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Clockwork Angel is the first book in the new Infernal Devices series by YA fantasy author Cassandra Clare. The Infernal Devices books are set in Victorian London and are written as a prequel to Clare’s bestselling Mortal Instruments urban fantasy series.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray arrives in England during the reign of Queen Victoria, something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the Shadowhunters, a band of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Drawn ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by – and torn between – two best friends, and quickly realizes that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Set during the reign of Queen Victoria, Tessa was kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, after she went to London to find his missing brother. Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy all Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping the Nephilim save the world.

The riveting venture of Tessa can explode your mind into varying feels as shown in this picture. It can bring sadness, happiness, excitement & thrill in which every reader in the world can enjoy.

The title of this book is Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. This is the second book of The Hunger Games Trilogy. This book taught me so many lessons. Catching Fire speaks of the human potential to triumph over formidable adversity. In the book, Katniss Everdeen faced series of unending battles in her life that she should overcome. From hunting for food to a broken heart, she lived her days overcoming one crisis after another.

Katniss never gave up amidst everything. She has given the people of District 12 as well as the other districts hope. She has become a symbol of light in a dark, depressing world. Although she has had no time to recover from her own traumatic life experiences. The lesson Catching Fire is trying to convey is that hope is stronger than fear. People shouldn’t stop hoping. Because only in hope that everything is possible.

One thing I have learned from this book is the thing stronger than fear which is hope. Catching Fire speaks of the human potential to triumph over formidable adversity. We all know that life is a series of unending battles that must each be faced and overcome. From an infected toe to a broken heart, people live their days overcoming one crisis after another. This book taught me that amidst those arduous downfalls, we must hope. Because in hope, nothing is impossible.

Suzanne Collins has once again made her readers filled with awe in her second installment in The Hunger Games series. This is a must-read book and I this one of my personal favorites!

A girl who is believed to be a malfetto. An abomination. A black sheep of the family. That is Adelina Amouteru. The girl who, after a deadly illness swept through her, was left with strange markings. Left with a jagged scar where her left eye once was. But she’s not alone, there are other who survived the disease. The people who are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, they have come to be called the Young Elites. And those are the people she’s supposed to work with.

It’s a book full of darkness, and power and its chock full of mystery. That’s what keeps you turning the pages. It’s so dark. I feel like…I never know what direction this story is going to take and it’s frustrating and exhilarating. I honestly have such a hard time figuring out who is going to do what, and what I want people to do.

This book is so incredibly different from her Legend trilogy but that is what makes it so good. You still have the great writing and storytelling and the unique “voice” that is Marie Lu, but it in an entirely new story, an entirely new world. I think sometimes it’s difficult for an author to venture outside the way they’ve written, but Marie Lu proves in The Young Elites that not only can she write fantastic dystopian but she writes dark, rich fantasy as well.

The Young Elites is a dark tale of a female Darth Vader in the making, Adelina. Marie Lu weaves a tight plot with some twists that will have the readers turning pages while sympathizing for Adelina inspite of the role she will grow into. An entertaining read that I’ve experienced that would wow the YA crowd and gain the author newer fans

In the Philippines, carolers start to fleet singing Christmas Carols from one house to house the moment the –ber months start. Caroling has been a part of the Filipino tradition every Christmas season since then.

In a day, a household can be visited by a caroler twice. Since these carolers start to work so early, the householders has to give money to them from September to December. However, money isn’t always present. Thus, these carolers can become a burden to these householder. Nevertheless, there are simple ways to sometimes break away from these carolers even without running.

Here are some of the ways:

1. Mute Everything

Whenever you hear voices of the carolers and you are caught off guard, what you can do is to mute every single device that’s creating a sound. In that way, the carolers with sharp senses will think that nobody is inside the house. Thus, it will make them leave.

2. Turn the Lights Off

This is another way in guising that nobody is inside the house. Whenever the carolers come to ask for pennies, you just have to turn the lights off to make them once again leave.

3. Straightforward Decline

To straightforwardly decline is to directly say to these carolers that you don’t have money and they just have to come back on Christmas Day. This is by far the most effective way in getting these carolers out of your way. But, this needs bravery.

4. Act Deaf

There are people who likes to get rid of these carolers by acting deaf. No matter how hard these carolers try to sing, this will be of no use if you act deaf.

Unquestionably, childhood is one of the few stages in our lives that we will always miss. It is a stage that if we are given the chance to go back, we’ll certainly go back. There are so many reasons as to why most people consider childhood as one of the best stages in their lives. Perhaps, they have enjoyed playing so many outdoor games that made it so much memorable.

In the Philippines specifically in the Visayas region, if you’re going to ask somebody why their childhood was awesome, they’ll definitely mention the outdoor activities that they have played. Now to give you a glimpse as to how children in the Philippines enjoy their childhood, I’m going to give you the 3 Most Popular Children's Games in the Philippines:

1. Dakop-Dakop

Dakop-dakop is one of the most popular child’s game in the Visayas region of the Philippines. It’s like the game “Tag, you're it!”. In this game, your objective is very simple. If you’re the player, you just have to catch people who are in the game by touching any parts of their body.

Whenever there is a gathering of children in the neighborhood, Dakop-Dakop will always be the first game children can think of since the game involves so much running making the children enjoy it so much. There are many renditions of this game. But still, the objective is the same.

2. Tago-Tagoan

This game is similar to hide-and-seek game. The player will close their eyes to let the other players hide. After a short while, the player will then seek the” hiders”. When the player finally find those people who hid, the player will then go touch the wall where he stayed while closing his/her eyes and then say the word “save!”. Failure to do so will make the player be the one who seeks again.

This game is commonly played during daylight because most Pinoy children is into the superstitious belief that if they play during night, the ethereal world might grab them while they are hiding. However, there are also children who are into thrill so they still play the game during the night. This game is considered as the second most played game because of the buzz it can bring to the children.

3. Bato Lata

“Bato Lata” is considered as one of the authentic Pinoy games. The name of the games basically translates to “Hit the Can”. There two kinds of people in this game (a) the hitters (b) the player. The former are ones who will hit the can which stands inside a drawn circle using a slipper. The latter’s goal however is to tag a hitter if the hitter tries to get his slipper after he missed to hit the can. If a hitter is tagged, he will then replace the player.

Christmas is just a few days away. And everybody in the Philippines are now preparing themselves for this one big event. Apparently, Filipinos made Christmas celebration a tradition. More than their religious obligation, they take Christmas as a special season by which family gatherings happen. Now, here are the 5 things that people should expect from Pinoy Christmas that I have painstakingly pulled together:

1. Caroling Kids

Right after the 31^st of August, the famous –ber months start. Along with is also the time when you can see kids caroling. Every Christmas season in the Philippines, you can always see kids in group wandering from one house to another to carol. The famous “Pasko na Naman” song will always be present in the song. However, they are usually declined during first two –ber months.

2. Foods, Foods & Foods

The Filipino Christmas tradition won’t be complete without the Noche Buena or the dinner on the eve of Christmas. This is considered by Filipinos as one of the most important meals every year because this is when families and friends gather. Filipinos usually prepare dishes that can be special and only prepared once a year.

3. Simbang gabi

One of the most common Filipino practices during the Christmas season is the Simbang-gabi. Filipinos practice Simbang-gabi as an expression of the their filial devotion to Mary, the mother of God. For nine consecutive days, they join and accompany her, so to speak, as she awaits the birth of her Son Even it happens at the crack of the dawn, many people still prosper it. It is said that one of your wishes will come true if one completes the nine consecutive days of Simbang-gabi.

4. Unwrapped Gifts

Filipinos are people who affectionately give gifts. They consider Christmas season as the perfect season to give gifts. The typical gifts Filipinos give to their relatives are clothes & cash. The people who usually gives gifts are the aunts, uncles, & parents.

5. The Gift Seekers

Every Christmas season in the Philippines, you can always hear somebody asking someone to give him/her a gift. Even acquaintances will ask for a gift. However, only few people really gives.

Disclamer: The pictures shown in this blog are not mine,

One of the highly-anticipated movies for this year, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is already out in the Philippine cinemas last Thursday, 20^th of November, 2014! The Hunger Games film saga is an adaptation of a book trilogy of the same title by no other than Ms. Suzanne Collins. It is considered as one of the most successful book series in the Young Adults Literature. Thus, it is being anticipated by all readers worldwide. The first two adaptations The Hunger Games & Catching Fire which hit the blockbuster tremendously made the people look forward to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 .

A scene from the movie

When the decision of splitting Mockingjay into two parts (like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows) first came out, many of the readers doubted it since the contents of the book is quite short to produce two films. Aside from that, they also critiqued that the filmmakers are just doing it since they knew it’s going to be a hit. However, many people still looked forward to it.

The decision that splitting Mockingjay into two parts is business must be accepted first before one can watch The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1. The trailer showed so much about post-war scenes which can make a person suppose that it’s going to be an action-packed movie. However, the movie showed so little of it because it comes off as a curiously satisfying non-action movie. Nevertheless, it didn’t fail to present almost every detail written in the book.

The acting part was very remarkable it could last in one’s head for a lifetime. Katniss Everdeen’s actress, Jennifer Lawrence remains a standout. The conviction allow the character to show as both a fierce warrior and a conflicted young woman. She wowed everybody when she delivered the line “Fire is catching. If we burn, you burn with us” with so much conviction. The effect of the Oscar-calibre actors & actresses speaking is so breathtaking giving the acting part a five out of five stars.

People may find The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 quieter and less showy than its predecessors, but it was very well done and it could make you anticipate for the part two. In totality, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is very brilliant, so beautiful, & extraordinarily breathtaking.

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