters come from different places, experiences, and has different abilities, I'm really excited on how things will work out for them and how they will be able to cope with each other. I'm also excited how the characters will differ from the previous characters in the Grisha trilogy as I spot a heartrender there. I'm very very excited on how Leigh will put up and differently equally make the characters stand out by themselves. I'm really happy with how Leigh introduced the characters in the synopsis and I am thrilled to see how things will turn out for them!

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So, that's it for todays post!

This was a very short and fun post telling you guys my initial thoughts on the upcoming book of Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows.

Are you excited about this book? Tell me what you think on the comments below!

Also, if you don't know, I'm having my first ever Blog Anniversary giveaway! Click here to redirect you to that post! A signed copy of Shadow and Bone which is also by Leigh Bardugo plus goodies and two more prizes are up! 

I wish you guys all the best and you'll read from me very soon with another post!

#READINGWITHLUIGI1STANNIVERSARY : ANNOUNCEMENTS, INTRODUCTION AND GIVEAWAY!

Hello Readers! Welcome!

Today's post will all be about announcements, introduction, and giveaway to celebrate my upcoming....

1ST BLOG ANNIVERSARY!

May it be called blogoversary, blogiversary, blogversary, or anything else, I don't care!

I've nearly reached my FIRST YEAR as blogger!

Apologies if today's post will be too short, I just want to formerly announce my celebration and giveaway prizes!

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So, about less than a year ago, this happened..

Not my best post. LOL.

And about less than a year after, this post happened!

Isn't that freakin' amazing!!

As I've told you guys a lot, I'm very very surprised that I was able to put up at least a post or two per month. I'm usually the person that gets bored easily.

I've had three? bookstagram accounts that all of them I decided to put down because I wasn't active anymore.

and then..

Blogger came into my mind!

I was so scared at first.

Scared of being not too good enough, not having any pageviews, criticisms (the rude ones, tho. Constructive criticism are welcome here in my blog.), rejections, and all of those things but thankfully, I stayed and continued blogging up to this very moment!

So to everyone who's reading this and they're planning to step up and do something they haven't done before, here's a piece of advice, take that step and accept it, learn from it, develop it.

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My blog started out as a piece of chaos. (literally, HAHA.)

I don't know how to do my own header, outro, sidebars, everything!

Back then, I was just a thirteen year old boy, struggling to become a writer and an IT at the same time to make his blog greater! HAHA.

And then, I've met a lot of awesome people who've helped me use the different tools blogger has. Thank you and you know who you guys are!

Months passed by, I had supporters and haters (believe me, yes. HAHA) and I've developed both as a person and a blogger..

and now, we're here Readers! We've reached almost a year! Cheers to everyone!

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So, what do you plan to do in your anniversary month?

Honestly, I have no written plans. HAHA.

I think I'll just go with the flow on what my strength and fate can do. HAHAHA.

You see, school is my number one priority.

And with school, comes homework, fatigue, projects, activities, and all of that things.

So it takes up 80% of my time.

I haven't actually finished reading a single book since school started. (That's sad, isn't?)

I'm planning (or atleast thinking, LOL.) on posting reviews, guest posts, interviews, etc. this special month.

But who knows? (*crosses fingers for at least 5 decent posts this month. Lol)

So, I've decided to keep in touch with you guys through social media!

This month, I'll officially be using, #ReadingwithLuigi1stAnniversary hashtag on atleast all of my accounts to keep you guys updated on giveaways, recent thoughts, and all of that stuff that has to do with my Anniversary!

So, I'll be updating you guys! and You also can discuss it with me! Yeheyy!

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Giveaway:

And the most exciting part comes!

To celebrate, my First ever Blog Anniversary, I will be giving away three different prizes.

The Second Prize:

The second prize contains:

• A set of Paper Tapes
• 4 pcs. of Clip Bookmarks
• 1 pc. of sticky tabs.
• 2 pcs. of Mini Rectangular Notebook

The First Prize:

The first prize contains:

• A paperback copy of Snow White & The Huntsman: A Novel
• 3 pcs. of Clip Bookmarks
• 1 pc. of Mini Rectangular Notebook

The Grand Prize:

The grand prize contains:

• A SIGNED paperback copy of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
• 2 pcs. of Clip Bookmark
• 1 pc. of Sticky Tabs
• 2 pcs. of Mini Rectangular Notebooks

Terms & Conditions:

• This contest is open to PHILIPPINE residents ONLY. (So sorry to my international readers.)
• The giveaway will run until 12 AM, July 26, 2015 and I'll announce the winner on July 27, 2015, the exact date of my blog anniversary!
• All mandatory entries are REQUIRED. Those who fail to follow will automatically be disqualified.
• All optional entries are of course not required but doing so will give you higher chances of winning my giveaway.
• If the winner does not respond to my e-mail within 50 hours or 2 whole days and 2 hours, I will have to pick a new winner and I'm very sorry, whatever you've won will be given away to another winner.
• As much as I want to give you guys the best giveaway, I am not responsible for any items lost or damaged in the mail. Though rest assured that I will secure and wrap the items safely.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


And so that's it for today's post! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to message me on my accounts and/or email me at readingwithluigi(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Please do join my giveaway and join the discussion with the hashtag #ReadingwithLuigi1stAnniversary !

I'm so excited on how things will turn out!

Good Luck and may the odds be ever in your favor! 

BOOK REVIEW : RUIN AND RISING BY LEIGH BARDUGO!

Hi Readers! I'm back again with another review!

As I've said over my last post, Siege and Storm Book Review, I have already finished the third book, Ruin and Rising and here's my full review of it! 

Please do put in mind that this is the third book in the Grisha trilogy so it will in any way possible contain SPOILERS for the first and second book.

Let's begin!

Details:

Title: Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Number of Pages: 422

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Published on: June 17, 2014

Format: Hardcover

Price: $21.59 (BD), $18.99 (Amazon), Php 899.00 (NBS) & Php 855 (FB)
*Prices may change due to different sales/offers.

Purchase the book at:

National Book Store * Fully Booked * Book Depository * Amazon

*I am NOT getting any profit for endorsing these sites.

Synopsis:

"The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army. 

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for."

About the Author:

 Leigh Bardugo is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Grisha Trilogy: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising. She was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Los Angeles, and graduated from Yale University, and has worked in advertising, journalism, and most recently, makeup and special effects. These days, she’s lives and writes in Hollywood where she can occasionally be heard singing with her band. Her new book, Six of Crows, arrives fall 2015. 

Reach the author at:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Goodreads